Mobilizing Justice for Sean Bell

In the quest for justice for Sean Bell, the Rev. Al Sharpton is mobilizing New Yorkers to participate in a months-long civil disobedience campaign. During the Saturday rally at the House of Justice, Sharpton said:

We will do it on a weekly basis building toward a citywide shutdown. Wednesday is the beginning as we move toward that date which we will announce once we are prepared.

We will submit to an arrest. If you're not going to lock up the guilty in this town, then I guess you're going to have to lock up the innocent.

After the verdicts were announced Sean's father, William Bell, asked:

Is this 1955 Alabama? Somebody has to answer that for me.

To get an answer, the protests will kick off with "pray-ins" at six locations across New York City:

One Police Plaza
125th Street and Third Avenue
Third Avenue and 60th Street
34th Street and Park Avenue
Varick and Houston streets
House of the Lord Pentecostal Church

From there, protesters will march to designated sites to engage in nonviolent acts of civil disobedience. They will submit themselves to arrest. Demonstrators should dress simply, and bring identification and a small amount of money. Sharpton added:

All they'll know is why we're going. And we're going because the world must see that we're in a climate where the justice system in this state will lock up folks who'll be nonviolent and pray, but will not lock up police.

The spring offensive is modeled after the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The protests will culminate with a major economic boycott and acts of civil disobedience in July. Bell's fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, promised:

I will be there and everyone who's willing to support us please come out and we're going to do this peacefully like we always have.

No justice. No peace.

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