State of the State #ShutItDown Protest & Arrests
Today CAAMI organized a protest at the Empire State Plaza for Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State and budget address. Demonstrators marched the length of the concourse reciting their popular rallying cries of “Black Lives Matter” and “Shut It Down,” before staging a sit-in at the entrance leading to Cuomo’s podium. 22 protesters were subsequently arrested.
Despite (or because of) the arrests, the demonstration was a resounding success, and brought much needed focus to the epidemic of police violence. It garnered national media attention and ultimately overshadowed a handful of other unrelated protests occurring simultaneously at the event.
CAAMI Members Being Arrested at #ShutItDown Demonstration
The citizens and members of CAAMI who were arrested, including organizer Angelica Clarke, were charged with disorderly conduct. These charges are expected to be dropped.
Update: Charges dropped pending A.C.O.D.