CHESTER CITY, Pa. — Reverend Al Sharpton is adding his voice to the #FreeMeekMill movement. The famed activist is planning to visit the Philadelphia rapper in prison in the wake of his 2-4 year sentence.
“Just because someone does something that is wrong, does not give you the right to do wrong to them,” Sharpton said during a National Action Network rally in Harlem on Saturday (Nov. 25). “The sentence must fit the violation.”
Sharpton’s planned visit to Chester State Prison, where Meek is being held, follows his history with criminal justice reform efforts. “In the 1990’s, Rev. Sharpton and others helped Tupac Shakur get out of solitary confinement at the request of his mother,” NAN said in a statement. “NAN has been monitoring cases across the country.”
Nearly one week ago, Colin Kaepernick said he was in contact with Meek, as well. “Spoke to Meek Mill & he wanted ppl to know regardless of his unjust situation, he’s in good spirits & humbled by the support the people have shown him,” he tweeted. “We’ll continue to fight against the harsh sentencing practices that have affected Meek & millions of other POC for generations.”
Others, including Drake, Rick Ross, and JAY-Z have also called for Meek’s release from prison. The latter even penned a New York Times op-ed about the issue. “What’s happening to Meek Mill is just one example of how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people every day,” wrote JAY.
Mill was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison for probation violations after being arrested twice this year, including assault in St. Louis and reckless driving in New York City. Both charges were dropped, but the arrests constituted violations, according to the judge. Mill’s legal team has since accused the judge of improper conduct and is fighting to have her removed from the case.