Operation Infinite FReep: Report from the front lines - Pieceniks in Grand Rapids

My Eyes | 1-29-03 | Myself

[freepersup]

Police, protesters argue facts of Wednesday's peace rally


Friday, January 31, 2003

By Ted Roelofs
The Grand Rapids Press




With the number of arrests now at 13, police and protesters continue to spar over what really happened during Wednesday's protest of President Bush's visit to Grand Rapids.


To 22-year-old Josephine Prince, her arrest for "inciting to riot" was police overreaction -- and symptomatic of strategies to keep the protest message under wraps.

"I stepped off the sidewalk and four police officers threw me on a car. I only weigh 120 pounds and I'm a girl. It was very, very excessive," said Prince, one of six people charged with inciting to riot, a 10-year felony. The rest were charged with misdemeanors that include trespassing and refusing to obey police.

Grand Rapids police met with officials from the Kent County prosecutor's office late Thursday to determine final charges when protesters are arraigned next week.

Police defended their actions and maintained officers did what they had to do to maintain order.

"The police were very professional," Capt. Pam Carrier said. "We wouldn't just grab someone. We had enough information that warranted those arrests."

Carrier said those arrested range in age from 15 to 56, many of them under age 21. She said most, if not all, were from West Michigan.

But protesters question why several hundred marchers were routed to barricades a block from DeVos Hall -- where Bush was speaking -- while at the same time a handful of sign-waving Bush supporters were allowed to stand directly across from the hall.

"It was clearly a double standard," said Jeff Smith, a local peace activist and one of the rally organizers.

"They were giving the people more sympathetic to the president a great more freedom than they did us."

Carrier said police simply were executing security plans worked out ahead of time in conjunction with the Secret Service.

"We don't care about their political views," Carrier said.

Smith and other organizers say publicity over the arrests overshadowed what they term an impressive show of opposition to impending war with Iraq, a rally that drew at least 500 people to the city.

Though police and protesters disagree about what happened and why, they agree that much of the friction happened at two main points: a barricade on Lyon Street, where several hundred marchers hit an unexpected dead-end; and a smaller march after Bush left, when about 150 marchers took over city streets and blocked traffic.

Protesters began to gather about 11 a.m. on Michigan Street across from Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus, where Bush held a closed meeting to discuss health issues. Police held them in a small area along the sidewalk for approximately 45 minutes, until the Bush motorcade proceeded to DeVos Performance Hall.

The group then was released to walk west on Michigan, then was directed south on Ottawa Avenue and west to Lyon Street.

When the group turned on Lyon, it confronted a barricade and police tape barring its progress. Marchers thought they were marching to a place in front of DeVos Hall but found themselves at a dead end out of sight of the hall.

"We didn't know that was going to be closed down," said Doug VanDoren, minister at Plymouth Congregational United Church in Grand Rapids and another rally organizer.

VanDoren said a police car raced down Lyon just ahead of the protesters to ensure they would proceed no farther.

Protester Prince said at that point, some of the protesters tried to get under the police tape.

"The police tackled them, and they were running to get back behind the tape. It was ridiculous," Prince said.

Carrier was not sure why the group was routed to Lyon, while at the same time Monroe Avenue was opened near DeVos Hall for protesters who arrived by a different route.

"I don't know who directed them there," Carrier said.

VanDoren said tensions mounted for a time on Monroe when protesters noticed that Bush supporters were allowed to stand outside the barricades in front of the hall. Police later moved them back behind the barricades when protesters complained, he said.

After Bush departed DeVos Hall and his motorcade exited the city, most of the protesters dispersed.

But a group that police estimated at 150 continued to march south on Ottawa Avenue, then make its way to Division Avenue, where it proceeded south, then west on Fulton Street.

Jana Norlin, a Grand Rapids resident who attends regular peace rallies as part of her Quaker faith, followed along with this group as it continued, often on the opposite side of the street.

"It was just a bunch of younger people that were very inexperienced," Norlin said.

"The group that had organized and planned this was not able to carry out their plan because all of the designated spots they planned to assemble were blocked for security reasons.

"There was a lot of confusion."

Police said the crowd became unruly and refused to leave the street, posing a traffic hazard.

"If you look at the number of protesters we had and the small amount arrested, I think you'll see they acted with restraint," Carrier said of the officers.

Northview High School student Chris Williams said he saw three of his friends arrested -- singled out, he said, because they wear their hair in spikes or mohawks.

"They just grabbed them and threw them on the cop car," Williams said. "The force they used was just unnecessary."









© 2003 Grand Rapids Press. Used with permission

[freepersup]

Dan,

Just read an interesting article about Wed.'s rally / protest, at the online Grand Rapids Press site, for 1-31-03. I pasted it in post # 41.

[Dan from Michigan]

Some were pushing the cop car blocking them. Those were probably the ones arrested.

And this is someone who doesn't hesitate to rip apart cops when they do jackbooted or stupid stuff. The GRPD was professional. This isn't Officer Martin of the East Lansing PD.

[RepublicanHippy]

:To 22-year-old Josephine Prince, her arrest for "inciting to riot" was police overreaction"

I was livid when I saw her on TV whining about police brutality. I think I'll call the police department and ask them if they need a witness when she and her friends have their hearing next week. I remember Ms. Prince; she was definately one of the instigators.

I was right there when the police blocked off the street so they could not get through. If they hadn't tried to overturn a truck, cross police lines while getting louder as they approached the place where the president was speaking, and trying to intimidate us, maybe the police would have left them alone.

[freepersup]

Checking in for a couple of minutes and then I have to leave... I'll be replying to your freep mail message later tonight, as I want to finish responding to the day's events (that I started on Wednesday night).

I was walking behind all the leftists as I tried to make my way to our group, and found myself trapped behind that same barricade. The police car had been pulled up onto the walk shortly before I arrived. Wanting nothing to do with this bunch of subversives, I emplored the police to let me join up with all of you supporting our President. The police were adamant about not letting anyone advance further west towards DeVos Hall, so I decided to leave.

I walked along the police car as I attempted to clear myself away from the wrong crowd- stating repeatedly and emphatically, "excuse me", as I headed for the street. Once in the street I went back east towards Ottawa.

At Ottawa, I headed south and walked across the street, then south down the street one block, then west one block to Monroe, and then back north one block. Once there, I was stranded on the wrong side of the street, as the police wouldn't allow me to cross. I was directed east towards Ottawa, but I was only allowed on the side of the street that I was currently on.

I positioned myself across the street from the polic car and began chanting back at the leftists. A man with a 'no smoking gun' sign was to my left and he and I went at it until the police asked us to ratchet it down a few notches. The leftists began to leave in mass, so the police let us cross the street. I then attempted to join up with our group and got about a third of a block from all of you when the police stopped me.

I was ordered to leave the block and to head out the same way as the leftists, and began to walk along the curb towards Ottawa. One particular man in blue was irate with me and told me to get behind the police tape. The previous officer had told me to leave so I didn't cross behind the barricade that was established to prevent the leftists from reaching our group positioned on the corner. This put me in the street where the man in blue got a little perturbed.

About the only time I got snippy with anyone from the LEO community was during this slightly heated exchange with said LEO. I fired back that the previous female LEO had told me to move out at once, and it wasn't behind the police tape. The irate cop was in a foul mood and did not care what I was saying, so I got behind the tape in order to avoid further confrontation and or arrest.

Eventually I found myself on the second level of the parking garage, all the while wanting to join up with our group, which I learned later, was ordered to back up behind the barricades. I took a set of stairs down to Monroe street and spotted the fluorescent signs carried by our group.

I missed the clash between the police and the leftists resulting in several arrests, and I missed it when the police ordered our group back behind the barricades. I was just glad to finally be seperated from the leftists and to be united with the Pro Bush Pro Armed Forces Pro American Counter Counter Protest.

[Wrigley]

Plymouth Congragtional United Methodist.

5 or 6 blocks from my house.

liberal, very liberal

[Wrigley]

Actually between 36th and 44th streets on Kalamzoo ave.

[FourPeas]

Thank you. Now that you mention it, I've heard of them and probably should have guessed it. You're definitely right, very liberal.

[Wrigley]

Since you're from SW Michigan, you probably haven't seen all the "Wage Peace" signs that the church printed and gave to its memebers. There are two on my block.

[freepersup]

Methodist...that figures- I speak of what I know. One of the most hypocritical denominations- They have nationwide campaigns against gambling, yet they lobby for abortion rights (for the mother). So, they promote the destruction of human life.

They give themselves political cover by taking a pro life position then they take a pro abortion position. Incongruent positions. The proof is what they are active in. Political lobbying for "reproductive rights" = code words for abortions.

Homosexual activists swell church ranks. Renegade clergy foisting homosexual agenda / acceptance upon the church body. They denounce the Boy Scouts for their exclusion of homosexuals in BSA leadership positions.

I out this liberal denomination whenever I get the chance. My Mom and Grandmother were baptised in a Methodist Church. My Great Grandmother had 10 children, my Grandmother had 7 children, and my Mother had 6 children, for a total of 23 children between them. Do you think I want to support a denomination that promotes the destruction of human beings ? Hell no!

[freepersup]

Good evening photogirl,

How 's it going in beautiful downtown Grand Rapids ? RepublicanHippy reported that a picture of one of our signs made it into the GRP- Cool. I was very pleased by the selection. Of all the signs held aloft, this message was the meat and potatoes of our signage effort. I believe it was the 'Help Iraq Become A Free Republic' sign. RepublicanHippy was going to send a copy my way.

Any luck posting the photos ? I've been watching the threads periodically for them.

Take care- freepersup

[Wrigley]

I think you've described that denom today pretty accurately.

FYI ping xzins.

[xzins]

Pretty much accurate.

As a member of the confessing/evangelical movement within United Methodism, it's important to understand that we have consistently been winning in our changing of the "denominational" positions. The language now is something like "believe in the sanctity of all life, but recognize times of serious conflict."

That last statement moved the denomination to the position (essentially) of rape, incest, life of the mother. But you wouldn't know it from the heretic opposition.

As with homosexuality they simply do what they want in defiance of our official positions. The same with war. We recognize the critical times when war is necessary. But you wouldn't hear that from the pieceniks.

I attempted to bring legal proceedings against bishop and pastors in the Northwest and found out just yesterday that "i don't have standing."

It points out the problem of United Methodism. No one is in charge. Every bishop can do as it wishes, the rules be damned...I pray for a split or a day when we can cast out the heretics.

[Wrigley]

Sorry to hear you have no standing.

At what point does the scale weigh in favor of a split?

[xzins]

Every general conference (each 4 years) the conservatives/evangelicals win more ground. This last conference perhaps the most significant thing we won was a new way of determining the number of delegates each region gets to send to the conference.

It now has to be on the basis of numbers rather than a formula that favored regions over the numbers of people in their churches.

The conservative conferences far outnumber the West, Northwest and the Northeast, the sources of most of our trouble. The Georgia region (part of the Southeast) by itself outnumbers the entire West and Northwest.

We believe that things will begin coming our way much more quickly. We need to get footholds in the hierarchical boards and agencies and in the University Senate and the Seminaries. Those change very slowly.

[xzins]

BTW, nice stuff you sent me on your basketball player cousin. You must be very proud.

[Wrigley]

Yes, I am, and so is the extended family.

What made me more proud of him was the way he stood by one of his teammates yesterday during a very tough and disappointing loss.

The backup point gaurd, Burgin, went to stop a fast break basket and fell into the stands by the Kalamazoo College student section. Most of the students were drunk and very rude. A couple of fans? started to taunt and grab at him. Jer got involved and pushed a guy off Burgin and the crowd took a couple steps back. Then security got involved and tossed the fools.

He showed a lot more restaint than I would have.

These same fans, not the fools who were tossed, were taunting the older Calvin alumni as they left the building. My brother and I walked up to these students and told them to show a little respect. That took the attention off of them so they could leave in peace. All while this was happening Kalamazoo's security officers watched the entire thing. It was truly a disgusting display. My respect for that school took a huge hit yesterday.

[FreedomPoster]

Way to go, bump!

It's nice when a FReeping opportunity opens up outside of DC. DC FReepers rock, but we here in flyover country do what we can when the opportunity arises, and you folks are a great example. I still fondly remember our FReep of Jihad Cyndy McKinney last May.

[RepublicanHippy]

"you probably haven't seen all the "Wage Peace" signs"

I went through the Easttown area of Grand Rapids Friday night. There were lots of "Wage Peace" signs around there. (Enemy territory near Aquinas College.) I also saw some signs in the downtown area that said "No War in Iraq" but a snow plow truck went by and plowed them under. I could see the signs peaking through the snowpiles.

[Wrigley]

Enemy territory is all around.