Activist NYC Councilman Jumaane Williams arrested outside Trump Tower during SCOTUS protest
NYC – Brooklyn Councilman and NYS Lt. Governor candidate Jumaane Williams was arrested while decrying President Trump’s Supreme Court nominatee pick at Trump Tower, Monday night.
NYPD arrested seven demonstrators, including the outspoken Brooklyn public servant, for blocking traffic outside Trump’s Fifth Ave. high-rise after he tapped the staunchly conservative Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. The protesters shouted out chants of, “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Trump nominee has got to go,” repeatedly until they were finally arrested.
Councilman Williams, a Councilman for the 45th District (Canarsie, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Flatlands, Marine Park and Midwood in Brooklyn) of the New York City Council is the Democratic challenger to Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s reelection bid, in the 2018 New York State elections. He joined the National Action Network-organized demonstration that was planned before Trump’s candidate was made public.
This isnt City Councilman Jumaane Williams first act of civil disobedience, he was also arrested during an immigration protest in Foley Square, Manhattan on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. The lawmaker was jostled by police while he and others gathered around the ambulance of immigrant rights leader Ravi Ragbir, who fainted after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier in the day.
Williams tweeted pictures of himself being led away by cops in handcuffs, Monday, shortly after Trump named Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to the high court.
From women’s decisions, to LGBT rights, to unions, to racial justice, the stakes of this #SCOTUS fight could not be higher#reclaimSCOTUS pic.twitter.com/TG4QpblqZ9
— Jumaane Williams (@JumaaneWilliams) July 10, 2018
“Please continue the fight that has brought us here!” Williams told his fellow protesters, under a hand-painted sign “Reclaim SCOTUS.”
Six protesters face disorderly conduct charges, police said, while the Rev. Al Sharpton-led group’s crisis director, Rev. Kevin McCall, was slapped with a desk appearance ticket for obstruction.
Meanwhile, US Sens. M Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) led a protests against Kavanaugh’s nomination on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington.
“Are you ready for a fight? Are you ready to defend Roe vs. Wade?” Sanders said.
“This is a tough fight but it is a fight that we can win . . . We have the American people on our side, now we have to go state by state by state to make sure senators do what their constituents want.”
Breaking News: @JumaaneWilliams and five others have just been arrested in front of Trump Tower after knowing that Brett #Kavanaugh was chosen as Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. #SCOTUSnominee pic.twitter.com/9Z9WHiv0hO
— The Indypendent (@TheIndypendent) July 10, 2018
The People for Bernie Sanders endorsed Jumaane Williams for New York State Lieutenant Governor in February. Also check out Councilman Williams appearance on the Black Westchester Power Hour Radio Show on WVOX 1460 AM, Monday, July 2nd.
