Protesters Win Ruling on D.C. Arrests

[Judi Lynn]

Protesters Win Ruling on D.C. Arrests
Assistant Police Chief Can Be Liable for Damages, Federal Appeals Court Says

By Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, January 14, 2006; Page B06

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that a top D.C. police official can be held personally liable for the arrest of hundreds of protesters at a 2002 anti-globalization rally, but it said more information was needed before it could decide whether Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey can be held liable as well.

The three-judge panel sharply condemned the arrests of nearly 400 World Bank and International Monetary Fund protesters in September 2002 at a downtown park. The ruling called the actions of Assistant Chief Peter J. Newsham "indefensible" and said "no reasonable officer" would have acted as he did.


The decision was a victory for plaintiffs seeking damages against Newsham, Ramsey and other city and federal officials in a class-action lawsuit. Newsham's conduct is at the core of the dispute.

Newsham ordered his officers to cordon off Pershing Park on Pennsylvania Avenue NW during the Sept. 27, 2002, protest and to arrest the people -- some protesters, some passersby -- who were inside.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/13/AR2006011301808.html?nav=rss_metro



Assistant Chief of Police Peter Newsham (ROC - North) with Captain Francis Hill (3D).

[rodeodance]

1. this is what i call a very wide net! gawds!

Newsham ordered his officers to cordon off Pershing Park on Pennsylvania Avenue NW during the Sept. 27, 2002, protest and to arrest the people -- some protesters, some passersby -- who were inside.
(snip/...)

[PA Democrat]

2. Better hope this case doesn't get appealed to the Supreme Court

Sammy the fascist Alito will vote in favor of the cops.

[FogerRox]

3. Sammy the knife

Alito cuts the Bill of rights to ribbons

[saigon68]

10. THIS FASCIST ALSO HATES TO LET THE "SHEEP" protest

[wordpix]

6. yes, Dem Senators, do your job & stop Scalito, his handle says it all

[SoCalDem]

4. Good, BUT the cops/GOP still "win", since they prevented

these folks for continuing their protest and making their free speech heard.

Like pardoning a dead person...doesn;t do them a whole lot of good if they had to lead their lives branded as a criminal:(

[greiner3]

5. But the damage is already done;

They did not protest. The cops will get off on a technocality and probably get a promotion to boot. After all, they were 'told' to do the arrests by repug agents.

[HuffleClaw]

7. that was a 'scoop' thing wasn't it?

they surrounded a whole area and then simply arrested EVERYONE, no matter who they were or what they were doing. i've heard of police doing that sort of thing to teens, someplace in texas i think it was.

[beltanefauve]

8. Heck,

they did it at the RNC in NY. "Preventative detention" has unfortunately become standard procedure when they don't want dissent on camera. And I grew up during the Cold War and used to hear my parents talk about how the Soviets would arrest and detain people for no reason at all...

[cantstandbush]

9. It could only happen in DC. It would never happen to NYC officials

I am on the side of the protestors but this is not justice but racism at work.