Legal Update for 3/19 & 3/20

3/19:
7 arrests at the Bechtel action, 2 arrests on the march to the housing action, 11 arrests at the housing action, and 4 people arrested inside the housing action (but not charged).
Most charges are blocking traffic / disorderly conduct / failure to obey
Everyone has been released. The first arraignments are Tuesday, 3/23 at 850 Bryant.


3/20:
The march today was estimated at more that 50k people. At 2pm, a solidarity march of approx 500 people broke away from the rest of the march. At about 3:15pm, the police illegally stopped this march and surrounded the activists. As usual, police refused to allow people to comply with dispersal orders. The officer on the loudspeaker told protesters they would be subject to being beaten with batons if they failed to disperse.

Throughout the afternoon, there were arrests at several other locations, and we received reports of targetted arrests by undercover officers. At 6pm activists held a vigil outside the jail at 850 Bryant. At 7pm police began harrassing people, detaining and running IDs of anyone wearing black. They arrested one man.

Police ultimately arrested about 70 people over the course of the day.

Most arrestees were cited and released. At this time (10:15pm) there are 3 people confirmed to still be in custody. We anticipate that they will be released on Sunday, 3/22.

Call the DA's office: 415-553-1752 and demand that the remaining protesters be released, and that all charges be dropped.

There have been numerous reports of police misconduct and brutality during these illegal arrests resulting in several serious injuries. Police beat one man with batons so severely that he had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency care

Legal Observers and witnesses:
Pictures, video and other evidence can be dropped off at the National Lawyers Guild office at 558 Capp St. during regular business hours. (If you can't make this, call 415-285-1011 to arrange another drop-off). Please be sure to label all of your evidence and keep a copy of anything you give to us.

Documenting Injuries and Police Misconduct:
You can find a police misconduct report here. If you were injured in any way, see Shooting the Wounded, a guide to documenting injuries. Fill out these forms and fax or drop off at the NLG office. The fax number is 415-285-5066.