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Six arrested during Uhuru protest along Interstate 175By SUE LANDRY © St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 1998 Police arrested six members of the National People's Democratic Uhuru Movement who stood in front of traffic heading toward Tropicana Field on Interstate 175. An ambulance flashing its lights was delayed until police started making arrests 30 seconds to a minute after the protest began, said Bill Doniel, spokesman for the St. Petersburg Police Department. "A terrible price has been paid by (the black) community for the ability to enjoy that game," said Omali Yeshitela, chairman of the Uhuru group. "We felt it was necessary to make the point that this community deserves to join in any economic success that comes as a result of that." Yeshitela said the incident is the start of a campaign, and the group plans to demonstrate at all baseball games at Tropicana Field. The arrests occurred just after 4 p.m. as thousands of baseball fans headed toward the 5:05 p.m. start of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' opening game. The half-dozen other protesters stood by the side of the road and continued to chant and wave signs until just before the game started. The domed stadium is built on land that used to house a neighborhood. Numerous homes, churches and black-owned businesses were moved to make way for the facility. Since then, Yeshitela said the city has failed to help the black community share in the economic development brought by baseball. Instead, police have concentrated on keeping minority residents out of the way, Yeshitela said, pointing to police attempts to stop residents from congregating in parks near the Dome. "We would hope that the city would end these kinds of divisive policies and a real intransigent and tentative approach to this community and really join it in partnership so that economic development can happen," Yeshitela said. "We are fighting for the right of our children to have a future." Those arrested are Terrence Wilson, 24, of 1245 18th Ave. S, St. Petersburg; Dexter Sutton, 35, of the same address; Cynthia Allen, 44, of 1190 14th St. S, St. Petersburg; Rodney Sapp, 33, of 73 Jordan Park St. S, St. Petersburg; Leslie Rambert, 23, of 113 S Newport Ave., Tampa; and Delores Fletcher, 46, of 1110 Jordan Park St. S, St. Petersburg. They all were charged with failure to obey a lawful command.
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T. PETERSBURG -- As jubilant baseball fans poured into the city Tuesday, members of a black activist group stood in front of traffic to call attention to economic disparities they say keep minorities from sharing in baseball's riches.
