“We are all Sean Bell - NYPD go to hell”

This is the phrase that dominated Friday night’s protest of the acquittal of the three police officers who shot Sean Bell.

Hundreds of people turned up outside the Queens County District Attorney’s office in Kew Gardens, Queens to voice their opinion on the verdict and to stand up for justice:

50 was a number that was on everyone’s mind. 50 shots equals murder, protestors shouted, then giving way to repeated counts from one to fifty.

As the march then passed through a tunnel, near the Long Island Railroad terminal that was lined with police, the crowd honored Sean Bell, through spontaneous uproars, clappings, and raising of fists. In his honor, many just invoked his name, shouting: Sean Bell, Sean Bell, Sean Bell raising up the memory the courts would rather bury.

The march concluded at 8:00 p.m., shortly after sunset, near the place of the brutal shooting. Organizers from the People’s Justice Coalition addressed the crowd, urging people to continue the spirit of vigilance into tomorrow and the next day. One speaker spoke especially of the need for community members to step up and take on the role of monitoring police activity. As she gave examples of common racist and classist police practices, people yelled out in recognition and conviction. [NYC Indymedia]

Interestingly enough, despite the fact that you can see the pictures in this post and watch the video below, it seems the New York Times missed the action altogether?

On Friday, Mr. Sharpton pledged to lead boycotts, protests and acts of civil disobedience. But except for a small march in Harlem on Saturday morning which Mr. Sharpton did not participate in there was no visible reaction in the city to the verdict. Extra security was seen outside the Police Department headquarters. Police vehicles were parked outside the Queens home of the judge who presided over the Bell trial, Justice Arthur J. Cooperman, and a police helicopter flew overhead. [The New York Times]

While I’m not sure quite what to make of this uninformed New York Times article, I can’t help but think that part of problem (beyond what happened to Sean Bell and then in the court room) lies in the major omission in this article…

and learn how you can involved with the People’s Justice Coalition and voice your opinions about Sean Bell : http://www.peoplesjustice.org