THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

 

OFFICE OF THE HON. YDANIS RODRIGUEZ

  

CITY HALL

NEW YORK, NY 10007

(212) 788-7053

 ***Press Release***

May 19th, 2014

 

Contact: Russell Murphy - (917) 584-9574 - Russmurphy55@gmail.com

 

  COUNCIL MEMBER YDANIS RODRIGUEZ STATEMENT ON OCCUPY PROTESTER CECILY MCMILLAN, SENTENCED TODAY TO 3 MONTHS IN PRISON, 5 YEARS PROBATION
 
 New York, NY-On Monday, May 19th, 2014, 25 year old Occupy Wall Street protester, Cecily McMillan, was sentenced to 3 months in prison and 5 years of probation for 2nd degree assault charges stemming from an incident in March, 2012. As police moved in to clear out the group of protesters, Ms. McMillan's breast was grabbed, promoting her to swing her elbow back in a split second reaction. She made contact with a police officer, after which she was beaten and arrested.

After calling for leniency in her ruling last week and rallying with her  supporters today before the ruling, Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez used this statement:

"While I take issue with her sentence of jail time, I am pleased Cecily McMillan was treated with leniency. A young woman, acting within the guidelines of this country's constitution, should never be put into a situation where the actions that led to her crime could occur. Today I call on the mayor to form a commission to reinvestigate this and other cases of protesters sentenced to jail time for assault over the past ten years, as I am confident justice was not served as true as it should have otherwise been."

 

"The US Constitution encourages protest, free speech and a redress of grievances in cases where the government is not properly serving the public interest. This is what Cecily and so many others sought to do; so for any to end up in jail is a travesty from which our country suffers even more. We in government can serve best only when our constituency is engaged and concerned; and we should never seek to stifle dissent, especially when it is as peaceful and impassioned as Occupy was and continues to be."

 

 

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