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DeRay McKesson Among Protesters Arrested Nationwide DeRay McKesson Among Protesters Arrested Nationwide
(about 1 hour later)
DeRay McKesson, a national voice for the Black Lives Matter movement, was among more than 200 people arrested at demonstrations across the country late Saturday, as protesters expressed anger over the shootings of two black men by police officers last week. DeRay McKesson, a national voice for the Black Lives Matter movement, was among hundreds of people arrested at demonstrations across the country late Saturday, as protesters expressed anger over the shootings of two black men by police officers last week.
Thousands of people took to the streets in San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Phildelphia and other cities. Thousands of people took to the streets in San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Phildelphia and other cities. In just St. Paul and Baton Rouge, where protests escalated at times into tense encounters with the police, more than 200 people were arrested.
In St. Paul — where more than 100 people were arrested — protesters angered over the killing of Philando Castile in nearby Falcon Heights shut down an interstate for hours. At least 20 officers were injured as people threw rocks, bottles and bricks, the police said on Twitter. In St. Paul, protesters angered by the killing of Philando Castile in nearby Falcon Heights shut down an interstate for hours. At least 20 officers were injured as people threw rocks, bottles and bricks, the police said.
Officials in Baton Rouge, where Alton Sterling was fatally shot early Tuesday, said more than 100 people were also arrested there, most of them accused of blocking the road. Among them were a public radio reporter and Mr. McKesson, who filmed his encounter with the police using the live-streaming app Periscope. The authorities in Baton Rouge, where Alton Sterling was fatally shot early Tuesday, said they arrested more than 100 people, charging most with obstructing the road. Among them were three journalists and Mr. McKesson, who filmed his encounter with the police using the live-streaming app Periscope.
Mr. McKesson was confronted by a police officer at about 11:15 p.m. as he and other protesters were marching on Airline Highway, where they were warned by the police not to stray onto the road. Mr. McKesson, 31, was confronted by a police officer at about 11:15 p.m. as he and other protesters were marching along the shoulder of Airline Highway, where they were warned by the police not to stray onto the road.
Mr. McKesson, 31, repeatedly tells viewers in the broadcast that there is no sidewalk where they are marching. In the background, an officer can be heard shouting, “You with them loud shoes, I see you in the road. If I get close to you, you’re going to jail.” Mr. McKesson tells viewers in the broadcast that there is no sidewalk where they are marching. An officer can be heard shouting, “You with them loud shoes, I see you in the road. If I get close to you, you’re going to jail.”
“I think he’s talking to me, y’all,” says Mr. McKesson, who often wears a blue vest and red sneakers to demonstrations. “I think he’s talking to me, y’all,” says Mr. McKesson, who often wears red sneakers to demonstrations.
Soon after, Mr. McKesson repeats that there is no sidewalk. “Watch the police, they are just literally provoking people,” he says. Later, Mr. McKesson says: “Watch the police, they are just literally provoking people.”
Then, about five minutes into the broadcast, the video gets shaky and a police officer can be heard saying: “City police. You’re under arrest. Don’t fight me. Don’t fight me.” Then Mr. McKesson shouts, “I’m under arrest, y’all.” Then, about five minutes into the broadcast, the video gets shaky and a police officer can be heard saying: “City police. You’re under arrest. Don’t fight me. Don’t fight me.”
As he is taken into custody, his phone is passed into the hands of his fellow protesters who continue the march and loudly demand answers as to where he has been taken. As Mr. McKesson is taken into custody, his phone is passed into the hands of fellow protesters who continue the march and demand to know where he has been taken.
In a booking record, the Baton Rouge authorities said Mr. McKesson ignored a police officer’s order to stay out of the road. He was charged with simple obstruction of a highway of commerce.In a booking record, the Baton Rouge authorities said Mr. McKesson ignored a police officer’s order to stay out of the road. He was charged with simple obstruction of a highway of commerce.
Brittany Packnett, an activist who was with Mr. McKesson when he was arrested, said he had been in contact with friends early Sunday morning and said he had not been physically harmed. Brittany Packnett, an activist who was with Mr. McKesson when he was arrested, said he had communicated with friends early Sunday and said he was not physically harmed.
“As of 5:15 this morning he was physically O.K. We are still awaiting his release,” she said in a phone interview. “We are still awaiting his release,” she said in a phone interview.
Ms. Packnett added that she was still not sure why Mr. McKesson had been arrested. “They told him they would arrest him if he stepped over the line, and like every single eyewitness and the video prove that he never stepped over that line,” she said. Ms. Packnett suggested that Mr. McKesson had done nothing to provoke the arrest. “They told him they would arrest him if he stepped over the line, and like every single eyewitness and the video prove that he never stepped over that line,” she said.
As word of Mr. McKesson’s arrest spread on Twitter, where he has more than 460,000 followers, #FreeDeray began trending, with thousands tweeting out messages of support as well as phone numbers for the Baton Rouge police department to demand his release. As word of Mr. McKesson’s arrest spread on Twitter, where he has more than 460,000 followers, #FreeDeray began trending, with thousands tweeting out messages of support.
The Louisiana National Lawyers Guild, which is providing legal support to protesters, set up an online fund-raiser aimed at raising money to bail out Mr. McKesson and several other protesters arrested in Baton Rouge. The Louisiana National Lawyers Guild, which is providing legal support to protesters, set up a fund-raiser to help bail out Mr. McKesson and other protesters who were arrested.
State Police officials defended the arrests of Mr. McKesson and others as a matter of public safety.State Police officials defended the arrests of Mr. McKesson and others as a matter of public safety.
“Well, they’re clearly blocking the roadway,” a Louisiana State Police spokesman told Maya Lau, a reporter with The Baton Rouge Advocate, in a video she posted on her Twitter account. “We welcome the protests. We want them to voice their opinions. That’s what we’re here to do, to make sure they’re safe and they’re able to do that. “Well, they’re clearly blocking the roadway,” a Louisiana State Police spokesman told Maya Lau, a reporter with The Baton Rouge Advocate, in a video she posted on social media. “We welcome the protests. We want them to voice their opinions. That’s what we’re here to do, to make sure they’re safe and they’re able to do that.
“We wouldn’t arrest people who are quietly protesting off the roadway,” he said.“We wouldn’t arrest people who are quietly protesting off the roadway,” he said.
A public radio station in New Orleans, WWNO, said on Twitter early Sunday that one of its reporters had also been arrested during a demonstration in Baton Rouge on one count of obstructing a highway. The Advocate said the reporter was Ryan Kailath, who had earlier tweeted images from a New Black Panther Party march. A public radio station in New Orleans, WWNO, said early Sunday that one of its reporters, Ryan Kailath, had also been arrested during a demonstration in Baton Rougey. A field producer for a local broadcaster, WAFB, and a reporter for Breitbart News were also arrested, the organizations said. All three were charged with obstructing a highway.
The killing of Mr. Sterling, who was shot by the police last week outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, inspired protests across the country. Largely peaceful but intermittently tense demonstrations have taken place each night in Baton Rouge since Mr. Sterling was fatally shot by the police last week outside a convenience store. Thirty people were arrested Friday night and early Saturday, officials said.
Largely peaceful but intermittently tense demonstrations have taken place each night in Baton Rouge since Mr. Sterling was shot. Thirty people were arrested on Friday night and early Saturday morning, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.
Mr. McKesson, a public school administrator turned activist, first gained national notice with his blunt critiques on Twitter of the police response in Ferguson, Mo., after the death of Michael Brown in 2014.Mr. McKesson, a public school administrator turned activist, first gained national notice with his blunt critiques on Twitter of the police response in Ferguson, Mo., after the death of Michael Brown in 2014.
He ran for mayor of Baltimore, his hometown, earlier this year, ultimately losing the Democratic primary in April to Catherine E. Pugh. He finished in sixth place, with 2 percent of the vote. He ran for mayor of Baltimore, his hometown, this year, ultimately losing the Democratic primary in April to Catherine E. Pugh.
He may not have won, but his growing stature as an activist and his social media celebrity made an impact. Within an hour and a half of starting an account on the fund-raising site Crowdpac, he had surpassed Crowdpac’s previous record of 100 donations for a candidate. He also far eclipsed the most money raised by a candidate — $20,000 — in Crowdpac’s existence at the time. Mr. McKesson’s campaign was seen as a major step into the mainstream for the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been criticized for a lack of organized structure and tactics. His detractors have accused him of being an antipolice anarchist whose comments helped foster protest violence.
Mr. McKesson’s campaign was considered a major step into the mainstream for the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been criticized for a lack of organized structure and tactics. He rose to prominence after leaving his job as an administrator in the Minneapolis Public Schools to work as an activist full time. Since then, he has traveled around the country, using Twitter to chronicle protests against racial injustice.
His detractors have accused him of being an antipolice anarchist whose comments helped foster protest violence. Mr. McKesson traveled to Louisana Saturday morning to join the protests there. As he was being taken away by police officers late Saturday, several supporters cried out. “What was his crime?” one shouts. “Why is he being arrested?”
His rise to prominence occurred after he left his job as an administrator in the Minneapolis Public Schools to move to the St. Louis area and work as a full-time activist. He then traveled around the country, using Twitter to chronicle protests against racial injustice.
Mr. McKesson traveled to Louisana Saturday morning to join other protesters, including Ms. Packnett and Johnetta Elzie, who with Mr. McKesson started Campaign Zero, which seeks to advance a political platform that includes tackling institutional racism in the criminal justice system and reforming police departments.
Supporters on the Periscope video say four police officers “carried him off” for standing in the road. “They got DeRay,” one supporter says. “They took him off in an armored vehicle.”
As he is taken away, several supporters cry out. “What was his crime?” one shouts. “Why is he being arrested?”