Sometimes it’s all in who you offend. A New Haven SWAT team raided an off campus Yale party on October 2, complete with shields, helmets, and guns. Five of the party goers were arrested for interfering with police duties as cops allegedly shouted and cursed at the crowd. Being a group not accustomed to such treatment by police, no doubt, the upper crust students were highly offended, and rightfully so. Reports state that a few students were beaten and at least one was tased. While their exposure to police brutality may seem relatively minor to someone who has encountered more brazen and unjustified police violence, it has served to unite this unlikely group with local activists all in the name of stopping excessive force and holding police accountable. 

Though local newspapers saw comments from the public that seemed to tease the students for going through something that others witness on a regular basis, suggesting they were being overly dramatic, the students seem to have a real noble effort in mind. Since their initial encounter with the New Haven Police, they have met with the local NAACP, the Unidad Latina en Accion, My Brother’s Keeper, and others within the community to discuss community-police relations and what can be done.

All of these groups and others collectively gathered on October 23 to march against police brutality in New Haven. Altogether about 75 marchers joined together, carrying signs and chanting in a march that ended at police headquarters. Civil rights attorney Michael Jefferson spoke and though Mayor John DeStefano Jr. called his involvement “purely political”, Jefferson demanded that change could not be made with DeStefano in charge. In addition to calling for an end to police brutality, marchers were demanding an independent civilian review board and the city to affirm the rights of citizens to record interactions with police, something that a few were arrested for that night at the party.

Since the night of the raid, the Mayor has come forth stating that citizen’s of New Haven are allowed to record police, that this right speaks to police accountability as well as the First Amendment. However, there has also been at least one case documented since that time of a New Haven resident spending the night in jail for filming arrests.

Currently, the city does have a citizens’ review board but activists state it isn’t powerful enough to have an impact. The board currently only has the power to recommend investigations and discipline, rather than mete it out themselves. Also, members of the board can be appointed by the police themselves, seeming to undermine the unbiased intention of the board completely. Finally, the board acts without a director, something they wish the city would commit to—showing their commitment to the community’s concern.

If you’d like the people of New Haven to feel safe on their streets, within their homes, and even around campus, show your solidarity by signing the petition below. Let the city know that people outside of New Haven might have been alerted to problems within their police department by the Yale party raid, but that we also recognize the bigger problems within their department. 

Photo Credit: Charlie Nguyen