Thread: OREGON STATE POLICE BANS WAR PROTEST

CONSTITUTION PARTY OF OREGON

OREGON STATE POLICE BANS WAR PROTEST

Clackamas, OR – CONSTITUTION PARTY OF OREGON condemns prohibition of
constitutional rights. On Saturday, December 9, 2006, the Oregon
State Police threatened to arrest David Brownlow, Vice Chairman of
the Constitution Party of Oregon, for peaceably exercising his
constitutional right of free speech and assembly during a war
protest.

David Brownlow, his wife Suzanne, and their 12-year-old daughter were
peacefully assembled on the sidewalk along Sunnyside Road near the
Clackamas Town Center Mall holding up a banner that said "SUPPORT OUR
TROOPS – BRING THEM HOME!" An Oregon State Police trooper saw their
banner and sped up to the scene, blocking the mall traffic on
Sunnyside Road in front of the sidewalk protest. The visibly
agitated trooper then got out of his vehicle and began shouting at
the Brownlows. He informed them that they were "breaking the law" by
protesting on a public sidewalk, and demanded that they put away the
sign and "leave the area immediately."

When Mr. Brownlow asked what law was being broken, the trooper
refused to answer and hopped over the traffic barrier onto the
sidewalk and began to shout directly into Mr. Brownlow's face that it
was "enough to be told the law was being broken." He added that any
further questions would "result in an arrest." Mrs. Brownlow
responded by saying, "We're not blocking the road, nor are we
blocking the sidewalk." This caused the officer to stick his finger
in her face and shout, "If you do not stop talking, I will arrest you
for disorderly conduct!" He then brusquely grabbed the Brownlow's
banner out of their hands, wadded it up and threw it into his patrol
truck.

By coincidence, several people were less than 100 feet away on the
same stretch of sidewalk waving large signs advertising a store
closing sale. In addition, there were several panhandlers with signs
at surrounding Sunnyside Road intersections. When asked about the
others holding signs, the trooper said, "The law protects those
activities, but what you're doing is political and is not allowed on
public property." During his intimidating behavior, and while the
Brownlows spoke calmly, the unhinged trooper feigned grabbing his
handcuffs as he threatened, "I could arrest you right now and haul
you both in for `disorderly conduct!"

Mr. Brownlow said afterward, "My family was terrified by the hyper-
aggressive behavior of this trooper. He completely lost control of
himself. There was absolutely no reason he had to shout at us or
threaten us in that manner. After I got the officer to calm down
long enough for him to show me which Oregon Statute I had supposedly
violated, he said we were `obstructing vehicular traffic on a public
way, as drivers could possibly be distracted while reading our
sign'. Which means the trooper obviously knows next to nothing about
the law he is supposed to enforce – not a very good scenario for a
man walking around with a badge, a gun, and a seriously bad attitude!"

Brownlow continued, "He even threatened to take away my Concealed
Handgun License. I told him that he was completely out of line to
threaten my family with such venom, and that he was wrong about the
law. I then challenged him to arrest me if he really thought I had
broken the law, at which time he finally began to back off. Even
then, he refused to let us return to our protest."

Suzanne Brownlow, Communications Director for the Constitution Party
of Oregon, said, "The twisted irony is that, at this very moment, our
son is over in Baghdad serving in the Army. Some would say he is in
Iraq `fighting to protect our freedom', which would include our right
to do exactly what we were doing on Sunnyside - protesting the
illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. Clearly, our freedom is in a
rather precarious condition with heavy-handed, police state tactics
like this being used to silence ordinary Americans."

It is likely that the trooper broke numerous state and federal laws
during the encounter. The Brownlows plan to pursue full legal action
against all those involved in this incident.

Life, Liberty & Limited Government
-30-

CONSTITUTION PARTY OF OREGON
560-A NE "F" Street, Box 201

Grants Pass, OR 97526

www.constitutionpartyoregon.net, jackbrown@jackbrown.org

Phone: 541-659-4313, Fax: 541-476-7001

They should have told the officer they wanted to speak to his supervisor! better yet, they should have called Animal Control! Myself, I would not protest the war, my nephew just got back from Iraq, these people had every right to protest though, this is still America right?I think if illegals can get out in our streets enmass to protest and demand their rights, surely these people had the right as LEGAL CITIZENS, of this country to have their protest this officer was way out of line and should be suspended for using his badge of authority to badger,(pardon the pun) and threaten these citizens, wish I had the name of his headquaters, I would write a little letter to his supervisor myself!

That Cop should lose his badge and be sued by these people!

How is it America Citizens cannot protest as is their right but these illegal criminal invaders can do so? Any person here criminally (illegally) who attempts to protest should be arrested on the spot!