Sharpton's Plans For Disrupting the NYC Evening Commute

Al Sharpton and his friends are hoping to completely disrupt New York City commutes this afternoon by engaging in demonstrations at key points around the city. He and his group have not obtained the necessary permits, so they are clearly hoping to goad the police into making mass arrests and/or get the police to overreact.

This is all part of Sharpton's plan to put pressure on the City over the verdict in the Sean Bell shooting against three New York City cops. The three cops were acquitted of the charges of

Union officials are meeting with federal investigators to try and stave off a federal civil rights action against the officers. Bell's supporters argue that New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman’s acquittal was unjust. Cooperman ruled that Detectives Gescard Isnora, Michael Oliver and Marc Cooper were justified in firing the 50 bullets that killed 23-year-old Bell and wounded his two friends, Trent Benefied 23, and Joseph Guzman, 31.

The locations for the demonstrations are as follows:

LOCATIONS OF BELL VERDICT PROTESTS
Wednesday, May 7 at 3 p.m.

# Third Avenue at 125th Street
# Park Avenue at 34th Street
# Third Avenue at 60th Street
# Varick and Houston Streets
# One Police Plaza
# 415 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn

I may get over to the Varick and Houston Street demonstration, which is near the entrance of the Holland Tunnel and a stop on the 1 train. This is also the location where Sharpton, New York NAACP President Hazel Dukes and Bell's relatives will demonstrate. I fully expect a circus atmosphere with the media in full force, to say nothing of the thousands of drivers trying to simply get home. We'll see just how many demonstrators actually show up, but I also expect a significant police presence to keep the intersection clear.

I don't quite understand how and why Sharpton thinks that pissing off commuters is a way to get justice in this case. He's only inconveniencing those who might be sympathetic to the cause and it would appear to be counterproductive. Besides, the feds are looking at opening a possible civil rights case against the officers, and an internal investigation is still pending against the officers.