As the cell door opens, 30 detainees erupt in applause.
“Where’d they get you?” one cellmate asks.
“Downtown,” I reply. “Is there any actual crime in NYC today?”
Protester 1: “Nope, just us professional agitators.”
Protester 2: “Hoodlums.”
Protesters 3: “Dudes that think that brother didn’t deserve to die, and that cop ain’t deserve to walk.”
Shortly after I’m processed, a female protester follows, passing our cell en route to hers, we erupt in cheers and she salutes us.
Minutes later a second woman passes but does not acknowledge our cheers. Louder we chant and still she avoids eye contact. She is visibly uncomfortable. And then we realize…
Protester 1: “She has no idea we’re with her protesting too, she just sees 30 dudes in a holding cell cheering at her.”
Protester 2: “She thought we were cat calling her!”
Protester 3: “Probably talkin to the other women now like ‘even in here these niggas can’t help themselves.’”
(We all laugh.)
Protester 4: “Put your fists up instead.”
As a group we decide: To stand, fists up, chanting “No Justice, No Peace!” in solidarity with all future female detainees.
Read More | "NYPD ‘Restraint’ and the Mass Detention of Peaceful #EricGarner Protesters" | Andrew J Padilla | Latino Rebels