Posted on 08/10/2022 12:13:53 PM PDT by Morgana
Activists in support of access to abortion covered the front of the Riverside Historic Courthouse with handprints and slogans on Saturday evening, July 30, resulting in eight arrests, authorities said.
About 19 people took part in a demonstration about 6:30 p.m. at 4050 Main St., said Olivia Dunston, an organizer for Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights. Many wore green bandanas, marking their affiliation with the group.
Signs calling for the nationwide legalization of abortion and handprints made with what the group described as removable paint were seen near the front entrance of the 119-year-old building. Riverside police were summoned, and they detained several people, Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback said. Those suspects were then placed into the custody of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which is responsible for policing county buildings.
Several people sat in handcuffs while being questioned by sheriff’s deputies, as seen in footage recorded at the scene. Dunston said they were exercising their First Amendment rights.
“Our downtown courthouse is a beautiful piece of history and art,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco wrote in a statement responding to the demonstration. “When you damage, deface or destroy property you are no longer a protester, you are nothing more than a common criminal.”
About $10,000 worth of damage was done to the courthouse’s facade, doors and windows, Riverside County Sheriff’s officials said in a news release Sunday. Deputies arrested eight people on suspicion of felony vandalism or conspiracy to commit vandalism Saturday evening.
Dunston said a total of 13 were detained, and those who were still in custody remained held in lieu of $10,000 bail as of Sunday. Members of the activist group called the accusations against them excessive.
“We came out with chalk, signs and washable paint,” said Victoria Eggers, an organizer with Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights. “Our intent was to bring awareness to issues on abortion rights and exercise freedom of assembly and free speech. Everything was washable.”
The demonstration in Riverside was at least the second put on by Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights that resulted in arrests. On Thursday afternoon, 25 people with the organization gathered at the Los Angeles County Museum of art, Los Angeles Police Department officials said. Some wore white pants with red stains and carried wire coat-hangers or signs bearing slogans like “No Forced Births,” as seen in photos and videos posted to social media.
A 20-year-old Los Angeles woman and a 29-year-old Westminster woman who had chained themselves to “Urban Lights,” an installation of over 200 vintage street lights that has stood in front of LACMA since 2008, as well as a 22-year-old Upland man who poured what was described as diluted paint on them, wound up booked on suspicion of felony vandalism.
The people who were arrested in Los Angeles Thursday had been held in lieu of $20,000 bail, police said. Those costs were paid by a volunteer with Rise Up 4 Abortion, and the protestors were released late Thursday evening, the group said in a Twitter post.
I take it that this is California?
What are all the uber-abortion-friendly states doing pitching fits? They can virtually kill a 1-month old kid as it is.
I’m not sure, was hoping someone here would know where this is.
There is a video on the link if anyone can figure out which courthouse this is.
These crazy bitches are so stupid and their “protests” are utterly pointless and asinine. No one is restricting abortion in Riverside County or anywhere else in CA. No one is even talking about that (I wish they were but they’re not). If these hags took their shtick to some place like Oklahoma City or Huntsville it might have some rationality to it (though I’m not wishing them on OK or AL).
Near UC Riverside, so it’s about leftists students wanting to feel like they did something important.
Gee that sounds like an insurrection…
Yes yes. Very nice. Few things are more effective at changing abortion laws on other States than marring a courthouse in Riverside, California. /s
Like so many other LEFTist causes and actions, they will mob up, destroy statues & property and scream about ‘justice’. However, submit their desires to the vote? Heck NO, too much chance to lose, because, rather than personalities of the candidates, here it is issues rather than emotions!
Downtown Riverside, California. I grew up about a mile from that courthouse. Back in the 50’s and 60’s the Riverside Police were pretty hard ass. Kids knew not to mess with them.
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