Unfortunately, members of the Latino community have been the target of monstrous hate crimes this past month in New York. Some of you may recall the group of Long Island teenagers who attacked and fatally stabbed an Ecuadorian immigrant because he was Latino.
And now, just weeks later, news of two Ecuadorian brothers who were attacked on the way home from a bar in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Jose O. Sucuzhanay, 31, and Romel Sucuzhanay, 38, were walking home from a bar with arms interlocked when three strangers yelling anti-gay and anti-Latino slurs jumped out of a SUV and attacked them. The assailants used a bottle and aluminum bat, while also kicking and punching, and left Jose brain dead. He was removed from life support yesterday, but is still listed under critical condition.
In response to the vicious attacks, Make the Road New York (MTRNY) is organizing a massive march/ vigil MTRNY’s Community Park in Bushwick this Sunday, December 14th at 2 p.m. The march will be to the corner where the incidents happened (Corner of Bushwick Ave. and Kossuth Place).
Events like these often leave us speechless and confused. Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn said of the events, “We all must open our eyes to the hate that exists around us and work together to fight against those that demonize others and allow stereotypes to lead them to acts of unconscionable violence. We are all partners against hate.”
Detailed information on the vigil:
Vigil: United Against Hate! In response to Bushwick Hate Crime Committed Against the Sucuzhanay Brothers
When: Sunday, December 14 2008 at 2pm
Where: MTRNY’s Community Park in Bushwick (Grove St. and Myrtle Ave.)
How to get there: Take the L train or the M train to Myrtle-Wycoff Ave.
For more information call or contact: Karina Claudio at 917-676-2559 or karina.claudio@maketheroadny.org