Rev. Lennox Yearwood attacked, arrested, and hospitalized

Also please watch part 2
and Google Video: Hip Hop caucus returns from the Middle East

Capitol Hill Police 'Football Tackled' Hip Hop Activist Rev. Lennox Yearwood at Petreus Hearing




WASHINGTON - September 10 - 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 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.'"

Capitol Police are not saying what the charges are, but an inside source has said that the charge is assaulting a police officer. Rev. Yearwood is scheduled to be transferred to Central Processing to be arraigned tomorrow morning.

The incident was recorded by an observer and is available on YouTube WhyNotNews http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiradc....

For further information contact: Liz Havstad at liz@hiphopcaucus.org or 510-206-6749.

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• Category

  News & Politics

[Alex861697]

I think a lot of people would share his opinion of how he sees the state going, even though its useless fighting the system, as its always going to turn out in a losing battle for someone, although individual rights are to be fully respected.

[Marie Edwards]

MC BRAINZ?



[ryan dieauserwahlten]

His mouth should have been next. WAKE UP!

[ryan dieauserwahlten]

To Tampaboy, Maybe if you actually used proper spelling and grammar you MIGHT be taken seriously. But just like this communist fraud creating a sensationalist situation like most people who have to much time on their hands you are going to be swept beneath the rug of Nationalism as this country awakes and realizes you and the rev. are the problem, far from the solution. Inequality is human, you are not.

[Nathan George]

these officers deserve the death penalty. and not a quick shot to the head, more like a slow, painful death.

[MyTampaboy]

we should start sueing for any minor diregard for the law by officer like simply being told to leave a public place when we have the right to be there over welm with law suit the so they will think twice about breaking any of our civil right i bet that would get thete attention and maybe a sight that show these offender and there history as offender will not on the job people can treat them were ever they go according to there wrong doing just like sex offender we have too.govern. wont do it

[matt barkus]

Classic police-state tribalism.....agitate suspect, body pile suspect so that "resisting" is as arbitrary and as undefinable as possible, push all witness back and block view = manipulate event in police favor for court. etc etc etc

[PepsiPope]

Maybe I'm blind, but I saw nothing that constituted a physical reaction by the police. Ordinary citizens have the right to be upset, and that is merely what came over the reverend. I didn't really see anyone claiming that this incident was racist. This is a video about injustice, and if you're not upset, you're simply a doofus that loves to be told to shut up.

[ahrayahthelion]

Because white people are devils, history or his story proves that! That's why!