IN AUGUST 2009, FIVE HUNDRED RESIDENTS AND ACTIVISTS BLOCKED AN INTERSECTION FOR HOURS IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AND ARTICULATED A LIST OF DEMANDS THEY SAID NEED BE ADOPTED TO REVERSE THE TIDE OF STREET VIOLENCE PLAGUING THE CITY. CLAIMING, MEANWHILE, THAT CRIME RATES ARE DECLINING AND CITING NECESSARY BUDGET REDUCTIONS, MAYOR CORY BOOKER IN EARLY DECEMBER LAYED OFF 160 POLICE OFFICERS OR 12% OF THE FORCE. GUNFIRE. HOWEVER, CAN BE HEARD IN THE CITY OF 280,000 JUST ABOUT EVERY NIGHT AND THE NEWARK ANTI-VIOLENCE COALITION, COMPOSED OF AROUND 15 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, HAS CONTINUED ITS PROTESTS AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AT LOCATIONS AROUND TOWN EVERY WEDNESDAY SINCE 2009, ARGUING THAT STREET CRIME AND GANG VIOLENCE ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND DEMANDING JOBS AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO HELP DISENFRANCHISED YOUTHS. THIS PAST FRIDAY, THE COALITION ORGANIZED A "STATE OF EMERGENCY" MEETING AT THE WISOMMM COMMUNITY CENTER IN NEWARK, ATTENDED BY AN ESTIMATED 1200. WBAI FRED NGUYEN WAS THERE AND HE FILED THIS REPORT: