Thread: What march cost Tucson plus arrestees still whining

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/125294

Published: 04.19.2006

20 criticize police conduct at protest
By Alexis Huicochea
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
A pro-immigration march last week cost the Tucson Police Department $42,000 — $34,000 of which was in overtime pay for officers, police said Tuesday.
But it was how some of those officers acted during the April 10 demonstration that brought about 20 people to the Citizen Police Advisory Review Board meeting Tuesday night.
They went to the meeting to complain about the conduct of officers in handling a counterprotest that included the burning of a Mexican flag. The incident resulted in six people being arrested and some protesters being peppered-sprayed by officers. Tucson police the following day arrested the man who burned the Mexican flag.
Some of the protesters accused the police of using excessive force and of negligence.
Wade Colwell, 36, stood before board members at the main public library Downtown to tell them his experience at Armory Park and ask that someone be held accountable for officers' actions.
Colwell, a Tucson resident and Realtor, said he attended the demonstration with his fiancée, children and other family members.
He said he was about 150 feet away from where counterprotesters had set up to burn a Mexican flag, but he was trying to ignore them.
But when his niece told him that a counterprotester spit in her face, he went to talk with a police officer, he said.
When he arrived, he was disturbed to find that the officers had their backs turned to the counterprotesters while one counterprotester waved a container of lighter fluid.
"I thought it was a major act of negligence for the officers to have their backs turned to them," Colwell said. "It seemed like a dangerous situation to me."
Colwell admits that he did fling water towards the counterprotesters because he did not want the flag to be set on fire — an action he regrets.
He said an officer approached him and gave him three options: leave the demonstration, be arrested or stay away from the counterprotesters. He chose the third option.
"I just asked, 'Why didn't you move them away? Why accommodate people doing something so inflammatory?' and all I kept hearing was 'First Amendment, First Amendment,' " Colwell said.
Then, when a young girl threw a water bottle, chaos ensued, he said. People were pepper-sprayed by police, including himself, his niece and his brother-in-law.
Others at the meeting posed the same question Colwell did — why let the counterprotesters burn the flag in the middle of Armory Park?
The answer they received from Tucson police was that the counterprotesters had as much right to be in the park as the protesters did. It is a public place and no one has any exclusive right to it, said police Capt. Bob Shoun.
The police cannot force counterprotesters to move to a separate area, although they can try to persuade them, said Deputy Chief Kermit Miller.
No action was taken at the board meeting Tuesday night.
Tucson police are conducting an internal investigation to review how the officers handled the incident, Miller said.
Leaders of the pro-immigration demonstration are demanding that the city drop charges against six people who were arrested during the demonstration, investigate what they called excessive use of force by police, and find out how an anti-immigrant group was allowed to get into the middle of Armory Park to burn Mexican flags and incite the crowd.
The Citizen Police Advisory Review Board reviews and comments on completed police investigations of complaints brought against the Tucson Police Department. The board consists of seven voting members.
● Star reporter Becky Pallack contributed to this story. Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at 629-9412 or ahuicochea@azstarnet.com.

Is that cost going to be put upon the Tucson taxpayers? By all rights the organizers of this protest owe that amount plus any cleanup.

MJ