CPC’s Statement on the Protest Outside Our 60th Anniversary Gala Venue | Chinese-American Planning Council
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CPC’s Statement on the Protest Outside Our 60th Anniversary Gala Venue

Mar
10

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Date: March 5, 2025

CPC’s Statement on the Protest Outside Our 60th Anniversary Gala Venue

We firmly believe in the right of individuals to peacefully protest as a fundamental part of a democratic society. However, we are troubled by reports of unauthorized filming, shouting, physical aggression, and harassment directed at our guests—including older adults and individuals in wheelchairs—as they entered our 60th Anniversary Gala’s venue. We are also concerned by reports of aggressive behavior, including shoving and verbal disrespect, directed at our workers, who were simply doing their jobs to ensure guests could enter the venue safely.

The protest escalated beyond peaceful expression, with actions such as physical intimidation, blocking pathways, and targeted harassment, which created an unsafe environment for our staff and guests, who reported the following:

  • Protesters repeatedly invaded the personal space of staff and guests, getting inches from their faces while yelling, cursing, and shouting derogatory remarks such as “shame on you,” “Queen of Evil,” and “you are killing your own people, old woman!”
  •  Groups of 4-5 protesters encircled staff and guests multiple times, pushing, shoving, trying to trip, and blocking their path. 
  • Some physically got between staff and guests, including high school students, while they were being escorted to the tent and even tried to follow them inside. 
  • Protesters intentionally blocked pathways for both pedestrians and vehicles, with at least one protester sitting on the ground to obstruct cars from letting out guests including older adults with mobility issues. 
  • Protesters leaned over barricades, extended their arms and phones into pathways, and aggressively waved flyers in staff and guests’ faces.
  • Protesters attempted to grab the possessions of guests, including purses.  
  • Protesters yelled at and harassed restaurant staff and delivery personnel entering and exiting the building.

To clarify, CPC did not call the police. The local precinct was aware of the protest because the Ain’t I a Woman Campaign submitted an application for a permit. When the police arrived, we asked them to prioritize de-escalation and allow the protest to continue. We cannot control the actions of the police or the protesters, and any protester behavior that ultimately led to arrests.

We commend our staff for their professionalism in not engaging with the protesters and ensuring the safety of all attendees. 

We continue to be deeply committed to the well-being of those we serve and employ, including our dedicated home care workers. CPCHAP, the subsidiary of CPC, employs 4,500 home care workers and provides services to 2,500 patients. Currently, 80 workers are assigned to 39 cases of 24-hour shifts, and 152 workers are assigned to 38 cases of 12-hour split shifts. We recognize the essential role they play in supporting our communities and will continue to advocate for fair wages, improved working conditions, and policies that protect and uphold their rights. 

We continue in our full support of home care workers in their call to end 24-hour shifts and implement universal 12-hour split shifts, even though 24-hour shifts are mandated by State law and determined by insurance companies. Like all home care agencies, CPCHAP does not have the power to split 24-hour shifts on our own and has been advocating for State reform for years, alongside our advocacy for Fair Pay for Home Care. The Ain’t I a Woman Campaign’s own 2022 legal filing confirms that the State creates and enforces the regulations on 24-hour cases, including reimbursing home care agencies for only 13 hours of such shifts, limiting compensation to 13 hours for home care workers with such shifts, and determining if such shifts should be authorized as two 12-hour split shifts.  Former Aging Committee Chair Assembly Member Ron Kim acknowledged that health insurance companies determine split shifts, not home care agencies.  

We have requested a meeting with Council Member Christopher Marte, who recently said that dozens of New York City home care agencies have converted 24-hour shifts to split 12-hour shifts on their own. In our own meetings with many home care agencies, none have reported being able to convert their 24-hour shifts to split shifts without using the traditional State approval route, and we eagerly anticipate learning from the Council Member how they accomplished this and receiving a list of those agencies.  

We believe in addressing challenges through dialogue and collaboration and in advocating to decisionmakers who have the authority to make the necessary reforms in home care. As we have for 60 years, we remain steadfast in our mission to empower and uplift Asian American, immigrant, and low-income communities in New York City.

 

華人策劃協會（華策會）關於 60 週年慶典場地外抗議的聲明

我們堅信和平抗議是民主社會的基本權利。然而，我們對有關未經授權的拍攝、喊叫、身體攻擊和騷擾行為感到不安，這些行為針對的是進入我們60週年慶典場地的客人，包括老年人和坐輪椅的人士。我們也對有關針對我們工作人員的攻擊性行為感到擔憂，包括推撞和言語侮辱，而他們只是在履行職責，確保客人能夠安全進入場地。

抗議活動超出了和平表達的範圍，演變為身體恐嚇、阻塞通道和針對性騷擾等行為，為我們的員工和客人營造了不安全的環境。以下是相關報告：

  •  抗議者多次侵犯員工和客人的個人空間，靠近至距離他們臉部僅幾英寸的地方，大喊大叫、咒罵，並發表諸如「你真可恥」、「邪惡女王」和「你在殺害自己的同胞，老女人！」等貶損性言論。
  •  
  • 4至5名抗議者多次圍堵員工和客人，推撞、試圖絆倒並阻擋他們的去路。
  • 一些人甚至試圖在員工護送客人（包括高中生）進入帳篷時插隊，並試圖跟隨他們進入內部。
  • 抗議者故意阻塞行人和車輛的通道，其中至少一名抗議者坐在地上，阻止車輛讓客人下車，包括行動不便的老年人。
  • 抗議者越過欄杆，將手臂和手機伸入通道，並在員工和客人面前揮舞傳單。
  • 抗議者試圖搶奪客人的物品，包括手提包。
  • 抗議者對進出會場的餐廳員工和送貨人員大喊大叫並進行騷擾。

需要澄清的是，華策會並未報警。當地警局事先知曉此次抗議活動，因為「Ain’t I a Woman Campaign」運動提交了集會許可申請。警察到場後，我們要求他們優先緩和局勢，並允許抗議活動繼續進行。我們無法控制警察或抗議者的行為，也無法對抗議者最終導致逮捕的行為負責。

我們讚揚員工在抗議活動中表現出的專業性，他們沒有與抗議者發生衝突，並確保了所有參與者的安全。

華策會一直致力於我們所服務和雇用的每個人的福祉，包括我們敬業的家庭護理工作者。CPC的子公司CPCHAP僱用了4,500名家庭護理工作者，為2,500名患者提供服務。目前，80名工作者負責39個24小時班制案例，152名工作者負責38個12小時輪班案例。我們深知到他們在支持社區方面的重要角色，並將繼續倡導公平工資、改善工作條件以及保護和維護他們權益的政策。

我們完全支持家庭護理工作者呼籲結束24小時輪班並實施普遍的12小時輪班制度，然而，24小時輪班制是由州法律規定的，並由保險公司決定。CPCHAP 與所有家庭護理機構一樣，無權自行拆分24小時班制，並且多年來一直在倡導州級改革，同時也支持「家庭護理公平薪酬」運動。Ain’t I a Woman Campaign於2022年提交的法律文件也證實州政府制定並執行關於24小時護理案例的規定，包括限制此類班次護理工人的補償為13小時，並決定是否應將其分為兩個12小時的班次。前老齡委員會主席、州議員Ron Kim也承認，健康保險公司決定拆分輪班，而非家庭護理機構。

我們已要求與市議員Christopher Marte會面，他最近表示，紐約市數十家家庭護理機構已自行將24小時班制轉換為12小時拆分輪班。在我們與許多家庭護理機構的會議中，沒有機構報告能夠在不通過傳統州政府批准途徑的情況下完成此類轉換。我們期待從市議員那裡了解這些機構是如何實現的，並希望獲得這些機構的名單。

我們相信通過對話與合作來應對挑戰，並向有權做出必要改革的決策者進行倡導。60年來，我們始終堅定不移地致力於賦權和提升紐約市的亞裔美國人、移民和低收入社區。

 

About the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC):

The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is a social services organization that creates positive social change. Founded in 1965, CPC is the nation’s largest Asian American social services organization and aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City. CPC is the trusted partner to individuals and families striving to achieve goals in their education, family, community, and career.

關於華人策劃協會 (華策會):

華人策劃協會（簡稱“華策會”）是一個致力於創造正向社會變革的社會服務機構。華策會成立於1965年，是美國最大的亞裔美國人社會服務機構，旨在促進紐約市華裔美國人、移民及低收入社區的社會權益和經濟賦權。華策會是為個人和家庭實現其教育、家庭、社區及職業目標而努力的可信賴機構。

ACERCA DE CPC

El Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) es una organización de servicios sociales que crea un cambio social positivo. Fundada en 1965, CPC es la mayor organización de servicios sociales asiático-americanos del país y su objetivo es promover la capacitación social y económica de las comunidades chino-americanas, inmigrantes y de bajos ingresos de la ciudad de Nueva York. CPC es el socio de confianza de personas y familias que se esfuerzan por alcanzar objetivos en su educación, familia, comunidad y carrera.

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