NAACP calls city's police response racist

CLEVELAND -- NAACP President George Forbes today accused the city of using an organized police presence to discourage African-Americans from visiting one of the city's hottest entertainment districts.

City leaders say they have asked police and sheriff's deputies to move partygoers off West Sixth Street in the Warehouse District once bars close at 2:30 a.m., in response to numerous noise and rowdiness complaints.

But Forbes told Channel 3 News said the police action is racist because many of the people on the street at that hour are African-Americans.

"I can't believe (in) 2010 that black folks are targeted," Forbes said. "That they can't go certain places and you use the force of the police to make sure it's enforced."

Forbes said he's has demanded a meeting with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.

"You couldn't have an organized force of police going down West Sixth Street unless the administration and the council knew about this," Forbes said.

Jackson's spokeswoman Andrea Taylor declined to comment. Sgt. Sammy Morris, a police spokesman, denied any allegation that racism is involved and said police are concerned about underage individuals getting into clubs on the street and drinking illegally.

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then it would also be true that many are not. If the police are getting all of the people off the streets, then the policy isn't racist.