Spokane Anarchist March Against Police Brutality Ends IN Brutality (LOTS of pictures&Video)

More than 80 people gathered at 5pm in Spokane, WA on the 4th of July to demonstrate against police brutality in what was promoted as the 2nd Annual March For Rights. The event was organized by a group called ASAP (Alternative Solutions And Possibilities), a newly formed anarchist group. (www.myspace.com/asapspokane)

The Gathering:

After a few brief speeches, the group began to march through the downtown commercial area, wielding signs, several large banners, and black flags while chanting things like "Reform is no solution, we need a revolution!", "Cops are watching us, who is watching them?", and "No Justice no peace, no violent police!"

The March:

Two females were dressed in phony police uniforms, and blew whistles humorously doing mock-harassment along the way.

Most individuals in the group also had hundreds of leaflets and fliers which were distributed to onlookers and citizens. One of the fliers, originally designed by ASAP, was titled "Dear Officer," and goes on to list "I do not consent to a search of my person/belongings", and continues to list more rights. The back of the flier contains instructions for individuals who receive it to place it in their wallet in order to present it to an officer along with their ID when asked for it.

The marchers briefly congregated on to a walkway on a large bridge that overlooks a waterfall (Monroe St. Bridge), and while some provided cover with large banners, individuals dropped a banner that spanned four king-sized bed sheets which read in giant black and red letters "END POLICE BRUTALITY, FIGHT BACK!".

Continuing in to the center of the city's main festivities taking place in Riverfront Park, the march proceeded to chant and leafleted to several hundreds of gathered families and individuals there to witness the fireworks display later in the evening.

Just as last year's march ended in a peaceful black-clad spectacle pic-nic, the group ended the march in a shaded area of the park, near a stage where live acts were to perfom later, and set up a giant, authentic American flag as their picnic blanket, and proceeded to set up the remaining leaflets and many vegan foods and set down their signs.

The Picnic:

Police officers began to surround the former deomonstration turned picnic and photograph and film them. A few individuals took up some large signs, and playfully began to obstruct the view of the police cameras. In response to this, the police encroached further on the picnic and began photographing at a close enough range to touch those being photographed.

According to individuals involved in the demonstration who witnessed it, one demonstrator, brandishing a sandwich while standing on top of a small bucket was allegedly bumped off of it by a police officer which resulted in the individual putting his hand on the officers shoulder to get his attention to ask why he knocked him down. At this point, several officers began violently subduing the individual, while making claims of having been assaulted by him. According to officers, the individual made a grab at an officer's throat, and thus provoked the confrontation.

Mainstream News Of First Arrest:

A crowd formed a tight circle around the arrest, and the police wielded batons and attempted back off the enclosure which began chanting "Let Him Go!". The chant was surprisingly enhanced by many of the patriotic park-goers joining in for support. A larger crowd started to form around the spectacle. Eventually, the police scattered the crowd to a degree enough to encircle the demonstrators on all sides.

This skirmish, which from their perspectives involved assault on an officer, apparently lead to justification for a dispersal order to be read to the former demonstrators turned picnic-ers. While surrounded on all sides y approximately just under 40 officers, the order was read, and they threatened arrest for trespassing if the demonstrators did not leave the public park which was filled with thousands of people. Just seconds after the order, a line of police ascended on to a group of about 14 demonstrators locked arms and held signs while remaining trapped in the center, and they violently arrested all of them. Many arrestees screamed in pain, and some screamed at the police. As the police moved in to make arrests, a small group of surrounding public cheered them on, and chanted "Arrest them all!" in unison with more people again chanting "Let them go!"

The Arrests:

Officers began scouting the surrounding crowd for people they could recognize and stereotype as previously involved, and arrested several more people as long as 20 minutes after the initial mass-arrest.

Several minors were arrested, and were released shortly afterwards with instructions for further proceedings. Other than the first arrestee, who has been charged with assaulting an officer, the other 16 arrestees were charged with failure to disperse and unlawful assembly. The remaining ASAP organizers and many supporters began mobilizing to bail out as many people as possible, and focused on getting the females out first because the local Spokane County Jail occasionally mixes males and females in cells due to overcrowding. While many made bail, some stayed in jail over night. All arrestees are currently released, and will soon go to court for their charges.

The following afternoon, a crowd of about 30 supporters showed up to make a solidarity presence in the arraignments. One of the arrestees, when asked by the judge who had just read the police report, "After hearing these facts, can I enter a plea of not guilty for you?", he replied "I wouldn't call those facts, but I will be entering a plea of not guilty."

Local socially conscious organizations such as PJALS (Peace & Justice Action League), The Center For Justice (who have offered free civil suits against the city/police), and several lawyers offering free service have become involved and supportive. Demonstrations to keep the heat on the already largely locally tarnished reputation of the police (which is due to some recent tragedies, such as the death at the hands of police of the innocent mentally handicapped man Otto Zehm).

There are several mainstream media articles available with some more (and less) details regarding the current situation (pictures and videos are present in some):

http://www.kxly.com/news/?sect_rank=1§ion_id=559&story_id=12497 (also links to video and photos)

http://www.spokanetogo.com/news-video/?id=6945 (video where arrestees are escorted)

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=10571 (article)

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/docs/070507incidentreport.pdf (the actual police report)

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=10578 (follow up interview article with the first arrestee charged with assault)