The New York City Council voted overwhelmingly to close Rikers Island jail and open four new borough-based facilities instead
"Today is a day that the history books will look back on as a good day for New York City," Council Speaker Corey Johnson said."This is a step forward, this is progress, this is the right thing to do."The jail, which is on an island in the East River, has become a symbol of the ills of pretrial detention, most famously in the case of Kalief Browder. Browder took his own life after spending three years incarcerated at Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime.
"The balcony in the city council chamber was cleared prior to the vote after protestors chanted,"No new jails."Read MoreThe majority leader claimed that something had been thrown from the balcony, noting"throwing things from the balcony compromises the safety of every member of this body."A protestor responded"your safety is not in jeopardy, the safety of young black and brown people is in jeopardy.""The era of mass incarceration is over.
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