Raheem DeVaughn and Dr. Cornel West arrested during Occupy DC

http://s2smagazine.com/stories/2011/10/raheem-devaughn-and-dr-cornel-west-arrested-during-occupy-dc

Raheem DeVaughn and Dr. Cornel West were arrested Sunday during an Occupy DC protest.

Just hours after the fanfare of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication, Raheem and Cornel were taken into custody on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building.

A video from NoCureForThat.org shows Raheem and Cornel participating in a sit-in at the nation’s highest court. The peaceful protest is broken up as both men were handcuffed and taken into the building.

Before his arrest, Cornel got the crowd riled up by using a bullhorn to state, “We want to bear witness today that we know the relation between corporate greed and what goes on too often in the Supreme Court’s decisions.”

For Cornel, the demonstration was very appropriate for Sunday as protestors were supporting the ideal of economic equality, which Martin often championed.

“We will not allow this day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s memorial to go without somebody going to jail,” Cornel said, “because Martin [Luther] King would be here right with us, willing to throw down out of deep love. ”

Cornel had no hard feeling toward the arresting officers and assured that protestors were there fighting for them as well. “We are standing with them as working people as well,” he said.

One of Raheem’s reps told TheYBF.com that more than a dozen people were taken into custody around 6 p.m. Raheem’s staff tweeted, “Raheem is in jail for protesting along side Dr. Cornel West downtown. We expect him to get out soon.” Tavis Smiley’s Facebook page reported a more accurate number, stating that a total of 19 protestors were arrested.