Note that the Pa. State Police infiltrated the puppeteers' warehouse site based
on information from a right-wing private intelligence outfit funded in part by
Richard Mellon Scaife, which *volunteered* the info on the "Communist" funding
sources of the demonstrators to the State Police. Can INSCOM be far behind?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Anthony" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <snipped>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 12:16 AM
Subject: [Fwd: Phila. Police abuse protesters: stories; 9/16 hearings]
> Dear Friends,
>
> This is a long post, but important to read. I can personally vouch for
> the credibility of the person who sent it.
>
> Grace, peace - Phil.
>
> Helen Fields wrote:
> >
> > Folks, These are stories that I heard the week after the protests, and
first told to the
> > community by a young person I know who was in the prison at the time. I do
not know Cliff
> > Pearson.There are MANY stories of abuses, and I witnessed a few of the
people's injuries
> > when they were released.
> > One was a girl of about 18, who had been in for several days. She
was dazed, and needed a
> > ride to the media center, to give them her story, before going to the
emergency room. She
> > said she had been beaten badly by the police when picked up (her face was
badly bruised)
> > and was in and out of consciousness for hours before they took her to the
hospital. At the
> > hospital, she reports she did not see a doctor (or doesn't remember it) and
was taken back
> > to prison, for several more days, and released after the RNC was over. The
woman who was
> > helping her, about my age, was also 'detained,' and also very badly bruised
face and arms.
> > Their courage and determination were astounding.
> > I also walked with protesters for about three hours, on the last day
before the prisoners
> > were released. Before I even got to the protest site, I witnessed police
harrassment of
> > two young men who had been crossing the street, and the police were
interrogating them one
> > block from the protest site; I stood by listening, and was yelled at and
told to leave
> > immediately; I was told I was not allowed to stand on the street corner. It
is interesting
> > that the young men, who looked very civil and orderly and without the usual
'signs' of
> > troublemakers (sic) were detained for about an hour for jaywalking, scared
and intimidated
> > by the police, and then released. This must have been how the Mayor's
attache felt. You
> > know, the Mayor of Philadelphia who was outraged that this happened to his
employee and
> > him in L.A.one week later; Mayor Street. John Street.
> > I also witnessed an African=American elder (60-ish) wearing a zarapi
and leather hat,
> > looking alternative, get 'taken down' by two police officers, about ten feet
in front of
> > me, while walking with the protesters around the police station. Two other
police officers
> > had to hold back the first two, whose tempers were flaring for reasons I
could not see or
> > hear.Then about twenty police officers surrounded the elder, who was on the
ground, but we
> > couldn't see what was going on because the police moved him(still down on
the ground) to
> > the other side of a parked ABC news SUV, into the street. They had to divert
traffic while
> > they held him there. The ABC cameraman came up, jumped into his van and was
videotaping
> > the whole thing from the inside of his car. Did anyone see this on TV???
(sic)
> > Next about one hundred protesters gathered around the activity
screaming "The whole world
> > is watching. The whole world is watching." helicopters hovered above, police
in riot gear
> > formed on the next corner, and it was quite intense.
> > Then the police moved as a group with the elder to the other side of the
street, where
> > several people were waiting for the bus. The man was standing at this point,
the bus
> > arrived, and when the bus left, the police had dispersed, the man was
standing alone, and
> > protesters were crossing the street to see what happened to him.
> > I met him later, in the circle of protesters walking around the
police station block, and
> > asked him what they did. According to him, they had searched his backpack
and taken jet
> > printer cartridges which he had just bought. He said they were worth about
$25 each. He
> > did not say why he had them, but he said he had already spoken to the one
legal observer
> > who was left in the demonstration.
> > I spoke to the legal observer, a young man in law school, who said
there had been several
> > other legal observers earlier in the week, but they had been beaten and
jailed, so others
> > had left rather than be subjected to the same treatment. They all wore 3"
buttons that
> > said, "Legal Observer" on them. He said he was so overloaded with people
needing his
> > attention that he was unable to meet the needs at the moment.
> >
> >
> > I (Helen Fields) will be at the Courthouse on Filbert St. on
Saturday morning,
> > delivering the family of one protester to his hearing;I will be acting
individually, and
> > witnessing.
> > SOA will be there outside the courthouse, demonstrating. I do not
know if they have a
> > permit. The charges on both sides are grave. Please pass this onto the civil
rights people
> > in your communities, the peace activists, the people who might be interested
in knowing.
> > Helen
> >
> > from Cliff Pearson:(9/9/00)
> > > Sisters and Brothers:
> > >
> > > I just spoke with the brother who was sexually assaulted in jail by
> > > having his penis grabbed and twisted. He wanted me to know that there
> > > was a minor point of confusion. Officer DeSalvatore did not drag him in
> > > the nude. It was two other officers who did this. It was not Officer
> > > DeSalvatore who twisted his penis, it was the female officer,
> > > Hendricks.
> > >
> > > In further regards to Officer Hendricks, I received the following this
> > > morning:
> > >
> > > "Hi . . . I was one of the two who organized the Mom's Sit-In at the
> > > Mayor's office and was the one on Aug. 1 who was wrapped in her banner
> > > and dragged and kicked. (By the way I am trying to gather as many
> > > pictures and video of the incident as I can, so ask around for me if you
> > > will.)
> > >
> > > "Despite the irony that I was arrested at the Mayor's office trying to
> > > get medical care for our prisoners, I am one person out of many that was
> > > denied adequate medical care, (I did receive a little over 11 days but
> > > it was clearly denied me at other critical times), and I witnessed
> > > others including
> > > the girl Kali and my cell mate Aurora being abused by a multitude of
> > > officers.
> > >
> > > "I was kicked in the Roundhouse jail by two unknown officers. I was
> > > shoved and my fingers were twisted by an Officer White. She also yelled
> > > threats to break my fingers, and said that she had already broken
> > > others' fingers. I was told sexually degrading things like 'your pu**y
> > > stinks, you should be ashamed of it and keep your legs crossed.'
> > >
> > > "I and my cell mate received death and harm threats by Officer Hendricks
> > > and my cell mate was chased around and intimidated for saying "you can't
> > > threaten us that way" by an officer with badge number 112 and an other
> > > female officer, presumably Hendricks' partner, a very large male
> > > officer. (Hendricks is female.) Among the threats we were given, --
> > > 'Where we're taking you there aren't
> > > going to be any cameras and news helicopters to keep you safe. You can
> > > just disappear for good and die and nobody can do anything to stop it."
> > > (She might have said 'or us,' I'm not sure which she said). She also
> > > said she 'was going to kick [us] so bad her boot was going to be up our
> > > as*es.'
> > > There are witnesses that I can and have identified for all that.
> > >
> > > "My already injured arm was twisted enough to injure it much farther, by
> > > Officer Desalvadore and another unknown male. I THINK that was witnessed
> > > and I know who had the opportunity to see that if she did. (She was
> > > being yelled to at the time and may have missed the exact moment though
> > > probably not the scream). The police station cameras will back me up on
> > > most if not all this IF they are not erased or access is not denied [
> > > the cameras do not cover individual cells].
> > >
> > > NOTE FROM CLIFF: Thanks is owed to Dallas activist Campbell Read for
> > > getting an admission by the Philadelphia Police Department that there
> > > were cameras in the jails and communicating this to R2K Legal Support.
> > >
> > > "There is much more I can and will say if needed. Please forward this to
> > > anyone except police who wants it."
> > >
> > > ---
> > > Cliff Pearson, senior partner
> > > Pearson Communications
> > > (media relations for nonprofit and activist groups)
> > > 1920 Abrams Parkway, Suite 354
> > > Dallas, Texas 75214-6218
> > > Phone: (214) 319-9819
> > > Fax: (214) 827-5292
> > > E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > > > >> From Helen Fields:
> > > > > PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR COMMUNITY
> > > > > American People: below is update on Philadelphia protests:
> > > > > 1. info on hearings of first 100 protesters on 9/16 and SOA Watch
vigil
> > > > > regarding same
> > > > > 2. Reprint of Phila. Inquirer article of Thursday, 9/7, telling how
the State
> > > > > Police
> > > > > infiltrated the Puppet People, and the documentation released to the
public
> > > > > yesterday
> > > > > proving that the police were expecting to find Communist organizers
from
> > > > > Soviet Trade
> > > > > Union organizations leading terrorist acts.
> > > > >
> > > > > Friends, it has only been forty-some years since Richard Nixon and Joe
> > > > > McCarthy
> > > > > interrogated workers who were striking for better labor conditions,
and I can
> > > > > speak for
> > > > > myself: my family and I went without much food for the first three
years of my
> > > > > life,
> > > > > because my father had been "BLACK listed" for three years, for
marching in the
> > > > > streets of
> > > > > Washington DC and Baltimore, Maryland, asking for: safety regulations,
> > > > > overtime for work
> > > > > more than 40 hours per week, lunch breaks during the day, health
insurance
> > > > > benefits, and
> > > > > job training. Radical thoughts.
> > > > >
> > > > > The Puppet People are asking for justice and equality for all,
especially for
> > > > > those
> > > > > 'huddled masses yearning to be free.' Please take these actions
seriously. The
> > > > > New World
> > > > > Order is being created by our own participation, or lack of it. As one
Quaker
> > > > > Prophetess
> > > > > says, "Where will you be when the People are fighting for justice?" If
you
> > > > > aren't beside
> > > > > them now, you are on the other side of the barbed wire that wraps
itself
> > > > > around Freedom,
> > > > > and goes by the name of Law and Order.
> > > > >
> > > > > I have just joined a list called "Moms for Justice" which supports
those who
> > > > > are working
> > > > > for justice. Email me if you want more info, or look for their
website. Helen
> > > > > Fields
> > > > >
> > > > >> Gail Newbold wrote:
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Friends,
> > > > >> Have you heard about hearings for arrestees, taking place in
Philadelphia on
> > > > >> Sat.,
> > > > >> 9/16/00 beginning 9 a.m.
> > > > >> Friend Bryn Hammarstrom is one of the arrestees from the
SOA -demonstration
> > > > >> event.
> > > > >> On this date there will be hearings for arrestees from other
demonstration
> > > > >> events,
> > > > >> also.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Address for the trial on 9/16 is 406 CJC (criminal court) 1301
Filbert St.,
> > > > >> Philadelphia.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> ***SOA Watch, Northeast, in particular, INVITES F/friends to provide
a
> > > > >> presence
> > > > >> outside the courthouse - (a message from Linda Panetta, with info.
for
> > > > >> us).***
> > > > >> Phone # for further information is Linda Panetta at 215-473-2162;
office
> > > > >> e-mail is
> > > > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > >> If Friends are interested in the plans for Fall of SOA Watch-NE, this
phone
> > > > >> and
> > > > >> e-address will provide that information, also.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> www.soaw-ne.org gives you a description of the original action, and
photos.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> in Faith, Gail
> > > > >> _______________
> > > > >> Gail Newbold
> > > > >> Western Quarterly Meeting
> > > > >> 162 Hilton Road, Cochranville, PA 19330
> > > > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 610-869-3455
> > > > >
> > > > >> Cliff Pearson wrote:
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Sisters and Brothers,
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> My comments are injected below . . .
> > > > >>> FROM PHILA. INQUIRER, 9/7/00:
> > > > >>> State police infiltrated protest groups, documents show
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Search-warrant affidavits reveal an undercover operation aimed at
> > > > >>> activists
> > > > >>> in Philadelphia for the GOP convention.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> By Linda K. Harris, Craig R. McCoy and Thomas Ginsberg
> > > > >>> PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> State police undercover agents posing as demonstrators infiltrated
> > > > >>> activist groups planning the protests at the Republican National
> > > > >>> Convention, search-warrant documents made public yesterday showed.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The undercover operation was detailed in legal documents filed Aug.
1 by
> > > > >>> Philadelphia police seeking search warrants for a raid that day on a
> > > > >>> so-called "puppet warehouse" at 4100 Haverford Ave. in West
> > > > >>> Philadelphia. The documents were under a court seal until yesterday.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> About 75 people were arrested in the raid at the warehouse.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: This was the "puppet space" Ann, Scot and I have told you
> > > > >>> about. Kendall and I left the puppet space about 20 minutes before
it
> > > > >>> was raided, by sheer luck.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The infiltration was immediately condemned yesterday by the state
> > > > >>> chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the city public
> > > > >>> defender's office.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> "It's worse than sleazeball," said Stefan Presser, the ACLU's legal
> > > > >>> director. "This is an outrage."
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Presser and other critics said dissenters needed the right to rally
and
> > > > >>> to organize without fear that police were spying on them. They said
they
> > > > >>> feared that police undercover officers could cross the line from
> > > > >>> intelligence-gatherers to provocateurs.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> "The legality and propriety of this potentially unconstitutional
police
> > > > >>> conduct will certainly be an issue at the time of trial in all of
these
> > > > >>> cases," said Bradley Bridge, a senior lawyer with the defender's
office.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> During the convention, Police Commissioner John F. Timoney
repeatedly
> > > > >>> denied that police had engaged in infiltration.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> "We had not infiltrated any group," he said the day after police
raided
> > > > >>> the warehouse that had become one of several gathering spots for
> > > > >>> demonstrators during the convention.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> A spokeswoman for the commissioner said yesterday that he would have
no
> > > > >>> comment. Lt. Susan Slawson, commander of the police public-affairs
unit,
> > > > >>> said the commissioner could not talk because "it's in litigation," a
> > > > >>> reference to a civil suit filed by demonstrators challenging their
> > > > >>> arrests during the
> > > > >>> protests.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Technically he didn't lie, the PHILLY police didn't infiltrate.
See
> > > > >>> how they creatively lie?
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The use of state police as the undercover operatives took place as
the
> > > > >>> city itself was restricted from using its own officers for such
> > > > >>> infiltration under a long-standing mayoral directive. The directive
says
> > > > >>> the police may not infiltrate protest groups without the permission
of
> > > > >>> the mayor, the managing
> > > > >>> director, and the police commissioner.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Mayor Street and City Solicitor Kenneth Trujillo declined comment
> > > > >>> yesterday.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> In seeking search warrants, police cited the work of the undercover
> > > > >>> operatives and detailed the intelligence gathered as the convention
> > > > >>> approached. The information is sketched out in affidavits of
probable
> > > > >>> cause seeking warrants to search the warehouse, a U-Haul van,
another
> > > > >>> van, and a pickup that police deemed suspicious.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: This other van may well have been Scott's van.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> "This investigation is utilizing several Pennsylvania state troopers
in
> > > > >>> an undercover capacity that have infiltrated several of the activist
> > > > >>> groups planning to commit numerous illegal direct actions," said one
> > > > >>> affidavit, signed by Detective William Egenlauf of the Philadelphia
> > > > >>> Police Department.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> It says the state police undercover operatives arrived at the
warehouse
> > > > >>> on July 27, four days before the convention began.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Once there, the agents assisted "in the construction of props to be
used
> > > > >>> during protests," the affidavit says.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: They sure did help! They posed as labor organizers and
worked
> > > > >>> the power tools and helped construct half the freakin' puppets! If
> > > > >>> puppet-making is a crime, why aren't they in jail?
> > > > >>> Interestingly, they were also the only people using drugs of any
kind at
> > > > >>> the puppet space -- they drank one beer after the other.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> It says agents observed demonstrators building street barriers and
"lock
> > > > >>> boxes," devices used by protesters to lock arms together when
blocking
> > > > >>> streets. The papers say they overheard discussions that indicated
> > > > >>> protesters planned on "using the puppets . . . as blockades."
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The operatives also reported that "persons indicated they would be
> > > > >>> throwing pies, bottles and cardboard boxes filled with water at the
> > > > >>> police," the affidavits stated.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: This is bullsh*t. I was there. I walked around and talked
to
> > > > >>> people for hours and no one ever said anything like that to me or in
my
> > > > >>> presence. And I was hardly as suspicious as the two "labor
organizers."
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Timoney held a news conference after the convention to display items
> > > > >>> seized during the raid, including two massive slingshots and chains
> > > > >>> wrapped in kerosene-soaked rags. Such devices were not used during
the
> > > > >>> protests. Police also displayed seized "lock boxes."
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: This is crap too. I never saw any weapons of any kind.
There
> > > > >>> may have been kerosene-soaked rags though. The puppet space was an
> > > > >>> artist's studio and he had massive painting all over the place.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Protesters have claimed the facility was nothing more than an art
studio
> > > > >>> to fashion the puppets, floats and other props that were a hallmark
of
> > > > >>> the demonstrations.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: Exactly. I was there.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Demonstrators also said their protests would be nonviolent, with
illegal
> > > > >>> actions limited to the blockading of streets. Their lawyers have
> > > > >>> complained that numerous people were arrested in the warehouse
without
> > > > >>> any proof they had any connection to illegal items.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> A key subject of controversy has been the raid on the warehouse.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The request for the search warrants for the warehouse and lengthy
> > > > >>> affidavits detailing police intelligence-gathering was made
yesterday, a
> > > > >>> month after Municipal Court President Judge Louis J. Presenza
approved
> > > > >>> the searches.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> At the request of the District Attorney's Office, the warrants were
> > > > >>> sealed - barred from public inspection - for a month as soon as they
> > > > >>> were issued.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: Gee, I wonder why? What did Ms. Abraham have to fear?
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The legal request for the warrants maintained that premature
"disclosure
> > > > >>> of this affidavit could endanger the lives" of the undercover
> > > > >>> operatives.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: Oh please! We were nonviolent protesters, almost all
vegans.
> > > > >>> We wouldn't step on a bug, much less harm a cop. Gimme a break.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The affidavits cite sweeping police intelligence-gathering before
the
> > > > >>> convention. This included monitoring of unspecified "electronic
> > > > >>> messages" sent among demonstrators, an apparent reference to police
> > > > >>> scrutiny of Web sites and electronic mailing lists.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: We knew they were on our lists.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The police documents identified what investigators viewed as the key
> > > > >>> protest groups and their goals. Funds for one group "allegedly
originate
> > > > >>> with Communist and leftist parties and from sympathetic trade
unions" or
> > > > >>> from "the former Soviet-allied World Federation of Trade Unions,"
> > > > >>> according to the affidavits.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: Wow, McCartyism is coming back. Well, at lest they didn't
> > > > >>> call us "pinkos."
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> The affidavits go on to identify a handful of leaders of the various
> > > > >>> groups. Among those cited by name are John Sellers and Kate
Sorensen,
> > > > >>> who were later arrested during demonstrations in Center City. The tw
o
> > > > >>> were held in jail for days in lieu of $1 million bail - a sum
critics
> > > > >>> said was extraordinary. In recent interviews after their release
from
> > > > >>> jail, people who were inside the warehouse said that they had
suspected
> > > > >>> early on that four undercover officers were working among them.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: Yes we did. But one of the organizers vouched for these
men,
> > > > >>> even though some of us were suspicious of them from the onset.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Four men - known as Tim, Harry, George and Ryan - showed up together
at
> > > > >>> 41st and Haverford about a week before the convention, introducing
> > > > >>> themselves as union carpenters from Wilkes-Barre who built stages,
> > > > >>> several demonstrators said.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> They were big, burly men who were older than most of the people
working
> > > > >>> in the warehouse. They did not seem particularly political or
> > > > >>> well-informed, according to demonstrators.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: This is true. This is why I suspected them, but again,
one of
> > > > >>> the key organizers vouched for them.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> All four, however, were considered hard workers.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> *** Cliff: Yeah! They built have the puppets! It was one of these
men
> > > > >>> that actually drove Scott's van into the crowd of 15 State Police
> > > > >>> officers, resulting in the arrest of 19 activists.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Soliman Lawrence, 20, of Tallahassee, Fla., worked closely with the
four
> > > > >>> on a massive satirical float built for a protest march.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> "They gained our trust," Lawrence said. "The fact that we didn't
know
> > > > >>> them very well wasn't a big deal.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> "I remember thinking to myself, 'Why does everyone who looks like
that
> > > > >>> have to be a cop?' " Lawrence said. "I didn't like that I thought
like
> > > > >>> that."
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> ---
> > > > >>> Cliff Pearson
> > > > >>> Pearson Communications
> > > > >>> 1920 Abrams Parkway, #354
> > > > >>> Dallas, Texas 75214-6218
> > > > >>> Phone: (214) 319-9819
> > > > >>> Fax: (214) 827-5292
> > > > >>> E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > Please forward this to your community. Helen Fields
> >
> > Cliff Pearson wrote:
> > >
>
> --
> Phil Anthony, Coordinator, Salem Quarterly Meeting
> P.O. Box 55, Woodstown, N.J. 08098
> 856-769-0066 (voice) - 856-769-1416 (fax)
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] - http://www.pym.org/salem-qm/
>
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