Arrests of politicians at protest are often choreographed with police
By Mara Gay, Mike Vilensky and Zolan Kanno-Youngs
When Councilman
Brad Lander
was arrested during a 2015 rally to support workers at a Brooklyn
carwash, he ran into an acquaintance at the police station: the local
precinct commander, who stopped by to exchange pleasantries as he was
being booked.
“It was a friendly arrest,” Mr. Lander said. “It was easy for them, it was easy for us.”
Getting
arrested for civil disobedience has long been a way for New York’s
Democratic officials to show solidarity with activists and bring
attention to their causes. But these run-ins with the law are often
orchestrated affairs that can be different from conventional arrests,
according to interviews with lawmakers, organizers and police officials.
Police
are often notified ahead of time to expect arrests. Elected officials
may have personal relationships with the department taking them into
custody. And then, of course, there are the news cameras.
“Getting arrested for a cause is a rite of passage,” said state Sen.
Brad Hoylman,
a Manhattan Democrat who has twice been arrested while protesting.
“That has to be part of their resume,” a police official said.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal (via The Empire Report)
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