Empowering communities against mass criminalization and surveillance

Broken Windows Policing:

As a founding organization member of the Coalition to End Broken Windows, El Grito worked to hold New York City officials responsible for the police strategy of aggressive enforcement of low-level, quality-of-life offense, known as Broken Windows policing. Through protests, op-eds and press conferences, the Coalition moved the City towards less arrests and a movement against the discriminatory strategy for its effect on low-income communities of color.

NYS Bail Reforms:

El Grito was a vocal supporter of recent reforms to New York State bail laws, which were enacted and signed into law in 2019.

Right to Record Act:

El Grito has been a community supporter of the City Council’s “Right to Record Act” (Int. 721-B) which codifies New Yorkers rights to film police and which allows them to sue the City if these rights are violated. The Bill passed the City Council in June of 2020.

Repeal of NYS Civil Rights Law 50a:

In a historic win for reform advocates, New York State repealed Civil Rights 50a, which was being misinterpreted by the City and the local police departments to shield police officers from accountability. The law was used to create a shroud secrecy about official police misconduct and keep the public in the dark. El Grito was proud to be a voice in the advocacy that led to this win.

Erase The Gang Database NYC:

In 2019, El Grito joined several legal and community advocates to launch the “Erase the Database NYC” campaign which seeks to dismantle the NYPD’s vague and discriminatory so-called gang database. Gang databases across the country have come under increasing scrutiny as police have used them to catalogue people as gang members based largely on who they know, how they dress and where they live. The campaign is ongoing.