http://www.uswa.org/uswa/program/content/index.php

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USWA Calls for Congressional Investigation into Police-State Assaults in Miami November 24, 2003 Union condemns use of federal Iraq reconstruction funds to subsidize "homeland repression" at FTAA meetings PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) is calling for a Congressional investigation into "a massive police state," created in part with federal funds, to intimidate union members and others critical of the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and limit their rights during FTAA meetings in Miami last week. "Last week, the fundamental rights of thousands of Americans … were blatantly violated, sometimes violently, by the Miami police, who systematically repressed our Constitutional right to free assembly with massive force, riot gear and armaments," said Leo W. Gerard, USWA international president, in a letter to Congressional leaders. "It is condemnable enough that a massive police state was created to prevent American citizens from directly petitioning FTAA negotiators for redress of their grievances," Gerard said in the letter. "It is doubly condemnable," he added, "that $9 million of federal funds designated for the reconstruction of Iraq were used toward this despicable purpose. How can we hope to build democracy in Iraq while using massive force to dismantle it here at home?" Citing "countless instances of humiliating repression in which the Miami police force disgraced itself," Gerard said that Miami police chief John Timoney should be fired, all charges against peaceful demonstrators should be dropped, and a Congressional investigation into the Miami police department's systematic repression should immediately be launched. "To do less would be to endorse homeland repression in the guise of homeland security," Gerard’s letter concluded.

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November 25, 2003 Is This Still America? The police actions in Miami, FL last week seemed more like China than the USA. A massive show of force by police in full riot gear was clearly designed to intimidate peaceful citizens who were trying to rally and protest the FTAA. It was no surprise when this outrageous show of force led to arbitrary searches, baseless arrests, beatings, tear gas and pepper spray. Steelworkers and International guests of the union were arrested while walking to the local hotel where they were staying as part of their participation in the Rapid Response National Conference. Also, consider the following: "Security" in Miami was paid for with nearly $9 Million in funds earmarked for reconstruction in Iraq and Homeland Security. The 44 year-old spouse of a USWA Local 8319 member from Utah, was badly bruised when she was forced to the ground by police who then pressed a gun to her head. She received needed medical treatment. A USWA Headquarters secretary was arrested after asking police for directions to her hotel and following their instructions. A 53 year old woman was shot in the chest with rubber bullets, and a 71 year old retired airline pilot was forcibly arrested after following police officers' direction. There are dozens more stories just like this; more stories of police beatings, senior citizens pepper-sprayed and tear gassed, and protestors arrested for no reason. The city of Miami wants the FTAA to locate there so badly that it resolved to trample on our constitutional rights to bring this about. Watch for a Rapid Response National Action starting next week, and for those of you who were in Miami, we would suggest you send a letter to the editor of your community newspaper(s) informing them and your neighbors of the atrocities you saw and experienced in Miami. United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO/CLC · Five Gateway Center · Pittsburgh, PA 15222

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Yeah.. the police really needs some punishment after the incidents.. I saw it in person, it was rediculous..

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i wasnt there so i cant really say who's more to blame, but honestly i belive both share some fault. the police may have acted with too much force but there were also violent protesters who definitetly were breaking the law. I remember reading that the protesters actually tried entering the hotel to disrupt the talks.
some started fired agianst police lines:

vandelism and trespassing:

throwing milk at the police, seriously who would do that in normal daily life if they got pulled over or something:

pathetic graffiti our tax money has to pay to repaint:

and then lastly they were guilty of being ingnorant hippies:

ok i'm joking on the last one, well maybe just a little.

anyways as i said i bet you guys will be able to find images of police brutality, all i'm saying it's not only one parties fault obviously both sides showed guilt. personally i'd side with the police because i get the impression that the protesters went there to pick a fight. I dont know if you saw, but a lot of protesters came with their own gas masks, were they expecting something to happen? why protest right infront of the police when you can do so peacefully at central park or something. and wtf is screaming at the police going to do, i bet the cop in front of you doesnt have a clue when it comes to politics let alone 'connections' with the local FTAA rep. go write to your local representative or something, become politically active dont put on a pathetic hurtful show of public disobedience

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ya its interesting.. sometimes I really wonder what the constiutional framers intended when they granted freedom to rally - as even back at the begining of the US, under George Washington's time they didn't really put up with any sympathy of rallies, especially when they got a bit violent. (Shaw's rebellion might be a good example)

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quote:

Originally posted by Izzy throwing milk at the police, seriously who would do that in normal daily life if they got pulled over or something:

Hehe, kinda funny. And the guy has to remain calm and standing until ordered otherwise

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"we didn't do anything to provoke the cops" = Throwing rocks, bottles, other things. Verbal Abuse. Threatening police. Exposing ur ass to the cops.

If u can't respect the rules of a peaceful protest and assembly, why even call it one?

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quote:

Originally posted by Izzy anyways as i said i bet you guys will be able to find images of police brutality, all i'm saying it's not only one parties fault obviously both sides showed guilt. personally i'd side with the police because i get the impression that the protesters went there to pick a fight. I dont know if you saw, but a lot of protesters came with their own gas masks, were they expecting something to happen? why protest right infront of the police when you can do so peacefully at central park or something. and wtf is screaming at the police going to do, i bet the cop in front of you doesnt have a clue when it comes to politics let alone 'connections' with the local FTAA rep. go write to your local representative or something, become politically active dont put on a pathetic hurtful show of public disobedience

words of wisdom!

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this sort of brutality has become all too common...

the fact that these sort of protesters are forcibly shepherded into "designated free speech" areas is as disturbing as it is inconguent with the tenets of an open and democratic society...

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ACLU Slams Classified FBI Memorandum Directing Law Enforcement to Engage in Protest Suppression Tactics November 23, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [email protected] WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today denounced a classified FBI intelligence memorandum, obtained by the New York Times, which gives police detailed instructions on how to target and monitor lawful political demonstrations under the rubric of fighting terrorism. “Attorney General Ashcroft has dismissed critics of the Justice Department’s tactics as 'hysterical' and has even said that such criticism aids the terrorists,” said Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director. “But this bulletin confirms that the federal government is targeting innocent Americans engaged in nothing more than lawful protest and dissent. The American people deserve an explanation for what is clearly a return to the days of J. Edgar Hoover’s spying tactics.” According to a front-page story in today’s New York Times, the memorandum was circulated last month to local law enforcement agencies around the country in advance of mass marches and rallies in Washington, DC and San Francisco against the U.S. occupation in Iraq. The memorandum, the Times reports, details how protesters have sometimes used “training camps” to rehearse for demonstrations, the Internet to raise money and gas masks to defend against tear gas. It describes lawful activities like recruiting demonstrators, as well as illegal activities like using fake documentation to get into a secured site. “It is troubling that the FBI is advocating spying on peaceful protesters, but even protesters who engage in civil disobedience or other disruptive acts should not be treated like potential terrorists,” Romero said. Of particular concern is one section warning law enforcement about protesters’ use of videotaping as an “intimidation” technique. Most mainstream demonstrators often use videotape during protests to document law enforcement activity and, more importantly, deter police from acting outside the law. Citing no specific intelligence of suspected unlawful activity by the protesters, the memorandum describes, in detail, protest tactics and strategies that should be tracked by law enforcement officials including the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF). While saying that the FBI possesses no information about any planned unlawful activity, the bulletin urges local law enforcement “to be alert to these possible indicators of protest activity and report any potentially illegal acts” to federal authorities. Importantly, the ACLU said that it had already seen proof that peaceful activities were being monitored by the JTTF. Documents recently obtained by the ACLU of Colorado as part of its “Spy Files” lawsuit against Denver police confirmed that the local JTTF has been collecting information about peaceful protest activities that have nothing to do with terrorism or any other criminal activity. News of the classified bulletin also comes on the heels of an ACLU lawsuit against the Secret Service for the continuing practice of allowing pro-Bush protesters to remain visible to cameras during presidential appearances, and corralling anti-Bush protesters into pens or designated areas far from the media.

The last paragraph is especially troubling because the Bush Administration is, in effect, promoting the free speech that they agree with and is advantageous to their reelection campaign, and attempting to sideline the free speech that is harmful to the administration.

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Originally posted by Konijn Island this sort of brutality has become all too common... the fact that these sort of protesters are forcibly shepherded into "designated free speech" areas is as disturbing as it is inconguent with the tenets of an open and democratic society...

The thing is, when they are not shepherded into these areas violence errupts. That is why the police are there getting over prepared and being overly sensitive to protesters. They either get blamed when violence erupts and people get hurt, or that they obstructed peoples right to free speech.

It seems to me to be a damned if ya do damned if ya don't situation. Free speech is not throwing milk on police officers.

I was trying to think of a sexually explicit joke to make about that milk on the police guy...but failed, miserably.

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Originally posted by Boomer187 It seems to me to be a damned if ya do damned if ya don't situation. Free speech is not throwing milk on police officers.

I certainly agree with you there, and those who come just to break windows, spraypaint local businesses etc should be arrested.

I guess Liquid X or someone from Miami can give us the best details of what went on there.

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sickening, and typical of the riot squads to do things like this to protesters.

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Originally posted by djSlain "we didn't do anything to provoke the cops" = Throwing rocks, bottles, other things. Verbal Abuse. Threatening police. Exposing ur ass to the cops.

protesters and activists do many of these things as a form of retaliation to pigs because pigs are often just as brutal (or worse). throwing a brick into a window or spray painting a wall isnt as bad as oh... i dunno... shooting a peaceful protester twice in the chest and then running him over with an suv maybe? (read up on the carlos guiliani incident in itally a couple years ago). theyre just fighting fire with fire.

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