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Solidarity with L@s Autonomous Brown Berets of Sonoma County! Hands off Ramon Cairo!

by Northbay Movement for a Democratic Society
Ramon Cairo is a disciplined and highly regarded street organizer in Santa Rosa, whose work in solidarity with the Justice Coalition for Andy Lopez has lead to retaliation by Santa Rosa police, who have kidnapped him under false charges. Video footage and eyewitnesses point out the fabrications of the charges, and the court trial is important, because if Ramon is locked up, then other community organizers could also be locked up under false charges!
Free Ramon Cairo! [http://northbaymds.blogspot.com/2013/12/free-ramon-cairo.html]

Statement from L@s Autonomous Brown Berets of Sonoma County [http://bayareasolidarity.blogspot.com/2014/04/ls-autonomous-brown-berets-of-sonoma.html]:

On December 10th, 2013, at about 4 in the afternoon, the Justice Coalition for Andy Lopez, under the Leadership of Ramon Cairo, decided to partake in a Civil, Silent, Demonstration, in City Hall, whereby the various members of the community (56 at the time), would carry 56 crosses, each cross paying Respects and representing each individual who has tragically, and unfortunately, died at the hands of law enforcement. This was done to protest the incompetence and collaboration in the murder of Andy Lopez that D.A. Jill Ravitch has demonstrated. She has done this by failing to criminally charge Deputy Erick Gelhaus, and delaying her ‘Decision’ to state to the public whether she will be filing criminal charges against this Deputy, for the crime of MURDER.

The emphasis was placed on the term ‘Silent’. The various City Council members that we have, were in session at the time, and I felt that there was no need to engage the council members or the public, for in this particular instance, I felt that the need to explain our presence was not there. I felt that the Crosses spoke for themselves, and were a testament to the heinous and overt, transgressions of the public’s trust, and Individuals’ Civil Rights and Liberties.

Upon reaching the City Council doors, we were met by a phalanx of officers, whom, with crossed-arms, vehemently refused, and barred our entry into what is first and foremost, a Public, Government, building whose primary purpose is to provide a venue for concerned citizens to voice their grievances, and complaints, to their elected officials. (I wish to note that this is a Constitutional Right, which We, are All entitled to.) and was, for all intents and purposes, essentially our position at the time. The Santa Rosa Police Dept. Officer who I directly engaged with, and spoke to, is named Officer Sloannen, however, the arresting officer is named Sargeant Bradley Conners. His story is that, while I was holding a bullhorn in one hand, and a cross in my other hand, he claims I was able to grab BOTH of his wrists, thereby utilizing the cross to hit him in his forehead. (A preposterous claim, for I am the farthest thing from an octopus, or any other creature with more than 2 arms, so, I have provided a copy of the video).

Basically, when an officer tried to grab my wrist, to pull me into City Council Chambers, and thereby Falsely Arrest me, I attempted to establish some distance, (for I wanted to prevent being Falsely Accused, Falsely Charged, and go through the Injustice of The Amerikkkan Kangaroo Kourt System) now, the space is limited, for I was Leading this procession, Leading My People to voice their concerns against an extremely Prejudicial, Hateful, Confederacy of Swine, and in the course of this engagement, where I repeat, ‘I merely attempted to prevent my person from being Falsely Detained, or placed in Custody Under False Pretenses’; Sergeant Conners claims I Assaulted him.

I was not immediately arrested. Per Sergeant Conners testimony, his ‘fear of the crowd’ led to him feeling that he could not arrest me right then and there.

Various members of city council knew that the actions that various members of the police dept. engaged in were criminal in nature, for these were blatant violations of federal and state law, regardless of how it is ‘self-rationalized’. Therefore, we were given the entry we should have been given from the beginning, and it is at this point that I found it important to address the public. The Cowardice, and Lack of Leadership was exemplified by the Mayor of Santa Rosa, along with about 3-or 4 other council members, who ran from the room, in fear, not of the People, but of the Truth, that their collective Ineptitude, Bias, and Utter Disregard, for the Latino Community. The only ones who stayed to hear what The People had to say were Julie Combs, and Gary Wysocky. It was while these two Council Members attempted to speak to me, that about 9 to 10 officers forcefully, and violently threw me on the ground, claiming I was resisting arrest.

I was notified of my charges, almost 20 minutes after my arrest. I have just concluded my Preliminary trial, where due to the Arresting Officers Lies, and my lawyer, Mr. Izaak Schweiger, from The Law Firm Adams Fietz, beautiful cross-examination, I had my Felony charge of Assault on a Peace Officer dropped to a misdemeanor. My other two charges, Resisting Arrest, and Barring an Officer from Performing his Duties, will be heard along with my now misdemeanor Assault on a Peace Officer later this month. We are taking no deals, no breaks. I will take this to trial, for I fear no Lies, I fear no Swine. I believe in the Intellect of The People, and I believe the these Swines’ attempt to Obfuscate the Truth is readily visible to The People, and I Believe that The People are tired of being Trampled on, Subjugated, treated as sub-humans, and subject to threats.

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