Take Action: Miami Police Arrest Democracy Now! & IMC Reporters

[htuttle]

At approx. 5 pm Friday evening, Nov. 21, Democracy Now! producers Ana Nogueira and Jeremy Scahill were reporting on the arrest of approximately 20 people who were in Miami to oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Also arrested were three reporters with the Independent Media Center and a producer at WYOU community television in Madison, Wisc.

Make the phone calls/emails below and demand the immediate release of Democracy Now! producer Ana Nogueira and other independent journalists.

At approx. 5 pm Friday evening, Nov. 21, Democracy Now! producers Ana Nogueira and Jeremy Scahill were reporting on the arrest of approximately 20 people who were in Miami to oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Nogueira and Scahill had their press credentials clearly visible. Nogueira was videotaping the arrests. At the time of this writing, Nogueira was being held, handcuffed, in a Miami Police patrol wagon. Jeremy Scahill has learned that there will be a mandatory overnight detention. According to Scahill, his efforts to alert the police that they had arrested a journalist were met with the reply, ?It doesn?t matter if she?s a journalist ? she shouldn?t have been there.?

Three reporters from the Independent Media Center and a producer at WYOU community television in Madison, Wisc. were also arrested at the same time.

CALL NOW and demand that the Mayors of Miami City and Miami-Dade County restrain their police from further violence and violation of constitutional rights. RELEASE Democracy Now! journalist Ana Noguira IMMEDIATELY.

For news and updates see http://www.ftaaimc.org and http://democracynow.org

ACTION:

Call/Email These Authorities:
FTAA Miami Unified Command
Joint Information Center
Phone: [phone]


Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas
Director of Communications Lynn Norman-Teck
Cell: 786-256-4395
Pager: 305-291-0358
[e-mail]

City of Miami
Mayor Manuel A. Diaz
Telephone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Janet Lopez, Director Office of Communications
Phone: [phone]
Pager:305-312-2981


From http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1688.shtml
Also:
TAKE ACTION - DEMOCRACY NOW! PRODUCER ARRESTED BY MIAMI POLICE!
http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1687.shtml

TAKE ACTION - DEMOCRACY NOW! PRODUCER ARRESTED BY MIAMI POLICE!

Make the phone calls/emails below and demand the immediate release of Ana Nogueira

Please Forward

TAKE ACTION - DEMOCRACY NOW! PRODUCER ARRESTED BY MIAMI POLICE!

Make the phone calls/emails below and demand the immediate release of Ana Nogueira

At approx. 5 pm Friday evening, Nov. 21, Democracy Now! producers Ana Nogueira and Jeremy Scahill were reporting on the arrest of approximately 20 people who were in Miami to oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Nogueira and Scahill had their press credentials clearly visible. Nogueira was videotaping the arrests. At the time of this writing, Nogueira was being held, handcuffed, in a Miami Police patrol wagon. Jeremy Scahill has learned that there will be a mandatory overnight detention. According to Scahill, his efforts to alert the police that they had arrested a journalist were met with the reply, �It doesn�t matter if she�s a journalist � she shouldn�t have been there.�


CALL NOW and demand that the Mayors of Miami City and Miami-Dade County restrain their police from further violence and violation of constitutional rights. RELEASE Democracy Now! journalist Ana Noguira IMMEDIATELY.

(same addresses follow)

[goodhue]

1. reports

http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/index.shtml

11-21-2003 18:23 ] reports on arrest figures at jail solidarity incident
reports from npr radio and an unconfirmed source say that 75 people were arrested today when the police broke up the jail solidarity rally.

the figure we have confirmed is 20.

< 11-21-2003 18:20 > 14th and 12th update:
30 protestors arrested. 3 NLG lawyers were detained and prevented from getting access to the 30 arrestees to take statements.

< 11-21-2003 17:49 > reports of large line of police cars and vans driving towards the convergence center at nw 20 and 2nd ave.


< 11-21-2003 17:49 > police surrounding univ. of miami arts building
300+ riot cops are surrounding the miami-dade community college arts, building searching the building and the area.

< 11-21-2003 17:26 > reports of 3 legal observers arrested during police riot after jail solidarity rally
reporte de 3 observedores legales arrestados despues manifestacion en solidaridad con los demasiados arrestados

[Mika]

2. Thanks for the heads up on this

I've got a MAJOR beef with the mayor of Miami and the Miami and Miami-Dade police.
This takes the cake.

-

A bunch of us are going to the next city of Miami commision meeting to raise some hell.

[Myra]

3. Holy crap

Video cameras and press credentials used
to be the only thing the goose-stepping
police feared. Otherwise they'd attack
and arrest peaceful protestors without
hesitation. I guess those were the *good
old days*...

I'll do what I can as you requested.
Albeit as just another citizen with zero rights.

Have you contacted the ACLU?

[Myra]

4. Holy crap

Video cameras and press credentials used
to be the only thing the goose-stepping
police feared. Otherwise they'd attack
and arrest peaceful protestors without
hesitation. I guess those were the *good
old days*...

I'll do what I can as you requested.
Albeit as just another citizen with zero rights.

Have you contacted the ACLU?

[asjr]

5. miami

I think we just saw the beginning of the Police State. This is incredible. I see the hand of Asscroft in this.

[cally]

6. Well, I called the first number

and I was told that I should tell the press to keep their hands to themselves. She then hung up on me.

[htuttle]

7. Sounds like the 'Miami Unified Command'...

...is getting a little cranky.

:nopity:

[htuttle]

8. I just posted an account of the incident in LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=234232

Lots of infuriating details.

[cally]

9. kick

:kick:

[gristy]

10. I used to listen to Amy Goodman's Peace Report all the time

But now I'm working and I've moved. I need to find out where it's broadcast in Boston. Do any DUers know?

Miami police are messing with the wrong press - Democracy Now is going to be ALL FRIGGIN OVER THIS.

[gristy]

11. You can listen to their report (pre-arrest, apparently) from today

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/21/1521259

I'm listening now. Pretty damn compelling.

[htuttle]

12. Look at the DN website

It's at http://www.democracynow.org. There's a section where they have a list of syndication outlets and schedules. You can also listen (and watch) it online via streaming (not live, though).

BTW, I've been posting some details of the ugliness that went down in Miami in the other thread in LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=234232

If the Powers-that-be determine that their 'response' (rather their 'cop riot') achieved the desired effect, I'd expect to see it done elsewhere. The mayor of Miami said that their response was going to be a 'model for Homeland Security'.

[gristy]

13. Boston WZBC 90.3 FM noon -1 p.m., M-F

Shoot, I'd already programmed that station on my car's radio. Time to start eating lunch in my car! Monday's report is going to be a killer.

[otohara]

37. Amazing Footage of Miami in DN Report -

the only news program that detailed the brutality of the police against protestors

[HairyPoppins]

14. What are the charges?

What were the arrest charges?

[gristy]

15. Charges? Charges? We don't need no stinkin' charges!

Haven't you read the Patriot Act? :evilgrin:

[HairyPoppins]

16. All arrests have a charge documented

Do you know what they are? I'm asking a serious question here before I call to help out.

[htuttle]

17. They were snatched off the street while videotaping a story

I have no idea what charges, if any, they will cook up. Their arraignment isn't until morning, and they might not actually get all the way processed until after midnight, so it's very difficult to communicate with them right now.

Here's the only other information I've found:

From the DemocracyNow website:

At approx. 5 pm Friday evening, Nov. 21, Democracy Now! producer Ana Nogueira was arrested while reporting on the arrest of approximately 20 people who were in Miami to oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Democracy Now! has learned that there will be a mandatory overnight detention. According to DN Producer Jeremy Scahill, his efforts to alert the police that they had arrested a journalist were met with the reply, “It doesn’t matter if she’s a journalist – she shouldn’t have been there.”

And from Madison Indymedia (speaking of the WYOU producer also arrested):

Other details: Todd Price was the arrestee. He (and the others) will be processed for four to six hours, then will be taken to jail for an overnight stay. Arraignment will be tomorrow.
http://madison.indymedia.org/newswire/display/15125/index.php

(on edit)
It's possible that they won't even be arraigned. It's also possible that the police will cook up something like 'refusal to obey police orders' or'unlawful assembly'.

[HairyPoppins]

18. I'll refrain from judgment until I hear both sides

Right now I have heard neither.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

36. "both sides"??? wtf?...you listen to the otherside? the darkside?

[thebigidea]

39. help out? C'mon, you could care less.

[Military Brat]

28. Look for "resisting arrest" as the charge

It's the standard charge, "our word against theirs" sort of thing. But I must agree with Gristy ... "We don't need no stinkin' charges." Unfortunately, even if they drop the charges, the forces of intimidation have made their point.

BTW, has anybody seen America lately? I miss her ...

[bigtree]

19. You don't have to look too far to find atrocities by the police

to advocate against. Check out the Resistance Radio archive of the melee. http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1688.shtml

[htuttle]

20. They have a video stream up now

They URL is at the top of the page at http://ftaaimc.org/en/ .

If you have Quicktime 6, copy and past the URL for the stream into QuickTime Player. Right now, they appear to be showing some video from today.

[HairyPoppins]

21. Are they a neutral site?

Do they side with or against the FTAA and IMC?

[htuttle]

22. Nobody is a neutral site

As the old labor song goes, "Whose side are you on?"

[Don Claybrook]

23. DN is very progressive

But you wouldn't know that...I've read your other posts.

Do you suppose that this reporter and producer committed some sort of crime that warranted their arrests while covering the protests in Miami? I'd really like to know what you think they may have been up to.

And even if they're "raving libs" or whatever, why can they not report on the event without the fear of arrest?

[Lars39]

31. Why the hell would it matter if the reporters were neutral or not,

they were unlawfully arrested while doing their job? Reporters have normally been off limits, except under this regime. The question is Do we have the right to demonstrate anymore?

[ElsewheresDaughter]

34. sounds like only repuke sites are neutral to some

:crazy:

[htuttle]

24. More info

From Madison IMC (related to the WYOU producer, and possibly some of the IMC reporters):

Apparently 4 or 5 people from Madison have been arrested and are in jail. The legal defense people are working on their release. Anyone with more info please post.

It sounds like NLG is on the case. I believe that they had a number of legal observers snatched in the same incident.

[htuttle]

25. Another detail update from Mad IMC

The WYOU producer was also working as a stringer for the Capitol Times (a Madison newspaper). The newspaper has been informed.

[Karenina]

26. Facism!!!

In your neighborhood theatre NOW!!! Check local listings.

[G_j]

27. media under-reporting/ non-reporting

poice abuse, endangers everyone who would exercise their free speech by protesting. Once again, the media is supporting fascism. The message to authorities is that they can do what they want and get away away with it.
The 'libral' media looks the other way.

[htuttle]

29. Cameraman held under $10,000 bail

From http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1790.shtml

JUSTIN OF NYC IMC VIDEO held at $10,000 bail!!!!!
Justin Lipson of Indymedia Video, NYC was pepper sprayed while shooting video and subsequently attacked when he refused police orders to stop shooting. They confiscated his camera. He probably tried to hold onto it as a true indymedia journalist would. He is being charge with felony counts of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. He is also being held in the Dade county jail.

[bigtree]

30. That's at least a $1000.00 sanction (bail) for a lawful protest

if he wants his freedom before the hearing.

[peekaloo]

32. 8 million dollars to police this event.

appropriated from the 87 billion for the Iraq War.

DM reported on Friday that Scahill and a cameraman had also been shot with rubber bullets while covering the protests. The report also included an eyewitness account of what appeared to have been undercover policemen posing as protesters in order to incite violence.


e-mails sent.

[htuttle]

33. Here's a story (with photo) about that

COPS IN BLACK BLOC- PHOTOS FROM BEHIND POLICE LINES

Immediately after the line of riot cops swept the protestors up Biscayne from 2nd Ave yesterday afternoon, dozens of people witnessed multiple undercover officers move freely through the police line.

http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1647.shtml

When the police advanced, we were trapped inside the lobby of the Hotel Continental Riande on the corner of Biscayne Blvd and NE 2nd Avenue with union members, reporters, protestors, employees and bystanders.

We all witnessed undercover police move freely through the line of riot cops, and walk unmolested within the tightly controlled perimeter the police had created. One cop was dressed in all black and wearing a balaclava, another wore a blue bandana and casual clothes. Others wore camoflage clothes and many had backpacks with "FTAA: No Way" stickers and other protest signs.

It seemed clear to many of us that some of these undercovers were involved in inciting the violence that they then responded to with irrationally overwhelming force. If anyone has clear documentation proving this, please contact the legal teams to log your evidence.

It is also suspected by members of the local Amnesty International that the police were conducting experiemnts with unknown bio-chemical weapons against unconsenting protestors. If anyone was exposed to unknown gas yesterday, please contact Miami local chapter of AI 248 at [e-mail] to document your experience.

[donsu]

35. pre-protests cops said they would be - firm but friendly

(or was it friendly but firm?)

ahhh vicious Miami does it's thing.

[htuttle]

38. UPDATE: Ana Nogueira released, others still held

From the Global IMC:

UPDATE: Ana Nogueira has been released on bond, in part due to outside pressure. Justin Lipson, of NYC IMC, is being held on $10,000 bond and charged with three felonies. Jeanette Lee and Michael Medow are charged with misdemeanors and are still being held.
http://www.indymedia.org/