Team — The cruel truth of the COVID-19 pandemic is this: Communities of color have been impacted at far higher rates than the population at large.

That’s why I joined Gov. Cuomo, Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Nydia Velázquez, and New York City churches to open 24 new testing sites across the city, in largely minority communities, to help curb the spread of this deadly virus.

But even as our community has born the brunt of this disease, we have also faced unspeakable violence at the hands of those who have sworn an oath to protect and serve.

New York City law enforcement officers have attempted to police their way out of this pandemic by strong-arming and intimidating the very communities hardest hit and traumatized by this outbreak. They have shown a blatant disregard for the humanity of Black communities. 

That’s why I am calling on Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Shea to work with community-based organizations, local nonprofits, and government agencies to develop an inclusive plan to diffuse the tension created by the callous disregard and dangerous and violent actions of NYPD officers.

This type of behavior by our city’s police is wholly unacceptable, and we must demand better from those whose job it is to protect our communities.

— Yvette Clarke

P.S. Because of COVID-19, every voter in New York is permitted to vote by mail for the June 23rd Democratic Primary. To learn more about how you can request an absentee ballot, please visit our Voter Information page here.