Supporting Sudan-the Clooney and Russell arrests
A couple of arrests of note in the last 24 hours. George Clooney in Washington and Jason Russell in California–the circumstances couldn’t have been more different.
Clooney and a congressman were arrested Friday outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington D.C; Clooney’s father was also on hand. The arrests were anticipated and part of the actor’s effort to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Meanwhile in California Jason Russell, the founder of Invisible Children–the NGO which skyrocketed to stardom after its KONY 2012 documentary went viral in a matter of hours and was seen by seventy million people–was caught on camera gesticulating naked on Pacific Highway and pleasuring himself. He seemed to be under the influence of an alleged mixture of ecstasy and SoCo. He was promptly arrested (the arrest was not anticipated).
Clooney, his father and politicians were protesting the country’s blockade of supplies and humanitarian aide. The Descendants actor was reportedly handcuffed and placed in the back of a police cab.
“They were protesting the violence committed by the government of Sudan on its own innocent men, women and children,” Clooney’s publicist said in a statement published by TMZ. “They were demanding they allow humanitarian aid into the country before it becomes the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.”
The Huffington Post spoke with Clooney immediately prior to his arrest. Here’s what he had to say:
“The goal for today is […] to raise attention; protest the idea of a government […] killing its own innocent [people] and allowing aid to get in”
Shortly after his arrest Russell’s public relations team released a statement saying the foundation executive suffered from dehydration, fatigue and stress.