Dr. Cornel West, Rapper Boots Riley Join “Occupy” Police Protest In New York Today

Dr. Cornel West and Boots Riley of The Coup will be among the protesters gathering in Union Square in New York City, as part of a protest against the “oppression of the Occupy movement.”

Thousands of people are expected to gather today (February 28) in Union Square, to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s policy, which directed the NYPD to forcibly evict Occupy Wall Street activists from Zuccotti Park in November.
In addition to Dr. Cornel West and Boots Riley, the Rev. Stephen Phelps, Senior Minister at Riverside Church, civil liberties attorney Norman Siegel, musician Peter Yarrow and Scott Olsen, the Iraq veteran who was shot in the head by the Oakland police in October, will join Wall Street occupiers today at 4:00 PM.
“Now, after these evictions and mass arrests, we’re seeing in the press lies about violence, drugs, filth and crime in the Occupy movement used to justify police brutality and destroy Occupy’s widespread public support,” said Travis Morales, an organizer of the rally.
“On February 28 we are calling on thousands to come out publicly to say ‘We Stand with Occupy’ and oppose this suppression. We have seen historically that movements grow, and can only grow, by answering repression with even greater and more powerful mobilization.”
In addition to the aforementioned activists, Noam Chomsky will address the rally via satellite.
The news Dr. West and Boots Riley’s involvement with the protest less almost 24-hours after the Occupy London movement was removed from outside of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Police conducted an early morning raid, to clear away the Occupy London movement, which was one of the longest running encampments.
Over 20 people were arrested during the raid.
The Rally and March Against Police Suppression takes place today from 4:00 pm – 6:00PM at Union Square, New York City (north plaza).