You are hereBlogs / Margaret Flowers's blog / Dr. Cornel West and 14 others Arrested Protesting Corporate Power at U.S. Supreme Court
Dr. Cornel West and 14 others Arrested Protesting Corporate Power at U.S. Supreme Court
Money from Concentrated Wealth
(See update below)
Washington, DC: The October2011.org Movement that is occupying Freedom Plaza, led an impromptu march of 250 people up Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S.Supreme Court where Dr. Cornel West climbed on the steps of the Supreme Court and denounced court decisions that have produced money-based elections that empower corporations. Dr. West was holding a sign that said "Poverty is the Greatest Violence of All." He was arrested because holding political signs on the Supreme Court steps is illegal.
Dr. West spoke to more than 500 people on Freedom Plaza where he said that "if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were alive today, he would be on Freedom Plaza." West described how the struggle against, poverty, war and injustice continues and confidence that the people will succeed. He applauded the occupation as "an inclusive social revolution for all of us" and a "leaderless-leader-filled movement" where people are "finding their own political voices rather than echoing others."
Kevin Zeese, an organizer of October2011.org said: "It is a fitting tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for Dr. West and the others to risk arrest protesting the unfair wealth divide and the Supreme Court empowering money over voters. In the battle for a real, participatory democracy getting money out of politics is a critical step."
October2011.org seeks to end corporate rule and shift power to the people. The occupation of Freedom Plaza began on October 6th, the beginning of the 11th year of the Afghanistan War and a new federal fiscal year that promises austerity for everything except militarism and war. Among those arrested with Dr. West were Tarak Kauff of Veterans for Peace, Ellen Davidson of the Indypendent newspaper, filmmaker Dennis Trainor, Jr. and Maria Allwine an independent political activist.
Video will be available on http://october2011.org later this evening.
UPDATE! Dr Cornel West, rapper Raheem deVaughn and 17 others were arrested at the Supreme Court, following a march from Freedom Plaza after Dr West's inspiring talk. In an unusual move, they were all held overnight. The charge was a title 40 demonstration, i.e. holding signs on the Supreme Court steps, but the charges were dropped the next day.
- Margaret Flowers's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Pledge
Fair Use Notice
This website re-published copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this message for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Did anyone manage to get a photo? Would be nice to have one. Photos are making a big splash with folks who don't 'get it'.