VIDEO: Youth Escorted Out of Providence NAACP Meeting UPDATED

Friday, June 02, 2017

GoLocalProv News Team

 

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A photo from the video taken outside NAACP headquarters on Eddy Street in Providence.

Community members -- as well as youth members of the NAACP Providence Branch -- say they were escorted out of an executive committee meeting on Thursday night in Providence, which NAACP President Jim Vincent refutes. 

See VIDEO BELOW

NAACP member Noel Frias, who has been spearheading opposition to Vincent on a number of issues pertaining to the chapter's membership, leadership, and finances, spoke to the incident which occurred at the NAACP's headquarters on Eddy Street in Providence. 

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Read: Battle Over Leadership of NAACP Providence Branch Heats Up

"We got thrown out of the meeting," said Frias.  "It was an NAACP executive committee meeting, which they said was closed only for those members.  But I know that 4 regular members were allowed to stay in. We were kicked out.'

"About 20 people showed up from the youth division, as well as seven community leaders," said Frias. "The police had two patrol cars."

The event marks the latest since Frias and members of the NAACP youth council staged a protest at the NAACP's recent Freedom Fund Breakfast. 

"Jim tried to revoke my membership, as well as another member's," said Frias.  "A national committeewoman is in town, she said even he can't do that.  I think that speaks volumes."

Vincent issued a statement on May 26 calling the allegations "false and defamatory."

MORE BELOW VIDEO

Vincent Response

"Basically, because of what happened at the breakfast, the Executive Committee decided we needed to have an executive committee only meeting, to talk about status of the branch and the damage that's been done, with people doing things outside the proper disciplinary procedures," said Vincent. 

"The executive committee is a private meeting. If you're a member you can come and sit in back and be invited to speak by President, if you're a member by the branch. We didn't want anyone who was a non-member there," said Vincent.  "They weren't escorted out by police. I had security.  Yes, there were police cruisers there, but that was for if there was a problem."

Vincent responded to the calls, by protestors, for an audit of the NAACP. 

"I'm going to show one by one that these allegations are lies," said Vincent. "There was never a call for an audit. Only the executive committee can call for an audit."

"An audit, which is external, is very expensive. If we thought there was wrong doing, that's one thing, but there were no allegations," said Vincent. "We can't do it just to do it, an audit's not required by by-laws."

Vincent reponded to the NAACP's status as a 501(c)3. 

"We file through national, we don't need to file a 990, we don't have a staff," said Vincent.  "People think I'm getting a six figure salary.  I don't get anything, I pay my own gas, I get nothing.  I only get paid by my job at RIPTA."

Updated Thursday June 1, 9:55 P.M.

 

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