Teachers sue over arrest at Bush rally

[struggle4progress]

By TODD DVORAK, Associated Press Writer
(Updated Thursday, April 28, 2005, 5:28 PM)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - <snip>

Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson, both in their 50s, were among five protesters arrested at the Sept. 3 rally. The pair were handcuffed, taken to the county jail, strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass. The charges were dropped months later. <snip>

McCabe and Nelson - described in the lawsuit as political novices motivated by their opposition to Bush administration policies in Iraq - attended the rally at a city park, where McCabe held a sheet of paper urging, "No More War," and Nelson wore a John Kerry button.

A Secret Service agent allegedly told McCabe, who was on a sidewalk near the rally, that she was on private property and would have to move. When they moved to a parking area, the agent approached again and repeated the order.

After asking why, McCabe was arrested by a state trooper. Nelson was arrested later by another trooper, according to the lawsuit. <snip>

http://www.fresnobee.com/24hour/nation/story/2352523p-10588490c.html

Oh, NOW I understand what tort reform is about ...

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. Does anyone have any doubts why many people like myself

.
.
.

never intend to ever visit the United States again in their lifetime?

I lived there, (San Diego) and had intended to retire there

now I even go to the extent of putting anything I find labeled "Made in the USA" back on the shelf

I am not alone

so sad

The United States HAD a great potential of being a great country -

Now they are just feared and hated -

Oh yeah - they got the military might alright -

But they sure haven't won the hearts and minds of the world

bye - bye . . .

just another "Rise and Fall of" another nation to stupid to learn from History . . .

[countmyvote4real]

4. I would love to join you in your remote boycott, but I'm too poor.

poor.

Please dismiss and shun us when you can, stand up against US policies when you can't. The sheeple supporting this administration need your tough love.

[kypper]

23. Same here...

my wife is American. We almost moved down there a couple of years ago. Now we're looking to Europe if the Conservatives manage to come to power in Canada.
To hell with these nutjobs.

[dArKeR]

2. And Dem leadership should be airing this right now on National TV

and showing what the Repukes want to do with the corrupt judges.

[NVMojo]

3. Come on Reid, Kennedy and every Dem leader!! Make an issue

out of the Republican ELITES taking over our country!!!

[Scout1071]

5. These arrests need to be seen nightly on the news and in the public.

That was the turning of Vietnam, no?

[Moderator]

6. kick to combine

[NNN0LHI]

7. Strip search after Bush rally leads to suit

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-protest29.html

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Two teachers arrested at a 2004 campaign rally for President Bush and strip-searched have filed a lawsuit alleging law officers conspired to violate their constitutional rights.

Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson, both in their 50s, were among five protesters arrested at the Sept. 3 rally. The pair were handcuffed, taken to the county jail, strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass. The charges were dropped months later.

more

[sniffa]

8. damned, commie Libs

if you have nothing to hide, you shouLdn't be against strip searches.

:sarcasm:

[izzie]

9. Well that is something. Guess we better like our President.

Makes one ill just to read about it.

[Moderator]

10. kick

[G_j]

11. Kerry Supporters Arrested at Bush Rally Sue Law Enforcement

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0429-07.htm

Published on Friday, April 29, 2005 by the Associated Press

Kerry Supporters Arrested at Bush Rally Sue Law Enforcement


IOWA CITY -- Two women who were arrested at campaign rally for President Bush last fall and strip-searched at a county jail say law enforcement officers conspired to violate their constitutional rights.

Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson are suing the U.S. Secret Service and three of its agents, the Iowa State Patrol and two patrolmen, and Linn County.

The two women, both school teachers in their 50s, were among scores of people who were arrested, removed or barred from Bush rallies last year for wearing shirt or buttons favoring his Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry, or for vocally criticizing the president.

"I believe the federal government behaved very badly in this situation," said David O'Brien, the women's attorney.


..more..

[Rainscents]

12. Good for them!!!

[sasquatch]

13. They should have the cops badges and make them homeless

[MontageOfFreedom]

16. I would join such a lawsuit.

That is dispicable, and totally fascist worthy to conspire for that.

[Miss Chybil]

17. "I believe the federal government behaved very badly in this situation"

If that's not the understatement of the year...

How does this administration have to gall to send our troops to fight for other people's "freedoms" and then do this on our own soil? I hope I live to be a hundred just to see what the history books say about this farce of a presidency.

[brentspeak]

14. Anyone have the names of arresting officers?

Publicize the names of these freedom-haters until the term "anti-American" is synonomous with their names.

[Roland99]

15. I thought it might have been these OTHER teachers

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_101504_news_bush_teacher_peaceful_protest.33035f77.html

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. -- Three Medford school teachers were threatened with arrest and thrown out of the President Bush rally at the Jackson County Fairgrounds Thursday night, after they showed up wearing T-shirts with the slogan "Protect our civil liberties."

All three women said they were carrying valid tickets for the event that they had received from Republican Party headquarters in Medford, which had been distributing event tickets to Bush supporters.

Teacher Janet Voorhies said she simply wanted to bring a message to President Bush, but did not intend to protest.

<...>

The women got past the first and second checkpoints and were allowed into the Jackson County fairgrounds, but were asked to leave and then escorted out of the event by campaign officials who allegedly told them their T-shirts were "obscene."

Their t-shirts??

[Ysolde]

18. Obscene?

Up is Down. Black is White. Right is Wrong.

I hope all of these teachers sue the pants off this administration and everyone who's helped them silence dissent. We also need to be tearing down the bastions of the MSM who are so complicit in the silencing of that same dissent.

[Miss Chybil]

19. Such eeeeevil women! No wonder they were arrested!

/sarcasm

[Daphne08]

20. Where's My Country?

[fasttense]

21. In Rove's back pocket. n/t

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

22. Fuck the obscenity that america has become.

[CornField]

24. I was at this protest

Lots of protestors showed up and they had been limited to a small strip of sidewalk away from the park on the north side. According to law enforcement, the GOP had 'reserved' all of Noelridge Park and adjacent public properties. Some of the protestors moved east to Collins Road, near the Farmers Market area. I'm not sure where in the park the two were arrested.

This campaign visit also prompted the closing of several child care facilities and at least one school.

Just to give you a feel for the area, this isn't a small park. It houses a large water recreational area and parking lot (newly renovated last year - this is where the rally took place); a conservation area with a duck pond; the Farmers Market Facility and parking lot; and a walking trail. It isn't by any means a small space that required the entire area to be "reserved" by the party.

[Tesla]

25. Welcome to the USSA

Pretty soon we won't be able to wear those kinds of shirts anywhere!!!

[dkofos]

26. This needs to be done more often.

If your constitutional rights are violated get a name, a picture, or a video and sue the fucking bastards.

[llmart]

27. Never underestimate the power.......

of postmenopausal women:)

You go girls! I would do the same. Once you hit your 50's you don't much give a shit what anyone thinks.