REAL EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF CORNELL LEWIS ARREST

Local media did not seem to understand that the roots of the December 14, 2015 shutdown of the YardGoats stadium construction site was initiated by the Minority Contractors Council based on their experience of being shut out of the serious dollars. They sought support for organizing a protest from Moral Monday CT (MMCT), and some media reports have focused on concerns that the Moral Monday "bunch" might again snarl traffic (interesting what causes the most fear these days). There are various ways to look at the stats, but the bottom line is that stadium jobs going to minority residents of Hartford are token and lower-rung. In other words, it's business as usual for so-called "development" projects. Money will be made, but largely by outsider investors.

 

While it was indeed wonderful to have ONE courageous member of City Council put his body on the shut-down line, in fact the first arrest was the most telling about Hartford City Police tactics. As seen (but not narrated) in the WFSB news clip, Cornell Lewis was the first person arrested - taken by surprise even as he was conveying the warning the cops had asked him to that the protestors were to move or risk arrest. NOTE THAT CORNELL HIMSELF had moved from the gate area and was NOT trespassing nor planning to subject himself to arrest. In fact, he was preparing to leave the site in the hands of the other organizers to attend to another commitment. I know, because I was going to drive him back to his car in a few minutes. 

 

However, rather than carry out their stated plan to arrest those who did not move from the gate area, Hartford cops were heard to say, "Arrest Cornell first" - and they did so. Four officers marched toward him from behind, gave no warning to him, and instructed him to drop his bag (and the bullhorn they hate) and put his arms behind his back. Not one of the protesters still trespassing had yet been arrested (that would start some 10 or 15 minutes later). He asked why and they gave him no answer. He was cuffed and taken to a patrol car. Other cops on the scene could give no reason for his arrest - and Cornell himself was not told the charges until they got him to the station (essentially
creating a disturbance and excessive noise). 

 

Thus was Cornell clearly targeted and arrested while peacefully exercising his first amendment rights, complying with police directives and keeping the crowd informed of those directives AS REQUESTED BY ONE OF THE RESPONDING OFFICERS - and then kept in jail from 10 am to 8 pm. He is scheduled to appear at Community Court tomorrow (Wednesday December 16) at 9 am, and is vowing to fight this violation of his civil rights.

 

Kudos to city council member Dr. Larry Deutsch, lone among the city leaders willing to stand up against broken promises to, and missed opportunities for, the workers and residents of Hartford. But I can't help but note that WFSB clearly shows him being escorted to a patrol car upon his arrest for refusing to move from the construction site gate WITHOUT HANDCUFFS! I point this out not to take away anything from his courage to stand up (noting that he is one of few white city leaders but still to be counted on when there is a fight) but to point out the obvious discrepancy in the cops' treatment of Cornell Lewis, also one who does not shy away from standing up against injustice.

Nancy Bowden