Tides Turn on Police in Miami
08 Feb 2004 05:53 GMTMonths after the FTAA Ministerial in Miami, things are starting to come into focus. Not that the gobal justice movement ever saw it out of focus, but the "authorities" are starting to see what they levied in the streets of Miami.
It is coming to light everywhere that the police in Miami used excessive force and were definately not in the right...violating (or completely ignoring) first and fourth amendment rights. A judge hearing the cases of free trade protesters said in court that he saw "no less than 20 felonies committed by police officers"; this was a first step toward the realization of what happened.
A member of the Civilian Investigative Panel (CIP), who had previously prasied police chief John Timoney, resigned after his credibility was called into question by global justice activists. At the most recent CIP hearing, the Miami police admit absolute responsibility for the way activists were treated during the ministerial. The Miami police also recently put out a 66 page "whitewash" of how they dealt with the ministerial. Recently Miami Activist Defense filed a lawsuit attacking the Miami ordinance used during FTAA protests which also affects a majority of cases currently being prosecuted.
John Timoney, Miami police chief, is also still under fire in Philadelphia for the way he directed the 2000 Republican National Convention (RNC) protests. It is rumoured that he will also be consulting with the Boston police for the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this year in Boston.
extra links
JB 08.Feb.2004 06:04
February 5, 2004 - Miami, FL - Protest Chief Timoney of FTAA infamy!
http://ftaaimc.org/or/2004/02/3607.shtml
http://www.saveourcivilliberties.org/en/index.shtml
http://www.saveourcivilliberties.org/en/2004/02/225.shtml
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?list=type&type=42
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?id=224
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?id=361
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?id=354
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?id=341
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?id=360
http://stopftaa.org/article.php?id=350
http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/6159/index.php
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Save Our Civil Liberties links:
Save Our Civil Liberties Campaign:
Save Our Civil Liberties Campaign's Demands of the CIP (posted 02/04)
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MAD links
Miami Activist Defense homepage
classic timoney quotes:
Lawsuit filed attacking Miami ordinance used during FTAA protests (posted
02/04)
Judge dismisses charges in first FTAA-related jury trial (01/29)
and this one was due to the cop not showing up:
Judge dismisses case slated to be first FTAA-related trial (01/20)
Letter from Members of Congress Calling for Investigations into Rights
Violations by Police during FTAA Protests (01/22)
Not as recent, but notable:
Transcript of Judge Margolius Condemning Police Misconduct
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More links:
Haven't read this through; an extensive analysis recently posted to
Baltimore IMC:
The Miami Model: Observations on a Corporate and Government Alliance (01/31)
your twisted message
Bob 09.Feb.2004 20:46
Once again, you criminals lost the war of the messages. You attacked police who were protecting private property from your destruction and, thus, you turned your message from trade to alleged police violence. Look at yourselves. Did you gain anything? No. You are in court battling the police rather than discussing the trade issues. You message was lost. I am against the trade proposals, but I would never find a cop guilty of anything for protecting my property from you guys.
Obviously...
Lil 10.Feb.2004 06:46
...you were not in Miami, Bob. You didn't see what the police did to the protesters. Those who used violence against police were defending themselves. Very little property was damaged, and most of what was was damaged by police. Don't speak of things you don't know anything about, you just make yourself appear stupid to those of us who were there and saw what was really going on.