New York City FTP protests

In November 2019, a consortium of around 15 local grassroots organizations called the FTP coalition began a series of disruptive protests in New York City against a crackdown on fare evasion and an increased police presence in the city's transit system. According to the coalition organizers, "FTP stands for many things, including 'Feed the People' and 'For the People', but stands for 'Fuck the Police' when it comes to subway protests."[1]

The FTP coalition has thus far held four protests:

  • November 4, 2019[1]
  • November 22, 2019[1]
  • January 31, 2020[2][3]
  • June 4, 2020 [4]

Background

In June 2019, a plan was announced by then Governor Andrew Cuomo that the MTA would locate 500 NYPD and MTA Bridge and Tunnel officers to combat fare evasion after recent reports from the agency estimated that the system had lost approximately $215 million due to unpaid fares.[5] Officers would begin to appear at select train stations and bus stops that autumn. According to The Guardian, "The coalition was created in response to incidents that happened one weekend in October and went viral on social media, including a video that showed police drawing their guns and storming a subway car."[1] The first FTP protest was hosted the week after one of the incidents, where NYPD officers fought a group of teenagers on a subway platform.[6]

References
  1. Aratani, Lauren (December 12, 2019). "'We will not let up': activists protest NYPD subway crackdown". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  2. Aratani, Lauren (February 1, 2020). "'How do you spell racist? NYPD': New Yorkers protest growing police action on subways". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  3. "Dozens arrested in subway protests at Grand Central". WABC-TV. February 1, 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  4. Speri, Alice (2020-09-30). "Human Rights Watch Details NYPD Attack on Peaceful Protesters". The Intercept. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  5. Lewis, Danny; Staff, WNYC (2019-06-17). "Cuomo To Flood The Subways With 500 Cops To Stop Farebeaters". Gothamist. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  6. "Teen to file lawsuit $5M against NYPD, officer after punch in face during Brooklyn melee". ABC7 New York. 2019-10-30. Retrieved 2021-12-06.


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