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Activist, wife and others from New Orleans arrested during city council meeting

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Activist, wife and others from New Orleans arrested during city council meeting

Activist, wife and others from New Orleans arrested during city council meeting

I’M ELIZABETH KUEBEL, WDSU NEWS. CHAOS IN NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LEAD TO SEVERAL ARRESTS TODAY. WDSU REPORTER SHAY O’CONNOR IS LIVE AT CITY HALL. SHEA, TELL US WHAT STARTED THIS Uproar. GINA AND TRAVIS, IT ALL STARTED WHEN COMMUNITY ACTIVIST BYRON COLE MADE SOME REMARKS DURING THIS MEETING. AS A RESULT, BYRON, HIS WIFE RONDELL COLE AND ANOTHER MAN, SEAN MILES, WERE ALL ARRESTED, AND AN OUTBREAK AFTER COMMENTS BY PALESTINE SUPPORTERS QUICKLY TURNED INTO A MAJOR DISTURBANCE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THURSDAY. ONE OF OUR SUPPORTERS MADE A COMMENT, AND I KNOW THE MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED, UH, MADE COMMENTS ON IT, BUT, UH, I REALLY LIKE IT. IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST. IT WASN’T REALLY A DISPUTES HE HAD WITH OUR SIDE. CELL PHONE PHOTOS SHOW WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN COMMUNITY ACTIVIST BYRON COLE AND THE POLICE. AT ONE POINT HE TELLS THEM NOT TOUCH HIS WIFE. UH, HE STANDS UP, UH, TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING. AND THEN VERY QUICKLY THE POLICE SURROUNDED HIM AND HIS WIFE, AND THEN THEY HAD A PHOTOGRAPHER WITH THEM, I GUESS. UM, SO FAST IT BECAME POLICE PURSUING THEM. THEY WERE SEEN BEING ESCORTATED OUT WHILE CURSING THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE NOPD. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE NOPD CONFRONTING COLE’S WIFE BEFORE SHE HITS A COP OUTSIDE THE HALL WITH A BOOK. ANOTHER DISRUPTION AS COLE LIES ON THE FLOOR AND IS BEING RESTRAINED BY COPS. THIS VIEW, TAKEN BY A CITY COUNCIL STAFF, SHOWS A LARGE POLICE PRESENCE OUTSIDE CITY HALL. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A SERIOUS SEARCH OF THE PASSAGE. IF THERE’S ANY VIDEO FOOTAGE, ACTIVIST REGGIE FORD SAYS HE WAS AT A MEETING ON CLEAN ZONES DURING THE ESSENCE FESTIVAL WHEN HE SAW THE CONFUSION. THE RISK SO THEY DON’T TOUCH HER BECAUSE SHE INSTRUCTED THEM NOT TO TOUCH HER. WHAT I SAW WAS EXTREMELY, UM, DISTURBING BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY BRUTAL IN THE WAY THEY BEAT HER OUT OF THE ROOM. AND THE POLICE TELL US THAT ALL THREE WHO WERE ARRESTED ACTUALLY HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FIRST FOR MINOR INJURIES, THEN FOR MULTIPLE CHARGES INCLUDING DISTURBING RETIREMENT. NOW I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT I WAS HERE BECAUSE OF THE CLEAN ZONE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED. OKAY, SO IT WAS PASSED WITH A LOT OF AMENDMENTS. UHMWPE, IT’S PRETTY MUCH NOW ALLOWING STREET VENDOR TO

Activist, wife and others from New Orleans arrested during city council meeting

Activist, wife and others from New Orleans arrested during city council meeting

The New Orleans City Council meeting got heated on Thursday when several people were removed from the council meeting by New Orleans Police. New Orleans Police said the people involved in the disturbance were asked multiple times to stop the disturbance and leave the council chamber, but they refused. Community activist Byron Cole, his wife Rhadell Cole and Sean Myles were all arrested for the disturbance. They all face charges of assault on a police officer and resisting arrest after officers said they resisted arrest and struck several officers. WDSU was told Cole was at the meeting to speak about the Clean Zone ordinance during the Essence Festival. Many other community members were also there, along with Essence officials, to discuss the issue. We’re told the ordinance was passed with amendments that allow licensed vendors to sell outside within the zone during Essence without any issues.

NEW-ORLEANS —

The New Orleans City Council meeting became heated on Thursday when several people were ejected from the council meeting by the New Orleans Police Department.

New Orleans police said those involved in the riot were asked several times to stop the disturbance and leave the council chamber, but they refused.

Community activist Byron Cole, his wife Rhadell Cole and Sean Myles were all arrested for disturbing the peace.

They are all accused of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest after officers said they resisted arrest and struck several officers.

WDSU was told that Cole attended the meeting during the Essence Festival to talk about the Clean Zone ordinance. Many other community members were also there, along with Essence representatives, to discuss the issue.

We have been informed that the ordinance has been passed with amendments that will allow licensed vendors to easily sell outdoors within the zone during the Essence festivities.

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