Bear in mind that this happened in New York City.
Meet Rev. Shawn Torres and Benjamin Perry. They're both students at Union Theological Seminary. In response to the Ferguson and NYPD non-indictments, they took to the streets to protest. Rev. Torres said his call to protest "was a call from God." Amen, brother.
They went knowing they could be arrested. Eventually, the cops made a move on Rev. Torres.
What follows made my jaw drop.
It gets worse. In jail, one of the officers said the "real thugs" were soon to arrive from arrests they expected to make at the Puerto Rican parade. Rev. Torres, who identifies as African-American and Latino, had some choice words.
Watch the video below to hear more of their reflections, including their take on another religious activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As you're watching this, ask how much we would trust this story if only Rev. Torres were telling it. How much do we trust the accounts of protesters when they're not corroborated by a white colleague who experienced differential treatment? That said, kudos to Benjamin for being present in solidarity and bearing witness.
Reported by Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC. To read original reporting on these arrests, you can check out the New York Times article.
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