Demonstrators demand justice for Saleem Osman
Title
Demonstrators demand justice for Saleem Osman
Description
This photograph from May 1994 shows participants in a demonstration for Saleem Osman. The main focus is on three men at the center of the image with some people visible in front and many people following behind. The participants are on the sidewalk with police officers on motorcycles next to them. The signs completely visible in the photograph are in Korean and English. The English signs read, “SALEEM OSMAN WAS ATTACKED BY COPS! WE DEMAND JUSTICE”, with two lines emphasizing the word “Cops”, and “POLICE THE POLICE, NOW!” with a drawing of a police officer next to the writing. The Korean sign translates to “Stop the police assault!”
The demonstration in which over 100 Asian Americans and yellow cab drivers [1] participated was in response to an incident that occurred the prior day. On May 26, 1994, Saleem Osman, a cab driver and CAAAV organizer for the Lease Drivers Coalition, was beaten by police officers after attempting to translate and mediate a dispute between another South Asian cab driver and a white truck driver. [2] He was then arrested for “fabricated charges of assaulting two police officers and resisting arrest,” held in jail for over 24 hours, and released only after the demonstration shown in the photograph. [3] The assault of Osman highlighted a dark reality: cab drivers, many of whom are South Asian, are extremely vulnerable to harassment and violence in their workplace from not only civilians, but also the police. [4] The emphasis on the word “cops” in one of the signs seems to highlight the absurdity that those who are tasked with protecting people can also be the sources of violence. Even though the photograph was taken almost 30 years ago, the messages on the signs remain relevant and were even seen during this past summer’s protests following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other targets of police brutality.
[1] CAAAV, “Police Brutality” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Spring 1994, 1.
[2] CAAAV, “Update on Saleem Osman Case” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Winter 1994, 5.
[3] CAAAV, “Police Brutality” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Spring 1994, 1.
[4] CAAAV, “Focus on Cabbies” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Spring 1995, 4.
The demonstration in which over 100 Asian Americans and yellow cab drivers [1] participated was in response to an incident that occurred the prior day. On May 26, 1994, Saleem Osman, a cab driver and CAAAV organizer for the Lease Drivers Coalition, was beaten by police officers after attempting to translate and mediate a dispute between another South Asian cab driver and a white truck driver. [2] He was then arrested for “fabricated charges of assaulting two police officers and resisting arrest,” held in jail for over 24 hours, and released only after the demonstration shown in the photograph. [3] The assault of Osman highlighted a dark reality: cab drivers, many of whom are South Asian, are extremely vulnerable to harassment and violence in their workplace from not only civilians, but also the police. [4] The emphasis on the word “cops” in one of the signs seems to highlight the absurdity that those who are tasked with protecting people can also be the sources of violence. Even though the photograph was taken almost 30 years ago, the messages on the signs remain relevant and were even seen during this past summer’s protests following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other targets of police brutality.
[1] CAAAV, “Police Brutality” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Spring 1994, 1.
[2] CAAAV, “Update on Saleem Osman Case” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Winter 1994, 5.
[3] CAAAV, “Police Brutality” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Spring 1994, 1.
[4] CAAAV, “Focus on Cabbies” CAAAV Voice newsletter, Spring 1995, 4.
Creator
Betsy Ho
Date
May 27, 1994
Contributor
Kelsey Tsuchiyama
This post was completed as coursework for “Bitter Melon: Race, Foodways, and Urbanisms of Asian America” at New York University, taught by Minju Bae.
This post was completed as coursework for “Bitter Melon: Race, Foodways, and Urbanisms of Asian America” at New York University, taught by Minju Bae.
Rights
Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
Format
Photograph
Identifier
Photo207
Files
Citation
Betsy Ho, “Demonstrators demand justice for Saleem Osman,” CAAAV Digital Archive, accessed May 17, 2024, https://archives.caaav.org/items/show/2078.