Pubdate: Wed, 25 Aug 1999
Source: Star-Ledger (NJ)
Copyright: 1999 Star-Ledger
Contact:  1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, N.J., 07102-1200
Website: http://www.nj.com/starledger/
Forum: http://forums.nj.com/

COALITION TO STAGE RACIAL PROFILING PROTEST

A coalition of organizations, clergy and civil rights activists will hold a
demonstration against police brutality and racial profiling at noon
Saturday at the State Police barracks on the Garden State Parkway in
Bloomfield.

Lawrence Hamm, chairman of the People's Organization for Progress,
announced the demonstration yesterday during a press conference at the
Women In Support of the Million Man March headquarters in Newark.

"We want to send a message to the New Jersey State Police that we want
racial profiling and police brutality to cease," said Hamm, who added the
demonstration will commemorate the 1963 march on Washington, D.C., where
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

"We want to see the establishment of an independent community controlled
civilian complaint review board with subpoena power," said Hamm. "The State
Police needs to implement a reform program within the organization."

Dennis Ingoglia, a spokesman for the New Jersey High Authority, which
operates the Garden State Parkway, could not be reached for comment
yesterday about the weekend protest.

Since April, the POP has organized eight demonstrations for justice in its
efforts to protest police brutality and the state's handling of racial
profiling complaints.

Free transportation will be available for any participants, Hamm said.
Buses and cars will leave at 11 a.m. from 53 Lincoln Park.

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