Rev. Lennox Yearwood attacked, arrested, and hospitalized

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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

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

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Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: September 10, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Author: WHYNotNews

Length: 00:07:34
Rating: 4.78
Views: 134313

Tags: Rev. Lennox Yearwood Police brutality arrest Justice Peace IVAW Hip Hop Caucus

Video Comments:
bananasketch (October 7, 2008 at 9:56 pm)
Sounds like he was given ample opportunity to get in line just like everyone else, and wouldn't do it. I think he wanted to be arrested to bring attention to his cause. This sort of thing is not unusual, and it seems as though he got what he wanted.
iamanutsalesman (October 4, 2008 at 5:32 pm)
of course they're all BLACK
PierreElliottTrudeau (September 29, 2008 at 6:45 am)
The people will take the country back one day soon. And Cops who act this way will be lined up, hot tar poured over them and chicken feathered to death just like the people did to the British Imperialist swine. Just you wait :)
CaptKev34 (September 24, 2008 at 12:44 am)
Ya its a shame things ended this way, but minister or not, sometimes you just need to realise when your in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if the Rev couldnt comply, then he deserved to be arrested.
Orbot (September 4, 2008 at 12:01 am)
Man, it would've been SO much better if he just went ahead and got back in the line like they wanted him too, regardless of whether he was right or wrong. U can't win an argument with the police COLLAR or NO COLLAR!
purotriphop (September 13, 2008 at 3:38 am)
Coward.
Orbot (September 16, 2008 at 1:52 am)
I'll be a coward, but I'll be an un-cuffed coward! Common sense tells you when to go forward and when to pipe down...try it sometimes, you'll reap the benefits trust me.
purotriphop (September 16, 2008 at 3:34 am)
Woah, why so mad?
Orbot (September 16, 2008 at 5:37 pm)
Who's mad?
stateben17 (October 2, 2008 at 5:59 pm)
lol...yeah get to the back like the police tell you to. I wish Rosa Parks and MLK would have thought like that.