By Siun
Posted on September 11, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/siun/62293/
This post, written by Siun, originally appeared on FireDogLakeUPDATE: Rev. Lennox Yearwood speaks out on his arrest and more here.
Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus wanted to attend the Petraeus Hearings yesterday. He stood on line waiting his turn to enter the room. This is what happened to him.
Capitol Hill Police "football tackled" Hip Hop Activist who was in line to enter hearing room for General Petreus' testimony on Capitol Hill
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., president of the Hip Hop Caucus, was attacked by six capitol police today, when he was stopped from entering the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill, where General Petreaus gave testimony today to a joint hearing for the House Arms Services Committee and Foreign Relations Committee on the war in Iraq.
After waiting in line throughout the morning for the hearing that was scheduled to start at 12:30pm, Rev. Yearwood was stopped from entering the room, while others behind him were allowed to enter. He told the officers blocking his ability to enter the room, that he was waiting in line with everyone else and had the right to enter as well. When they threatened him with arrest he responded with "I will not be arrested today." According to witnesses, six capitol police, without warning, "football tackled him. He was carried off in a wheel chair by DC Fire and Emergency to George Washington Hospital.
Rev. Yearwood was examined for possible head and leg injuries then transferred to Central Processing. He has been charged with "assaulting a police officer."
Rev. Yearwood said as he was being released from the hospital to be taken to central booking, "The officers decided I was not going to get in Gen. Petreaus' hearing when they saw my button, which says 'I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ.'"
The Capitol Police work for the Speaker's Office. I'm calling the Speaker's office to "discuss" this and I hope you will too. Her office number is:(202) 225-0100.
(Update: Liz from Hip Hop Caucus is at court and can't get online, but wanted people to know that Rev. Yearwood has a broken leg, he's in a cast and he's being arraigned for assaulting an officer and disorderly conduct. Updates as we get them -- JH)
Siun is a regular blogger for FireDogLake.
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