Caught on Tape: Philly Cops Go Nuts

Following Acquittal of NYPD Officers in Sean Bell Killing, Advocates Call for Special Prosecutor in Police Brutality Cases

Good work by Democracy Now!

Chicago Deal to Pay $20 Million in Police Torture Case Hits Roadblock

From Democracy Now! -- click the title for audio, video, or text.

Torture in the Chicago Police Department

From Democracy Now...

Chicago to Pay $20 Million in Police Torture Case

The city of Chicago has agreed to pay nearly $20 million to four former death row prisoners who gave false confessions after being tortured by Chicago police. The four men are all African-American. They sued former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and more than 20 officers who worked with him alleging that they were coerced into falsely confessing to murder. In 2006 special prosecutors released a long-awaited report stating there was proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Burge and four other former officers abused suspects to extract confessions in the 1980s. Charges have never been filed against Jon Burge who oversaw the torture. He was fired in 1993 but is still receiving a $30,000 a year police pension from the city.

Chicago Reader Lays Off Reporter Who Exposed Torture Story

Meanwhile in other news from Chicago, the investigative reporter who was most responsible for uncovering the police torture story has been laid off. John Conroy was one of four reporters at the Chicago Reader dismissed last week in a cost-saving measure by the paper’s parent company Creative Loafing. Conroy had been covering the torture story since 1990.

Anti-Police Brutality Rally, Nov. 16/17, Washington, DC

As seen on Democracy Now!, November 16: Activists Converge on Washington, D.C. for Weekend of Protest Against Hate Crimes, Police Brutality.

Nov. 16-17 March, Rally in DC against Hate Crimes, Police Brutality

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - STOP HATE CRIMES AND POLICE BRUTALITY

Friends,

Starting with the murder of Sean Bell in New York earlier this year, to the mass mobilization for the Jena 6, to the rape and torture of Megan Williams in West Virginia, to the ruling that sided with the Juvenile Boot Camp Guards who killed Martin Lee Anderson in Florida, to the nooses appearing on University of Maryland's campus, at the Tupac Shakur center and throughout the country, to most recently the murder of 14 year-old DeOnte Rawlings in Washington, DC by an off duty police officer -- as a community we must say "Enough is Enough!"

On Friday, November 16th there will be a march around the Department of Justice, and the following day, on Saturday, November 17th there will be a rally and concert at the Washington Monument against Hate Crimes and Police Brutality.

This is a critical moment for us to rally in Washington, DC for our human and civil rights. Please get involved with the planning of these two events.

For Future Generations,

The Hip Hop Caucus Team


Spread the word: Major mobilization on November 17th at the Washington Monument for Peace and Justice

Rally and Concert starts at 12 noon

On Saturday, November 17th come out to a major rally and concert against Hate Crimes and Police Brutality at the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.

We plan to gather from noon until dark with speakers and performers in the Sylvan Theatre to continue the momentum of organized protest against the most recent cases of hate crimes, and racism in the criminal justice system.

Email rally@hiphopcaucus.org for more information or call 202.787.5256.

• Download Article (PDF)
• Add to PDF Compilation
• Download PDF Compilation
• Email Article

For more information, check out this Human Rights Watch report, from 1998, on Police Brutality in several American cities, including Providence. And here's an article by Reagan's former assistant secretary of the Treasury, Paul Craig Roberts -- clearly a radical -- on police brutality from Lew Rockwell's site. You know, that far-left outlet. Why am I posting this? Because even ex-Reaganites and libertarian conservatives are aware of the rising police state. This should hold my anonymous commenters, you'd think, right? Here's Wikipedia on Police Brutality in the US. There's a ton of good information in there, including in the footnotes.

Some more resources:

• Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual (12/1/1997), ACLU
• Stonewalled: Police Abuse and Misconduct against LGBT in the USA, 2005, Amnesty International (PDF)
• Racial Profiling Page, Amnesty International
• TASERs in the USA, Amnesty International
• Stolen Lives Project, October22.org, 2007 update (PDF)
• Copwatch
  

Workers group says it will seek permit for a second march in North Providence

Update, 8/22/07: The "second march" will actually be a rally, not a march:

NEW DETAILS ON THE RALLY!

From Prov IWW--

Despite our hopes of having a march from the North Providence Town Hall to the North Providence Police Station, after our meeting with the police and mayor the compromise solution is to have a rally at:

• The North Providence High School (1828 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence, RI; see below) on Sunday, August 26 at 1:30PM.

View Larger Map

This event:

• is a demonstration to make our peaceful nature evident to the entire state and region

• will accomplish our goals of publicizing Alex's brutal attack while assuring the safety of everyone who attends against extremely hostile elements.
  

If you want more info call Mark Bray at (201) 669 0714.

We will post more info (an updated flier, etc.) soon. If you want to get involved with posting fliers near where you live, call the number above, e-mail albiorix80@yahoo.com, or download the one we will post and make your own copies.

More Projo Articles: Major Victory, Apparently Sympathetic AG, and "Tough" Mayor of North Providence

1. Union won't picket, restaurant stops using supplier

2. AG Lynch responds; as does the mayor of North Providence
   

More Media Reaction...

Latino Public Radio:

http://www.lprri.org/inicio/index.php?categoryid=24&p2_articleid=2054

http://www.lprri.org/inicio/index.php?categoryid=24&p2_articleid=2031

What Happened in North Providence...

Welcome to the Support Alex Svoboda blog. We welcome comments.

Please support Alex! She has had two operations on her knee at Rhode Island Hospital already. There are three ways to send whatever funds you can:

1. Providence IWW GMB, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903
2. Or contact Mark Bray at 201-669-0714
3. For readers wanting to use PayPal, you can address contributions to the account named "albiorix80@yahoo.com"

Thank you!

(Projo coverage: here, here, here, here and here. A video and more here.)

This is what autocracy looks like. The Providence IWW, along with workers from the warehouses that supply Jackie's Galaxy restaurants in RI (who work 100 hours/week for subminimum wage, etc.), held a march, picketing the North Providence JG.

Here's what the cops, who were clearly out of their depth, did to a protester, who didn't move back to the sidewalk fast enough, reportedly.

(Click the title of this post for a slideshow of all the photos from this event.) Here's the North Providence Police Department Mission Statement:

The members of the North Providence Police Department are dedicated and committed to providing the highest quality police services to our citizens. We are dedicated to the concept of personal excellence at the highest level, uncompromising integrity, continuous improvement in order to enhance public safety, protection of life and property, and the reduction of crime and the perceptions of crime. We will fulfill this mission by developing a partnership with the community in a manner that inspires confidence and trust.

We acknowledge a community commitment to resolve issues and improve the quality of life for all residents. Members of the North Providence Police Department take pride in our professional accomplishments and abilities.

We are individually accountable for the reflection of the following core values in both our professional and personal lives:

• Respect for human life;
• Treating all people with the highest regard and respect;
• Honesty and integrity through ethical behavior;
• Professionalism and excellence demonstrated in all areas of duty;
• Cooperation with all agencies of Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement and government;
• Strengthen partnerships with the community.

Every citizen contact is an opportunity to demonstrate the mission and the values of the North Providence Police Department.

Touching, no? This is what hypocrisy looks like.

The victim, Alexandra Svoboda, has already had one operation on her broken, dislocated knee, and the affected vascular artery, at Rhode Island Hospital.


Another is scheduled for Wednesday.

If you can help Alex, send what you can to:

• Providence IWW GMB, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903
• Or contact Mark Bray at 201-669-0714
• Or for readers wanting to use PayPal, you can address contributions to our account, which is named "albiorix80@yahoo.com".
  

If you'd like to tell the mayor and chief of police of North Providence what you think of their protection of citizens availing themselves of their constitutional right to free speech and assembly, or if you'd just like to compliment them on the top-notch training their officers have obviously received, you can contact them here:



North Providence Mayor:
Charles A. Lombardi
North Providence Town Hall
2000 Smith Street
North Providence, RI 02911
Telephone: (401) 232-0900, ext. 226
Fax: (401) 232-3434

Police Chief:
Ernest C. Spaziano
North Providence Police Department
1967 Mineral Spring Ave.
North Providence, RI 02904
Business line: 401-233-1433
Fax number: 401-233-1438

North Providence Police Department Professional Standards Unit
1967 Mineral Spring Avenue
North Providence, RI 02904
(401) 233-1433 Ext. 114
Confidential Fax (401) 233-1425

Or use this nifty form (PDF).

(From the NPPD site: "The Commendation/Complaint form must be submitted to the Police Department. The form can be submitted in person, by mail at the above address, or by Fax at the above number.")