At least 10 legal observers arrested tonight by Baltimore Police

[bigtree]

deray mckesson @deray
It is being reported that 10 legal observers were arrested tonight by @BaltimorePolice. #BaltimoreUprising

Baltimore BLOC ?@BmoreBloc 11m11 minutes ago
7 medics arrested tonight


Baltimore City Paper ?@city_paper 3m3 minutes ago
Video of medics, legal observers being arrested as prisoners chant from inside BCDC: http://ow.ly/Mr6wK

(11:29 p.m. EDT, May 2, 2015) Minutes after the 10 p.m. curfew went into effect on Saturday, Baltimore police arrested several self-identified medics and legal observers accompanying protesters marching on Greenmount Avenue. Police allowed the medics to hand over their medical supplies to others to hold for them before they were handcuffed and loaded into waiting police vans.

As the medics and legal observers were waiting to be loaded into the van, after this video was taken, observers heard banging from inside the adjacent Baltimore City Detention Center, and then prisoners chanting, "All night, all day, we gonna fight for Freddie Gray."

read/watch: http://ow.ly/Mr6wK


Amnesty USA Media @AIUSAmedia · 6h 6 hours ago
@JoyAnnReid AIUSA is clear to observe in Baltimore after curfew. We call for all legal and human rights observers to have the same clearance

faxman75 ?@faxman75 35m35 minutes ago
@CassandraRules Not sure how many minutes ago this was taken. Also Freedom of press 2015. sad


(photo: @Edwinjtorres)




ron fullwood @ronfullwood

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. I have been at more than one demonstration

and I have YET to see a black block member carrying a medic bag. Trust me, you can tell them a mile away after the second time you see these guys. I have taken more than one photo of them as well. And no, they don't like it... one bit.

I have seen plenty of members of the community carrying those bags though. like oh YESTERDAY during the mayday parade.

The recipes for the street remedies can be easily found on the web, hell I know the recipe as well. Half Maalox (or any other liquid medication in the same family) and half water. You can substitute the maalox for milk. I guess I am black block, since gasp, among all the crap I also carry a first aid kit.

Oh wait, I am not young anymore.



For the record in the stream or the actual news reporting, I have yet to see one of these guys and a few gals. There are areas of town where they would be in physical danger if things got hot and they actually went there. I cannot fathom this being different in Baltimore.

On the other hand, police can be a tad fun... in the right circumstances.

Overtime (while they are happy about the pay, they are tired by now)

Tired

Cranky

6 of their own arrested

Cameras, cameras everywhere, and pesky national media types that have lawyers on retainer, and will use them, and are not afraid of losing access.

Hood kids, who are actually daring to look into their pretty eyes and challenge them in ways that the cops are not used to.

Pretty much that covers it. All these factors are not necessarily in the right order.

[bigtree]

11. I'm glad you took the time to explain 'black bloc' to this poster

...it always strikes me, though, as an insult to my own intelligence to dignify these distortions with an explanation. I'm satisfied believing the poster knows well the difference between medics and those identifying as 'black bloc.' That's just how I feel...

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Some of us spend way too much time in the streets

with different causes. So we have seen these guys. There is no doubt that when they are present, the tension level rises. BUT... there are slew of other groups with whom the same happens. One particular section of town, we take tactical helmets and gas masks, since the temp on those marches is always high. I did not go on Wednesday (it got hot according to sources, but that was not from the cops, but internal fun), becuase I had a sore knee from the previous night, I stepped wrong during a vigil, irony. I just did not feel it was safe since I would not be able to get the hell out.

The problem is that black bloc has come to mean a jack of all trades. But they are easy to tell apart. They tend to wear darker clothing, steel toe boots, and dark or red bandanas, which in certain sections of town will get them shot. They are also fans of Bundeswehr jackets, or US Army older era jackets. Nor are all of them middle class. Many are actually working class kids.

But hey... what would we know? I just spend way too much time in the streets.

The first black lives matter march we went to, we actually had an MS 13 gang member flashing signs. When none paid attention to him, including the police infiltrators, those are also easy to spot. he jumped into the frame the second time around. We all media types still refused to run it. He did not show for the third time. Which is one way you deal with these folks who are trying hard to get onto frames.

There is a tad of a grain of truth to the media shows, and attracts people. The number of idiots photobombing is indirectly proportional to the number of media crews... I swear. But when things get hot, the last thing people think about are the camera crews.

[Downwinder]

3. Any question that it is an occupying army in a war zone.?

[bigtree]

4. no question, Downwinder

...it's World Press Freedom Day, btw.

[Downwinder]

5. Iraq and Afghanistan were field training.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. You know, my irony meter broke so long ago...

I don't expect it to get fixed anymore.

[tblue37]

13. K & fifth R. To the greatest page. nt

[Dems to Win]

15. Were they belted into the police van seats?

After all that has happened, there are reports that the protesters arrested over the last few days were not being belted in.

All the police officers who put handcuffed people into those vans without belting them in should be fired and charged with reckless endangerment. All of them.

[BrotherIvan]

16. WHAT?????

I hope there is disciplinary action. Sadly, it sounds like the police are digging in their heels. I wanna sick State Attorney Mosby on their asses.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Circling wagons we call it here

And the is nationwide.

[Dems to Win]

19. From a Baltimore public defender:

Marci Tarrant Johnson
OK...here it is...

I'm going to try to keep this as brief as I can, but I've been asked by several people about Central Booking today, so I'll give you guys the shocking highlights. As much as I'd like to, I can't describe the particulars of some of the more egregious arrests, due to attorney/client privilege issues, but I would like to describe the Civil Liberties violations, and the deplorable conditions which people have had to endure.

As many of you know, more than 250 people have been arrested since Monday here in Baltimore. Normally when you are arrested, you are given a copy of your charging documents and then you must see a commissioner within 24 hours for a bail determination ("prompt presentment&quot and given a trial date. If you are not released after the commissioner hearing, you will be brought before a judge for
a review of the bail set by the commissioner. None of this was happening, so we sent some lawyers to Central Booking yesterday to try to help. I heard, however, that only 2 commissioners showed up, and the correctional officers only brought about 9 people to be interviewed because the jail was on a mysterious "lock-down".

Today we were divided into two groups. Some of the lawyers were assigned the task of actually doing judicial bail reviews for as many folks as they could get interviewed and docketed. I was assigned to the other group. We were the "habeas team", and we were to interview folks that we felt were being illegally detained, so we could file writs of habeas corpus. Governor Hogan had issued an
executive order, extending the time for prompt presentment to 47 hours. We believed that this order was invalid because the governor has no authority to alter the Maryland Rules. As a result, all people who were being detained for more than 24 hours without seeing a commissioner were being held illegally.

Knowing all of this, I was still not prepared for what I saw when I arrived. The small concrete booking cells were filled with hundreds of people, most with more than ten people per cell. Three of us were sent to the women's side where there were up to 15 women per holding cell. Most of them had been there since Monday afternoon/evening. With the exception of 3 or 4 women, the women who weren't there for Monday's round-ups were there for freaking curfew violations. Many had not seen a doctor or received required medication. Many had not been able to reach a family member by phone. But here is the WORST thing. Not only had these women been held for two days and two nights without any sort of formal booking, BUT ALMOST NONE OF THEM HAD ACTUALLY BEEN CHARGED WITH ANYTHING. They were brought to CBIF via paddy wagons (most without seat belts, btw--a real shocker after all that's happened), and taken to holding cells without ever being charged with an actual crime. No offense reports. No statements of probable cause. A few women had a vague idea what they might be charged with, some because of what they had actually been involved in, and some because of what the officer said, but quite a few had no idea why they were even there. Incidentally, I interviewed no one whose potential charges would have been more serious than petty theft, and most seemed to be disorderly conduct or failure to obey, charges which would usually result in an immediate recog/release. (much more at the facebook link)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205579479419696&set=a.1094624319194.16785.1034140091&type=1&fref=nf

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/Baltimore-Public-Defender-Marci-Tarrant-Johnson-Facebook-Post-Jail-Freddie-Gray-302119891.html

This facet should be getting MUCH more attention, imho. I'm not a very prolific or bold DUer, I don't do OPs, so if you want to help draw attention to this, I'd be very appreciative.

[BrotherIvan]

20. WOW

I am so shocked (I am always shocked at how far the police will go). I hope all of these victims come together for a class action suit against not just the city but the governor and the state. This is awful!

I would love to help make it an OP but I'm not a name around here. Let's ask bigtree who is doing great work keeping up with the situation just as he did with Ferguson.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. I am not, and Baltimore is not San Diego

but this is national... so that local story has national (and San Diego) relevance.

[BrotherIvan]

23. go for it

People need to see what is happening. I don't understand how the police just get away with so much abuse any time there is a protest situation. It's because there is no one policing the police.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. I already sent email to see if I can get

a response for a story. I am running with it, regardless.

It is Sunday, so I might have to run it and update it later.

[bigtree]

29. +1

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Here

http://reportingsandiego.com/2015/05/03/neutral-observers-arrested-overnight-in-baltimore/

[bigtree]

35. excellent, nadin

...can you make a full DU post on this?

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. I might

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Here taking my chances with GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026614141

[bigtree]

45. this isn't always the most responsive forum for these issues

...or the most understanding, but it's well worth it, I think, if only for the addition of the news resource which internet search engines regularly include from this site. Also, there's the community which reads, but doesn't post.

Thanks for the diligence and effort.

[G_j]

18. NLG-Maryland Decries Arrests of 12 Legal Observers at May 2 Protests; Calls Curfew "Unconstitutional

https://www.nlg.org/news/releases/nlg-maryland-decries-arrests-12-legal-observers-may-2-protests-calls-curfew

NLG-Maryland Decries Arrests of 12 Legal Observers at May 2 Protests; Calls Curfew "Unconstitutional"
For immediate release:

May 3, 2015

Colin Starger
National Lawyers Guild, Maryland Chapter
[e-mail]
917-749-7867

BALTIMORE—The Maryland Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) decries the arrests of twelve NLG Legal Observers on Saturday night. Wearing clearly identifiable green hats with the words “National Lawyers Guild Legal Observer” printed on them, these neutral observers were documenting police behavior during the enforcement of Baltimore’s curfew. It is well known that NLG observers do not participate in protests and are trained to never interfere with the police. The harsh and unjustified action of the police in arresting neutral observers directly illustrates the counterproductive and unconstitutional nature of curfews generally.

National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Coordinator, Abi Hassen explained, “the events of Saturday night vividly illustrate how the curfew itself created the very problems it purported to solve. Curfews are an unacceptable exercise of police force and violence that promise to provoke rather than quell further resentment and unrest.”

“The Constitution does not have office hours. No city should be in the practice of revoking ts peoples’ First Amendment and other constitutional rights,” says NLG Maryland Mass Defense Committee member and University of Baltimore Assistant Professor of Law Colin Starger.

Contacts:
Colin Starger (See above)

Abi Hassen, NLG Mass Defense Coordinator
[e-mail], [phone]

Download PDF from nlgmaryland.org

[Glassunion]

25. +1

[BrotherIvan]

21. Hi bigtree, could you please check out reply #19 for a possible OP?

I wonder when the DOJ is going to step in because there are most definitely civil rights violations going on here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. DoJ has one investigation opened already regarding Freddie Gray

but this might mean the PD needs to be put in receivership. If you think they are pissed now, just wait.

[BrotherIvan]

27. Somebody needs to get in there and stop this

Looks like the mayor and governor can't deal with it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. No doubt we have 18,000 police departments in the US

the model, state of the art should be Richmond CA. where the Chief turned things around. He actually has his officers out of the cars and in the streets Funny you should ask, Officer Involved Shootings are down to zero for a few years.

But that is just pretty talk, yes we do community policing, truly, just ask us... in most police departments. That includes the ones where it was pioneered, mine.

So 18,000 police departments. DOJ takes a few every year into receivership, where they essentially take over the department. It is a matter of manpower and resources, so they triage who they take. LAPD and NYC have been under it a few times. Baltimore needs to. But that gets morale bellow whale shit, and violence tends to spike in the beginning.

And right now, cops are circling the wagons nationwide.

[BrotherIvan]

38. Excellent job on the article!

[bigtree]

36. remember how long it took for the DOJ to act in Ferguson?

...I predict that the DOJ will take up the complaints but, as you know, we're still waiting for legal action from complaints from observers and others about treatment by police in Ferguson.

check nadin's article:

http://reportingsandiego.com/2015/05/03/neutral-observers-arrested-overnight-in-baltimore/

[BrotherIvan]

37. Wow, that was fast

Spreading the word is important.

[bigtree]

41. she's very good

...it's important and gratifying having real-time media connections.

[BrotherIvan]

42. Yes, that's excellent

[Ms. Toad]

43. Posted several days ago as an OP.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026595165

[Dems to Win]

51. Thank you, I believe that's where I read it first

Failed to find it again via a DU search, though. Thanks for the link.

[Ms. Toad]

52. You're welcome. n/t

[Oktober]

28. 10 o'clock is 10 o'clock...

[cwydro]

30. I saw a pretty horrific video

where they sprayed a guy with a F### the Police shirt on. They sprayed him in the face and then pulled him down backwards by his hair.

He was not resisting. I think I saw it on NY Daily News.

What is wrong with these cretins?

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. It was live on CNN

we watched it.

He was taken to the hospital with breathing issues.

[cwydro]

39. It was pretty bad.

Apparently the cops have learned nothing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. Actually right now they are in circle the wagons mode

[Trillo]

32. What'cha gonna do?

Baltimore is now a cop's city and what'cha gonna do'bout it?

[treestar]

47. Arrested for what?

On what charge?

[nadinbrzezinski]

48. Once the cops get off their asses

and write an actual charging sheet.

I can bet on these

Interfering with an officer.

Unlawful assembly

And just because we can, resisting arrest.

Been around the block enough to smell 'em

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

49. When are we going to see defense lawyers commenting on TV?

CNN has an ex prosecutor and an ex cop commenting from Baltimore. Over the years I've seen a change in TV programming from shows where defenders of human rights are the heroes to shows that glorify the police and prosecutors. Perry Mason constantly defended the wrongly accused. The great show The Defenders was all about that and protecting civil rights against the overbearing government. The great 60s show east Side West Side with George C. Scott was all about a social worker who encounters the criminality and general problems the poor and downtrodden face in modern society. Even the cop show The Naked City had wonderful stories about WHY people break the law due to their environment in a city of eight million crammed together. In the last decades we've had shows like Cops where every citizen shown is a derelict drunken trailer park dwelling asshole who would deserve to be shot by the police or Law And Order where the prosecutors almost never abuse their positions of power whereas in real life they almost invariably do to coerce plea bargains.

Americans have been lovers of authoritarianism for too long. It's about time the people took to the streets and shut this society down if it won't respect humanity. Articles like this one should be required reading in our schools and are a real eye opener about the sickness that envelops every aspect of our criminal justice system.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2015/04/plea_bargains_should_prosecutors_be_forced_to_have_their_plea_bargains_approved.html

[MrMickeysMom]

50. K&R