Hip Hop Caucus: Rev. Yearwood Released, Charged With Assault - Part of Increasing Capitol Hill Crackdown On Voices of Dissent
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2007
10:31 AM
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CONTACT: Hip Hop Caucus
Liz Havstad, 510.206.6749 or liz@hiphopcaucus.org
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Rev. Yearwood Released, Charged With Assaulting A Police Officer:
Part of Increasing Capitol Hill Crackdown On Voices of Dissent
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WASHINGTON - September 12 - Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President of the Hip Hop Caucus, was released from custody yesterday evening, after his arraignment. He is charged with assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct outside of the hearing room on Capitol Hill where Gen. Petraeus gave testimony on Iraq this past Monday.
The entire incident was filmed and is posted on You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiradcejA6o.
Rev. Yearwood gave this statement today after his arraignment hearing: "My role is to make government more transparent to the people, especially people of color. How am I supposed to convince other African-Americans to come to Capitol Hill to participate in democracy, when Capitol Police will go so far as to jump me when I question my exclusion from a hearing that is open to the public? We all know what 'driving while Black' is, well I'd call this 'democracy while Black.'"
Rev. Yearwood was being excluded from the hearing room, because, according to the lieutenant on the scene, he was not in line. Witnesses attest to the fact that Rev. Yearwood was in line, but he was denied a blue post-it note ticket without reason when Police handed them out down the line shortly before they started letting people enter.
Rev. Yearwood suffered severe injuries to his ankle when Police used excessive force, but said "Crutches won't stop me from marching in the streets against the occupation of Iraq and the despicable immorality of our current Administration and Congress."
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