(AllHipHop News) The New York City Police Department’s “Stop-and-Frisk” policy is one of the most highly criticized police tactics in recent years. The New York Civil Liberties Union, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and The Bronx Defenders filed a federal class action lawsuit against the city, and as a result, a judge ordered that the NYPD stop enforcing the practice in front of private residences in The Bronx.
And now all NYC residents await the decision of a judge in another case involving the policy. Floyd v. City of New York covers a much larger scale as the constitutionality of the entire program is in question.
The Center for Constitutional Rights (part of the defense team in the case) is now trying to get the word out about the upcoming ruling by enlisting rapper/actor Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) to appear in a new public service announcement.
The 3 minute ad is called “Don’t Tread On Me” and features some staggering facts like 85% of the 5 million stops under “Stop-and-Frisk” were Black or Latino. In the video, the voice of a police officer can also be heard sharing the story of his commanding officer telling his precinct, “we’re gonna go out there, and we’re gonna violate some rights.”
[ALSO READ: Reverend Al Sharpton, Rappers Protest NYPD’s Stop & Frisk Policy]
For more stats about the NYPD’s “Stop-and-Frisk” visit thinkprogress.org.
Watch Yasiin Bey’s “Don’t Tread On Me” PSA below.