Anti-War Organizers May Face Fines (SF)

Oakland KTVU Channel 2 ^ | 03/26/03 | KTVU

[jiggyboy]

SAN FRANCISCO -- A San Francisco supervisor said Wednesday that the district attorney's office may issue fines against the organizers of last week's anti-war protests that resulted in over 2,000 arrests and millions of dollars being paid for police overtime and for other city services.

Supervisor Tony Hall said the city was "fed up" with mass 'direct action' demonstrations like the ones last week that brought business to a near halt in downtown San Francisco.

"I think there is no question about it, people on all sides of the war are really fed up with people coming into our city and using the good nature of St. Francis against us," Hall said. "They are causing up to $900,000 a day costs -- in arrests, stopping business, breaking windows, stopping seniors from crossing the street -- it doesn't fly anymore."

Hall said he had talked with District Attorney Terence Hallinan about trying to recoup some of the costs of the protests.

"I've talked with the D.A., who assured me he is going to issue tickets or something to get a fine out of them (the organizers)," Hall said. "I'm not after the innocent protester looking to express himself. I'm after the guy who is literally intend on shutting down business in San Francisco and hurting other people...Stopping other people from expressing their rights."

"We have to get the message out to them -- we are not going to tolerate behavior that is going to step on other people's rights. They can protest in a lawful manner, that's wonderful."

"I also think the organizers of these protests that result in cost to the city, they should be asked to pick up part of these costs just like anybody else who needs a permit to (stage a) parade or demonstrate for what they want. They (the anti-war protesters) should do the same thing."

While Hall and other officials have asked that Hallinan send a strong message to the demonstrators, the D.A. seemingly has done just the opposite. Much to the displeasure of the SFPD, only 12 protesters were facing felony charges. More than 2,000 others have been fined $97 and released.

"I'm a little disappointed in the district attorney's decision -- I hope he reconsiders," Assistant Police Chief Alex Fagan complained to the San Francisco Chronicle. "We booked over 2,000 people -- we were very cautious in deciding which cases were felonies."

Hallinan told KTVU on Wednesday that his department was walking a thin line.

"Our policy is we respect people's First Amendment rights," Hallinan said. "I'm proud to be in a city that respects dissent and the right of people to speak out. But you do have to obey the law. We intend to follow through on these cases."

Meanwhile, the protest movement changed direction on Wednesday from a direct, confrontational approach to an informational campaign.

"Today, we are going to be in the streets of San Francisco, the East Bay, all parts of the Bay Area and we are calling it a day of mass non-violent direct outreach," said David Solnit of Direct Action To Stop The War.

"We have tens of thousands of flyers and hundreds of people have downloaded them. We are leafleting people, engaging in dialogue. We are trying to engage with our community members."

Meanwhile, members of 'Critical Mass' -- an bicyclist-based activist group -- discounted reports on Tuesday that the group had joined the anti-war movement. Rocco Pendola, a member of 'Critical Mass,' said the group's only agenda is to protect cyclists' rights on Bay Area streets.

"It's like having 'Monday Night Football' on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday," Pendola said of the reports. "Critical Mass' is the last Friday of every month....The common bond is that we ride our bikes together. Most people believe cyclists deserve space on the road with automobiles and they have different viewpoints (on other issues) expressed by a real diverse group of people. I'm sure a lot of people who are going to be riding on Friday support President Bush while others think the war is a joke."

Copyright 2003 by KTVU.com. All rights reserved.

[thatsnotnice]

Much to the displeasure of the SFPD, only 12 protesters were facing felony charges.

And the DA subsequently dropped the felony charges according to earlier radio news and an article posted here.

[jiggyboy]

Three months ago after the first round of window-breaking would have been better, of course, but I imagine that it takes quite a number of people complaining very loudly for a very long time to overcome the reluctance of the city to first abandon the "it was just an aberration" mentality and eventually admit that it must take some action against its fellow flower children.

The inability of the typical poor thinker (on the Council) to predict from past reports elsewhere or to learn first-hand from his own experience is no doubt a factor as well.

[Pinetop]

Ah San Francisco--these are probably the only tourists they have anymore-bussed in agitators with Molotov cocktails, illegal immigrants and homeless who go there for the cash and cheap heroin. Two of the 3 new breed of SF tourist defecate on the street. Let's give credit where it's due to Mayor Willie Brown, police chief Earl Saunders, D.A. Terrence Hallinan. Throw a chain link fence around the place and call it a federal prison.

[EdReform]

BTTT

[jiggyboy]

Yep, "too difficult" to prove specific crimes committed by specific criminals, blah blah blah...what it amounts to is an admission that they can't control it.

[Sally II]

Good!! That's exactly what they need to do. They need to start up a lawsuit, the people of San Francisco vs. the protestors, make them pay compensation for damages. Let them know that they cannot just commit acts of civil disobedience and let the tax payers and local businesses pay for it. SF should put its foot down on "Critical Mass" too. I mean, if a crazy person stands in the middle of bridge and holds up traffic for three hours, that's one thing. The guy has an excuse if he's crazy. Traffic is enough of a pain in the Bay Area, these people need to be held accountable if they willfully cause a major traffic block.

[The Old Hoosier]

SF gets what it deserves.

[Ga Rob]

Why does it take anytime or multiple disruptions to bring about discipline. These people have broken the law they should go to jail. I mean Thoreu and King went to jail didn't they?? Maybe I'm all wrong....

[Pinetop]

Ah San Francisco--these are probably the only tourists they have anymore-bussed in agitators with Molotov cocktails, illegal immigrants and homeless who go there for the cash and cheap heroin. We know that two of the 3 new breed of SF tourist defecate on the street. Let's give credit where it's due to Mayor Willie Brown, police chief Earl Saunders, D.A. Terrence Hallinan. Throw a chain link fence around the place and call it a federal prison.

[TheShadow1]

They should be sentenced to community service in the form of cleaning all the kennels of the animal control centers. Maybe the next time they felt the urge to vomit and/or defecate on the city streets they would be able to resist it.

[jiggyboy]

FWIW, I would love to see the City bankrupt C.A.N.S.W.E.R. et al, but I think it's going to be a tough job to pierce the "corporate" veil. "We never advocated violence", etc. The sight of "send a strong message" in the story also suggests to the cynical that this is mostly for show anyway and won't be pursued vigorously at all.

[finnman69]

Time to make these LW groups pay with a few lawsuits brought forward by the city for a change.

[Henrietta]

Why don't they just sic the Patriot Act on these violent protestors? I'm sure there's more than enough in there to put some of these violent freaks behind bars.

Free speech is one thing, but this crap has gone too far, IMO. Violent outbursts and blocking traffic is not free speech.

[bedolido]

Fine? Nooooo.... have them wear a sign that says:

"I'm an aledged peace activist... and I'm silly"

[mallardx]

After a while you'd think the City would be so P.O.ed by the costs of these demonstrations that they'll actually get serious - note the title has a key word, "May".

[FITZ]

More than 2,000 others have been fined $97 and released.

$97 is ridiculously low if they were vandalizing and keeping people from getting to work. Let their parents pay for all the damages their children did -- maybe some of their parents will get smart and cut them off and tell them to get jobs. Many of them can just pay out of their trust funds and when they run out ---too bad ---they can see what it's like to have to work for a living.

[Tamar1973]

While Hall and other officials have asked that Hallinan send a strong message to the demonstrators, the D.A. seemingly has done just the opposite. Much to the displeasure of the SFPD, only 12 protesters were facing felony charges. More than 2,000 others have been fined $97 and released.

In California, people get fines of $281 for speeding and running stop lights. These anti-american wackos should be fined at least that much for wasting the cops time.

"I'm a little disappointed in the district attorney's decision -- I hope he reconsiders," Assistant Police Chief Alex Fagan complained to the San Francisco Chronicle. "We booked over 2,000 people -- we were very cautious in deciding which cases were felonies."

Don't hold your breath. The illustrious District Attorney of SF is a commie sympathizer himself. For him to do anything but give a slap on the wrist to these vermin would be hypocritical on his part, at least in his world view.

[Tamar1973]

The mayor of SF was complaining about all the money SF has to spend on these louts, but he isn't made enough yet to demand that the DA actually do something more than let these wackos out w/ a $97 fine.

[demkicker]

The SF DA evidently wears flowers in his hair.