Protests Halt Kelly’s Speech at Brown University

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS

Published: October 29, 2013

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A speech by Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly at Brown University planned for Tuesday was canceled after protesters against the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk tactics disrupted the event with shouting and chants.

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Officials at the university, in Providence, R.I., ended the event and cleared the auditorium after the protests continued for almost half an hour, preventing Mr. Kelly from speaking. He had been scheduled to deliver a speech titled “Proactive Policing in America’s Biggest City.”

The university’s president, Christina H. Paxson, said that it was “a sad day for the Brown community” and that she would contact Mr. Kelly to apologize for the way he was treated on campus.

Mr. Kelly declined to comment about the canceled speech.

In a video of the event posted on YouTube, protesters shouted complaints about the policy as Mr. Kelly stood behind a lectern waiting to speak. A campus official told audience members that they would have time to comment during a question-and-answer session after the speech.

But a protester responded, “We’re asking you to stop stopping and frisking people.”

Many of the protesters, who also marched outside the event, appeared to be students, but the event was also open to the public.

In August, a federal judge ruled that New York City’s stop-and-frisk practices violated the rights of minorities, and she designated an independent monitor to oversee changes.

Communities United for Police Reform, a group that has criticized the policy, issued a statement saying that it was not surprised by the criticism of Mr. Kelly.

“It’s not shocking that after directing policing that violates New Yorkers’ civil rights and the U.S. Constitution without any remorse that Commissioner Kelly would be poorly received,” the group said in a statement, “and it’s unfortunate that New York City has become known for political and police leadership that defends discriminatory and abusive policing, and seeks to fight accountability.”