NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Calls Video of Shooting Death of Walter Scott by Police Officer 'Disturbing and So Painful'
NEW YORK — Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio weighed in on a video showing 50-year-old father of four Walter Scott being fatally shot in the back multiple times by South Carolina police officer Michael Slager on Wednesday and called it "disturbing and so painful."
De Blasio, who was speaking at the National Action Network convention headed by civil rights activist Al Sharpton, said while the video was difficult to watch, members of the civil rights organization should not allow it to push them into despair, but reflect on the changes that have resulted from their activism.
"We're all feeling some pain today, I can imagine. I certainly am. We watched a video yesterday. Once again we are watching a video. Watched a video that is so disturbing and so painful. You can't watch that as a human being and not feel pain. It makes no sense, according to what our core notions of humanity and decency and justice are. And it is tempting, when you see something that painful, it is tempting to feel despair," said de Blasio.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"A moment like this we could feel like going backwards," he added before quoting Martin Luther King Jr., saying "change is based on hope and not despair.
"I push back the despair and I take stock of the good; I take stock of the progress that we've made because people stood up," said de Blasio, who took the opportunity to comment on progress in New York City which had resulted from activism.
"We had that march a few years ago in New York City at a point when there was over 700,000 stop and frisks of people in the city, the vast majority of whom were young men of color. The vast majority of whom were innocent in every way, shape or form. And this year, that number is 40,000 of the people being stopped … look at that as an example of progress," he said.
He noted that the city's policy change on marijuana has resulted in 65 percent fewer marijuana arrests before highlighting how technology, most notably cameras, are helping to change the direction of policing across the country.
"In this city right now. We have begun to use body cameras for our police officers. A measure of accountability and transparency," he said was a change that came from activism from the public as well.
"A few years ago body cameras were considered something out of reach. But now they're becoming a norm in more and more police departments around the country. It's because people demanded change and technology gave us a chance to create that kind of transparency and accountability we had never known before," said de Blasio.
"We've seen these painful moments captured on individual citizens' cell phone cameras. We're going to move more and more to a society where the cameras on police officers for the good of all so the truth comes out. As Rev. [Al Sharpton] says, whether that truth indicates fault on the part of the officer or the citizen. What we are seeking is the truth. What we are seeking is a transparency so we can all believe in that common set of rules. We've gotta keep our focus on those changes," he urged the NAN members.
In a statement issued by Sharpton at the convention, he said Scott's death was a "senseless tragedy" and commended city officials for acting swiftly to address his death.
"Walter Scott's death is a senseless tragedy and we commend the city of North Charleston for acting swiftly to deliver justice in this case. NAN's South Carolina chapter leaders have been with the family since Saturday and our thoughts and prayers are with them and the entire community of North Charleston. I have spoken with the Scott's family attorney, Chris Stewart, and plan to visit North Charleston very soon," said Sharpton.
"When a black man is stopped for a broken tail light and ends up being shot multiple times in the back, it is yet another reminder that we need a national strategy to implement real and meaningful police reform now. We simply can't rely on citizens with video cameras to make sure justice is served. We know that the majority of police officers are fair and just public servants, but the events of the past year show we still have a long way to go to ensure every citizen in America is treated equally in the eyes of law enforcement. The time to act is now," he said.
De Blasio echoed those sentiments noting that the speed with which South Carolina officials reacted in charging Officer Slager with Scott's murder "indicates something changing" that a few years ago would have been hard to imagine.
In wrapping up his address to the convention, de Blasio called on the NAN members to raise their voices again in the upcoming elections on issues such as income inequality.
"The fight more and more is about economics. Economic inequality is growing in this country," he said.
"A country that is becoming more and more unequal can't compete in the world because the message to our own people is there is no opportunity for you. How do you win a race when your own people don't feel they belong?" asked de Blasio.
"We have an opportunity to change that. We have an opportunity to demand a society that is inclusive not just in terms of civil and human rights but in terms of economic opportunity for all, a society that rewards work again," he added.
