For Immediate Release: November 22nd, 2003
|
 |
Unprecedented Levels of Police Violence Malign Protesters' Rights With Numerous Serious Injuries Cited by Anti-FTAA Activists
Legal support groups call for a full-scale independent investigation into "alarming" police behavior
Miami, FL - As organizations and people who fought against the recent
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations in Miami assess the
outcome of their efforts, all are quick to agree that their resistance
to the "unfair" trade agreement talks was met with excessive and
unnecessary police aggression. While police publicly congratulate
themselves on their "remarkable restraint," calls and written reports
continue to flood into the offices of Miami Activist Defense (MAD), a
legal support group for anti-FTAA activists, which refute that claim.
In
a show of unprecedented force, and exceptional levels of brutality,
police refused to allow people's political message to be heard. "Chief
John Timoney justified his force's violent actions by claiming that,
'outsiders [were] coming in to terrorize and vandalize our city,' yet no
evidence of that existed," said Marc Steier, an attorney working with
MAD. "Presumption and political profiling cannot be used to violently
deny people their rights," continued Steier. "The police made it clear
that political speech critical of Bush's agenda on the FTAA is
unacceptable and they were willing to hospitalize people to make the point."
The
indiscriminate and widespread use of weapons by police in Miami was a
significant departure from those used at mass protests in the U.S. in
the recent past. A panoply of batons, tear gas, pepper spray, rubber
bullets, concussion grenades, tasers and electric shields, represented
an extreme overreaction and unwarranted attack on people's first
amendment rights.
A medical support group for protestors
indicated Saturday that dozens of people sustained serious injuries over
the past few days as a result of brutal arrests and weaponry used by
police during the protests. Although many of those injured went to the
activist "Wellness Center" instead of going to the hospital, at least
two people are known to be hospitalized. One activist suffered from
cerebral hemorrhaging and is in critical but stable condition. Another
has been hospitalized for a traumatic head injury and recently underwent
surgery.
Further reports from the medics indicate: hundreds
affected by tear gas and pepper spray; numerous baton injuries; and over
thirty people injured from projectiles fired by police, at least five
of which sustained head wounds. "Police are supposed to point their
rubber bullet guns at the ground in order to avoid directly striking
someone," said Liz Highleyman, a medic. "This was definitely not the
practice used on the streets as case after case indicated intentional
direct hits."
In one of the most savage and completely
uncalled-for tactics used over the last few days, police "combed" the
city Thursday evening, after protests had concluded, making dozens of
indiscriminate and brutal arrests. These arrests included people being
stopped and "snatched" at random and without warning by undercover
police and taken away in unmarked vehicles as well as people being
chased for blocks after attempting to peacefully leave the heavily
policed zone. "It was almost as if police were 'hunting' activists,"
said Kris Hermes of MAD.
MAD and the National Lawyers Guild
(NLG) are calling for a full-scale independent investigation into the
"alarming" police behavior. A letter sent Thursday by the NLG to Miami
Mayor Manuel Diaz stated, "Such paramilitary tactics are ill-conceived
and self-defeating and have no place in a democratic society." MAD is
also demanding that the city and county drop the charges against all
anti-FTAA activists.
As of Friday evening, MAD estimated that
approximately 250 people had been arrested. Although most had been
released, as of Saturday evening as many as 70 appeared to still be
detained. Bond hearings over the last two days indicated that some were
being given unusually high bails-$20,000 for a single misdemeanor
charge. Reports being received by MAD indicate that many felony
defendants are being denied access to an attorney, a violation of due
process.
One of the most obvious and visible cases of unlawful
arrest was on Friday afternoon while approximately 200 people gathered
for a vigil at the Miami-Dade County Jail in support of detained
activists. Shortly after a press conference, held to convey the activist
response to mass arrests and police misconduct, police forced the group
to disperse.
"We were attempting to comply with the police
order," explained Brenna Bell, an attorney working with MAD. "But when
people began moving in the direction we were told to, they began
arresting us anyway." At around 5pm Friday, Bell was arrested along with
over fifty other peaceful supporters. Not only was pepper spray used
unnecessarily during the arrests, but also Bell was kept for 15 hours in
jail without food or water.
--030-- |
|
