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Anti-WarPressure City of Berkeley to Settle Four Civil Rights Cases
The City of Berkeley is continuing to drag out costly litigation despite overwhelming evidence of police misconduct against the free speech and human rights of demonstrators. Please call or write urging the City to settle these cases rather than waste public resources to further disrupt the lives of the activists.  court-riders.jpg (Pictured above: Attorney Larry Hildes and his assistant Karen Wilde, with
five of the Critical Mass defendants at one of their many court dates. These activists are now suing the Berkeley Police Department). PLEASE PRESSURE THE CITY OF BERKELEY TO SETTLE FOUR "CRITICAL MASS" CASES IMMEDIATELY The decade-long campaign by the Berkeley Police and other elements in the City of Berkeley to interfere with bicycle demonstrations culminated in a cluster of flash points during the years 2000-2001. For the first time ever, activists elected to sue for these harmful attacks on free speech. Although these four cases show clear wrongdoing by the Police Department, which was corroborated repeatedly by the citizen-appointed Berkeley Police Review Commission (PRC), the City Attorney's office is staunchly resisting efforts to settle the cases and is proceeding with costly and time consuming actions which will further harm the activists' lives and increase the costs of the suits greatly for both the City and the victims. These police abuses have already had some of their desired impact: a chilling effect on nonviolent free speech activity in the City of Berkeley. A number of activists have ceased to be involved for fear of further harm. Please help end this ongoing repression. While these four cases are strong, a great deal of time and energy is required to take them to trial, and once in court, there is never a guarantee of justice being served. As the oil war in Iraq looms, can we afford to have activists tied down with blatant abuses which happened two years ago? We need everyone who cares about free speech in Berkeley to call, write, and pressure the Mayor and City Council immediately to urge them to stop the City's denying of the clear wrongdoing of the Berkeley Police Department and to make amends by settling these four cases. More details about the cases are below. Please contact: Mayor Tom Bates and City Council 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 TEL: (510) 981-7100, FAX: (510) 981-7199, TDD: (510) 981-6903 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Email: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us <mailto:mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us> You can email them all at once by cutting and pasting this line: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,wozniak [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, breland [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, hogan [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, maio [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, mhawley [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, olds [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, shirek [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, spring [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, worthington [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Or call them: Linda Maio - Phone: (510) 981-7110 Margaret Breland - Phone: (510) 981-7120 Maudelle Shirek - Phone: (510) 981-7130 Dona Spring - Phone: (510) 981-7140 Miriam Hawley - phone: (510) 981-7150 Betty Olds - Phone: (510) 981-7160 Kriss Worthington - Phone: (510) 981-7170 Gordon Wozniak - Phone: (510) 981-7180 Mayor Tom Bates - Phone: (510) 981-7100 See below for their complete contact information including addresses, fax and TDD numbers, taken from the City's website: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Elected/default.htm ========================= MORE ABOUT THE FOUR CASES ========================= You may have heard of one or more of these four cases: 1) February 9, 2001: A demonstration in solidarity with the indigenous peoples of Ecuador resisting the theft and destruction of their lands and the inevitable ethnocide of their cultures by Big Oil. Berkeley Police (BPD) confronted the small group of demonstrators with overwhelming numbers, forcibly confiscated their sound equipment, bicycles with trailers, and "the couch", as well as a long banner reading "Indigenous Freedom" and the personal courier bag of bicycle organizer Jason Meggs which contained his money, passport, tools, other affects, and 27 keys. Police unleashed violence upon those who remained at the scene verbally protesting both the confiscation of property and the disruption of the demonstration. The PRC found unanimously that many instances of excessive force were committed by the BPD who struck demonstrators with batons, dragged one demonstrator, and violently executed false arrests. Much of the confiscated property was either damaged or never returned, including the personal effects in the courier bag. The couch was destroyed on the spot by police and Public Works, over the distressed and shouted objections of its caretaker, Jason Meggs. Meggs, a well-known organizer of bicycle demonstrations, was repeatedly struck with batons and suffered permanent injury requiring ongoing treatment. Police were caught at the PRC in telling numerous untruths about their actions, which the facts and especially the video evidence directly contradicted. 2) August 10 and July 13, 2001: The police presence at the monthly Critical Mass bicycle demonstration in Berkeley became dramatically more aggressive, culminating in horrifying violence. In July, large numbers of police in cars, motorcycles and bicycles interfered with the ride. An unmarked police SUV filmed riders, and the police personnel within the vehicle refused to identify themselves. A number of harassment citations were issued to selected individuals in a discriminatory manner: one to a latina woman traveling with the group, and one to a young man who followed the surveilance vehicle away from the ride in an effort to identify its occupants. Next month, in August, this police mistreatment only intensified. One motorcycle officer was especially problematic, repeatedly speeding through the crowd and endangering them, then cutting into the crowd and stopping suddenly to cause bicyclists to stop or swerve. Police again targeted specific individuals, issuing one false citation early on, and then deliberately targeting a young latino man while ignoring others around him. Police charged through the group, tackling the man and arresting him. One observer was slammed into a restaurant window. Police unnecessarily caused chaos and confusion, blaring sirens and pulling, shoving and pushing observers in order to flee the peaceful crowd with the arrestee. One organizer was injured by police, receiving a gash on his knee which left a permanent scar. One bicycle trailer carrying a Public Announcement (PA) sound system was damaged by police when they tore cables from it and attempted to overturn it. Participants were traumatized and many of them became scared to return to Critical Mass, and many have not. Later that evening, after demonstrators went to the "Public Safety" building to protest the racist false arrest, a friend of the arrestee was arrested in the center of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. He had done nothing to warrant a citation. 3) April 13, 2001: Sgt. Hester of the BPD mounted a hidden camera on his handlebars for the purpose of following Critical Mass organizers and recording their behavior. Jason Meggs and Ryan Salsbury, organizers who bring the PA system to facilitate free speech, were the only two so targeted. The were not informed at any time that their behavior was going to be monitored and penalized. They were not asked to change their behavior. They acted similarly to the rest of the hundred or so demonstrators. Yet weeks later, Meggs and Salsbury received a number of citations in the mail totaling thousands of dollars, including one misdemeanor each. They were forced to hire an attorney. The PRC agreed that this was blatant selective enforcement. This type of activity is also explicitly illegal. Finally, it is a clear attack on the ability of the organizers to participate in the expression of their free speech rights. Imagine if police followed an organizer of a march throughout the streets and then sent her or him jaywalking tickets in the mail for each intersection the march crossed. That is essentially what happened here, because Critical Mass is a march on wheels. 4) September 26, 2000: Berkeley Police directed Public Works to the site of a bicycle with trailers involved in a "car-free month" demonstration. The trailers held banners with the slogans, "Celebrate [Car-Free] Living" and "Appreciate Bicycles". While University of California Police guarded them, a large group of Public Works employees took a cutting torch to the bicycle, destroying its hand-made steel trailer hitch (rather than simply pulling the pin), cut through and destroyed the U-lock, and tore the hand-made banners to shreds rather than simply cutting their grommet leads. The workers bent and twisted over the banner poles rather than pulling them out, and destroyed the main support struts of one trailer in the process. Police said their excuse for attacking the trailers was because of the demonstration against globalization which was to occur later that evening (at which the trailers were to be used). Demonstrators have already poured a great deal of time and resources into exposing this abusive campaign. There is overwhelming evidence of police misconduct. The City is liable, it's just a question of how much more of the activists' and their public interest attorney's time and money will be required, and how much more taxpayer dollars will be required, before the cases settle or go to trial. It is obvious that delaying the resolution of these cases is a tactic to further squelch free speech and both human and civil rights in Berkeley. In light of the dark cloud of domestic oppression which is forming, you are urgently requested to put an end to this campaign -- conducted before the so-called Patriot Act! -- by using your voice while you still can. Other IMC stories and web sites which relate include: Feb 9: http://www.indybay.org/news/2002/06/132885 S26: http://bclu.org/stories/abuse_reports/abuse-20000926.html second account w/photos: http://guest.xinet.com/rts/past_actions/s26/photos/trailersattacked.html === Again, please call, write, and pressure: Mayor Tom Bates 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 TEL: (510) 981-7100, FAX: (510) 981-7199, TDD: (510) 981-6903 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Email: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us <mailto:mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us> Linda Maio City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7110 Email: maio [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Margaret Breland City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7120 Email: breland [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Maudelle Shirek City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7130 Email: shirek [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Dona Spring City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7140 Email: spring [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Miriam Hawley City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street, Fifth Floor Berkeley, CA 94704 phone: (510) 981-7150 fax: (510) 981-7155 e-mail mhawley [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Betty Olds City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7160 Email: olds [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Kriss Worthington City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7170 Email: worthington [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Gordon Wozniak City of Berkeley 2180 Milvia Street Berkeley, California 94704 Phone: (510) 981-7180 Email: GWozniak [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us
Add Your Comments
Comments (Hide Comments)Whoooo!
Wednesday Jan 22nd, 2003 12:35 AM
Thank you for suing those bastards! I'm so sick of how we're being mistreated by the police everywhere you turn!
one benefit
Wednesday Jan 22nd, 2003 7:07 AM
one benefit from all this legal action seems to be to have put the cops at bay
i know in berkeley at least for the past year the cops have taken a really low profile and the rides have been very positive events i loved the anti-war ride, the hedwig ride was silly in a good way, and i look forward to anarchist crush night next month (yeah!) for those that missed the rainy ride thanks to jason we can experience it on video (do people who don't ride critical mass get the same great feeling from watching? i wonder if it's more amazing when you already enjoy and understand the experience? also i don't watch a lot of tv so i'm not desensitived. maybe it's mor amazing to people who have never or can never have the opportunity to ride?) every day this sick violent system is so oppressive riding the streets we are so mistreated how many friends and lvoers damaged, harmed, killed? how many peaceful moments of reflection turned into sheer terror? how much abuse of power can hurt us from a veryday two ton steel vessel? looking at world politics it's more of the same on a larger scale i don't know if i'd go mad without critical mass if only it were 1000 times over fight the oil war boycott oil EXPANDED CALL: FIRE CITY ATTORNEY
( (jmeggs at bclu dot org) )
Wednesday Jan 22nd, 2003 6:19 PM
We are expanding the call to action to include asking for the Council to
fire the City Attorney, Manuela Albuquerque. This is not a request that is being made lightly. Albuquerque's legacy of expending gross amounts of limited, finite City resources to harass and obstruct local activists is well known and must stop. According to one local attorney, Albuquerque has managed to wrong everyone from the X-plicit players (nudist theatre troupe) to "Republican attorneys in favor of telecommunications stations", frequently ignoring the law. In the end, the City loses in court at great expense. In just one example, she attempted prosecution of Debbie Moore, a local activist, NINE TIMES while keeping her actions secret from the City Council, to their general outrage. I'm further told that Albuquerque consistently ires the City Council by misinforming them of their rights and obstructing their procedures for political reasons. The City Council is frequently wasting time dealing with Albuquerque's wasting of City resources on these campaigns. The actions against bicycle demonstrators is just one of many terrible realities being perpetrated. Therefore, we are expanding the call to action to include asking the City Council to take action to find a new City Attorney whose values reflect those of the City: compassion, justice, and tolerance for free expression. Please call or email the City Council. EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE SO! Even if only to add this one request. *** Please do not forward this email to the council. *** Please do write a brief email expressing your outrage. *** Please do express your sympathy for what the Council has been dealing with, and urge them to end this problem for the betterment of all. To summarize the points to bring to the Council (you may adapt these or cut-and-paste into your own letter): =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= To the City Council: 1) Please settle the four "Critical Mass" cases as soon as possible. 2) Settling these cases will not only be the most ethical thing to do, but will also be the most cost effective for the City. 3) Please tell the City Attorney's office to stop wasting the City Council's time harassing you with cases that should clearly be settled. 4) Please take decisive action to replace City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque with a new City Attorney whose values reflect those of the City: compassion, justice, and tolerance for free expression. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= You can email them all at once by cutting and pasting this line: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,wozniak [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,breland [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,maio [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,mhawley [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, olds [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,shirek [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, spring [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,worthington [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Please then call them if you can, even if you are not in their district, even if you don't live in Berkeley (but shop here, visit here, have friends here, care about what happens here, are tired of hearing of protesters in general and Critical Mass demonstrations in particular being targeted with civil rights abuses, etc.): Linda Maio - Phone: (510) 981-7110 Margaret Breland - Phone: (510) 981-7120 Maudelle Shirek - Phone: (510) 981-7130 Dona Spring - Phone: (510) 981-7140 Miriam Hawley - phone: (510) 981-7150 Betty Olds - Phone: (510) 981-7160 Kriss Worthington - Phone: (510) 981-7170 Gordon Wozniak - Phone: (510) 981-7180 Mayor Tom Bates - Phone: (510) 981-7100 See the original news article above for further contact information. even berkeley huh?
Thursday Jan 23rd, 2003 1:35 AM
Lemme get this straight.
G Bush and his army of corporate satans is giving tax cuts for SUV's, pouring billinos into bombing the middle east and killing hundreds of thousands of women and children with sanctions, looting the public's savings (sound familiar, S&L) with Enron etcetera, opposing Kyoto climate control, and moving ahead to decimate the last of the old growth forests, our civil rights have been strippped (probably from a G Bush and army of corporate satans plot, it's so obvious) after a staged "Attack" on the "homeland", and the city of so called buzerkeley is cracking heads on people who don't use oil. HMM. Somebody turn the world right side up would you please? "so-called Patriot Act!"
Thursday Jan 23rd, 2003 11:45 PM
> so-called Patriot Act!
I know you're trying to show that it's not what people think it is, but let's face it, Patriotism really is that fucked up. Patriotism is in essence a form of fascism: the erecting of artificial borders, enforced with military might, as a justification for the swelling of pride and egotism. Us v. them. While some would say that Patriotism in the United States celebrates "freedom", even the most simplistic analysis of the United States shows that to be a delusion. I searched for a really good definition of Patriotism that I once saw on this site but haven't found it yet. Kind of related, turned up in my search - You Can't Trust a Patriot http://indybay.org/news/2002/12/1550369_comment.php#1551610 simpler message
Saturday Jan 25th, 2003 11:06 PM
Hello,
Well I've been told to make the bulletin simpler. "It would take me hours to figure out what's going on, so many big words." Here's your super-simple way to help support the effort. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO IT!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO IT!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO IT!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO IT!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO IT!!!!!! 1) WHY DO IT? For ten years police have messed with bicycle demonstrations in Berkeley. People have spent weeks in jail, been injured, threatened, and given lotsa bogus tickets. The big attacks by police come in waves, ususally at least once a year, plus lower-level harassment throughout the year. We never sued before. Since we sued, the police have become much more mellow. For now. Settling these suits is all about making them stop for good. 2) How to do it? _____ _ ______ ___ | ____| / / ___ / / | | _| / _ ___ \ V /| | | |___ / ___ ___) || | |_| |_____/_/ _____/ |_| (_) Write an email to the Mayor and City Council. Here we wrote it for you. mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,wozniak [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, breland [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,maio [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, mhawley [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, olds [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, shirek [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, spring [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, worthington [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us ================================================================== Dear Mayor and City Council: Please work to fairly settle the four "Critical Mass" cases before you now. For over ten years the conduct of the Berkeley Police at bicycle demonstrations has been brought to your attention. In a city renowned for its love of free speech and direct democracy, how can this have been allowed for so long? Peaceful bicycle demonstrators have very important messages which still need to be heard. It is unconscionable to drag out these cases when the Police Review Commission has agreed that extensive police misconduct occurred. Please settle the cases now before more time and trouble is expended, and please include policy decisions in your settlement which will protect the public from ever experiencing this kind of treatment again. Sincerely, ================================================================== Don't forget to sign it! Thank you and please call or write me if you have any questions. p.s. also you can check out a website for berkeley critical mass, if you're interested: http://www.berkeleycriticalmass.org/ use a bike, go to jail
Sunday Jan 26th, 2003 7:14 AM
To: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, wozniak [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us,
breland [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, maio [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, mhawley [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, olds [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, shirek [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, spring [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, worthington [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us Dear Mayor and Council members, Having been on the receiving end of outrageously hostile BPD officers regarding my daily and careful use of a bicycle in Berkeley, I can also urge prompt settlement of the four Critical Mass cases. I would like to add that the Berkeley Municipal Code needs to be redrawn so it does not expose the city to further lawsuits from bicyclists trying to exercise their freedom of expression and their rights to share public space and facilities. There seems to be an attitude within the BPD that cars and trucks are the highest and best forms of transportation, with a perception that bicyclists are inferior and possibly criminal just because they are trying to use the simplest and sweetest form of human mobility ever devised. The operator of a brand new HUMMER has no greater rights and liberties than the operator of the most humble bicycle, or at least that's the way it should be. It is not that way in a city that criminalizes the mere locking of a bicycle to a parking meter, something that the bicycle lock industry is designing almost every bike lock to do. I PROTEST THE VICIOUS NASTINESS OF THE BERKELEY MUNICIPAL CODE, with reference to bicycles. The actual terms and penalties within that section reflect a city that hates bicyclists, humiliates and insults them, and encourages its peace officers to cite and harass them. It makes a mockery of this city's phony PR asserting since most Berkeleyans are killing each other and the planet with poisonous fumes in gridlock, that bicycling should be encouraged. The section of the Berkeley Municipal Code that criminalizes everything about bicycles is 14.68.370. The section which makes the mere locking of a bicycle to a parking meter a criminal act is 14.68.180. Please reply and clarify to me what the phrase "BICYCLE FRIENDLY" is supposed to mean, especially with reference to the Berkeley Police Department. Jim Doherty "True silence...is to the spirit, what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment." William Penn 1644-1718 dear mayor and city council
Sunday Jan 26th, 2003 8:01 PM
Dear Mayor Bates and City Councilmembers,
I implore you to settle the 4 "Critical Mass Bike Ride" cases from 2000-01 as soon as possible. I am so strongly dissatisfied with how City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque is mishandling these cases that I suggest you consider firing her! The 4 cases show police misconduct, and were corroborated by the Police Review Commission. I was shocked by the police aggression, provocation and/or unnecessary violence on several of these rides. The police took a position that the ends justifies the means: that excessive, illegal violence and abuse could shut the ride down. This position is unethical and illegal. Berkeley's voters will not stand for it. Furthermore, this flawed tactic has failed. However, the City Attorney continues to support this tactic, waste city resources, and take un-Berkeleyan actions which adversely impact police abuse victims. Berkeley is NOT YET a safe city for pedestrians and bicyclists. Berkeley is too congested with cars. Over the last decade, Critical Mass has been a positive force (& celebration!), which has brought attention to bicyclists' needs. This has enabled Bicycle Friendly Berkeley Coalition to arise and to work with the City to make Berkeley much safer for bicyclists. There is still more work to be done. One City Councilmember has occassionally joined Critical Mass rides, and even coordinated a small (non traffic-calming) ride to the Sacramento Capital building as part of a tentative election campaign! A trailer-carried sound system (which often showed up on Critical Mass rides) accompanied that ride. Critical Mass rides are simply one outlet for expressing frustration at Berkeley's car culture. Courteously, there is only 1 ride per month, and it does not start until AFTER the peak of the evening commute. There really is enough frustration for more rides and a time with more impact and visibility, but the worldwide Critical Mass movement seems to have settled on 1 monthly event to have optimal impact. Obviously motorists are frustrated with Berkeley's car congestion, too. And, it's not all their fault. Alas, AC Transit & BART keep raising fares, and AC Transit is severely cutting back its already inadequate service. This encourages more commuters to opt for car use -- thanks also to our President's commitment to destroy our economy while maintaining cheap, subsidized oil. It's no surprise that concerned citizen groups like the BEST (Berkeley Ecological & Safe Transportation) Coalition and CLB (Coalition for a Livable Berkeley) are forming, and that ballot initiatives seek to address Berkeley's congestion and growth. The City Council should take a leading role in enabling safe bike routes to secure parking facilities at schools, universities, mass transit stations, entertainment centers and retail centers! It's a win-win solution. Safe streets give motorists what they want: less traffic congestion. This would be a strong incentive for people to reduce their car driving. It allows parents the eco-friendly option to bicycle with their children to drop them off at school. It's really one of the best, least costly solutions to Berkeley's congestion problem. It would also show Berkeley voters the strong, positive leadership we desire. Critical Mass celebrates the common goal of safe streets. Don't shoot the messenger because you're unhappy about the message. Please settle Berkeley's past's ill-advised cases quickly, and devote our limited city resources to planning for Berkeley's future. Sincerely, [Resident] Please settle the bicycle activist cases
Tuesday Jan 28th, 2003 5:24 AM
To: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, wozniak [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, breland [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, maio [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, mhawley [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, olds [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, shirek [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, spring [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us, worthington [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us
Subject: Please settle the bicycle activist cases Dear Council members, I am a bicyclist very concerned about the ongoing harrassment of bicycle/critical mass activists by the police and City of Berkeley. The four cases involving Critical Mass activist that are still pending all show clear misconduct by city police and harrassment of these activists for their political activities. Please do not waste any more city resources squelching free speech and demonstrations and settle these cases in a just way. At a time when the US government is doing all it can to limit dissent and the City of Berkeley's image is still tarnished by Mayor Bates' destruction of the Daily Cal papers, I urge you as City of Berkeley public servants to do all you can to support free speech and end persecution of activists for their political activities. Rest assured that Berkeley bicycle riders and activists will make sure that this case is highly publicized and city officials will be held accountable for the results. Thank you. Sean Potts bfd
Wednesday Jan 29th, 2003 9:24 PM
Asking people to write to the mayor or city council to
fire a city attorney because she refuses to "settle" a case these "activists" brought against the city is B.S. - let's all get a grip here, IF these "activists" bring a lawsuit ACTUALLY BELIEVING they have a case, then litigate and PROVE they're right. But asking people to write the mayor or city council requesting that this case be "settled" because they don't have the resources to continue - HEY, WHO STARTED THIS FIGHT ANYWAYS???? Based on their actions, these "activists" are nothing more than mere hooligans trying to make a buck.... dear berkeley fire department (?)
Thursday Jan 30th, 2003 6:09 AM
Dear BFD (is that the Fire Department?),
FYI, most cases with any merit settle. Period. These cases have lots of merit. To recap the information which you have already been presented with, elements of the City are (as usual!) resisting settling. They are using City resources to try to wear out the activists and "win" simply by attrition. This is a huge waste all around, but makes the cruel and inhumane elements of the City happy, because collectively their number one objective for decades has been the suppression of dissent, particularly leftist, human rights, and environmentalist dissent. The examples of this are many but not readily visible until one becomes involved and begins to see how things are done behind closed doors. The activists who have brought these cases are courageous and have incredible stamina to have held in so long, but that should already be obvious given the history of repression experienced. Nice try troll. sorry...
Thursday Jan 30th, 2003 3:25 PM
You're right, most cases do settle. However, IF you've got a case, you should be prepared to take all the way to trial and PROVE IT!!! IF these so-called "activists" actually have a case, then they need to go forth and show the city that they will not back down, that they believe in their cause and that they have the evidence to support their case and that they will win....Whining to the public asking that people to write to the mayor/city council because they "don't have the resources" is telling the city, hey, we'll bring a lawsuit, tie up your resources, but let's settle so we can MAKE SOME MONEY. BS - get a life! IF YA GOT A CASE PROVE IT. You can call this a troll, but your lawsuits are BS if you aren't prepare to win.....
dear bfd
Thursday Jan 30th, 2003 8:27 PM
bfd,
good point and yes, calling for settlement and explaining the ethical reasons for it could be seen as a sign of weakness. but i don't think anyone anywhere said we aren't prepared to fight it, and we've provided lots of evidence which is ongoing. case in point, the article in the daily californian tuesday: http://www.dailycal.org/article.asp?id=10664 The last part of which says, Critical Mass vowed not to give up. "I think that we will reach an agreement," Hildes said. "If we don't, we'll keep fighting the cases." thanks Monday: CALL/COME
( (j m eggs at b c l u dot org) )
Saturday Feb 8th, 2003 8:39 PM
Fellow people,
Fellow bicyclists, Monday is a very important day for your help in concluding the four bicycle activist lawsuits against the Berkeley Police Department. Two very brief things you can do: 1) Show up at 5 PM at Berkeley City Hall, 6th floor, for just 10 minutes. 2) Call your Mayor and Councilmembers Thank you! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * More details: Please read background info at the Independent Media Center story: http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/01/1563964.php Then do just those TWO simple things! 1) Come to the meeting. There are only 10 minutes of Public Comment before the meeting goes into closed session. You may fill out a speaker card if you wish, or simply show your support with your presence. Arrive promptly at 5 PM. This is one of the most effective and brief things you can do to support protecting civil rights and bicycle demonstrations in the City of Berkeley! Location, Monday 5 PM: Berkeley City Hall 6th Floor Conference Room 2180 Milvia 5 PM sharp ! ! ! The City's description of the meeting is here: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/2003citycouncil/closed/pdf/021003acl.pd f 2) Call them! Mayor Tom Bates - Phone: (510) 981-7100 Linda Maio - Phone: (510) 981-7110 Margaret Breland - Phone: (510) 981-7120 Maudelle Shirek - Phone: (510) 981-7130 Dona Spring - Phone: (510) 981-7140 Miriam Hawley - phone: (510) 981-7150 Betty Olds - Phone: (510) 981-7160 Kriss Worthington - Phone: (510) 981-7170 Gordon Wozniak - Phone: (510) 981-7180 YES: Call the Mayor and Council and urge them to settle these cases quickly and ethically. Tell them you OPPOSE police violence against demonstrators. Tell them you SUPPORT protecting free speech rights in the City of Berkeley. If you agree with promoting bicycle use, mention that as well. And of course, OBJECT to the waste of our precious activist and City resources by continuing to fight these cases. Dragging them out is helping no one and is a waste. There is overwhelming evidence of Police wrongdoing, including agreement from the City's own Police Review Commission that the Police committed many violations against demonstrators. If you are from out of the area, of course you can call, email or fax the Mayor and Council Members. See the news story (above) for contact info. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Any questions, please feel free to call or email. We are hoping to show a brief video of the police misconduct at the Bicycle Film Fest Sunday night, 4-9 PM at La Pena (two blocks from Ashby BART). Check this web site for details about the film fest: http://www.bfbc2.org/events/ Latest update: the arduous five days of depositions last week are over and with the police so clearly in the wrong, it looks very good for finally putting this unfortunate chapter behind us. Your support will make all the difference. Protect demonstrators in Berkeley. What we want: we need to City to change policies so that these things don't happen again, to ANYONE, whether or not they are demonstrating. We also need the City to make amends to those who were injured or otherwise harmed, and to pay for the legal costs of pursuing these cases. The City has a fund for this purpose, separate from normal expenditures. Ideally, the Police would have to pay for their wrongdoing. Note that over a decade, many appeals were made to the City (then headed by Mayor Shirley Dean) to put an end to these kinds of police abuses. Bringing suit was a last resort. Thank you for your consideration, and please DO help. Sincerely, Jason Meggs =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Jason Meggs P.O. Box 15071 Berkeley, CA 94712-6071 Home/Fax: (510) 486-1528 Mobile: (510) 816-BIKE (2453) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= video now posted
Wednesday Feb 12th, 2003 8:32 PM
Please see the following story on SF IMC to view a video describing these four cases:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/02/1572924.php |