NewsMine — security — criminalizing-dissent — miami-ftaa-nov-2003 — Viewing Item

Miami reporter unclear why she was arrested Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031124/APN/311240817 http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031124/APN/311240817 Miami reporter unclear why she was arrested at FTAA protest The Associated Press MIAMI -- A reporter for an alternative weekly newspaper said Monday that she doesn't understand why she was arrested during last week's protests outside the Free Trade Area of the Americas meeting. Miami New Times reporter Celesete Fraser Delgado, 36, said she was interviewing protesters opposed to the proposed 34-nation free-trade pact Thursday when a Miami-Dade County police cruiser pulled up and an officer yelled at the group to get on the ground. The protests had turned sporadically violent Thursday, with some demonstrators throwing objects and firing slingshots at officers and some officers hitting protesters with sticks, zapping them with stun guns and dispersing them with gas. But Delgado said she and the others complied peacefully. She said she was handcuffed and put into a police van even though she told officers she was a reporter. "I kept asking them 'What am I being detained for?' but they wouldn't say. In the paddy wagon we could hear the police officers arguing about what they were going to charge us with," Delgado said. Delgado was charged with two misdemeanors, failure to obey a legal command and resisting arrest without violence. The charges were dropped Friday and she was released. Protesters and officials from the AFL-CIO, which organized a Thursday march against the FTAA, have accused the police of overreacting, saying officers attacked and arrested peaceful protesters along with those who were violent. Police officials declined specific comment Monday on Delgado's case, but said officers acted appropriately during the melees. The State Attorney's Office said Delgado's charges were dropped for lack of evidence. Last modified: November 24. 2003 2:54PM

2139 [jpg] 2314 [jpg] 2315 [jpg] 2316 [jpg] 2317 [jpg] 2318 [jpg] 2319 [jpg] 2320 [jpg] 2321 [jpg] Americas enemy within { November 26 2003 } From jeremy scahill Groups condemn miami police repressive tactics { November 25 2003 } Miami police embedding reporters { November 10 2003 } Miami police presence extravagent Miami reporter unclear why she was arrested Miami scare tatics on protesters Police accused of abusing demonstrators { November 26 2003 } Police broke protest promise says union Retirees criticize heavy handed police tactics { November 26 2003 } Rights group sues miami police over protests Timoney [jpg] Union condemns use of iraq funds homeland repression { November 24 2003 } Unions calls for police chief resign { November 25 2003 } Files Listed: 23

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