New York City’s lawmakers made good on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s promise to Black Lives Matter rioters during George Floyd demonstrations in the Big Apple last month, defunding New York’s Finest as part of an $88.1 billion budget passed in a red-eyed vote just after midnight early Wednesday.
The NYPD budget was slashed by one billion dollars.
Among the elements of the department headed for the chopping block are:
- Elimination of officer overtime
- Transferring out of monitoring of homeless, school safety, illegal street sales
- Reduction of the force by 1,163 cops (cancellation of planned hiring)
- Cancellation of incoming July class of officers, and
- Elimination of school safety officers (transferred out).
Protesters — never satisfied — said it still fell far short; so did the City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who reportedly plans to run for mayor next time around.
The Mayor and I started this process FAR apart on shrinking the NYPD’s budget and footprint and bringing transformational change to the department.
The Council fought hard to get where we are, but I know this is just a starting point, not an ending point. We need to go farther. https://t.co/aW8TmiBe42
— NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo)
Johnson expressed his disappointment, saying he is committed to “holding the mayor’s feet to the fire on this and continuing to work for reform.”
Protesters continued to demonstrate in front of City Hall, meanwhile, shouting for the City Council to defund and/or abolish the NYPD altogether. The area was labeled a “NO PIG ZONE” in red spray paint on the pavement, and some demonstrators tried to set up a “City Hall Autonomous Zone (CHAZ).
In NYC to cover the Occupy City Hall protest for and people have set up a “No Pig Zone.” They are calling for the city to defund and/or abolish the NYPD.
A sign says this is the “City Hall Autonomous Zone.” pic.twitter.com/NtMXPlR2LW
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11)
Goood morning NYC, back at where dozens of NYPD have lined up adjacent to occupied public plaza. Mood is tense. pic.twitter.com/2u8BfJudig
— Gwynne Hogan (@GwynneFitz)
By midday Wednesday, once again it seemed demonstrators were being given free reign on the street near City Hall, perhaps temporarily.
NYPD leave their positions at City Hall in NYC, leaving it to Antifa and Black Lives Matter at the new CHAZ. pic.twitter.com/LN1lS7xwr9
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray)