QBP RICHARDS ON PRESIDENT BIDEN’S VISIT TO QUEENS

(February 3, 2022 at 4:30pm)

QUEENS, NY – Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. stated the following in response to President Biden’s visit to Queens today, February 3, and the Biden Administration’s efforts to combat gun violence and support community intervention programs.

“Less than 24 hours ago, Queens came together for a powerful vigil honoring Detectives Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora — two young men of color who dedicated their lives to inclusive, community-first policing. Queens knows our response to their murders and the continued spate of gun violence across our city must mirror the inclusivity these two heroes practiced every single time they put on their uniform,” said Borough President RICHARDS. “As he demonstrated today in his visit to The World’s Borough, President Biden wholly believes in striking that necessary balance between firmly cracking down on those who traffic often untraceable guns into our city via the Iron Pipeline and addressing the root causes of violence in our city, while empowering our networks of community violence interrupters who save lives every day. I am deeply grateful to the President for not only his presence here in Queens today, but his pledge of close partnership.

“It is abundantly clear that much more work needs to be done on every level of government, from passing common-sense gun violence prevention measures in Congress to dramatically increasing funding for our cure violence movement here at home,” continued Borough President RICHARDS. “Lives are on the line. Lives continue to be lost. The White House understands this scourge requires holistic and urgent action, and I am ready to work with all our partners, from President Biden on down, to keep Queens families safe.”

Follow the Office of the Queens Borough President via @QnsBPRichards on Twitter and @QueensBPRichards on Facebook and Instagram

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