People from all over New York City rallied Saturday at Lou Gehrig Plaza to fight against the weaponization and filing of false police reports by both law enforcement and civilians.

This is the fourth time this year that activists have gotten together to speak out on these issues.

Many of the speakers and rally attendees said either family members or they themselves were victims of false police reports. Some said they event went to jail.

Some instances of this behavior have gone viral or received national attention, such as when Amy Cooper called the police on birdwatcher Christian Cooper in Central with an apparently fake story.

Local politicians have pledged to increase penalties or prosecute people who make false reports.

Activists said not enough has been done, including in the case of Amy Cooper, who was never prosecuted.

Speakers at the rally also pointed to instances like the deaths of Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor,  and George Floyd, where law enforcement officials made false statements about the lead-up to what happened.

On Saturday, speakers shared their stories and called for additions to New York state's 911 false reporting bill, also known as the "Amy Cooper" bill, which was passed in 2020.

The additions would include allowing felony charges to be brought against both civilians and officers who knowingly file false reports, especially if the case involves issues exploring gender expression, immigration status or prior convictions.

Organizers of the rally told News 12 that they reached out to Brooklyn Sen. Kevin Parker, who sponsored the 2020 bill with their requested additions.
They plan to meet with Parker next week.