NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A speaker at an anti-bullying event at a local middle school this fall was arrested four weeks later, after Election Day, on a charge of felony assault, Talk of the Sound has learned.
Police say Shacara-Atiyá McLaurin, 23, a former Teen Ambassador for Stomp Out Bullying, allegedly knocked a 75-year old man to the ground during a Black Lives Matter protest outside Trump Tower in Manhattan shortly after the November 8th Presidential Election.
McLaurin spoke at Albert Leonard Middle School’s Stomp OUT Bullying’s Blue Shirt Day World Day of Bullying Prevention on Oct. 6th.
Police say that on Thursday November 10th, McLaurin got into a shouting match with James Durkan during an anti-Trump rally outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York.
“She was yelling ‘Black lives matter’ and he started yelling ‘All lives matter’ and it went from there,” according to one report.
Cops say she pushed the man to the ground. He struck the pavement, opening a gash on the back of his head. Durkan required medical treatment. He was treated at the scene for s minor injury, taken to an area hospital and later released, according to news reports.
Ross Ellis, Founder and CEO of STOMP Out Bullying, issued a statement disassociating the organization from the young singer.
“We do not know the complete details as to what transpired, so we will not be making any comment about it,” said Ross.
“As an organization who has spent more than 11 years advocating for kindness in the world, we can say that we do not condone any kind of violence, harassment or bullying. No matter who you are, what you look like, your beliefs, your sexual orientation, your age, your race; we are all the same and we should treat each other with respect and be unified.”
STOMP Out Bullying is the leading national bullying and cyberbullying prevention organization for kids and teens. It is recognized as the most influential anti-bulling organization in America. Blue Shirt Day signifies the importance of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, which is October.
McLaurin was invited to the anti-bullying event by the Albert Leonard PTA. The press announcement for the event, prepared by Focus Media, the District’s latest PR Firm, conveyed that McLaurin was representing STOMP Out Bullying.
School officials refused to answer questions about McLaurin, explain why she was described as part of STOMP Out Bullying when she is not, or whether she would be invited back to the school following her arrest.
It was not clear whether the ALMS PTA was aware that McLaurin was a Black Lives Matter activist.
http://www.newrochelletalk.com/content/albert-leonard-middle-school-host-blue-shirt-day
http://dailycaller.com/2016/11/11/black-lives-matter-anti-bullying-activist-arrested-for-assaulting-74-year-old-man-at-trump-protest/