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Group whose members were arrested to host rally

Amanda Lehmert's story accounts the arrest of five people during the City Council meeting Tuesday night.

The protesters, from a group called The Spirit of the Sit-In Movement, took over the council dais during a break in the council meeting. The group was protesting what they call a “subculture of corruption” in the police department.

The group will host a rally at 3 p.m. today at downtown's Melvin Municipal Office Building to further air their grievances.

Read about the six ministers arrested at Wednesday's rally.

Those arrested Tuesday night included Cherell Brown, Wesley Morris, Clarence Bradley Hunt II, Carlyle Phillips and Jonathan Johnson.

It's unclear if the five will be at the rally. According to arrest reports, they are not allowed to be on city property unless it's for official business.

Read the Movement's account of Tuesday night at its website.

Read the Greensboro police account below.

GREENSBORO, NC (May 4, 2010) – During a brief break in a regularly scheduled Greensboro City Council meeting, a group of protestors moved to the dais and temporarily claimed the empty seats vacated by Council. One person in the group used an available gavel to draw attention to the dais and began reading from a prepared statement related to alleged improprieties in the Police Department.

At the direction of the Assistant City Manager for Public Safety and Human Resources protestors were asked to leave the dais in order to allow the meeting to continue. Protestors originally complied with the request and moved to a lobby area. After creating additional disruption the protestors were asked to leave the Melvin Municipal Office Building where the meeting was being held. When the protestors refused to comply they were arrested by Greensboro Police Officers. Five protestors were arrested for the crime of second degree trespass. Protestors were not jailed and were released by a magistrate on a written promise to appear in court.

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Permalink

Posted by Dioni L. Wise on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 12:00 am

Accompanying Photos

Joseph Rodriguez (News & Record)

Photo Caption: A group of people with the Spirit of the Sit-in Movement Initiative disrupted Greensboro City Council chambers Tuesday night, then refused to leave the building and were handcuffed and taken away by Greensboro police officers.

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bcparsons

May 5, 2010 - 4:04 am EDT

gee! do you really think there might be a "subculture of corruption" in the police department?

fisher

May 5, 2010 - 9:46 am EDT

3:00? Won't they still be at work?

gsostudent

May 5, 2010 - 10:21 am EDT

Students and community members throughout the city are deeply inspired by this creative and important action. It's exploding all over Facebook and Twitter with support. This is what we have been waiting for.

City Council is one of the most ineffective, useless, and undemocratic bodies in this City. They should be ashamed of themselves for not being true leaders in Greensboro.

QueenXica

May 5, 2010 - 1:02 pm EDT

U are so right!!!!!! Lets get together as a united whole!

buzzman

May 5, 2010 - 10:45 am EDT

These hooligans won't be taken seriously until they get their facts straight and stop the fabrications. Taking up a good deal of the speakers from the floor time and saying the same stuff over and over isn't getting them the right kind of attention.
There probably are some problems within the GPD, but blacks and carpetbaggers constantly playing the race card will not solve the problem.

The Rev Run

May 5, 2010 - 11:25 am EDT

Buzzman why you gettin racisit crackerjack what do you mean carpetbaggers and the race card please you prob one of those racisit KKK idiots that no nothing long as you got your john deer pick up truck and your trailer and u married your cousin your happy with life

buzzman

May 5, 2010 - 2:17 pm EDT

Obviously, you need to go to school and learn how to spell. No, I'm not affiliated with the KKK, but now would be a good time for them to step forward and crack some heads!

The Rev Run

May 6, 2010 - 2:16 am EDT

Buzzman you are prob one of those people that hated life growing up your daddy touched you and abused you . mama was a drunk and you lost your virginity to your sister had no friends so you get enjoyment now by tryin to make everyone else life hell why is that its ok im here to help you let it all out this is safe grounds for you talk about it. tell us your pain and nightmares its ok

Mialamasoul

May 11, 2010 - 9:57 am EDT

Race is not a card or a game to play. The klan is a disgrace to this country, but aren't you glad that we have a first ammendment which allows for those young people to speak and for you to have your negative opinions about them? I applaud those young folks for their creative initiative. Who has something negative to say about their actions has a fundamental misunderstanding of the fact that the "normal channels" are not effective in making a statement about controversial issues that have deep roots.

Mialamasoul

May 11, 2010 - 10:07 am EDT

I'm sorry, exactly to WHOM are you referring to with the term "carpetbaggers?"

Amanda Lehmert

May 5, 2010 - 12:04 pm EDT

There is a video of the whole event on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ0KYBKFzrs .

bug83

May 5, 2010 - 12:26 pm EDT

Easy buzzman and Rev Run. Let's not fight racism with racism. "Probably...some problems within the GPD" reveals your apathy and a bit of ignorance on the subject, however that in no way associates you with the KKK. That said, in the words of the great Paulo Freire, "Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral." A large part of the message of the Spirit of the Sit In Initiative, as I understand it, is that apathy and inaction in the presence of injustice makes you guilty - every citizen is responsible for the inadequacies of their government unless they are taking an active part in fighting the injustices those inadequacies produce. Bravo to the 5 that were arrested and the 10 that took the council seats. The spirit of the sit ins lives BECAUSE OF YOU!

QueenXica

May 5, 2010 - 1:02 pm EDT

U have said it all! Thank you for seeing the real world! And ditto to the above!!!

bug83

May 5, 2010 - 5:59 pm EDT

make that the TEN that were arrested.

buzzman

May 5, 2010 - 2:19 pm EDT

Save the sermon for your associates.

MalcolmX.06

May 6, 2010 - 12:00 am EDT

Wow no need for ignorance Buzzman. These people are doing big things and are making history. My love to the sister who stood strong with those men. Angela Davis would be proud with all your beauty and class and strength. There is nothing mores stunning that a strong women..and you held your on up there. We support you.

Get A Clue

May 6, 2010 - 6:00 pm EDT

.....full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Ah, to be young again and full of misguided anger over...really stupid issues. To be a rebel without a clue, to think you're "sticking it to the man" when all you're doing is pointless msibehavior in defense of the indefensible.

Actually, the tea partiers and these silly kids have a lot more in common than they care to ponder. I'd love to put them in the same room and see what happens.

QueenXica

May 6, 2010 - 11:08 pm EDT

I guess different people hold different things important I guess history will judge what is memorable and what is pointless. Pointless is trying to reach narrow minded people. Walk in the next man's shoes....."Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do." -Voltaire

Get A Clue

May 7, 2010 - 6:46 am EDT

The men and women of the original Greensboro sit-ins held education important--a worthy and lofty goal. They knew the value of being educated.
You should try and earn a degree and at least learn to punctuate before your next meaningless rant.
Thanks for playing. ;-)

QueenXica

May 7, 2010 - 8:02 am EDT

I happen to have one thank you, and if your comment on punctuation is the best that you and your education can do I advise you to come up with at least a weak argument. Be careful and don't fall off your high horse. There are many uneducated people that make this country strong and have the right to be heard, but you apparently are too high and mighty to acknowledge them. We also fight for the right of those to get a decent education. A typo does not invalidate one's argument. So thank you for your supercilious attitude, you only make us more determined. Who do you try to help? Who are you there for? I am quite sure you will not sully your shoes and march for anything other than a latte' at the nearest Starbucks.

Mialamasoul

May 11, 2010 - 10:01 am EDT

There are also MANY educated fools with many titles after their names, who have no understanding of the constructs of this country or flat out don't care.
We need no grave to bury honesty. There's not a grain of it to sweeten the face of the whole dungy earth... William Shakespeare

godsson1973

May 15, 2010 - 4:00 am EDT

To buzzman, you're a jerk. Hitch hike to 2010. Let's face it, the mayor's a joke. The city council might as well be the "white man's improvement council", and we're falling back to segregation quicker than a dead satellite in space. What needs to happen is for EVERYONE, both "us and dem" to get back to the table and figure something out. The police chief is on his way out, so let's stop beating on that dead horse. Or maybe we can do what the white people really want us to do.......Go back to Africa!!!!! LOL. That won't be happening anytime soon. But keep God first, race equal, and we'll all be alright.