VolumeVol. 66, No.65, 37No. 207 MONDAY,THURSDAY, FEBRUARY JUNE 4, 10, 2020 2020 50¢ Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes ‘We can is the interim QUEENS president of York College. turn toward’ Photo courtesy of York College TODAY Community must unite during this FebruaryJUNE 4, 10, 2020 2020 time of turmoil QUEENS COUNCILMEMBER BOB By Berenecea Johnson Eanes, PhD Holden has called for the National Guard to Special to the Eagle be deployed to New York City, but Mayor Bill Three names are on my mind as I write de Blasio said that would be unnecessary. this with a heavy heart: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. “WHEN OUTSIDE ARMED FORCES Three families mourning loved ones go into communities no good comes of it,” de who did not return home. They now join a Blasio said yesterday. “We have seen this for much longer list of Black individuals who decades…They have not been spending de- have been senselessly killed as we yet cades on the relationship between police and again are reminded of the seemingly ines- communities,QUEENS particularly in the intensive way capable presence of racism in its various that it has been worked on in recent years.” forms in our country. These are tragic times, but we do not THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE JUNE 9 have to be limited by these events or in on two police reform bills introduced by the ways we choose to respond to one an- Queens Councilmembers Donovan Richards, other. We must fully center our humanity will have a specific impact on Queens. chair of the Committee on Public Safety, toward one another and respond in ways will have a specific impact on Queens. and Rory Lancman, chair of the Committee that do not diminish human dignity. on the Justice System. The legislation would Continued on page 2 make the use of chokeholds and other deadly negotiate leases with their landlords, Queens Local elected officials, the Queens Cham techniques a misdemeanor, and require clear negotiate leases with their landlords, Queens Local elected officials, the Queens Cham guidelines for police discipline to facilitate public understanding. The state legislature may “NYPD officers, all of whom swore to serve and protect us under courtesy, professionalism and respect should be held to the highest stan- repeal 50-a. Here’s what that means. dard of law and public safety,” Richards said. “The NYPD’s broken disciplinary system that By Jake Bittle has shielded officers lacked accountability Special to the Eagle and is an important step in restoring public After years of pressure from activists confidence and trust, which is desperately needed right now. It will send a message to and government officials, New York’s New Yorkers as well as every NYPD officer state legislature may finally repeal a law that fairness and transparency is the new stan- that shields police misconduct records dard and that no one is above the law, even if from public view. you’re enforcing it.” The law, known as 50-a, started to re- ceive greater scrutiny since around 2014, A MAN DROVE HIS CAR INTO A buildwhen condos, high-profile hotels, shopsincidents and ofoffice police space vi- olence forced criminal justice reform into crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters on a build condos, hotels, shops and office space sidewalk along the Cross-Island Expressway the national conversation. The NYPD repeatedly cited 50-a in its refusal to dis- after getting out and waving knives at them The Queens borough president will also on Wednesday. No injuries were reported and close the disciplinary history of Daniel Pantaleo, the officer who choked Eric no arrests have been made. See page 16 for The Queens borough president will also the story. Garner to death on Staten Island. The law faces renewed attention fol- A MURAL IN A FLUSHING MEAD- lowing violent clashes between officers ows-Corona Park parking lot honoring front- and protestors during a series of demon- line workers has been completed after less than strations following the police killing of a week. “Somos La Luz” is a 20,000-square- George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man foot depiction of Dr. Ydelfonso Decoo, an in Minnesota. The conduct of several offi- immigrantp.m. at the physicianQCBA Office. who died of COVID-19. cers is under investigation, Mayor Bill de Blasio has said. “Ip.m. WANTED at the QCBA TO Office.FIGURE OUT A WAY that wouldJust bedays open after to publicwrapping traffic, up theaccording legis- if there’s a way to create an image that can lative session, state lawmakers will return help us mourn together in a time when the thatBrownfieldto would Albany be opennext remediation, weekto public to vote traffic,or theon a processpackageaccording of nation feels more divided than ever,” Cu- of reforms, including a repeal or overhaul ban-American artist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada State lawmakers returning to Albany next week will consider repealing or revising 50-a, the Brownfieldof 50a. remediation, or the process of Continued on page 10 told CBS. section of state law that shields police disciplinary records. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Visit us Online @queenseagle facebook.com/queenseagle queenseagle.com will have a specific impact on Queens. negotiate leases with their landlords, Queens Local elected officials, the Queens Cham build condos, hotels, shops and office space The Queens borough president will also p.m. at the QCBA Office. that would be open to public traffic, according Brownfield remediation, or the process of ‘We can turn toward’ Community must unite during this time of turmoil Continued from page 1 cent tragic acts of violence. I want you to know We find ourselves in contested times and you are not alone. I stand with you along with these trials and tribulations allow us to lean so many others in the York College community into the discomfort, sit with the pain, the fear and beyond; and we extend our support partic- and ask ourselves the hard questions. What ularly to York’s Black students, faculty, staff, is my responsibility in this? What action can alumni and community partners – we see you, I take? How am I directly connected to these we respect you and we support you. events? To all of these people? Writer Margaret Wheatley once stated, “We Only until we see ourselves directly related can turn away or we can turn toward. Those to each of these tragedies that have played out are the only two choices we have.” I hope we on our television screens, social media, and cit- choose to turn toward. ies throughout our country, will we realize our Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes assumed the responsibility to one another to ensuring the hu- interim presidency of York College on Sept. 1, man dignity within each of us. 2019. A social worker by training, Dr. Eanes I recognize the trauma and deep pain that has been an administrator at Columbia Uni- many of our students, families, faculty and staff versity, John Jay College and most recently, at Students study together outside York College in Jamaica. Photo courtesy of York College are experiencing in the wake of these most re- California State University, Fullerton. Mayor, NYPD vow to back off press following days of aggression By David Brand Queens Daily Eagle As an NYPD commander prepared officers to rush a large group of protestors corralled by cops at the base of the Manhattan Bridge Tuesday night, he reiterated a specific order: “No press.” “One of the most important things is press is essential,” the officer told the cops massed at the corner of Chrystie and Canal Streets, just before they charged the protestors trapped on bridge. “I don’t want to see anybody locking up the press.” Moments later, nearby cops cautioned report- ers to prepare for the surge. “We don’t want you caught up in the cloud of dust, like in the car- toons,” one officer advised. The interactions seemed to follow a public ef- fort by Mayor Bill de Blasio and top NYPD offi- cials to rein in the way cops interact with reporters Officers on the Manhattan side of the Manhattan Bridge were ordered to avoid “locking up the press” before rushing a group of pro- following a series of violent encounters nation- testors Tuesday night. Eagle photo by David Brand wide. In New York City, journalists have reported for that.” discourage the aggression in some cases. “We understand the stress and the dangers of being hit by baton-wielding cops and slammed Reporters embedded among demonstrators Not all journalists own an NYPD press pass, your job, especially during these protests and ri- in the face by officers’ shields as thousands of have borne the brunt of the violence, as cops further complicating interactions. Paradoxically, ots,” SPJ wrote. “We understand that at times it demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest charge crowds and attempt to break up the gath- reporters must demonstrate that they have cov- is difficult to make decisions in the face of the the police killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old erings. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said ered at least six events where NYPD officers crisis. We just ask that you take a moment and black man in Minnesota. The Manhattan District he called The Wall Street Journal to apologize to were present in order to obtain the pass. think before you take action against a journalist Attorney’s Office is investigating one alleged as- the reporter who was assaulted during Sunday’s An NYPD spokesperson said she was not im- there to do their job.” sault by police against a reporter from The Wall demonstration.