Group wants investigation of police tactics (United Steelworkers)

[Nancy Waterman]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1127-02.htm

They shouldn't have messed with the unions!!

The United Steelworkers of America has called for a Congressional investigation into the police tactics, saying officers systematically intimidated its members who participated in a peaceful rally and march sponsored by the A.F.L.-C.I.O. last Thursday.

The trade talks came in the midst of a fierce competition among Miami and several other cities to be named the headquarters for a planned free trade zone stretching from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Miami has aggressively lobbied for the designation and planned the large police presence to prevent the kind of violence that erupted during trade talks in Seattle in 1999.

Critics have accused the city of using whatever means necessary to ensure that its downtown remained calm and attractive for the trade ministers.

John J. Sweeney, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., released a statement on Wednesday saying that the police had violated "virtually every agreement" made with the union in advance of its protests and adding that the union might sue.

[JohnKleeb]

1. Good for them, something smells fishy

I think so of my uncles were in that union. BTW if anyone wants to know who got their endorsement, it was Gephardt. Kucinich is pretty popular with them too in account he helped save their mill in Cleveland. Not sure about the other 7 btw.

[NYC]

2. Amnesty International also wants an investigation.

There was an article in the NY Times.

http://demilitarizethepolice.netfirms.com
(temporary website)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I think these groups should get a hold of Randy Weaver

and use him as their spokesperson. There is virtually NO difference in the issues here. It would be funny to see the same Repubs who were sympathetic to Weaver squirm while he operated as the front person in challenging the exact same paramilitary police tactics.

[Judi Lynn]

4. AFL-CIO executives were buggered by the Miami paramilitary, too

From the Palm Beach Post:

(snip) Two AFL-CIO executives said they were pepper-sprayed and shot with rubber bullets as they did nothing more than try to help senior citizens onto a bus on Biscayne Boulevard.

Thea Lee, the AFL-CIO's chief international economist, said she and Marilyn Sneiderman, the AFL-CIO's field operations director, were caught between two lines of advancing police in black riot gear. Lee was sprayed with pepper spray, while Sneiderman said she was hit twice in the arm with rubber bullets.

"It was just a terrifying experience," Lee said. "There was nobody in the crowd who was in any way defying the police."

The situation was tense from the outset on Thursday, when police squared off with demonstrators at 6:30 a.m. during an unauthorized march at the entrance to the downtown area.

SWAT teams in riot gear detained about 100 of the demonstrators for about 90 minutes in front of Miami police headquarters after promising them they could proceed.

"Get out the Tasers!" ordered one officer as dozens of police, some carrying 3-foot wooden bats, surrounded the group.

"Are you crazy? Are you insane?" a protester yelled back at the officer who made the order before other demonstrators pulled him back. (snip/...)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/friday/news_f3db890fd6c151eb001d.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miami clash a lesson for city, GOP
(Originally published on November 27, 2003)

You probably haven't heard much about the violence that erupted in Miami last week.
However, labor and civil rights leaders already are calling the Miami events a dangerous turning point in government repression of legitimate dissent.

And New Yorkers should be paying attention, especially Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

Our city will host the Republican National Convention next Aug. 30-Sept. 2, and the gathering is sure to attract throngs of protesters.

City leaders should start examining what happened in Miami to make sure it's not repeated here - because something definitely went wrong down there. (snip/...)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/140555p-124697c.html