[332] in peace2
Tonight plus Report from R2K Legal (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Aimee L Smith)
Thu Aug 3 17:48:31 2000
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To: peace-list@MIT.EDU
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Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2000 17:48:21 -0400
From: Aimee L Smith <alsmith@MIT.EDU>
See the disturbing report about police brutality below.
Also, tonight is the general meeting for the o3 organizing
body. (Protest the exclusive corporate sponsored debates)
It happens at:
7:30pm
UMASS boston wheatley bldg. flr 5 #41
take redline to jfk/UMASS stop
shuttle takes you to campus and the building is across
the courtyard. I hope you can make it!
------- Forwarded Message
To: R2D2@egroups.com
From: boston_affinity@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2000 20:38:28 -0000
Subject: [R2D2] JAIL SOLIDARITY :: Report from R2K Legal
Thursday August 03, @04:06PM
PROTESTERS IMPRISONED IN PHILADELPHIA FACE BRUTAL
TREATMENT, PHYSICAL ASSAULT
By R2K Legal
Hundreds of nonviolent protesters arrested during Tuesday and
Wednesday's protests are reporting inhumane conditions in
custody and physical brutality from authorities, according to
members of the R2K Legal Collective. R2K Legal is a collective
of lawyers and paralegals providing legal support to protesters.
Over 300 arrests had been reported as of Wednesday night. As
the evening wore on, protesters began to be arraigned one by
one. Bail for protesters not giving their names was set at
unprecedented levels -- between $15,000 and $450,000. "To my
knowledge, bail has never been set so high for misdemeanor
charges in the history of this country," said Ron McGuire, an
attorney working with R2K Legal.
"I consider this a civil rights catastrophe of the first order,"
McGuire added.
On Tuesday night, female protesters being held in the Police
Administration Building, commonly called the Roundhouse,
reported seeing guards drag a male protester past their cell. The
male was naked except for a pair of boxer shorts, which were
down around his knees."He was screaming in pain," said a
female protester in custody who asked not to be identified for
fear of retaliation from authorities. "His back was badly bruised,
he was bleeding from shoulder to wrist, and his fingers were
blue."
Reports of physical brutality towards the men in the Roundhouse
continued on Wednesday night. According to reports from within
the prison, guards handcuffed and recuffed male protesters so
tightly that the men were howling "Stop the torture" loudly enough
for the women down the hall to hear.
One protester, who gave his name only as Jack, phoned R2K
Legal from custody early Thursday morning to report that his ear
had been nearly torn off by an officer's baton during arrest. Jack
had been taken to a nearby hospital to have his ear stitched back
onto his head, he said.
"Sadly, this kind of abuse is not unusual," said Sara Marcus, a
Philadelphia resident and member of R2K Legal. "The abuse
protesters are facing on the streets and in jail is representative
of the very issues they were protesting about on Tuesday --
police brutality and human rights abuses in prison."
"If you believe this treatment is unjust, let the authorities know
how you feel," urged Brian Petruska, another R2K Legal
member. The list of people to call includes Philadelphia Mayor
John Street, Deputy Commissioner ____ Mitchell, head of Civil
Affairs Captain ____ Fisher, District Attorney Lynn Abraham, and
Police Commissioner Timoney. Petruska added, "When you call,
express your concern over treatment of protesters in custody,
and register your support for the demands of those arrested."
Protesters in custody are demanding the return of the dozen or
so comrades in isolation, immediate attention to medical issues
in jail, reduction or dismissal of all charges, and equal treatment
for all arrested.
LIST OF SOME REPORTED INCIDENTS
*** Excessive Force ***
August 1.
At 14 and Locust, a protester was severely beaten by police
officers. As a result, he was hurried to the hospihis ear back to
his head. In the protester's own words, he was "A bloody mess."
August 1.
Bork from Blackbloc was sent to Pennsylvania Hospital due to
injuries she received from police before they arrested her. She
has a concussion and loose-teeth . Police let her go when the
hospital release her form treatment.
*** Physical Attacks by Police ***
August 2.
Police attacked a man taking video footage of the
demonstrators. Once the man was thrown to the ground, a
police officer stepped on the protester's head as another officer
threw water on him. The police then smashed the protester's
camera against the ground with their feet, and confiscated the
remains.
August 2. 2:30 p.m. at 13th and Race.
Without provocation, police threw an apparently homeless man
carrying blankets to the ground then six uniformed officers
stepped on him. Police placed the man under arrest.
August 2.
Near the Roundhouse Jail. Police seemingly arbitrarily picked
out a man and threw him against a wall without warning.
August 1.
While a protester was drawing with chalk on the ground, a
police officer on a bike drove directly into him Apparently, the
protester was not seriously injured.
August 2, about 12:30 across the street from the Convention
Center.
Four uniformed cops moved through the crows to apprehend
an individual. The man raised his arms in the air, whereupon the
police threw him into newspapers metal vendors, cutting the
man's arm. Police then arrested him.
August 2, about 1:00 p.m.
While three people were walking through JFK Plaza, police
approached on bicycles and trapped them. Police demanded the
man's backpack, but he refused. Police respond by throwing him
to the ground and twisted arm behind his back and put him in a
finger hold. However, police didn't search the man's bag and
didn't arrest him. The man claimed his some fingers was
broken.
*** Denial of Necessities ***
August 2.
The twenty-two protesters who are held in custody in
Philadelphia's 23rd Precinct have reported a number of brutal
conditions there. According to these protesters, police have
denied them food and water. One protester is HIV positive, which
required him to take a regular regimen of medicine, but police
have not allowed him access to his medicine since he was
arrested. Another protester had to be taken to Pennsylvania
Hospital after being beaten by police prior his arrest. Although
hospital doctors prescribed regular doses of ibuprofen, police
have not permitted this either. Although some protesters were
arrested on Tuesday, only one protester has been allowed
single phone in that time.
*** Spontaneous Arrests ***
August 2, at 11th & Arch
Police pulled over a truck. The driver was the sole occupant, but
was driving with protest signs in his cab. After pulling the truck
over, the police forced the driver out of his car and arrested. The
witness to the arrest reports the driver was not engaging in any
illegal activity prior to the arrest.
August 2 in the evening.
Police cars surrounded a car at a red light in center city. The
police order the occupants, three young men and a woman, out
of their car. Police immediately arrested three young men, but let
the woman passenger go. The incident was reported at
approximately 9:30 p.m. to the R2K legal office.
August 1.
While searching a protester, Commanding Officer LaSchmitt
#209 made this statement, "Get out of town or you'll be sorry."
The police preceded to break their Nextel and threw their gear in
the trash.
For information on sources, please contact Brian at the R2K
Legal Office. 215 925 6791
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