Cornel West, DeRay McKesson Among Dozens Arrested In St. Louis Protests

[think]

Cornel West, DeRay McKesson Among Dozens Arrested In St. Louis Protests

GOLDIE TAYLOR AUGUST 10, 2015

Human rights activists, led by professor Cornel West, descended onto the steps of the federal courthouse in St. Louis Monday. Singing the Black Lives Matter anthem “I Can’t Breathe,” demonstrators linked arms and sat down in front of a line of police officers.

Arrests began shortly before 1:30 p.m. CT, as St. Louis County police chief Jon Belmar personally ordered protesters to leave the area or face detention. People who breeched the line in front of the courthouse were surrounded by uniformed police officers.

Dr. West and Rev. Osagyefo Sekou were among the approximately 40 people arrested.
Young activists Johnetta Elzie and DeRay McKesson, who have been at the forefront of the protests in the year since the death of Michael Brown, were also taken into custody.


Read more: http://bluenationreview.com/cornel-west-deray-mckesson-among-dozens-arrested-in-st-louis-protests/#ixzz3iRcCQU6X

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. I support the the fight for Civil Rights being fought in Fergusson.

Protesters are taking a stand, and that is the way it must be.

[LWolf]

7. Agreed. nt

[MuseRider]

2. Were they singing out of key? WTF?

It did not say they were blocking anyone from entering or exiting. Is it illegal to stand together and sing in front of a building that belongs to us?

If you protest and scare people you get arrested. If you stand around singing peacefully you get arrested.

[think]

3. it's been reported that the protesters were intent on being arrested and overflowing the jail

They let their intentions be known and that it would be peaceful.

So they breached a security line as an act of civil disobedience in order to provoke arrest.

[MuseRider]

4. Ahh thank you!

I just woke up, long sleepless night and this article did not say that.

Still, I wonder why there was a security line around a Federal building? Were those inside being threatened by others? I know someone was shot last night but it is still open for our business and it is still our building.

I will probably find out more, thanks for letting me know.

[think]

5. YW. St Louis county has also issued a state of emergency:

Ferguson Demonstrations: Authorities Declare State of Emergency in St. Louis County

St. Louis authorities declared a state of emergency Monday as they prepared for a second night of protests marking a year since a police officer killed Ferguson teen Michael Brown.

The move was announced by St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, who cited the violence that marred protests Sunday night in Ferguson.

"The recent acts of violence will not be tolerated in a community that has worked so tirelessly over the last year to rebuild and become stronger," Stenger said in a statement.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office announced criminal charges against a man authorities say exchanged gunfire with police officers Sunday night. Tyrone Harris, 18, who remained hospitalized in critical condition, was charged with four counts of assault on law enforcement, five counts of armed criminal action, and one count of shooting at a motor vehicle.

Full article:
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/protesters-arrested-while-marking-year-michael-browns-death-n407236

[MuseRider]

6. So the guy that

supposedly shot at a police officer in plain clothes is in critical condition. Charged with a lot of charges too.

If they had handled this situation well this would not be happening again.

Putting up security lines around your Federal building and arresting peaceful singing protestors shows how afraid the state is of these people who are still, STILL mad enough and sad enough not to feel that enough has changed.

Thank you again.