{"id":40975,"date":"2016-07-10T20:00:42","date_gmt":"2016-07-11T00:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/blacklivesmatter-advocate-deray-mckesson-arrested-during-baton-rouge-protest-released\/"},"modified":"2016-07-10T20:00:42","modified_gmt":"2016-07-11T00:00:42","slug":"blacklivesmatter-advocate-deray-mckesson-arrested-during-baton-rouge-protest-released","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/blacklivesmatter-advocate-deray-mckesson-arrested-during-baton-rouge-protest-released\/","title":{"rendered":"#BlackLivesMatter advocate DeRay Mckesson arrested during Baton Rouge protest, released"},"content":{"rendered":"

#BlackLivesMatter advocate DeRay Mckesson arrested during Baton Rouge protest, released<\/b><\/p>\n

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Prominent #BlackLivesMatter advocate and out gay<\/a> man<\/a> DeRay Mckesson was arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday, July 9 during one of many protests taking place nationwide for racial equality and an end to targeted violence against the Black community. He was released the following day.<\/p>\n

On DeRay’s arrest, Vanity Fair reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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In Baton Rouge, McKesson, a public radio reporter, and many others were arrested after marching down Airline Highway, where police had warned them to not stray onto the road. McKesson, who filmed the encounter on Periscope<\/a>, repeatedly pointed out that they weren’t blocking the street and that there was no sidewalk in the area where they were marching.<\/p>\n

In the background of his video<\/a>, a police officer is heard shouting, “You with them loud shoes, I see you in the road. If I get close to you, you’re going to jail.” McKesson, who is known for wearing red Nike sneakers and a blue vest to the protests he attends, said, “I think he’s talking to me, y’all.”<\/p>\n

“The police continue to just provoke people,” McKesson said in the video<\/a>. About five minutes into the broadcast, McKesson was arrested, the video<\/a> going shaky as his phone was passed to fellow protestors. The Washington Post<\/a><\/em> reports McKesson was charged with obstructing a highway of commerce.<\/p>\n

Witnesses to the arrest described it as physically violent. “They tackled him,” Brittany Packnett, co-founder with McKesson of the activist collective Campaign Zero, told the Washington Post. “One officer hit the top of his body and another officer the bottom.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

DeRay’s release <\/a>was first reported on Twitter by racial justice advocate Netta Elzie, who works closely with DeRay, and confirmed by numerous leading outlets.<\/p>\n

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.@deray<\/a> is free. #AltonSterling<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/aqaMbrZpaa<\/a><\/p>\n

— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Deray McKesson speaks after being released from jail: Baton Rouge PD “only people that were violent last night.”t.co\/Vys63ZHFWj<\/a><\/p>\n

— ABC News (@ABC) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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People are being released, families are outside. Lawyers are working to get them processed out. t.co\/ap58OeIy76<\/a><\/p>\n

— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As a featured speaker at the 2015 GLAAD Gala San Francisco<\/a>, DeRay discussed advocacy, social media, and the intersection of being Black and gay<\/a>. Indeed, social media has been an integral component in the advocacy for Black Lives Matter, a racial justice movement founded by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza—who are members of the LGBT community–and Opal Tometi<\/p>\n

During his speech in San Francisco, DeRay said:<\/p>\n

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The Black Lives Matter movement has helped people come out of “the quiet” about racism in America, but the fight for equality and equity is long. It is not just a fight about race, it is also a fight about systemic and structural issues that affect so many of us around LGBT issues as well. People like me. Each of us will have to continue to find the people who are in “the quiet” and create space for and with them to come out of “the quiet.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Many people have used social media to spread the word far and wide about violence against Black people in America. Most recently, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and ‎Alva Braziel lost their lives at the hands of police. Alton and Alva’s deaths were captured on now widely-shared videos<\/a> and the aftermath of Philando’s shooting was broadcast on Facebook Live.<\/p>\n

The night he was arrested, DeRay was live<\/a> tweeting as well as broadcasting the protest in Baton Rouge and his arrest in real time using Periscope.<\/p>\n

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Remember, airline highway was not blocked by protestors. But the police have been aggressors anyway. #BatonRouge<\/a><\/p>\n

— deray mckesson (@deray) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Again, the protestors have been peaceful tonight. The police have been violent. #BatonRouge<\/a><\/p>\n

— deray mckesson (@deray) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Following his arrest, conversations sprung up across social media under the hashtags #WhereIsDeRay and #FreeDeRay.<\/p>\n

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We need our leaders #FreeDeray<\/a><\/p>\n

— Zendaya (@Zendaya) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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#WhereIsDeray<\/a> @Deray<\/a> is beloved, and we WANT to know where he is and that he is SAFE. Now would be nice.<\/p>\n

— Bim 4 #DisarmHate (@bimmerella) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Sandra Bland was arrested 1 year ago today. She died in jail 3 days later. #FreeDeray<\/a><\/p>\n

— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Bayard Rustin<\/a>, a key leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th<\/sup> century and a gay<\/a> man<\/a>, also began trending on Twitter after DeRay’s arrest, as social media users recognized the long-standing and invaluable contributions of LGBT Black leaders to the efforts for full equality.<\/p>\n

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James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, Lorraine Hansberry, Alice Walker and plenty others were LGBT. Deray being gay<\/a> and black and woke isn’t new.<\/p>\n

— Langston. (@langstonmyles) July 10, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On Friday, GLAAD responded<\/a> to the wave of violence across Baton Rouge, Falcon Heights, and Dallas. “When will it end?” asked GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “How many more lives have to be lost or broken before the senseless violence is stopped?”<\/p>\n

You can contact your Congress person about the importance of racial equality here<\/a>. You can also watch DeRay’s speech about his advocacy and identities at the GLAAD Gala San Francisco here:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

GLAAD is committed to amplifying the diverse voices and needs of, and to acclerating full acceptance for, the LGBT community, including those living at the intersection of being LGBT and Black.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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July 10, 2016<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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