| Officer Unfriendly
Unprovoked police attack on protestors sends message that violence is OK
personal account by John M. Bucher, MD
I was among a handful of demonstrators maintaining a presence at the 4th Avenue entrance of the Red Lion hotel in Downtown Seattle where the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit was meeting last June. We were quietly holding placards and the police were professional. We were told by organizers that the main group from the 5th Avenue side were coming and we all were going to Westlake Park, then home. The protest band was playing and the group was walking at brisk pace. There were no signs of distress, no one was rubbing their eyes, stumbling, or looking around anxiously.
Suddenly, without any warning, pepper spray began raining down on us and about a dozen percussion grenades began going off. It became apparent that there was a solid line of policemen behind us who continued to systematically spray pepper spray at everyone no matter what. Everyone was trying to get out of the way but were usually blocked by people in front of them. Almost everyone was at least partially blinded; and someone could have easily fallen and been trampled. When we got to Westlake Park, the motorcycles roared off and there were no policemen to be seen. It is apparent that the police really didnŐt have any concern about the group being violent, or else they would not have left us without any police supervision in the middle of the city after people were made furious by the attack. I saw absolutely no provocation for the attack from marchers and have not heard of any from other marchers or police.
Why did the police suddenly attack a peaceful group of protestors who were quickly going home in an orderly manner? The fact that the attack took place in front of the Red Lion indicates the police involved were staging a macho show of force for the LEIU, to show them how they could get back at those nasty impudent protesters. If our usually professional and well-disciplined police give into such grossly inappropriate violent behavior, what will the LEIU do to our rights with all its secrecy and unaccountability?
Concerns:
- The punishment of the whole group of lawful demonstrators for the acts of one or a few individuals is totally unacceptable, worthy of a totalitarian state. In every march I have been on the overwhelming majority have been peaceful, lawful, and with no interest in being arrested. In the past if some people engaged in civil disobedience the police would professionally and non-violently arrest them, with no actions against the rest of the demonstrators. Since around the time of WTO there has been an apparent policy change toward pepper spray and toward attacking larger peaceful groups rather than bothering with mass civil disobedience arrests. This is a gross disregard for peopleŐs rights and may be a deliberate attempt to suppress dissent.
- There was no warning of any kind before the police attacked the whole group on 4th Avenue. If there is a problem, the police should give adequate warning for the demonstrators who do not want to be involved to get out of the way. Elderly, frail people, handicapped people, children and dogs often take part in demonstrations. They may be brutally traumatized by a police attack. They should be able to take part in political activity without fear of being attacked.
- Police have a difficult job dealing with a lot of unsavory suspects and verbally abusive people. But it is an important part of their job to behave professionally and not punish or vent their feelings on the subjects. Police engaging in violent attacks on peaceful demonstrators, with police hierarchy attempting to justify it, sends the message to all officers that violence is indeed OK. For that matter, it sends the message to the general population that violence is OK. It also promotes the cavalier attitude that the officer can assume guilt and punish a suspect on his own or just vent his personal feelings. If police feel comfortable attacking peaceful middle-class white adults in political activity, how do they treat poor minority kids suspected of a crime?
The police need a very clear message that attacking protesters and suspects, is not OK and will not be tolerated in the future. The author encourages readers to contact city councillors, the mayor, and police administration about these concerns. The October 22 coalition works on police violence issues, and can be contacted at oct22seattle@hotmail.comor 206-264-5527.
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