New York City To Paint 'Black Lives Matter' On Prominent Streets In All 5 Boroughs, De Blasio Says
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that New York City will paint "Black Lives Matter" on prominent streets in all five boroughs.
The message will be painted first on a street near City Hall, and then other locations in other boroughs in the days to come, the mayor said.
"A proposal put on the table was to name streets in each borough and to paint the words on the streets of this city. In each borough, at a crucial location," de Blasio said. "What will be clear in the street name and on the streets of our city is that message that now our city must fully, fully, deeply feel – and this nation must as well – that Black Lives Matter."
Web Extra: See the mayor's 6/9 presentation slides (.pdf)
The move comes after the mayor of Washington D.C. had "Black Lives Matter" painted on a street in huge letters near the White House.
WATCH: Mayor Bill de Blasio Gives Daily Update
The mayor again said the move to take money from the NYPD and apply it to youth initiatives will be finalized in the coming weeks.
De Blasio said that he supports four bills being considered by the City Council: A ban on chokeholds, a bill affirming people's right to record their interactions with the NYPD, a bill ensuring badge numbers are visible on police officers, and a bill to ensure early intervention on officers who need more training or monitoring.
De Blasio also announced the early expansion of his NYC Care initiative, providing health care to all residents of New York City.
The program, which was initially rolled out in the Bronx, and has since expanded to Brooklyn and Staten Island, and will now expand to Queens and Manhattan four months ahead of schedule.
The city will hire 26 providers to ensure NYC Care recipients will receive a new primary care appointment in two weeks, according to the mayor.
During his briefing on Tuesday, the mayor said his Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity, co-chaired by his wife Chirlane McCray, has returned with new initiatives regarding mental health care.
McCray said the city would be "turbocharging" the mental health support system of NYC Care, with a goal of reaching 10,000 New Yorkers in the city's hardest hit areas by December.
