Baton-Bashed In Denver! Is This Really What Democracy Looks Like?!

IS THIS WHAT DEMOCRACY REALLY LOOKS LIKE?!

There are characteristics essential to being a member of the peace and social justice organization, CODEPINK. Chief among them is compassion. One can hardly dedicate one's life to improving the lives of others if there isn't an abiding drive to help those in need. Thus, it was no surprise to those who know her when 24 year old CODEPINK member, Alicia Forrest, in search of the truth, used her camera to document the arrest of a young man swarmed and overpowered by Denver sheriffs during a demonstration in Denver.

The sheriffs were NOT appreciative of Alicia's attempt to photograph the incident. Thus, in an over-the-top, some might even say unprofessional response to Alicia's citizen journalism, the Denver sheriff (shown in the video), apparently bashed the diminutive young woman with his baton, knocked her to the ground, and left her sprawled across the pavement in pain.

After being helped to her feet by witnesses who were shocked at the officer's seemingly unprovoked aggression, Alicia was approached by on-site media who asked what precipitated the altercation with the sheriff. When Alicia began to tell the media what happened, the sheriff, in still another questionable act, grabbed her, collared her gruffly, whisked her off the premises, and arrested her.

As I report this, young Alicia Forrest has just been released from jail where she has spent the greater part of the day. Her charge was "Interference." Her bail was in excess of five hundred dollars.

As Alicia explained to me this evening, the sheriff actually hit her TWICE with the baton - the first time off camera - the second time on. I personally witnessed the abrasions on Alicia's wrists from the tightly fastened plastic restraints. To the credit of the Denver Sheriff's Department, this incident is currently under investigation by their Internal Affairs Division.

So judge for yourselves!! You've seen the video evidence. IS THIS REALLY WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE?!

Comments

[brouse0122]

I just returned from Denver--was in the Texas Delegation---wore the "Make Out, Not War" sticker---these ladies are doing a good job in promoting peace.

What this video shows is dreadful! I hope the policeman is punished---NOT what you should see in a democracy! I generally saw the protesters doing their thing, the rest of us walking around them, and the police standing by.

While in Denver I saw a photo of an 80-year old man who inadvertently got swept up in an arrest of militant protesters, though he looked NOTHING like them, roughed up until the police finally saw a receipt from the library in his briefcase. "Sorry," just doesn't cut it.

BR

[WatchIt]

China? US? China? US? China? US? Germany 1930? North Korea? China? US?

Get used to it if Sarah Palin is elected President.

Palin/McCain '10

[Rule Of Law]

If you pick a state for your Convention that is run by a Republican with strong ties to the Bush regime, you get what you pay for. They could have had it in any Blue state. But, nooooooooooo. Almost as if they really wished to marginalize anyone with a view that differed from the DNC. Gee, ya think?

[BonnieMary]

As a someone with an ID of "Rule of Law," I should think you would have to agree that NO excuse is good enough for our police to hit anyone who is doing nothing against the law. These women have dedicated themselves to peacefully supporting our troops with their time, money, and energy--much more meaningful than slapping a yellow ribbon on your car! Is this scene something we should be seeing in a real democracy, or has our "democracy" become a farce?

[lovinCO]

uh, sorry, that was some time ago. We have a Democratic Governor (Ritter) and Denver has a Democratic Mayor (Hickenlooper) So you might want to get your facts straight. That said, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for this kind of behavior from the authorities and I hope she sues their pants off. My daughter was down there all week taking pictures, and she has one of this same lady the next day participating in the anti-war march led by the Iraq Veterans Against the War. Can't keep a good woman down! I personally feel that the police presence was way overdone this week, and the way that groups of protesters were corralled was disgusting and in total opposition to the freedom of expression that Dems so publicly cherish. This kind of thing just makes the Dems look very hypocritical.
It definitely looked like a police state, even Harry Smith of CBS(?) said he found it "disturbing." However, the anti-abortion protesters were not handled this way, but simply tolerated. Some did insist on being arrested, and the police followed the script on that.