Civil rights leaders are calling for a "March on the Justice Department".
Date: Friday, November 16, 2007,
Time: 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m.,
Place: United States Department of Justice,
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

We believe the federal government has been sluggish in dealing with hate crimes. We, civil rights leaders and organizations, believe the federal government should prosecute the noose hanging as a hate crime.

The increase in reports of violence and overly aggressive prosecution against African American youth by law enforcement officials symbolized by the boot camp beating death of Martin Lee Anderson, the assault of Shelwanda Riley by a police officer and countless other recent dehumanizing attacks has led the NAACP to declare a "State of Emergency" that requires immediate action by local and state authorities as well as the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Congress.

"The NAACP denounces overly aggressive handling of black youth by law enforcement entities, a blatant disregard toward investigating hate crimes and racially discriminatory utilization of prosecutorial discretion," said Interim NAACP President & CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes. "We demand that the American criminal justice system live up to its Constitutional obligations to serve and protect all Americans with dignity and fairness irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, religious faith and other differences. Violence and intimidation of our young people is not acceptable, is against the law and must end now."

Downloads

State of Emergency Bus List Waiver