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SPECIAL COVERAGE
regionstopic pagesgenresactionsall action pages >> resourcesglobal imc
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Police & Legal
Police brutality, harassment, invasion, spying, selective enforcement, legal support, jail issues.
In the video footage, a cluster of armed police officers can be seen brutally attacking and beating a 12 year old girl. Officer Humphreys actually takes out a bean bag gun and shoots the pre-teen at close range, all for the crime of "riding the max when she wasn't supposed to." And just as clearly, in the video footage, we can see the max train parked next to the scene, filled with hundreds of people passively watching from the windows of the train. A few people step off the train to get a better look, but NO ONE LIFTS A FINGER to stop the attack. No one does a FUCKING THING. What is wrong with us, that we're so disabled by a uniform and perceived authority, that we will allow a little girl to be beaten, bludgeoned, and finally SHOT, right in front of us, and NOT ONE PERSON lifts a finger to stop it???
http://www.lynnestewart.org/
There are a few exceptions, mostly relating to "if a person was asking for a card to distract the officer from a crime or important matter at hand" Sgt. Scott Westerman, president of the Portland Police Association that represents rank-and-file officers, sergeants, detectives and criminalists, said the union backs the policy. but he also has the following quote:
Schlossberg, a local forest activist, was civilly informing bank customers of the irresponsible logging and harmful pesticide practices of Umpqua's chairman of the board, Allyn Ford. The charges of "intercepting communications" and "resisting arrest" were dropped after prosecutors viewed Schlossberg's confiscated digital video footage clearly showing him legally standing at the edge of a public sidewalk. The tape shows Officer Solesbee illegally demanding he leave-which Schlossberg is in the process of doing, while stating to Solesbee that he believes the officer is in error for forcing him to leave the public sidewalk. Solesbee falsified police reports and attempted to file unwarranted charges against Schlossberg as a result of this incident; and the Chief of police has ratified this dishonest conduct once again.
The Portland Office of Transportation (1120 SW 5th Ave 503 823-7002) is the govt. agency which issues permits for street vendors. Audrey said she tried applying for a formal permit long ago. But apparently, the POT does NOT issue permits to sell ARTWORK. They do issue permits to sell flowers & umbrellas... but not artwork. Nonetheless, Sat.Market has welcomed artists to sell their works with or without a permit for years. Only yesterday have the police started issuing warning papers to people for not having permits. Eventhough POT seemingly does not issue permits to sell art, cops were threatening artists that they would confiscate their work & fine them if they did not "comply".
From the open publishing newswire:
This is now old news, but there may be some who are fortunate enough to have avoided the corporate news for a week or two, so I am posting it here. Fouad deserves all of our attention.
The city of Sandy and the murdering thug with a badge, Willam Bergin (more about him elsewhere) have reached a $1 million settlement with the family of Fouad Kaady, who was unarmed, naked, burned and bleeding (and according to Bergin's own statement, "catatonic, sitting Indian style,") alongside a rural county road when Bergin, and a Clackamas County Depute, David Willard, shot him to death in 2005. The shooting sparked outrage from the family, and anyone with an ounce of human feeling. Extensive coverage here, at PDX Indymedia finally garnered a modicum of attention and calls for a public inquest even after a not so grand jury, spoon fed by a politically motivated District Attorney, cleared the officers of wrongdoing. The settlement, entered in U.S. District Court in Portland, means the family of Fouad Kaady has agreed to drop its wrongful death claims against the city and former officer William J. Bergin.
Mr. Bergin, for those who do not remember, is one of two (protect and serve) officers from Clackamas County, who, finding a badly burned, injured, naked (clothes burned off his body) and totally unarmed, "catatonic" according to their statements, Fouad Kaady, could think of no way to help him, so they tasered him until their alter penises were completely discharged of electricity, and then pumped five shots into his body.
In the early morning hours of Sunday June 14th, I was the victim of a hate crime on the corner of NW 6th and Couch. This happened outside of Casey's, a gay bar where I am a dj and it was 2:30 in the morning, after the bar had closed. When I came outside to make my way home, I saw that a friend of mine was talking with the Portland Police. She had been punched in the face by a man who had been spouting homophobic remarks at her and another friend of mine. Her nose was broken and the police had arrived to investigate this crime. While I was watching this interaction, a group of men approached the scene also shouting homophobic remarks. I walked up to them to ask them to leave the area and the next thing I remember, I was on the ground with my mouth bleeding. I didn't really know or understand what had happened. I had been punched in the mouth and knocked out. The Portland Police department, who was on the scene, was completely negligent to my situation. They talked to the guy who said I had started it, yet there wasn't a scratch on him and I was the one on the ground bleeding. As I was sitting on the ground, the police officers refused to let a friend of mine bring me ice for my face, threatening to arrest him if he attempted to approach me.
From the open publishing newswire:
A link to ACLU's know your rights! pocket guide to handling the police. useful for anyone attending the excessive force demonstration today or Copwatch workshops later this month... One thing we should all print, carry & distribute. I say we should all band together and circulate this to as many people as we know...
http://www.aclu.org/kyr/kyr_english.pdf
From the open publishing newswire:
Demonstration against excessive force and violence, [Friday] May 8, 2009, Friday at 4:00 PM at the Federal Court House, 1000 SW 3rd Avenue, at Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon
Join us in a Heart felt healing process against excessive force. This demonstration is on the anniversary of my son's death; Jason was executed by officer Richard Torres of the Vancouver Police Department. We are seeking support to stop this kind of overkill. We, the universe, can not have peace nor rest in peace when a wrong action can not except accountability. We would like the city of Vancouver forced to create an independent police review board. We would like to see the Vancouver police all trained in crisis intervention training.... Thank you for your support, Two beautiful songs will play....
From the open publishing newswire:
Justice for Jason Demonstration
May 8th 4:00 pm. Federal Court house in Portland Or. My unarmed 17 year old son was executed by the Vancouver Police Department on Mother's Day May 8. I am organizing a demonstration against excessive force and violence. My 17 year old son, Jason, was shot 11 times by officer Richard Torres of the Vancouver police department. From 11:21 am, to 11: 24 am. ( 3 minutes ) ; Jason was followed, pitted, and executed. When I received the call, stating my son had died; I flew flat to the floor, the phone flew out of my hand, NOOOO!!! I live with a pain that never goes away. Jason's sister was 16 years old; I can't begin to tell you the damage her brothers death has done to her life. I am angrey, I'm asking for support in this journey of healing
Patrick Ryan will be speaking tonight at 6:30pm on KBOO to speak on Mumia's court case. Today, the US Supreme Court rejected Mumia Abu-Jamal's appeal for a new guilt-phase trial. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to consider the Philadelphia DA's separate appeal, which is attempting to execute Abu-Jamal WITHOUT a new sentencing hearing. In response to today's rejection, Abu-Jamal's lead attorney Robert R. Bryan will be filing a "petition for re-hearing" at the US Supreme Court. |
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