Bill Cosby Protester Appeared on ‘The Cosby Show’ as a Child

The topless protester who was arrested after running near Bill Cosby Monday morning before day one of this sexual assault retrial in Philadelphia appeared in four episodes of The Cosby Show in the 1990s when she was 12 years old.

Nicolle Rochelle, 39, wore only black pants when she jumped a barricade and ran toward a bank of TV cameras near Cosby, chanting, “Hey, hey, hey, women’s lives matter.”

The phrase “Women’s Lives Matter” was painted in red across her bare chest and stomach. The names of Cosby’s accusers were also written in black across her torso and arms.

“The main goal was to make Cosby uncomfortable because that is exactly what he has been doing for decades to women,” Rochelle told reporters following her arrest, adding that she wanted him to know there were people against him.

Rochelle said despite appearing in four episodes of Cosby’s sitcom, she never had any bad experiences with him while on the show, BuzzFeed News reports. She also had small roles on Chappelle’s Show, Law & Order and NYPD Blue.

Rochelle was standing outside the courthouse among a group of protestors Monday morning. When Cosby exited his vehicle and headed toward the courthouse, she ripped off her jacket and rushed toward him.

Police quickly tackled her into a bush and walked her, handcuffed, into the courthouse. She was charged with disorderly conduct. If convicted, she will be required to pay a fine and court costs.

Rochelle said she “wanted to express the anger that the victims could not express” with her protest.

Early Monday, she shared a Facebook photo of herself wearing a sweatshirt with “Hello Friend” printed on it — a shirt Cosby has been seen wearing, including during his first comedy set since his first sexual assault trial.

The phrase reportedly refers to something his late son Ennis Cosby used to say.

Rochelle crossed out the word “friend” and replaced it with “rapist.”

“In honor of the first day of the Bill Cosby retrial, I went by the address where they filmed The Cosby Show exterior in New York City…LET’S HOPE JUSTICE WILL FINALLY BE SERVED !” she wrote as a caption to the defiant photo.

Monday marked the opening statements of Cosby’s retrial, which was delayed from Friday while a judge presiding over the case reviewed accusations that one juror told a woman during jury selection that he believed Cosby to be guilty.

Cosby’s first trial ended last spring with a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict following five days of tense deliberations.

Cosby is accused of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He maintains that the sexual contact was consensual. He faces three counts of aggravated indecent assault, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.