The United Steelworkers of America on Monday called for a congressional investigation into the conduct of Miami police and for the firing of Chief John Timoney after last week's turbulent demonstrations against the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

The union sent a letter to congressional leaders late Monday accusing the police of violating the constitutional rights of thousands of union members and others who gathered in downtown Miami on Thursday to participate in a permitted march to protest the FTAA.

The letter, signed by the union\'s international president, Leo Gerard, criticized the use of "massive force, riot gear and armaments, including combat vehicles" to quell the crowds of demonstrators. The situation was a "massive police state," the letter said.

'REPRESSIVE PRESENCE'

"The obvious purpose of the repressive police presence in Miami was, at a minimum, to intimidate us and limit the exercise of our rights," the letter said. "Phalanxes of police in riot gear stretched for blocks, as did police cars buttressed bumper to bumper."

The letter also condemned the use of federal money for Miami\'s security costs, calling it money for "homeland repression." The money -- $8.5 million -- was tacked onto an $87 billion spending bill for Iraq.

POLICE RESPONSE

Timoney could not be reached late Monday, but a police spokesman said the department had managed well under difficult circumstances.

"The police officers that I saw out there used a tremendous amount of restraint in the face of rocks and bottles being thrown and other things," said Miami police spokesman Delrish Moss.

"There was one instance where a police officer was kicked in the face, and no one, [not] even law a enforcement officer, should have to endure that sort of thing," he added. "They did a tremendous job."

He called Timoney's performance "one of the most impressive displays of leadership that I've ever seen in my 19 years in law enforcement."

Monday's letter was sent to two Democrats and two Republicans, with copies to Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas and Gov. Jeb Bush, among others.

The letter recounted allegations of "humiliating repression" by police, including an instance in which a protester was reportedly forced to the ground with a gun to her head while trying peacefully to enter a permitted rally.

The union called for all charges against peaceful protesters to be dropped.

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