J'Ouvert organisers meet NYPD commissioner to discuss safety ahead of Labor Day
J'Ouvert City International says Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised its safety record, with only two non-fatal incidents at its celebrations since 2022.
NEW YORK, United States. The organisers of Caribbean J'Ouvert in Brooklyn have met New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch to discuss safety at this year's event.
Yvette Rennie, the Trinidad-born president of J'Ouvert City International Inc, which stages J'Ouvert in the hours before the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade on Eastern Parkway, described the meeting as a "proud moment".
She said the group met Tisch on August 25 at One Police Plaza in Manhattan, along with commanding officers from several Brooklyn precincts and Brooklyn pastor Gil Monrose.
"Commissioner Tish presented a statistical chart outlining the safety records of J'ouvert from 2022 to the present and highlighted that only two non-fatal incidents occurred during our celebrations," Rennie said.
"We were highly praised for maintaining safety, structure, and responsible management of our cultural celebration," she added.
Criticism of the rules
Rennie said some within the cultural community continued to criticise the rules that keep J'Ouvert safe, even though they knew that some people had called for the celebration to be shut down after an incident on the route.
"What is more important?" she asked. "Starting our cultural celebration at 2 a.m., or 6 a.m. for the safety of our children? Having no barricades and no designated search points, or the safety of our children and elders?"
"We choose the safety of our children and everyone who attends our event," she said. "We choose responsibility."
A call for fair funding
Rennie said all groups that take part in J'Ouvert should be recognised. "Our culture belongs to all of us. No single group should be treated as though it represents the entirety of our culture," she said.
She said funds provided to support the celebration should be distributed fairly among participating groups, rather than the majority going to one organisation.
"When we work together, respect one another, recognize the contributions of all our cultural groups and most importantly put the safety of our children and communities first, J'Ouvert becomes stronger, safer, and more meaningful for everyone," she said.
"Safety is not the enemy of our culture," Rennie added. "Safety is how we preserve and protect our culture."
