BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest

by sricki, Wed May 07, 2008 at 06:50:39 PM EST

CNN has just reported that Al Sharpton has been arrested during the Sean Bell protest today in New York City. At the moment, sources are still somewhat limited, but CNN is linking to WABC, which reports that the protests have caused several disruptions:

There was large crowd in front of Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side. Traffic is blocked on Park Row approach.

Protesters were arrested in the intersection and being put into a police bus.

Protesters had blocked access to the Manhattan Bridge on Brooklyn side.

Protestors had blocked access to the Midtown Tunnel on East Side. There have been 19 arrests there.

The Holland Tunnel has reopened on the Manhattan side.

Protesters had blocked access to the Triborough Bridge in East Harlem. Eyewitness News is told at least 30 people were arrested there.

Protesters had blocked access to the Queensborough Bridge on Upper East Side. 29 arrests were made at the Queensborough Bridge location.

Source

International Herald Tribune and MSNBC also have the AP story:

Civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton was arrested Wednesday as he and hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic to protest the acquittal of three detectives in the 50-bullet shooting of an unarmed black man on his wedding day.

Sharpton, two survivors of the shooting and the slain man's fiancee were among about a dozen people arrested on disorderly conduct charges near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. Police led away demonstrators at several other bridges and tunnels in the city.

Article (IHT)
Video (MSNBC)

Sharpton has rightly referred to the court's acquittal of the officers responsible for the shooting as, "an abortion of justice." I know he expected to get arrested. Does anyone here know anybody who actually made it to the protests? I think the pray-ins were organized in at least six places around the city. I may update this later as new information comes in.




Tags: Al Sharpton, Sean Bell, protest, New York (all tags)

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Thoughts? (2.00 / 4)


by sricki on Wed May 07, 2008 at 06:51:24 PM EST

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 3)

That verdict was repulsive.  I hope you get more information to post.


by mady on Wed May 07, 2008 at 06:53:46 PM EST

Al Sharpton (2.00 / 1)


   is as free to protest as anyone. The verdict was wrong. Flat out wrong!

  But so was the OJ Simpson verdict. And it was Sharpton who stood by the lady who made ridiculous rape claims against the NYPD.

  He's right that the verdict was wrong. He's right to protest. But he does not have clean hands or a clean record himself.


by southernman on Wed May 07, 2008 at 06:54:26 PM EST

Re: Al Sharpton (none / 0)

The Brawley case was upstate, not NYPD




Democratic Candidate, US Senate, Wisconsin 2012
by benmasel on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:42:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 3)

Sharpton has actually been kind of restrained on this case... by his standards, at least.  The whole saga is very sad, and it's depressing how we seem to play out the same story again and again.


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Wed May 07, 2008 at 06:57:26 PM EST

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 2)

I work near the Holland Tunnel protest and I heard helicopters buzzing about all day, though traffic didn't seem to be too badly effected.


by mefck on Wed May 07, 2008 at 06:58:53 PM EST

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (1.00 / 2)

good, I hope they keep that loser in jail. The shooting was black on black, so no it was not racism. this race card has to stop being played all the time


"there is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right in America"-William Jefferson Clinton, forty-second President of the United States
by DiamondJay on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:06:08 PM EST

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 2)

I disagree.  I don't agree with all Sharpton does, but he tries.  He is a leader who stands up for working class African Americans.  

Maybe there will be a day when Al Sharptons are not needed, but we are far from there.  Furthemore, while electing Obama wil do much, it wil not end racism.  There will still be a need for Al Sharpton and other activists to fight for justice.

Racism has been around for along time and it has not disappeared yet.
     


by TomP on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:12:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Tawana Brawley, justice? (1.00 / 4)

remember that? Remember him second guessing the INNOCENT Duke Lacrosse kids? Why is THAT the answer to racism. Why is it that the hispanics and the asians don't field such demagogues like Sharpton and Jackson? Its not like Sharpton and Jackson help the black communities anyway. They make them look bad, and that in part plays into why whites vote for Hillary. What have Sharpton and Jackson done for black people so great? Line their pockets and see their faces on TV?


"there is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right in America"-William Jefferson Clinton, forty-second President of the United States
by DiamondJay on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:16:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Your racism offends me. (1.75 / 4)

And before you deny:

Why is it that the hispanics and the asians don't field such demagogues like Sharpton and Jackson? Its not like Sharpton and Jackson help the black communities anyway.

Blaming groups is illustrative of a racist world view.

Please go back to the Klan where you belong.


by TomP on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:51:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 1)

Actually their was ONE black police officer involved. But thanks for letting us know how you really feel about black people.


by venician on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:37:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 1)

Yes, he or she revealed some old fashioned bigotry with those comments.

Not everyone likes Sharpton and one is not a bigot for criticizing him. But those comments just sickened me.  Way beyond the benefit of the doubt line.


by TomP on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:56:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Justice is color blind. (none / 0)

And Justice Delayed, Is Just Denied.


"I hope the two wings of the Democratic Party may flap together." - William Jennings Bryan
by pinche tejano on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:02:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (2.00 / 3)

He is supporting the family I assume, and making a public condemnation of the lack of justice they received.  In the last few years Sharpton, in spite of some of the mistakes he made earlier in his life (and there were some doozies) has become a pretty positive force in progressive politics.  


by mady on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:11:33 PM EST

Better to block traffic in the morning (none / 0)

Less alienating when you give people a good excuse for being late for work, than when you cost them family time.




Democratic Candidate, US Senate, Wisconsin 2012
by benmasel on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:40:09 PM EST

Yeah. Marching is silly. (none / 0)


John McCain on social security.
by heresjohnny on Wed May 07, 2008 at 09:11:54 PM EST

Re: Yeah. Marching is silly. (none / 0)

I don't have the privilege of being able to believe that marching against violence and injustice is idiotic. Must be nice.  


John McCain on social security.
by heresjohnny on Wed May 07, 2008 at 10:53:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Yeah. Marching is silly. (none / 0)

You weigh life and justice differently it appears. Injustice thrives through people ignoring it. As King said, the folks that wanted to go along to get along, were worse than those who overtly opposed them.


John McCain on social security.
by heresjohnny on Wed May 07, 2008 at 11:14:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Yeah. Marching is silly. (none / 0)

I live here and cheer them on.

The cop who reloaded needed to do time.


"I hope the two wings of the Democratic Party may flap together." - William Jennings Bryan
by pinche tejano on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:03:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: BREAKING: Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest (none / 0)

I don't think the cries of racism are necessarily accurate, in this case, but overall use of force by police in many of our cities is, in my opinion, over the top.  

And the problem is that, when you have instances of police brutality/excessive force, they always point to their training.  Well, that's no excuse!  Police force goes over the line all the time...maybe it's time for different training.


Torture me once, shame on you; torture me and get away with it, shame on us all.
by freedom78 on Wed May 07, 2008 at 09:35:49 PM EST

Patriot (none / 0)

I am from Baltimore, and let me tell you one thing.

There are no other streets where the government, police, and citizens are so complicit.

Everything you saw on the wire is true and real, and I can confirm that from many perspectives.

I don't agree with Sharpton on some issues, but they are mostly due to his religion.

But I stand tall with him and any other American's will to put them selves out there, be on paper, radio or on the street as he chose.

Say what you want, but that is just 100% American activist values at play.

Thanks Al!


Unable to rec or rate

Read this: http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/5/15/1427 30/254

by GeorgeP922 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 10:33:27 AM EST


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