If you wondered what all those police helicopters were doing swarming over Brooklyn on Wednesday afternoon, it was because of the demonstrations at the Brooklyn Bridge and other sites around the city protesting the Sean Bell verdict.

Reverend Al Sharpton, Sean Bell’s fiancee and hundreds were arrested at a Brooklyn Bridge protest and call to urge authorities to launch an investigation into Bell’s shooting by police. Here’s an excerpt from the NY 1 article:

The Reverend Al Sharpton and Sean Bell’s fiancée were arrested along
with about over 200 protesters shortly after 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, as
they blocked traffic on Park Row by the entry of the Brooklyn Bridge in
Lower Manhattan.

According to police authorities, the over 200 arrests were part of
a coordinated campaign organized by Sharpton to urge federal
authorities to investigate Bell’s shooting by detectives more than two
years ago.

Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, who were injured during that
shooting, joined Sharpton and Bell’s fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell,
lined up and peacefully put their hands behind their backs as police
put plastic handcuffs on them. Sharpton and Bell were placed in a
police vehicle.

Late Wednesday night, some demonstrators told NY1 that the protests
would be weekly, but there was no official confirmation of such
strategies.