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News: Protest Activity
KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Plate
Email: plate (at) kcdirectaction.net (verified) 		Current rating: 13
14 Apr 2003
At peace rally on April 13th 4 tickets were given to peaceful protesters as the KCPD works to abolish the 1st amendment.
The weekly peace rally on April 13th started with a barrel of controversy. Upon their arrival, members of the Kansas City Chapter of Food Not Bombs noticed that despite the Kansas City Police Department threatening to ticket their vehicle for being parked on the grass in weeks past, the pro-war counter-demonstrators were being allowed to have a parked SUV and a military vehicle drive around.

Officer Jackson, however, told a member of KCFNB when asking whether he would be able to park on the grass as well this week, that "Yes you may park up here... but we may tow you." They also stated that the people driving on the park posed no danger to the demonstrators. Another officer on the scene later badgered an anti-war protester asking; "Do you understand that the soldiers are over there fighting for your freedom to do this."

Soon after, an anti-war demonstrator who was standing in front of the military vehicle was hollered at by the driver, whom immediately after put the vehicle in reverse, quickly accelerated, and nearly hit 2 young students standing behind his vehicle. He quickly departed.

The SUV around that time decided to leave the demonstration and when a anti-war protester was standing in her way she continuously held down her horn and proceeded to hit the demonstrator with her vehicle (which was captured on video). The police arrived pulling the demonstrator out of the way and allowing the vehicle to leave. The protester demanded that they file a report, which the officers refused to do. The protester who was struck gave the police officers "the finger" to which the officers responded by giving him a ticket for "improper use of a hand signal."

Moments after the completion of giving the gentleman a ticket, the police officers signaled for two vehicles driving by "honking for peace" to pull off to the side of the road. The first vehicle (in which an older gentleman was driving) was allowed to leave, while the driver who was a younger female was given a ticket. The ticket stated (not an exact quote but close) "excessive honking of the horn at officers with the intent to draw a crowd." Regardless that they were not honking after they passed the demonstration and that the police could not know what her intent was.

An announcement was made and $70 was raised to pay for tickets and legal defense. There is also additional money left over from when the demonstrator was arrested the day after war was declared. However more funds are still needed. Please bring money to donate at the next vigil.

Additionally 2 young demonstrators were giving tickets for "suddenly leaving curb causing traffic to stop" during the march that occurred after the vigil. The protesters were marching in the parking lane when police arrived, they immediately went onto the sidewalk afterwhich 2 in the crowd were grabbed and ticketed. Legal defense money shall also go to defend these protesters as well.

Comments

Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Stephen Navarro
Email: protest_for_peace (at) lycos.com (verified) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
hi yeah im one of the protesters that got a ticket and that was actually only one of our charges i got an entirely different one..."Did stand on a street For the purpose of soliciting from the occupant of any vehicle" and if im interperating this correctly means im a prostitute i just want to know when protesting became prostituting... so i just wanted to say I applaud you Mr. Bush on training your officers to not only lie but to lie against eachother
Hey Stephen...
by Plate
Email: plate (at) kcdirectaction.net (unverified!) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
Hey please e-mail me (plate (at) kcdirectaction.net) we have some money available that we can help you fight the charges with and we have some possible lawyers to represent you. And also check your ticket. We noticed today that they were not giving people court dates, instead just writing to mail-in the ticket. If you want to fight the charge, I reccomend calling the number on the back of the ticket to setup a court date. (even if you do decide to plead guilty it would be wise to go to court if the officer decides not to show up, you should not have to pay the ticket)
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Isabelle
(No verified email address) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
These ridiculous charges show how desperate the "authorities" are, and therefore that our seriousness has been communicated. Thanks everyone, and let's not stop with the end of this particular war!
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Sylvia Grass
Email: native25 (at) sbcglobal.net (unverified!) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
Has anyone contacted the Police Dept. or Internal Affairs.
Here is the Internal Affairs address and phone number. I say that we should start making calls and sending letters.
Internal Affairs - (816)889-6620
635 Woodland, Suite 2105
Kansas City, MO 64124
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Anthony
Email: nlgumkc (at) yahoo.com (unverified!) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
I think the first person ticketed especially has a complaint under 42 USCA Section 1983. He was deprived of a federal right by a police officer, making what looks like a prima facie civil rights violation.
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Anthony
Email: nlgumkc (at) yahoo.com (unverified!) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
I would like to address anyone who was cited for participation or involvement in the Apr. 13 march to contact the KC National Lawyers Guild in addition to whoever else they are contacting.

We are more than willing to perform any form or research needed (finding specific statutes applied to protest activity and potential "ways out"), help people who wish to pursue pro se claims, file any forms necessary, or aid in any way we can.
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Griffin
Email: EyEkOn1 (at) aol.com (unverified!) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
yea,im one of the protestors who got a ticket also,it says i "suddenly left the curb and caused traffic to stop". Since when is there traffic in the parking zone? Also,my friend mookie got alot of the incident recorded on video.Thanks for the help everyone.
Court Dates
by Plate
(No verified email address) 		Current rating: 0
14 Apr 2003
Hey everyone who got tickets. Aparently the cops were not giving people court dates on any of the tickets. Instead they crossed out that section and wrote "mail-in." Ignore that and call the number on the back of the ticket and demand your right to a trial. They will grant you a trial date.
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Stephen Navarro
Email: Protest_for_peace (at) lycos.com (verified) 		Current rating: 0
15 Apr 2003
hey plate i think were organizing and gonna try to get one court date or at least thats what i was told

so until you hear otherwise plz hold off calling for a court date
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Plate
(No verified email address) 		Current rating: 0
15 Apr 2003
Awsome thats a great idea, considering that in essence they were all linked together, I think that it is appropriate.
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Stephen Navarro
(No verified email address) 		Current rating: 0
15 Apr 2003
yeah
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Griffin
Email: EyEkOn1 (at) aol.com (unverified!) 		Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2003
how are we going to all get the same date?
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Mike Murphy
Email: murfeeee (at) yahoo.com (verified) 		Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2003
I had a run-in with the KCPD on Saturday, the day before. Two older couples were walking through our demonstration, abusing peace demonstrators. One of the women asked me if I thought it was good that we had liberated the Iraqi people. I replied, "You mean the ones we didn't kill?" She replied with some type of dismissive gesture, which infuriated me. Apparently it doesn't count as much since it wasn't covered on TV as much as Saddam's statue coming down. I followed them as they crossed the street to the Plaza, asking them how they could be so dismissive of human life. I do not call people names or use foul language when demonstrating, but I was the recipient of both from these four upstanding individuals. I finally turned around and was heading back to the park, when two uniformed police officers approached me and one told me the next time I followed someone like that, they'd take me in. When I asked what the charge would be, I was told, "Disorderly conduct". At this point a third person that could have been a plain-clothes detective( he never identified himself, but the uniforms didn't object to his speaking on their behalf) joined the conversation. I asked if I'm just supposed to take abuse from people like that, without responding. The plainclothes told me that they were walking away, so therefore its harrassment to follow them. I asked if the pro-war people who drove by would be subject to disorderly conduct charges for the abuse hurled as they drove by, and was told by the uniform, "Hell, no! I'm not going to stop every car that comes through here!" At this point, the mysterious blue suit told me to do myself a favor and shut up or they're taking me in. I think it was at this point, I turned and crossed the street, heeding pastel blue's words that if I walk away, and he follows, he would be harrassing me. I heard him say as I crossed the street, "Don't walk away from me. I'm not finished with you!" Later on, several pro-hate people continued harrassing our peaceful folk, and I would shout across the street, "Excuse me, officer. Disorderly conduct in progress!" This, of course, was ignored. While its obvious that the police at the plaza have a definitely pro-war stance, and are letting their politics getting in the way of their duty, I fear I may have fanned these pro-war flames, and it came back to bite others the next day. For this, I apologize. I also feel compelled to point out that my non-plaza police encounters of the last few months have been nothing but pleasant. Police have been helpful and courteous. I wonder if KCPD is requesting volunteers to man the plaza demos, and so we're getting an inordinate amount of cops that just want to 'show those hippy traitors a thing or two'.

Thanks for the soapbox,

Mike
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Stephen Navarro
(No verified email address) 		Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2003
hey mike its not your fault that the cops are being true pigs. i think this incident has inspired me to be more passive aggressive if anything else we need to show the cops that we are not gonna take the bushshit anymore.

Stephen Navarro
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Gus
(No verified email address) 		Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2003
Stephen is right, we need to show our support for those who are being picked on by the KCPD.
Re: KCPD Issues Tickets to Abolish Free Speech
by Andrew Finnerty
Email: Meddlingelf (at) hotmail.com (verified) 		Current rating: 0
17 Apr 2003
Police all over the country are trying to abolish free speech, not just in KC. I went to Portland last weekend and a cop tried to suppress my freedom of speech and did successfully, to some extent.

I went to a Portland protest and bought two anti-war signs from the AFSC. When I went back to a nearby mall to meet up with the group I went to Portland with, a rent-a-cop approached me as I tried to enter the mall and told me that I couldn't bring my signs in.

I asked him if I could fold them and he said yes "so folks won't see them." That pissed me off, because I guess his bosses believe that no one should have dissenting opinions. What really pissed me off, however, is that that mall, like most malls, was probably built on public land. And also, inside the mall several stores had "God Bless America" and other nationalist stickers on their windows, but the rent-a-cops didn't yell at the store employees for expressing their political views. I didn't really argue with him because since there were a dozen cops nearby, I didn't want to get arrested several hundred miles away from home.

Then, when we left the mall, there was another valiant rent-a-cop defending the mall from the evil and un-American anti-war protesters. When I was walking out and when I was waiting for the lightrail train, the cops kept watching me, like I was going to throw Molotov cocktails at a building or set fire to a garbage can. It was fun, however, to see the looks on their faces when I unfolded my signs and paraded around the lightrail stop.

I am getting sick of these fucking fascist cops who seem to think that the first ammendment only applies to flagwaving nationalists. What bothers me even more are these rent-a-cops with big egos at malls and airports who believe that they are real police officers and seem to love to suppress freedom of speech even more than city cops.