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

Rights group sues miami police over protests Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N17734254.htm http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N17734254.htm Rights group sues Miami police over trade protests 17 Nov 2005 20:25:18 GMT Source: Reuters MIAMI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A civil rights group on Thursday sued police in Miami and south Florida for what it called unlawful arrests and use of excessive force during a regional free-trade meeting in the Southern U.S. city two years ago. About 300 people were arrested during the November 2003 Free Trade Area of the Americas summit in downtown Miami after police used rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray to break up largely peaceful protests by anti-globalization activists. The American Civil Liberties Union said it filed three lawsuits against police in Miami and the counties of Miami-Dade and Broward on behalf of a reporter of the weekly Miami New Times, four labor union members and a college student from Massachusetts whose skull was fractured by police. The college student, Edward Owaki, was beaten so severely he ended up spending nine days in the hospital. Police tactics in Miami were "designed to intimidate political demonstrators, silence dissent, and criminalize protest against the government policies," ACLU Greater Miami Chapter President Terry Coble said in a statement. "If this type of police action is allowed to continue, our country will have lost one of our most basic rights, and we will be on the road to a totalitarian government." The suits allege that police infringed demonstrators' rights. Miami police, led by Chief John Timoney, have defended their actions, saying officers reacted "with restraint" when masked anarchists began to throw rocks and bottles. City officials also praised the police for saving Miami from the riots that had marred the 1999 world trade talks in Seattle. Downtown Miami was locked down. Ranks of riot police blocked access to the summit venue, while armored cars patrolled the streets and police helicopters flew overhead. Most of the charges police leveled against the people they arrested were thrown out by the courts. Hundreds of people were held in local jails for more than 24 hours. The new lawsuits represented a second round of legal action over the trade summit. The ACLU filed its first FTAA-related lawsuit in September 2004 on behalf of an independent filmmaker who was shot in the head by police with a beanbag rifle.

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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