Police arrest protesters blocking LaGuardia airport

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Police officers began arresting demonstrators outside of LaGuardia International Airport near New York City Monday as Port Authority employees and allies rallied for better working conditions. During a scheduled march early that afternoon, protesters assembled en masse on the Ninety-Fourth Street Bridge in Flushing, NY and began “occupying” the roadway.

Police were reportedly arresting protesters as of 1 p.m. local time after those on the bridge failed to heed orders to disperse. The act of civil disobedience was waged on the federal holiday held in honor of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who advocated extensively for workers’ rights during his life.

Employees of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — the body that operates LaGuardia and other major transportation hubs across the region — unsuccessfully asked that Martin Luther King Day be treated as a paid holiday, not unlike many other government-affiliated agencies. When their requests were ignored, they planned Monday’s march in response in order to raise awareness of their employer’s practices and to have a platform to protest for better wages.

One of those on the scene, Jenna Pope, tweeted that hundreds of people had marched to the bridge outside of LaGuardia and then sat down in the street in defiance of the police’s orders to not hinder road traffic.

http://rt.com/usa/police-arrest-protesters-laguardia-airport-912/

Elected officials arrested at MLK LaGuardia protest

Rep. Charles Rangel and a roster of other New York City elected officials were arrested Monday afternoon as part of a protest outside LaGuardia Airport demanding higher wages and paid holidays for airport workers.

Hundreds of 32BJ-SEIU union members marched across the 94th Street and Ditmars Boulevard bridge leading to LaGuardia rallying for Martin Luther King Jr. Day to serve as a paid holiday. Union officials said many airport contract workers, from security guards to those who clean inside airplanes, receive minimum wage with no paid sick days or vacation time.

"I'm ready to get put in jail today to let everyone know we will fight for decent wages," Rangel (D-Harlem) told the crowd of workers in a speech before the march.

Seven members of the New York City Council also were arrested as part of the protest including Ydanis Rodriguez, Mark Levine, Jimmy Van Bramer, Inez Dickens, Carlos Menchaha, Ritchie Torres and Antonio Reynoso.

NYPD officials on the scene said they arrested 30 protesters on disorderly conduct charges after they refused to vacate the roadway. Those arrested included Assemb. Keith Wright and union president Héctor J. Figueroa.

http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/elected-officials-arrested-at-mlk-laguardia-protest-1.6835985

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[KoKo]

1. recommend!

[sabrina 1]

2. I always loved Charlie, he really does love the people and I know this first hand. Met him a few

years ago through my job. The event was for extremely wealthy people and he was there. When I greeted him, he asked me my name and was totally focused on me as a person, unlike so many of them. Then he asked me if I knew of a coffee shop in town where his driver could go get something to eat. To explain, at these events few worry about their drivers, out on the east end of LI. So generally they have to sit in their cars until their employers are finished inside, which could be as many as two to three hours.

But Charlie wanted to be sure his driver was not sitting around waiting for him and could go somewhere to have something to eat and maybe have a little fun and do a little exploring while he was there. That is why he has always been so popular in his district, he is so in touch with the people.

Not surprised to see him out there with them at all.