Parker: We don’t have a J’ouvert problem
State Senator says city should address everyday violence
In the wake of two shooting deaths on the streets of Crown Heights during the West Indian celebration of J’ouvert early Labor Day morning, there had been talk among city officials to cancel next year’s event. But Mayor Bill de Blasio announced within days that J’ouvert would go on as scheduled in 2017.
State Sen. Kevin Parker is one elected official who did not want to see J’ouvert canceled.
“We don’t have a J’ouvert problem. We have a violence problem in our community. Every weekend we have shootings,” said Parker, who added that canceling J’ouvert won’t stop the violence.
“We need to continue to look and discuss things we can do to make that night safer,” he told the Brooklyn Eagle in a recent interview.