Marine Park City Council Candidate Organizes ‘Black Lives Matter in Education’ Rally

Anthony Beckford, who already announced he’ll be running for City Council in a district that includes Marine Park, if Jumaane Williams gets elected the New York City Public Advocate (and therefore, vacate his current City Council seat), held a “Black Lives Matter in Education” rally.

Mr. Beckford is the President of “Black Lives Matter Brooklyn.” His rally called for mandatory Black history and ethnic studies for kids in every school grade, to hire more Black teachers, end “zero tolerance” disciplining of high school kids which disproportionately effects black boys, and to replace school guards and cops with counselors.

“When they [black children] learn they’re great, they become great. Our children need to know where they come from… We’re not stopping until the walls of Jericho are shaken,” declared Mr. Beckford who received a very excited welcome from the crowd that at times chanted “Black Lives Matter!” The campaign website for Mr. Beckford shows him with various well-known New York politicians.

Several speakers represented multiple other organizations, including Alliance of Equality Education, Integrate NYC, and Urban Youth Collaborative.

In addition to being the President of ‘Black Lives Matter Brooklyn,’ Mr. Beckford is the Leader of the Brooklyn Sector of Copwatch Patrol Unit and is proud of shutting down a business he describes as racist. The district he’s running in includes parts of Marine Park, Midwood, Flatbush and Flatlands.