Philly Protesters Face Stiff Charges

Philadelphia police preserved their reputation as one of the most repressive urban departments in the nation by their actions around the Republican National Convention. While most of the demonstrators had other agendas before an anti-war or anti-nuclear message, organizers and the local legal support team see Philadelphia as a harbinger of repression to come, worthy of activists' attention and opposition.

During the first few days of August, more than 400 people were arrested, many while engaging in simple street blockades and other nonviolent direct actions. Significantly, scores of mostly young activists were also taken into preemptive custody during a police raid on a warehouse used for puppet-making, and street sweeps August 1 and 2 targeted organizers on the sidewalk using cell phones ("instruments of crime"), known activists, legal observers, medics, and people who just "looked like" a demonstrator, including some local bicycle couriers. Nearly all of those arrested were charged with multiple misdemeanors including conspiracy, and three dozen people were charged with a variety of felonies, plus conspiracy. Jail solidarity was strong as many refused bail for a week or more in solidarity with others facing felony charges and initial bails of up to $1,000,000.

Unlike Seattle and Washington, D.C., where most of those arrested during protests at the World Bank and WTO meetings eventually had their charges dropped or reduced to infraction status, the Philadelphia District Attorney's office is plowing ahead in court to vindicate their model for containing organized mass protest.

Despite repeated denials during the convention, recently uncovered documents reveal the police actively infiltrated organizing for the events and targeted specific activists for preemptive arrests.

With all the activists now free, court solidarity is also impressive. All but 8 of 320 remaining misdemeanor defendants voluntarily returned to Philadelphia for pretrial hearings in September. Over 200 have refused a plea agreement requiring payments totaling over $300 in return for a clean record, and are now being grouped for trials beginning in late October. The defendants have been meeting since their imprisonment to collectively determine strategy, and are preparing to offer the city 10,000 hours of community service in return for all misdemeanors being dismissed, and all felonies being dismissed or reduced to misdemeanors. More than half of the original total of felony charges have already been dismissed or reduced to misdemeanor status, but 33 people still face trial on the remaining felonies.

Letters and group statements of support addressed to the Philadelphia defendants at the address below will be shared and appreciated by the activists, many of whom are young people facing their first prosecution. Send support c/o R2K Legal, POB 40683, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (215)925-6791. Contributions to help cover the costs of maintaining legal support for a team of pro bono attorneys are welcome, payable to "ISMCH."

Letters demanding dismissal of remaining charges should be sent to Mayor John Street, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19107; and District Attorney Lynne Abraham, 1421 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19102.

In Los Angeles, police attempts at preemptive arrests were somewhat inhibited by favorable court rulings in the days before the Democratic National Convention. While no arrests directly related to anti-war or anti-nuclear concerns were reported, hundreds gave voice to these issues in related marches and demonstrations. Inside the convention, a confrontation occurred when Jeffrey Farrow, White House front man on Puerto Rico, sought to prevent hundreds of "Peace for Vieques" signs from being held aloft by the New York delegation while their Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez addressed the convention and called for an end to the bombing of Vieques. Farrow brought in "huge white men" from New Hampshire to block the delegation's message from view, and the New Yorkers pushed them out of the way, condemning Farrow for his assault on free speech.