Bushwick art installation highlights defund the NYPD demand

June 5, 2021
Cyril Josh Barker
Bronx News12

Local organizations have come together to unveil an art installation to highlight community demands to defund the police.

The past year has seen a number of calls to defund the police, but the city budget for fiscal year 2022 would actually increase the NYPD's budget.

Several 8-feet tall murals are on Goodwin Place in Bushwick. Organizers tell News 12 the murals depict what they feel a police-free world would look like for African Americans.

They say they're encouraging the city to take $1 billion out of the police's budget and reallocate it to the community to invest in resources like housing, education and mental health for community members.

The budget for fiscal year 2021 allocated $5.22 billion to the police department. The proposed NYPD expense budget for the next fiscal year is $5.44 billion.

Organizers unveiled the campaign ahead of the City Council's vote on the final budget later this month.

Topics: NYC Budget Justice