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Police & Legal
Police brutality, harassment, invasion, spying, selective enforcement, legal support, jail issues.
From the open publishing newswire:
From an arrestee:
On Monday night there was a march in Portland in solidarity with Occupy Oakland's call-out for a day of action against police brutality and arrests. The description for Portland's march specifically called for a respect for diversity of tactics including a black bloc and nonviolent direct action. Unfortunately the actual event proved much less tolerant to this diversity of tactics - people utilizing black bloc tactics were physically assaulted by other marchers on multiple occasions, and scapegoated for the 10 arrests the police made.
From the open publishing newswire:
A short drive by video of the Pioneer Square protest of the NDAA
NDAA Protest in Portland Oregon 2.3.12 [one minute video] President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. It contains a sweeping worldwide indefinite detention provision. The dangerous new law can be used by this and future presidents to militarily detain people captured far from any battlefield. He signed it. Now, we have to fight it wherever we can and for as long as it takes.
From the open publishing newswire:
Prior to today's shooting, it had been over a year since a Portland police officer killed a civilian. That this is notable at all highlights a serious problem in the way Portland police interact with citizens, especially those citizens with active mental illness and/or untreated addiction.
Early this morning, January 25, 2012, Portland Police officers shot and killed a man in downtown Portland. Prior to today's shooting, it had been over a year since a Portland police officer killed a civilian. That this is notable at all highlights a serious problem in the way Portland police interact with citizens, especially those citizens with active mental illness and/or untreated addiction. The Mental Health Association of Portland has collected the names and known history of over 220 persons shot and/or killed by Portland area police officers since 1970. The list is not comprehensive, but it clearly shows a correlation between active mental illness or addiction and the chances of being killed or wounded by police officers. The year-plus from Thomas Higginbotham's death on Jan. 2, 2011 until today may be the longest duration without a police-caused death in Portland's history. Higginbotham, age 67, was described by friends as a late stage alcoholic. His shooting death was described by police through the media as having occurred as he advanced toward two officers holding a "large knife." It is unknown if the Multnomah County District Attorney convened a grand jury to inquire about the death of Higginbotham, or what parts of the county's use-of-force plan were followed.
From the open publishing newswire:
We strongly encourage you all, especially those involved with Occupy Portland who tried telling their stories to City Council but were gavelled down by the Mayor, to turn out next Thursday, the 26th, at the East Portland Community Center to go on record with CRC with your concerns. It would probably be helpful even if you are relating a personal story of misconduct to articulate how you think things could be made better... no police horses or pepper spray at protests? Investigations into misconduct done by independent civilians, not police Internal Affairs? You decide. WHAT: Community Public Forum on Police Accountability WHEN: Thursday, January 26, 2012 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. WHERE: East Portland Community Center 740 SE 106th Ave, Portland 97216 Related Post on Police violence and Portland Occupy: Breaking News 6:30 -10:30 J25 Egypt Solidarity Reportback Video of Police Accountability Meeting Video: Citizen Police Accountability Meeting - Occupy Portland Jan 26 2012
From the open publishing newswire:
When I was at the eviction of Occupy in Portland and the police horses were forced into the crowd, the first thought that went through me was the horses were going to hurt someone. The second thought was why the hell are the police using animals to hurt other humans. Now my thoughts are to take the horses away from the cops. Seems like a good project for us to take on.
Want to "take a ride on the Justice side?" This is something all of us can give some time to, maybe we can see these beautiful horse retired to a farm, enjoying life. I know we are all busy but I got really pissed at the cops for making these animals move into the crowd and risk being hurt, when all the horses wanted to do is eat some hay. E-mail me and after some ground work, if enough of you feel bad for those horses as I did that night, let's work to "Free the Police Horses." homepage:  http://individualsforjustice.com
From the open publishing newswire:
The statement from Occupy's unnamed "media team" says a 4 p.m. march and 10 p.m. assembly are planned "for camp defense and witness." It also says:
The Occupy Movement manifested as a direct response to the social and economic injustices caused by a corrupt and heartless financial system. Occupy Olympia did not create the problems faced at camp. These are the same problems faced in communities around the country. Occupier Kyle Tanner states, "It's disappointing that the state chooses to continue to sweep the realities of budget cuts under the rug rather than face the systemic inequities." Since the early days of the occupation, Occupy Olympia has provided the community with free medical services, food, and shelter, all of which are needs the state has failed to meet. "While Occupy Olympia has been offering social services, it's important to remember that the Occupy Olympia encampment is, and continues to be, a political encampment. Any attempt to discredit that would be a false representation of what the Occupy movement is all about," states Occupier Owen Prout. Though the future of the physical camp may be uncertain, the community that camp has built will continue to fight the atrocities committed to benefit the 1%.
From the open publishing newswire:
Friends, neighbors, and comrades gathered early in the morning on Saturday, December 3rd to transform a vacant lot on the south-end of Santa Cruz's main street into a vibrant community park. Folks worked throughout the day breaking up hunks of concrete, created five large raised garden beds (with plans for three more), filled them with soil, and planted dozens of plants. Curious people passed by asked questions, offered up complements, and even joined in. By the end of the day, approximately 40-50 people had helped in creating North America's newest squatted park. At the end of the day, a statement was released. It described the process of construction and explained the motivations behind it.
On Monday morning, a worker from Datum Construction came across the street into SubRosa (the anarchist infoshop) to say that if they knew the gardeners, let them know they only had a few hours to remove the plants before he bulldozed the newly erected park. He said he "didn't want to be the bad-guy," but he had orders from Datum Construction HQ to destroy the park.
From the open publishing newswire:
We've all seen the recent images of the police brutality against Occupy, but this conduct hasn't occurred overnight. For years, US police abuse has been spiralling upwards, this article sharing a uniquely insightful vision of what that's meant, how it's occurred, and an amazing effort to awake America. Excerpt: When we see these brutally nightmarish visions of police violence against innocent protesters, we're shocked because we haven't been aware that our police have behaved this way for many years now. Of course, that's also why we see -- despite the video evidence -- some people blaming the Occupy supporters for their own brutalization, refusing to believe that our police could do such harm without good reason. Even worse though, our 'authorities' are well aware of this tendency, and play upon it, i.e., the claims that the UC Davis police felt 'threatened' in an attempt to legitimize the brutal pepper spraying videotaped there. Attempts to somehow 'demonize the victim' are an old story, and it's far easier to blame most victims than face the far harsher reality of what our society has become, how empty some of the assumptions about our police, about our own safety, are. Continue Reading: link to www.opednews.com
From the open publishing newswire:
Portland Copwatch asks City Council to improve oversight and policies of the Portland Police Hearing today at 2pm at City Hallsummary of the show that is on now is at: http://kboo.fm/node/32101#comments Dan Handleman's opinion of how this has been going is at: www.theskanner.com [The KBOO Audio Recording of this is now available here]
From the open publishing newswire:
A 9 part video set from the Occupy Portland Eviction at midnight on 11.13.11 - Occupy Portland Faces an Eviction at Midnight. It didn't happen. This video set starts just before midnight and runs till about 6 am The police attempt to remove the protesters using Horse cops charging into the crowds (didn't work and almost caused a riot) and as well as threats of chemical weapons and the use of riot cops with sticks and non lethal weapons. Nothing worked as far as trying to scare or hurt the protesters from the Occupy Portland camp.1. Arriving Occupy Portland Saturday Eviction 11:30pm Nick Fish
From the open publishing newswire:
This is the 6 part video set from the 4Pm Chase Protest in Portland Oregon. This is the one where the police ram their horses into the peaceful crowd (again) who were legally protesting, the police shoved the citizens dangerously into the streets. Then the cops sent in hundreds of ROBO dressed Riot cops ... and yelling over loud speakers for next 30 minutes to "get out of the street"? ...So then (next) they start pepperspraying people and hitting them with sticks (and or jabbing protesters with their sticks)and then they do some more MAJOR blocking the street. Then they (hundreds of police) for no reason (?) leave and everything is peaceful and back to normal. 6. N17 Hundreds of Riot Cops In Street (video 13 minutes)
From the open publishing newswire:
ALERT! A man named Justin James Bridges, musician & ASL translator for Occupy Portland General Assembly, was assaulted by @PortlandPolice today during camp clean out. He was beaten repeatedly in the back and has now lost use of his right arm. Though Justin was lying on the ground in compliance, Portland Police continuously beat him in the back with clubs until his eyes rolled back in his head. Fellow protesters thought he was dead. He is now in critical care.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE, DO NOT HESITATE TO COME FORWARD. National Lawyers' Guild # 503-902-5340. Protect rights, protect the truth. Please share. And if you have info or evidence, for the sake of justice, come forward. http://anoncentral.tumblr.com/
From the open publishing newswire:
For those who were there, November 13th will be a day long remembered in Portland, Oregon. Occupy Portland again proved why it remains the 2nd strongest Occupy movement in the U.S. when it mobilized against police eviction. Instead of the Occupiers being evicted it was the police who were sent home demoralized.
The following morning, however, the police again moved in to evict the mostly-emptied camp, and again thousands of protesters arrived to protest. As this article is being written there remain thousands of protesters in downtown Portland trying to decide their next occupation spot with hundreds of riot police nearby. Although the original occupied park is now surrounded by a fence and hundreds of riot police, the movement has been strengthened exponentially after the stunning victory the previous night and energetic re-mobilization the following morning which grew throughout the day. The Mayor, police, and the local 1% had set the stage to justify police violence while scaring the public away from the downtown occupation spot; radio stations warned listeners to "stay away from downtown," businesses closed their doors early for "fear of violence," the media shamefully reported stories without sources about people from "out of town" coming to Portland with violent intent. The ultra-peaceful protest that ensued made a mockery of these lies from Portland's 1%. |
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