SYRACUSE, NY -- On November 16th, police broke up an impromptu
and legal protest at Georgio's fur salon organized by the Syracuse Animal
Defense League. Police threatened to arrest everyone on site for disorderly
conduct if they did not disperse. Officers gave the protesters ten minutes
to disperse.
After the time was up, the protesters started to leave.
One woman who was leaving brushed the arm of an officer. He retaliated
by violently pushing her to the ground. The woman got up and asked for
help from the other activists.
Joel and Alaina confronted the officer, asking for his
name and badge number. The officer grabbed her wrist (which had an ace
bandage on it because of a previous sprain) and forcefully twisted it behind
her back. She was cuffed and arrested as well as Joel.
Andy Reed, who had videotaped the whole event was also
arrested, along with another woman who tried to get his video camera before
it was confiscated by the cops. All four activists were released either
that night or the following morning after arraignment.
Recent X-rays taken after Alaina sprained her wrist had
shown no broken bones, however, an X-ray taken after being released from
custody showed her wrist had been broken by the officer who violently wrenched
her wrist. Legal action against the police is planned.
You probably noticed that the activists were arrested
for doing nothing. Things in Syracuse are bad. The police are totally corrupt
and have made harassing activists-- by visiting them at work and home,
preventing legal protest, wrongful arrests, and physical violence --part
of their daily routine. ADL wants to take action against the police, however
they are in desparate need of funds in order to make it work. Please make
a generous donation to this dedicated, effective direct action organization!
ADL-Syracuse
P.O. Box 6845
Syracuse, NY 13217
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