Posted on 01/25/2005 3:49:56 AM PST by Timeout
Here are some snips:
The District government agreed yesterday to pay a total of $425,000 to seven people caught up in a mass arrest at a downtown park in September 2002....The arrests occurred Sept. 27, 2002, during demonstrations against the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.... officers corraled demonstrators and anyone else within the boundaries of the park, on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and charged them with failing to obey police.
The seven plaintiffs were five protesters and two bystanders. Each will receive about $50,000 after paying the legal expenses of the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Lawyers Guild and the law firm of Covington & Burling...cont'd below:
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Eidinger said he would use some of his cash award to promote the antiwar and anti-globalization message and some to pay for his daughter's education.
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, an attorney who helped file the class-action suit, said yesterday's cash settlement was "just a floor" for future negotiations on behalf of her clients. She also said her clients are seeking more substantive changes in police procedures and will not be satisfied until the department eliminates "contemptuous" policies that block and silence demonstrators.
Late last year, the council passed a bill, introduced by Patterson, that would prohibit police from encircling protesters unless they plan to arrest them and would limit the use of physical restraints.
It also would prohibit the deployment of officers wearing riot gear unless there was a danger of violence.
Well, great. D.C. public funds now going to support the anti-Americans. But they're literally tying the hands of the police to control groups demonstrating WITHOUT A PERMIT!
Watch for this precedent to now be used all over the country to fund their anarchy.
Hear that UBL? DC is fair game.
What part of "freedom to peaceably assemble" don't you understand?
As I understand it, every time the D.C. Chapter of FR wants to have TWO people stand on a corner holding signs they have to get a permit. Why wouldn't we require FOUR HUNDRED people to get one?
So, in other words, a LEO has to be harmed before the riot gear is okay? Oh, nice city they've got there.
The better question is: are 'permits to assemble' constitutional? I know it's moot in reality, but we need to be careful about giving more than grudging support to deviations from the Constitution, however necessary they may be.
You know what. This only encourages protestors. Pay off (what is it) 7 and you'll end up having to pay off more and more in future.
Now that we know who has the "deep pockets", it's time for Washington DC area Freepers to initiate suits against these individuals whose presence threatened violence against us.
Why should they care? It isn't their money, it comes from taxpayers that do not complain.
I agree...somewhat. The problem is that some of these groups have publicly announced their intentions to be violent and destroy property. We've seen them do it.
So what are the police to do? They have just as much obligation to protect innocent bystanders and local property owners. I don't see any problem with requiring a permit in that it gives local authorities time to prepare. In this case the police blundered, failing to issue a disburse warning prior to the arrests. So change the procedures. Discipline the officer in charge. But PAY the demonstrators, who failed to get a permit?! That's going too far.
It is time to take these groups down . The National lawyers guild coordinated the protest at the Republican Convention.They reported Police deployments to the protesters.
NYC should sue the lawyers guild for damages and overtime for the extra work.
Moreover businesses should sue Answer for lost business due to protests. A series of class action suits could restrict these types to parks.
"Viciously defending America's freedoms ... one buck at a time."
ACLU = The Enemy Within™.
I work in Washington and am conservative as anyone, but the D.C. police really messed this one up folks. Note that some of the people arrested were BYSTANDERS who happened to be passing the park - in some cases just walking to work - and were rounded up and arrested, without warning, opportunity to leave the scene, etc. That's about as pure a civil rights violation as you're going to find.
As conservative as anyone? Boy I understand your point now, really definitive proof. The bystanders were also As Conservative as Anyone....whenever I walk to work I too like to get as close as possible to smelly, loud, anarchist, I just can never resist the temptation....
You obviously aren't aware of the facts here. I work in Washington and remember when this happened - Chief Ramsey messed this one up. The police surrounded a park without warning or an order to disburse or anything. People who had the misfortune of being on the sidewalk by the park - including bystanders who might be walking to their office after going to a CVS - were rounded up in the dragnet. They weren't in the throng with the anti-IMF people, carrying signs, etc. There was no probable cause to arrest them. It pisses me off that my tax dollars are going to pay for this, when it was so avoidable (i.e., order them to disburse and then arrest those who don't - these anti-IMF types love the perceived honor of getting arrested).
Wrong. A permit is required for 25 or more. The DC Chapter does it to reserve an area to prohibit interlopers. It also notice the LEOs of our plans and smooths relationships. Makes for a better protest.
As for the punks' lawyers that received a cash award, there was not much peaceful in their assembly. You should recall that one group was pushing a trash container all over the streets looking to vandalize property. Innocent bystanders - I don't think so.
I'm not sure I'd put it in the civil rights category. The police screwed up...royally. So punish the police. But why pay anyone $50K?
I'm just saying let's not make the cops' job impossible. Imagine they HAD given orders to disburse. And the guy coming home from the CVS wasn't in the park to hear the order. Then he crosses the park and gets caught up in the arrests. It could easily happen. Would he deserve $50K?
It's the money I resent as well as the fact that we keep making it harder and harder for the cops to do their job.
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