Al Sharpton & Hundreds Of Others Arrested In Sean Bell Protest In NY

May 8th, 2008

Arrested along with Sharpton was Bell’s fiance’ Nicole Paultre Bell and the other two shooting victims in the car with Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.

Al Sharpton and Nicole Paultre Bell Protesting, courtesy of the National Post

Black America Web has the story:

Sharpton, Dozens Arrested in Bell Case Protest
Date: Wednesday, May 07, 2008
By: Tom Hays and David B. Caruso, Associated Press

NEW YORK - (AP) The Rev. Al Sharpton was among dozens arrested Wednesday as demonstrators blocked traffic at the height of the evening rush hour to protest the acquittal of three detectives in the 50-bullet shooting of an unarmed black man on his wedding day.

Police estimated that about 190 people were arrested, including Sharpton, two survivors of the shooting and the slain man’s fiancee. They lined up and put their hands behind their backs as police arrested them on disorderly conduct charges.

Sharpton, the two survivors and the fiancee were released about four hours later, said Sharpton spokeswoman Rachel Noerdlinger…

Al Sharpton and Nicole Bell Arrested, courtesy of Associated Press

…The protests were part of a coordinated campaign to urge federal authorities to investigate the shooting of Sean Bell in November 2006.

The three officers were acquitted of state charges last month in a case that from the start ignited protests and spurred criticism of police tactics. One of the officers fired 31 shots, emptying his clip two times in a few short seconds.

Sharpton has said Wednesday’s “pray-in” protest was a preview of potential future demonstrations designed to paralyze the city…

U.S. attorney spokesman Robert Nardoza said the case was under review, but he declined to comment further about a possible federal case.

Sean Bell Protestor, courtesy of Lindsay Beyerstein
[see more first hand pictures like this at majikthise.typepad.com/majikthise_/ - thanks to Cooper for the heads up]

Sharpton, shooting survivors Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, and Bell’s fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell — who legally took his name after his death — linked arms as they blocked a street at the Brooklyn Bridge’s base.

They were trailed by at least 200 demonstrators who kneeled in prayer in the road and counted to 50 in a reference to the barrage of gunfire that killed Bell.

The arrested protesters were expected to be issued tickets for misdemeanor offenses.

On the opposite side of lower Manhattan, an ethnically diverse crowd of about 80 demonstrators chanted, “We’re fired up; we won’t take it no more,” and held hands as the Rev. James E. Booker Jr. blessed the crowd. After marching to the Holland Tunnel behind a “Stop the Brutality” banner, the protesters blocked two entrances…

There were also protestors into the hundreds at the Queensboro Bridge and Triborough Bridge in Harlem. Read the full story here

I’m still covering the Jena 6 at The Jena 6 Blog - just posted an update today

Popularity: 7% [?]



posted in News & Events, Racial Injustice | | | View blog reactions | Print This Post


Related Posts:


Leave a Reply




About The Blog

  • D. Yobachi Boswell

  • Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.

    I created this site to give new voice to socio-political issues that are in need of thoughtful consideration and redress.

    Click the "More About The Blog" link for rest of this statement.

    Also, if you like what you see, subscribe for a once a day email to be sent on days when we post; by entering your email address in the feed burner subscription box below.
  • More About The Blog...

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address in the box below to receive a notice everytime there's a new post at BlackPerspective.net! Your information will not be sold or shared.

Delivered by FeedBurner

Buy Obama

  • Blogroll

    • Site Meter

    Meta