A Haitian-American legislator has strongly condemned what she describes as the “egregious and inhumane” treatment meted out to a 33-year-old Black man during a New York Police Department (NYPD) enforcement of the social distancing mandate of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic last weekend.
Louis said she is calling on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea to hold all officers involved in “egregious and inhumane treatment” of Donni Wright accountable “and assure that our communities will be treated fairly.”
“A tale of two cities has never been more prevalent at a time when America’s biggest city and the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic should be united,” added Louis, co-chair of the Council’s Women’s Caucus and vice co-chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus.
“As we cope with our new reality, black and brown communities have been outspoken and outraged by the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 and our City’s response to this pandemic.
Louis said the social distancing rules apply to all New York City residents without exemption, but noted that recent incidents of “noncompliance and inconsistent NYPD enforcement have proven otherwise.
