Advocates at the rally said repercussions of inclusion in the database included harassment by cops, higher bail, tougher sentencing, as well as difficulty with finding housing and employment, and dealing with immigration issues.

“By othering these primarily young and Black and Latinx people with ‘gang’ labels, the NYPD, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials excuse abuse, undermine the presumption of innocence, and derail the lives of countless New Yorkers,” said Maryanne Kaishian, lawyer at Brooklyn Defender Services.

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