Black Lives Matter Activist DeRay Mckesson Freed on Bond

Hudson Hongo

After DeRay Mckesson and more than 100 other protestors demonstrating against police shootings were arrested in Baton Rouge Saturday night, the Black Lives Matter organizer was released from custody on bond Sunday afternoon, The Washington Post reports. Mckesson says the charges against him have not been dropped.

According to an affidavit obtained by The New York Times, police say Mckesson was arrested for Simple Obstruction of a Highway of Commerce after entering the roadway after “verbal order[s] to exit the lanes of travel.”

In a statement to The Advocate, Brittany Packnett, who co-founded Campaign Zero with Mckesson and said he was “clearly targeted” by officers, refuted the claim that Mckesson defied orders:

“Deray was arrested last night while we protested for Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge. police directions were to stay on the shoulder as we walked back toward BRPD along Airline Highway.

An officer approached him saying, “you with the loud shoes-if you step back into the street you’ll be arrested.”

Deray remained with other protestors in our group on the shoulder, not crossing the line into the street-a fact proven by several periscope videos, including his.

Just a few moments later, multiple police crossed onto the shoulder, tackling Deray and arresting him.

He was not in the street, just as several other protestors who witnesses identified as being arrested on the grass when snatched and grabbed by Baton Rouge PD.

“The protesters were peaceful last night, the police were not,” Mckesson told the Post after his release. “I was in compliance with the law, and I am confident that this was an unlawful arrest.”

http://gawker.com/black-lives-matter-activist-deray-mckesson-freed-on-bon-1783425431