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Q&A

CM Mealy questions OPHC on Christian and African American clergy hate crimes

New York City Council · Jun 23, 2026 · starts 0:55:10 · 2 min

CM Darlene Mealy asks whether Christians and African American clergy experience hate crimes, noting bishops face harassment on social media. Ramjatin responds about the 67th Precinct Clergy Council (God Squad) as a PATH partner and describes the Interfaith Council on Words and Symbols of Peace and Hate.

Darlene Mealy

Yes.

Darlene Mealy

Thank you.

Darlene Mealy

I'm glad that we have the...

Darlene Mealy

this committee because so many things are going on right now.

Darlene Mealy

But what is very alarming to me, could you explain, do you think Christians do not get harassed?

Darlene Mealy

faith-based Christians.

Darlene Mealy

Because we have bishops that say they anti this, anti that, and on Facebook they get harassed.

Darlene Mealy

And I haven't heard anything about African American Christians dealing with hate crime also.

Darlene Mealy

Could anyone explain that to me?

Darlene Mealy

Where do the African American clergy fit into this hate crime?

Darlene Mealy

Because Catholics get

Darlene Mealy

So I hear everything else.

Darlene Mealy

I just want to make sure that we're putting that faith base in this scenario.

Darlene Mealy

And strong.

Darlene Mealy

Don't everybody answer at one time.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Sure, I can.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

And I would like to, if you could please give to the council members one of these books, I'd appreciate this.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

This has a report that has a very deep description of all our programmings and our partners that we work with.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

One of the partners that we work with is specifically the 67th Presbyterian Theology Council that is based in Brooklyn, New York.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

And they work with the clergy specifically and a lot of programs in Brooklyn where they amplify programmings in the...

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

communities and with faith-based partnerships as well.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Our office also has what's called the Interfaith Council on Words and Symbols of Peace and Hate, where we have diverse faith leaders in that space where we work with them specifically to provide programming and we give seed grants to these.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Anyone who comes to us and say, hey, we're experiencing bias, discrimination in our church, in our faith, and we give them programming funding to do that, those in the communities.