The R&B singer was jailed alongside Cornel West at the weekend rally.
The latest protesters to be arrested as a result of the growing Occupy Wall Street movement are none other than R&B star Raheem DeVaughn and the social activist Dr. Cornel West, both of whom were detained by police while demonstrating at "Occupy D.C." over the weekend.
DeVaughn and West were with several other protesters at the steps of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., when police placed them in handcuffs and carried them away along with 17 others, according to ABC News. Earlier in the afternoon on Sunday, West had attended the dedication of the new Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial nearby. He invoked the late civil rights icon while standing with the demonstrators.
"We will not let this day of Martin Luther King's memorial go by without somebody being arrested," West declared into a megaphone, as seen in a video captured of the event. "Because Martin King would be right here with us willing to throw down out of deep love!"
The "Occupy" protesters, who have been demonstrating for one month as of today, have articulated a long list of grievances with the status quo, chief among them income inequality and the influence of corporate or "Wall Street" interests in governance. At the Supreme Court, Dr. West carried a sign scrawled with a quote from Gandhi.
"Poverty is the worst form of violence."
On Twitter, a member of DeVaughn's staff confirmed his arrest, but said the singer was OK.
"Raheem is in jail for protesting along-side Dr. Cornel West downtown. We expect him to get out soon," the staff member wrote.
Dr. West's staff released a similar statement.
"Thanks ALL for your concern. Dr. West is OK. He'll share his thoughts from today very soon. Stay tuned!"
The Grammy-nominated singer and Princeton professor and author of Race Matters was scheduled to appear before a D.C. court on charges of trespassing this afternoon.
(Photo: NoCureForThat.org)
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