New York’s Black Lives Matter chapter head called for “black vigilantes” in response to the acquittal of Daniel Penny, saying “there is no love for black people” after the ruling.
Penny was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide by a jury Monday for placing a black man, Jordan Neely, in a chokehold on a subway train in Manhattan. Neely had been making verbal threats to the passengers on the train. Following the ruling, Hawk Newsome, the head of New York‘s BLM chapter, suggested there ought to be “some black vigilantes,” saying “everybody else” has these vigilantes and “seeks justice on their own.”
“People wanna jump up and choke us and kill us for being loud?!” Newsome said at a news conference. “How ‘bout we do the same when they attempt to oppress us? I’m tired.”
Newsome then called for black people to hold “community events” across the United States, during which people would state “what you need” from others and promote “black unity.” He added that black politicians are not welcome at these events, saying how these lawmakers did not visit the court during Penny’s trial.
“I’m sick of these people playing with our lives, our children’s lives,” Newsome said.
Neely’s death occurred when he boarded a subway train in Manhattan on May 1, 2023, and began shouting at other riders, including saying that he was “fed up” and warning that “someone is going to die today,” according to witnesses. He was previously arrested 42 times after acts of theft, evading fares, and assaulting women, one of whom was a 67-year-old woman.
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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Penny with second-degree manslaughter and negligent homicide shortly after the former Marine restrained Neely. However, Penny pleaded not guilty, saying he was trying to deescalate the situation. Penny was released shortly afterward on a $100,000 bond.
A family member of Jordan Neely goes off after the judge dismissing the manslaughter charge against Daniel Penny after a jury deadlock.
— Art Candee ???????? (@ArtCandee) December 6, 2024
"Today, white supremacy got another victory. Today, the KKK, the klansmen, the evil in America got another victory."
Bingo. pic.twitter.com/suA2ZKEnIm
On Friday, Penny’s manslaughter charge was dismissed due to the jury being unable to reach a unanimous decision. In response, Newsome stated in a press conference afterward that the Ku Klux Klan and “the evil in America got another victory.”