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Lincoln native injured, charged in protest

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BY ZACH PLUHACEK / Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007 - 12:07:59 am CDT

A 22-year-old Lincoln High graduate was in serious condition at a Rhode Island hospital Monday, after a Saturday scuffle between police and a crowd of protesters.

Alex Svoboda, who is studying Spanish at the Community College of Rhode Island, was part of a group protesting the labor practices of a New York food distributor used by a North Providence restaurant.

The protesters were walking down the street toward Jacky’s Galaxie when six North Providence police officers told them to move to the side of the road because they were blocking traffic, according to the Providence Journal.

Story Photo
Alex Svoboda

The situation escalated. The police used pepper spray. The demonstrators said officers were restraining Svoboda, and she was trying to get free, when they tackled her and dislocated her left knee.

Sgt. Michael Paiva said police had to use force to restrain Svoboda because she was “hitting,” “kicking” and “pushing” officers. She has been charged with three counts of assaulting a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Scott Svoboda, Alex’s father, traveled to Rhode Island with other family members after his daughter called them in Lincoln at 6 a.m. Sunday.

“It’s more than just a passing injury,” he said from the hospital.

Alex Svoboda is suffering from a detached fibula and unspecified soft tissue and ligament injuries. She also underwent surgery to address compartment syndrome — a medical problem in which pressure impairs the blood supply in a confined space. Her dad was unsure of any permanent damage.

“It’s too soon to tell,” he said, “but we’re talking about a severe trauma.”

Paiva, who was on the scene, said the officers’ response was justified because demonstrators outnumbered police.

Six officers were facing a crowd of “100 people screaming in the middle of the street, refusing to move and disobeying every order the officers gave them,” Paiva told the Providence Journal.

The protesters estimated the group’s size at 30 to 40.

Protester Mark Bray said Svoboda was with the crowd moving to the side of the road when an officer restrained her. Bray said he thinks Svoboda’s drum sticks—which she was using to bang on a jug during the protest — might have poked the officer.

“He accused her of trying to assault him,” Bray said.

He was standing next to Svoboda when the officer restrained her, he said. Within seconds, two more officers were on top of her “as she lay there, screaming, in a contorted position.”

Svoboda was the only person reported injured in the scuffle. A 23-year-old Providence man was also charged in the incident with obstructing an officer in the line of duty.

Scott Svoboda said his daughter has been politically active since high school, but he described her as passive: With close family members who work with the FBI, she’s not one to take on a police officer.

She graduated from Lincoln High in 2002 and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for a year, her father said.

The protest was arranged by the Industrial Workers of the World and the Brown University group Students for a Democratic Society.

Members of the crowd are organizing protests against the North Providence Police Department and the Rhode Island justice system, as well as vigils for Svoboda.

Scott Svoboda said the family is worried first about his daughter’s condition. They haven’t decided how to deal with her legal issues, or if there would be civil action taken against the officers or the police department, he said.

“When something like this happens, it really shocks you,”  he said. “This is a totally unwarranted action.”

Reach Zach Pluhacek at 473-7395 or zpluhacek@journalstar.com. Providence Journal reporter Elizabeth Gudrais contributed to this story.


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Bill wrote on August 14, 2007 2:01 am:
" It said officers were trying to arrest her and she was trying to get free. It doesnt sound like the police accidently tackled the wrong person to me? "

 John wrote on August 14, 2007 3:36 am:
" I really hope that people here show some class and don't start with the "she got what she deserved" kinds of comments. Regardless if her politics don't match yours, no one "deserves" a detached fibula and surgery. "

 Dale wrote on August 14, 2007 5:35 am:
" How does that song go?....I fought the law and the law won...I fought the law and the law won...doot doot deet doot do....Serves her right, when officers give commands they're not just "suggestions" "

 husker Neocon wrote on August 14, 2007 5:56 am:
" I am sorry that this girl got injured. But, we need to remember that she caused the whole situation. She could have moved from the area, but instead "accidently" poked an officer with drumsticks. Don't look bad towards the police on this, she caused it all herself. "

 Way to go Police wrote on August 14, 2007 6:04 am:
" Sounds like she got what she deserved. Almost all reviews in situations like this will prove the police did nothing wrong, it was the person being arrested who caused their own injuries. "

 shoulda wrote on August 14, 2007 6:07 am:
" Sounds like she shoulda stayed at home instead of trying to assault a police officer. "

 Douglas G wrote on August 14, 2007 6:19 am:
" Sorry Mr. Svoboda but you only have one side of the story and concluding that "this is a totally unwarranted action" is an emotional conclusion at best. There are risks and rewards in every decision but no one could have seen the risk outcome of this protest as it developed. Police are professionally trained to control a crowd by selecting one individual to set an example so they can bring fear to the rest of the crowd. IF she was kicking and screaming to avoid arrest and had drum sticks in her hands she was endangering an officer. Her injury is disproportionate to her actions but how would we feel if it were the officers eye? My conclusion is that the injury is a totally unwarranted result but I will not pass judgement on either the protester or the officers. I suspect the protester was following her heart and the officers were following their training intelligence. I certainly hope this young lady has good health insurance. "

 bill wrote on August 14, 2007 6:39 am:
" If a police officer asks you to do something, you do it. Its too bad she got hurt but she brought it on herself. Your right to peaceably assemble is null and void when you are no longer peaceful. And really, is banging on a drum the best way to solve the perceived ills of society? "

 Scott wake up wrote on August 14, 2007 6:47 am:
" From experience in Law Enforcement I can tell you that, the injuries sustained are minor compared to what she could have received. Protests are dangerous, all it takes is one person to go too far and it is a riot. Police Officer are trained to gain compliance with the least amount of force possible, she wasn't simply walking to the side of the street as one protestor stated. She was doing some stupid and got hurt from resisting arrest. "

 Kenneth H. Zike wrote on August 14, 2007 6:49 am:
" Resisting arrest, refusal to obey lawful orders from a law enforcement officer. Member of Students for a democratic society, and Daily workers party, Both anti American parties. Enough said "

 Dave wrote on August 14, 2007 6:54 am:
" A bit of advise Alex,when a police officer tells you to do something,do it or choose your battles more carefully. "

 Debra wrote on August 14, 2007 7:17 am:
" People change when part of a large group - that's where the phrase, "mob mentality" comes from. The fact that her family insists Alex wouldn't take on a police officer doesn't mean she wouldn't have used those drumsticks in anger over being moved away from the area they were protesting in, especially when part of a mob of protesters. I wasn't there, obviously, but neither were her family members, and even if they were, they'd be biased. If undue force was used, the officers will face disciplinary actions. I'm sure someone in the crowd has a video we'll be seeing on You Tube any day now. "

 Larry wrote on August 14, 2007 7:31 am:
" You don't mess with the police. Parents need to teach that to kids nowadays. When they tell you to do something, you do it. That's what I was taught as a kid. However the police should also be careful not to overdo it. Some of them get in frenzy when they get into these types of situations. "

 R. Ality Check wrote on August 14, 2007 7:37 am:
" Real tough policemen. Several of them gang tackling a young girl causing her severe injuries. They should be ashamed of themselves. Prosecute the policemen and sue the police department. This is outrageous. "

 I Tried wrote on August 14, 2007 7:43 am:
" I tried to summon up some sympathy for this girl, but somehow there are far too many stories of real people who are hurting as a result of circumstances beyond their control who need my sympathy and concern. People who did not go looking for trouble. "

 Fred wrote on August 14, 2007 7:47 am:
" Ahh protesters make us laugh ... "

 Get a clue! wrote on August 14, 2007 7:52 am:
" When a police officer tells you to do something, you DO IT! I would be willing to bet my life that the police asked politely for the "protesters" to move off to the side of the road before making them move. At some point in a persons life we all learn what battles are worth fighting. Perhaps this young lady has just learned that life lesson. You CANNOT under any circumstances fight the police. Ever. Even if you think you're right, you must obey the law. "

 Well, what do you expect? wrote on August 14, 2007 7:56 am:
" Don't try to resist the police. If they want to detain you or arrest you for something, deal with it until they can let you go. You can't fight the cops! Regardless if she was guilty of anything or not, when you are being asked to do something by the cops or being detained, they are the boss! "

 Little Sympathy Here wrote on August 14, 2007 8:09 am:
" Injuries are never a good thing, but if you choose to tangle with the police they are a possibility. The SDS is part of the same organization that gave birth to the "Weathermen" extremist (and terrorist) group some years ago. Police are far from perfectly pure and have been known to "kick the ball back into the fairway" from time to time, but this is a fringe group, and if the police tell one story and the SDS tells another, I believe the police. "

 Travis wrote on August 14, 2007 8:14 am:
" You have to respect the law. I think the law enforcement in question should be granted innocence until proven that they did something wrong. "

 Sean wrote on August 14, 2007 8:26 am:
" Welcome to the reality of our so-called free society. "

 Next Time Write A Letter wrote on August 14, 2007 8:30 am:
" It's too early to tell with the limited info available in this article and the two wildly different stories here, but one thing is certain - it would have been pretty difficult for her leg to become twisted out of its socket if she had expressed her displeasure with the company's labor practices via a strongly worded letter. Further, if she did refuse a lawful directive from the police they would have been warranted in restraining her, and once that starts who knows what can happen. It is incumbent on the police to "serve and protect," but that does not absolve the citizenry of their obligation to remain peaceful. "

 Mike E wrote on August 14, 2007 8:36 am:
" When the police tell you to move off of the street, it would be a good idea to do so. "

 well wrote on August 14, 2007 8:50 am:
" thats what you get when you dont listen. "

 John wrote on August 14, 2007 9:05 am:
" It's worth noting that the march was IWW sponsored. The Industrial Workers of the World. Communists. And that, if you google her name and read accounts of the protest from people sympathetic to her, "They told the marches to move to the sidewalk, while this was initially ignored, the marchers listened to the police and began slowly moving to the sidewalk." This contradicts what her father says about respecting law enforcement, and about the law enforcement reaction being unwarranted. She didn't comply, they made her, she got hurt. How is this news? "

 cz wrote on August 14, 2007 9:09 am:
" To all of you people that think the police were justified-since when does it take 3 cops to restrain a young woman? This is yet another example of cops getting more and more aggressive and our society moving more towards a police state. There was no reason for this, no matter if she was in the wrong for trying to resist. She was probably trying to resist because she was the victim of police brutality! "

 Myself wrote on August 14, 2007 9:22 am:
" She does not have the right to disobey a police officer. She does not have the right to resist arrest. She does not have the right to obstruct an officer. She does not have the right to strike an officer with any instrument regardless of it's or her size. Its irrelevant why she was there. Its not her actions that brought her there she is being arrested for. Its here actions after she was told to disburse that got her where she is today. It is always the case that the arrestee and their friends claim they were doing nothing wrong and the police made up or exaggerated everything. If you go to the State Pen, you'll find everyone there was "set up" too. When anyone is kicking, punching, squirming, and trying to get away, the more cops you have trying to prevent that is always for the better. For you idiots who want to claim this is a police state, go back to your comic books and dungeons and dragons games for your does of reality. Then get a job and pay taxes. "

 NS wrote on August 14, 2007 9:30 am:
" All of this who's fault it was business is moot. All the officer has to say is that they felt threatened or that she was resisting and their actions are justified. End of story. If they felt she was resisting arrest, then they are required to use force, and that's all they have to say whether she actually was or not. "

 wrong. wrote on August 14, 2007 9:41 am:
" I'm pretty sure we have the freedom to protest in the United States...but I guess police officers have the freedom to beat up women with drumsticks. "

 Annie wrote on August 14, 2007 9:46 am:
" Ya right, poor YOUNG GIRL, um she is 22 years old! It's not like she's some teeny bopper. And I doubt this guy bray was standing right next to her and just watched three policemen jump on top of her. Protesters also make laugh.... "

 the photo that tells it all wrote on August 14, 2007 9:46 am:
" http://jonathanmcintosh.smugmug.com/gallery/3293537/1/182906081/Medium Here is a photo record of the protest. Not that many people, maybe 30 or 40 and they are walking. Then pictures of Alex on the ground with her leg sticking out in the wrong direction. It's obvious she's not getting up and attacking officers at this point. Let's all pray the doctors can save her leg. "

 unfounded faith wrote on August 14, 2007 9:53 am:
" The really, really frightening thing about nearly all of these comments is that, with no greater evidence than their say-so, they assume that the version of the story the police are telling is, verily, the one and only Truth. What? I mean, granted, it's hard to imagine anything more threatening than a girl with drumsticks, and certainly there could be no force too great to justify subduing such a menacing threat to public order. But, as a former resident of the Plains now living in Providence, I can assure you that your faith in the police version of events is not an assumption that is shared here. "

 Sceptic wrote on August 14, 2007 10:11 am:
" Hopefully its a wake up call to take the protest to the letter writing forum rather then take up time in a street beating random objects to make jiberish noise and chant slogans of which usually 75% or more of your group know nothing about other then pregenerated answers made up by some cult like religious figure who leads their group. Sometimes people just want to feel like they are a part of something and decide to join a herd, any heard, and follow it mindlessly even if it will lead them to harm. "

 Barry Walker wrote on August 14, 2007 10:26 am:
" She got what she deserved! "

 Brian in Lincoln wrote on August 14, 2007 10:35 am:
" Resisting arrest, assault on an officer, refusing to comply.....sounds like she did get what she was prepared to get when she put herself in the situation she was in. Funny how people try to make the cops out as the bad guys here, as they were doing their job. "

 love it wrote on August 14, 2007 10:41 am:
" I love how daddy is already wondering how to handle her "legal issues" - a civil action???? Please!!!! "

 Hello wrote on August 14, 2007 10:54 am:
" Hello People!! The POLICE "say" that she resisted, but so any of us really know! How many videos have we seen recently that show how cops innappropriatly "restrain" people. She really doesn't look like a person who would require THREE police officers to take her down. Also, she didn't pick up the drumbsticks after they tried to restrain her she already had them in her hand. My point is that not all officers are good, don't choose sides when you weren't there!! "

 Sick... wrote on August 14, 2007 11:01 am:
" You people that think she got what she deserved make me sick to my stomach. This was a peaceful protest that was taken to the next level by police, not the protesters. Check out the pictures, it's obvious there was no hitting or kicking on Alex's part. This is a young girl who was sharing her opinion in a peaceful manner and things escalated when there was no need for it. No one ever deserves to be hurt in that manner. "

 whatever wrote on August 14, 2007 11:36 am:
" Actually as citizens of the United States we do have rights. The old "if an officer asks you to do something, you do it" argument is in many cases just crap. At any rate I think over the next 6 to 12 months we will have plenty of opportunity throughout the country to see just how much we can all take. "

 Dick wrote on August 14, 2007 11:37 am:
" They were blocking the street and refused to move. Sounds like they should have dislocated all of there knees. I am completely fine with protesting, just don't block the road. There is plenty of public land to use. "

 Lisa wrote on August 14, 2007 11:40 am:
" Look at these pictures of the protest before you post. There is no doubt the police force was excessive. http://jonathanmcintosh.smugmug.com/gallery/3293537 These pictures speak louder than words, and may help clarify some questions that obviously still linger. "

 Concerned wrote on August 14, 2007 11:44 am:
" Sounds like a lot of people here like to pass judgement, you weren't there, so admitt that you don't know. Hopefully you all experience the same judgement someday so you will change your ways before the actual JUDGEMENT DAY! "

 ... wrote on August 14, 2007 11:44 am:
" I am loving the hypocrisy! The people backing the police blame the protestors. The people backing the protesters berate the police-backers for commenting without knowing the whole story and then say it was a completely peaceful protest! I don't care what the pictures show, they don't show everything that happened and they don't let us hear what was said. Maybe she did deserve it, maybe she didn't. But no one can say one group was completely in the right or the wrong based on those pictures or what has been said here. "

 police state wrote on August 14, 2007 11:57 am:
" the British were right when they fired upon protestors in the Boston Massacre. The LAPD were right when they almost beat to death Rodney King. Just because the 'law' says something, doesn't mean we should disavow the big LAW of the CONSTITUTION. We have the right to assemble. It even says in the Declaration of Independance that we have the right as humans to do this. All of you who think she got what she deserved for marching for fair working conditions are pathetic. If this was the case, then there never would have been any labor agreements, minimum wage, safe working conditions, women's suffrage, abolition of slavery, civil rights, etc. We can and MUST protest when we feel something is not right. The police can not act like gestapo. All you who feel this must love living in a police state. "

 Thanks for the photo wrote on August 14, 2007 12:02 pm:
" Liberty and justice for all, unless they move too slowly, in which case we tackle them and mace their concerned peers. I appreciate the website, it's nice to get another opinion on the ordeal as many midwest opinions are a little...um...close-minded? "She got what she deserved, listen to the police, blah blah blah." Could it be the police were a little quick to use force? Could it be that the force was unreasonable? http://jonathanmcintosh.smugmug.com/gallery/3293537/1/182906081/Medium "

 Kevin wrote on August 14, 2007 12:04 pm:
" Yes, Obey. When they jump, ask how high. When they say beat, you say how badly. When they say kill, you say how many. Obey - it is your patriotic duty. "

 cz wrote on August 14, 2007 12:05 pm:
" As far as this nonsense about promoting change through letter writing- How many people would see your displeasure when the letter is immediately thrown in the garbage? Civil disobedience is the way to go! By assembling, you make yourself visible to the public so that people can start to question the issue at hand. With letters, nothing gets accomplished! This is why our founding fathers put into the constitution our right to peaceably assemble. These people were threatening noone. As for traffic problems, I have seen cops block the road with "DUI checkpoints" and noone tells them to move out of the way or they will get their legs broken. "

 Mike Honcho wrote on August 14, 2007 12:11 pm:
" Yeah, we're supposed to believe the photographic evidence put forth by someone who just happened to be there with a camera? Somehow, I don't think that the pictures were taken by an uninvolved onlooker, but rather, by someone supporting the cause and photographing the event for their own posterity. Mr. McIntosh's website reeks of bias against the police and for the protesters, I seriously doubt he's going to share, or even take pictures of the protesters attacking police...those pictures would be harmful to their cause. I feel bad for the woman's injury, but it could have been EASILY avoided. "

 Considering wrote on August 14, 2007 12:23 pm:
" None of you, as far as I can tell, actually know Alex, quit labeling and attacking someone who can't defend herself because she's in the hospital recovering right now. I went to high school with her and yeah, she was (and is) politically active, but she is/was also one of the most peaceful, loving, happy people I've ever met. She wouldn't attack anyone, much less a cop. A protest like this one would have been her way to showing the world she cares. When was the last time you did anything to show the world (or even the people you love) that you care? Alex and her family are in my thoughts and prayers. "

 Photos... wrote on August 14, 2007 12:26 pm:
" Conveniently you want to use the photos to gain sympathy. Where of the photos prior to the takedown? Hmmm... interesting isn't it? How about the woman who had to be maced to get her to back off? How about the photo of the officer getting the baton out to back the crowd off? For a peaceful protest why is the crowd still advancing on police? Anyone notice the various sticks, poles, etc? Those can be weapons. Wow... some folks in this world are clueless... "

 Bob wrote on August 14, 2007 12:30 pm:
" I have always found it prudent to obey police commands ... "

 Steve wrote on August 14, 2007 12:38 pm:
" The photo at the link: http://jonathanmcintosh.smugmug.com/gallery/3293537/1/182906081/Medium is absolutely great. I'm not sure if your leg is suppose to go that way. Next time you freaks get the great idea of a protest, just review this picture. "

 Bull Connor wrote on August 14, 2007 1:03 pm:
" Maybe the Civil Rights protesters got what they deserved. Or the students at Kent State. Or the Boston Massacre. Oh wait, the political agenda of the protesters is what is relevant, to the right to protest. "

 Jason Lemon wrote on August 14, 2007 1:18 pm:
" I have looked at the pictures you note, and what I see is people resisting police. If you look at some of the other protestors faces and expressions who are dealing with law enforcement, I see anger. That is not a peacefull protest. You reap what you sow. "

 wow wrote on August 14, 2007 1:32 pm:
" I too am amazed that everyone posting seems to take the police officers word without question. Without having been there, how do you know? Not everyone is honest, including some police officers, unfortunately. Could it be possible that the police are just trying to save their jobs by setting all the blame on the students . . . "

 cz wrote on August 14, 2007 1:39 pm:
" Boy it is a good thing that our founding fathers did not just obey authority and do what they were told....... "

 Little Brother wrote on August 14, 2007 2:51 pm:
" I learned a few years ago -serving on a Grand Jury- that the US Supreme Court says that its ok for the police to lie to people they suspect of a crime. So... if she's suspected of a criminal offense, the police can tell you anything they want. "

 Rusty Shackleford wrote on August 14, 2007 5:08 pm:
" The photos linked above at http://jonathanmcintosh.smugmug.com/gallery/3293537 can be viewed at (S)mall;(M)edium;(L)arge and (O)riginal sizes. If you look at photo number 10 at the (O)riginal resolution (these details aren't very noticeable on the smaller sizes) you will find Ms Svoboda far from the street at the right-back of the picture (you'll need to scroll the image). While she is looking straight ahead, a policeman is pulling on her right arm and a fellow protester is pulling on her left arm. The next two photos in the sequence show the protester who had been pulling Svoboda's left arm being handcuffed & the third photo shows Svoboda's broken leg. It would seem the protester who was using Swoboda in a tug-of-war with the police could be as likely a cause of her broken leg as the police. "

 Look at the Whole Pic wrote on August 14, 2007 7:26 pm:
" Look at the pictures prior to pic 14 of 42. The first picture obviously shows the group IN the traffic lane. Picture 7 shows, in what I interpret, as the officer explaining what needs to be done. The traffic was obviously backed up by the pictures. I'm not saying what happened to her was deserved, but when you do not listen to what the police are asking you to do, then someone is going to get hurt. Had any of these naysayers been sitting in traffic behind the protesters I'm sure everyone would be saying she deserved it! "

 Sally Mae wrote on August 14, 2007 7:32 pm:
" Wow Rusty. And if I look at photo 13 I can see that policeman's foot planted exactly how it would end up if he held her down and snapped her leg back to teach her a lesson. Isn't it great to use your imagination to throw wild allegations out there? "

 The Constitution wrote on August 14, 2007 10:19 pm:
" Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. "

 suzanne benson wrote on August 14, 2007 11:18 pm:
" Those pictures of Ms. Svoboda are horrific. She must have been in a great deal of pain. I wish her well in her recovery. I hope that presses charges against the police department. As for all the posters on here. You make me sad. Did you even read up on what the group was protesting? It is a good cause that needs some attention. This wasn't a group of hooligans throwing rocks through shop windows. What is next, USA? A repeat of the 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre, where police forces shot and killed college students at a protest in Mexico? "

 Steve Mcgreggen wrote on August 15, 2007 11:13 pm:
" If you look at the picture, the story is clear; the police used excessive force no matter what way you look at it. What they used was a move that is taught during hand to hand combat and officers are to use it ONLY in life threatening situations. I think an accidental poke of a drumstick isn't life threatening. To do that to somebody, to take away so much of their life, is wrong, and action should be taken against the officers. Alex will probably never walk normally again, even with months if not years of rehab. There is no justification for their acts. The officers claim that she fell backwards, look at the picture! It is almost physically impossible for that to happen without somebody putting their weight on the side of the knee as the person is going down. Case and point, this will be a large civil rights battle and the police officers may be looking at a change in career. "

 Disgust wrote on August 16, 2007 1:19 pm:
" You people who are saying she got what she deserved make me sick. You are obviously the type of folks who would never think beyond yourselves enough to exercise your consitutional rights and take part in a peacesul protest for a worthy cause. As individual rights are slipping away in this country it is your complacency that fuels the degradation of our country. God forbid you ever stand up for anything and find yourself in a situation like this, so somebody else can applaud the police for breaking the leg of a peaceful, non-threatening protestor. "

 jesus martinez wrote on August 18, 2007 9:59 pm:
" I've never been to Providence, so I don't know if their sidewalks are in different places from ours, but it looks like she DID do what they said and went to the sidewalk. Can anyone explain why this happened someone who followed orders? I also wrote a strong worded letter to the police department. Based on comments here, I expect a quick retraction of the aforementioned brotality. "

 jules wrote on August 21, 2007 10:59 pm:
" I have an indescribable amount of respect for this woman. I am personally outraged by business owners exploiting institutional racism and classism to treat minority and lower social economic class persons as cattle to work their fields, but I haven't the courage of her to relinquish my white privilege and risk my personal safety to go to the steps she did in attempts of deconstructing it. My prayers are with you, get well soon. "

 Mary Ann wrote on August 22, 2007 10:40 pm:
" I happen to know this family and this girl did not assault any officer, she isn't the type. This was no accident, this was police brutality at it's best! I mean how many police officers does it take to restrain a small girl like that. Give me a break. They were so out of line and I hope they face charges for what they did to her. "

 dummy up! wrote on August 25, 2007 2:19 pm:
" May I have your attention: We now live in a Police State! Make no doubt about it! Be warned and arm your selves accordingly! Power to the people! Long live the bill of rights! Now talk to me you neocon scum! "

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