Sharpton, Nicole Paultre Bell Among Scores Arrested at Sean Bell Protests
May 7, 2008 · Print This Article
Sean Gardiner and Michael Clancy, Village Voice
- The Rev. Al Sharpton, Nicole Paultre Bell, Joe Guzman and Trent Benefield were among scores of people arrested at a series of demonstrations throughout the city protesting the acquittal of three cops charged in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell.
Bell’s fiancee, and Guzman and Benefield—the two men shot with Bell in a hail of 50 NYPD bullets—were among the first people to be taken away by police after blocking traffic on Centre Street, at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, just minutes before 5 p.m.
Yeah that’s right the very first name you read was not Sean Bell, not Nicole, but it was Rev. Al Sharpton. You go, Rev, it’s all about you.
Anyone with a legitimate cause would not associate himself with the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Of course the Sean Bell issue is really a nonissue. NYPD acted to protect itself and the community when those officers shot Bell. It was justifiable homicide.
So you can suck it up or you can protest, but the rest of us are moving on.
It is a sad situation, but these young people need to grieve, pray and forgive. This young woman need to focus on her children. The need to get a lawyer and suit the NYPD if they can. Getting arrested serves no one, the last time they need is more confrontation with the police.