Residents rally against 'Stop and Frisk' policy

NEW YORK (WABC) -- There were several arrests as protesters voiced their anger over the NYPD's "Stop and Frisk" searches.

The civil disobedience outside a police precinct was sparked by some recent high profile cases.

It ended with some pushing and shoving and some arrests, but it began with a peaceful demonstration and march in Harlem.

They marched from Harlem's state office building several blocks to the 28th Precinct, where protestors blocked the front door for about an hour until cops finally arrested some of them.

Many of these demonstrators say they themselves have been stopped and frisked.

Michael Green, who is 60 years old, told Eyewitness News he was stopped last July.

"I had no drugs on me, I had nothing on me but my phone and $23," Green said.

Protesters gained momentum from the Occupy Wall Street Movement and also from the fact that last week, an officer in Staten Island, Michael Daragjati, was charged after he stopped and frisked an African American man without cause.

He was then was recorded using the "N" word.

Police are denouncing his actions but are still bearing the brunt of the criticism.

The police commissioner meanwhile, argues the policy is needed and that it's working in suppressing violent crime.

Mayor Bloomberg agreed on his radio show Friday.

"Some people don't want you to do anything, and the consequences of that, is as a society that you can't live in, we used to have that in this city," Bloomberg said.

But demonstrators point out that the vast majority of stops and frisks produce hassles and not arrests.

"I have four sons," said Kathy Pinkney, a demonstrator.

"How many have been stopped and frisked?" asked Eyewitness News.

"All four of them, all four of them illegally," Pinkney said.

Get more New York News »

new york city, nypd, stop and frisk, harlem, new york news, stacey sager

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•