State legislators, Rikers Island survivors, and those who lost loved ones at Bikers met for a passionate demonstration on Thursday in Foley Square to defend the effective bail reform bill.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s insistence on leveraging the state budget to compel revisions to the bail regulations that will increase pre-trial incarceration has caused a delay of nearly two weeks.
- Advertisement -
Assemblywoman Lattice Walker, who is on a hunger strike in opposition to the governor’s proposal, attended the event.
Assemblywoman Walker stated, “I will do everything in my power to keep more Black, brown, and poor people from being incarcerated pretrial in dangerous jails across the state.” She added, “Locking up more people pretrial will not make anyone safer. We need to focus on real investments in public safety, including alternatives to incarceration, pretrial services, violence interruption, substance use treatment, secure housing, mental health treatment, job training and education. Hands off bail reform.”
Governor Hochul acknowledged the need for reform in 2021 and referred to Rikers Island as “hell on earth.” More than 24,000 people have been saved from pre-trial detention on criminal and non-violent felony charges as a result of the bail reform bill, which has caused a decrease in re-arrest case of an increase in court presence rates.
In order to advocate for reforms to the bail regulations, Governor Hochul has halted the state budget. Participants in the rally demanded the implementation of tried-and-true measures to make New York safer, including safeguards against arbitrary evictions, rental assistance, extended unemployment benefits, more funding for first responders who specialize in mental health, and investments in anti-violence initiatives.
Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman, who represents Assembly District 58, “I represent a community that is 9o% Black and brown and I’m here to tell you that it is fake news when you try to argue that bail reform is responsible for a spike in crime.” She added, “Removing the least restrictive standard will open the door to more of the same — more Black and brown people being caged. We need support and funding. Let’s focus on that. The safest communities have the most resources, let’s focus on that.”
Governor Hochul’s proposed bail has drawn criticism from a number of advocates, lawmakers, and union officials. The idea has been criticized by more than 100 legal professors from all of New York State’s law schools, and prominent unions UAW Region 9A and DC37 have urged lawmakers to reject it.
Participants in the rally on Thursday encouraged lawmakers to forego making changes to the bail system in favor of spending money on initiatives that will increase public safety.
