Protesters in City Hall Park call for NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton’s termination

Protesters met in City Hall Park on Monday, calling for NYPD Commissioner William Bratton to be fired.

The “Shut Down City Hall NYC” protest was organized by Millions March NYC, an organization that aims to abolish the “repressive apparatus of the U.S. state,” according to its website.

People began gathering at around 9 a.m. Monday and planned to occupy the park until Mayor Bill de Blasio meets their demands. The group said it was seeking more than just Bratton’s termination; protesters also want to end “broken windows” policing and defund the NYPD’s budget, instead using that money to invest in communities of color. Millions March NYC also called for reparations for families of the victims of police-involved shootings.

In a public statement, Millions March NYC spelled America “Amerikkka” and spelled cops “kkkops.”

“Amerikkka was never great and never will be. It is a country founded on the genocide of Indigenous people and enslavement of Black people,” the statement said. “We must build our own power in our communities, forming a mass, militant, and integrated abolitionist movement separate from the state and two-party capitalist system.”

Armie Jeffryes, an organizer for Millions March NYC, said the group wants to see investments in education, affordable housing and health care in black and brown communities.

The group’s demands have been posted on social media, she said. She added that they will not have closed-door meetings with officials.

“If they want to meet, they can come out to the park,” she said.

Here’s what the scene looked like Monday afternoon.