KAF Artist in Residence Mario Farwell presents “Broom”

Broom is an experimental play dealing with the origins and ramifications of police brutality in America. The play is structured around the events of the brutal assault on a Haitian American by the New York Police Department. Abner Louima was arrested in 1997 and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was taken to the 70th precinct in Brooklyn, NY, and soon after his arrival at the precinct was taken to a bathroom and sodomize with a broomstick by two of the arresting officers. This event caused outrage and protests in the city which continued for weeks. The play will explore the history of racism in America – specifically how colonialism has given birth to white supremacy, thereby leading to a rigid class structure where minorities are at the bottom and at the mercy of the whims of the police.