May 4th unpermitted march update : Cleveland IMC (((i)))

Using the area's infamous drum machine as a stage we were presented with words from: Jello Biafra, Vikki Lovegren, Art Mckoy (Black on Black crime committee), Lee (NION), Laura (NION).

The speakers have spoken and the march begins, leaving Manchester Field. Through the campus to the memorial area, stopping to remember the four casualties, reading a piece of prose at each memorial. Helicopter hovers all day. Police with video cameras with the march the whole way.
The march continues through the campus. Before spilling into Main st. a white van in a parking lot with a large megaphone mounted on top of the vehicle was used by the 'officer in charge' as a soundsystem to give the order DO NOT GO INTO THE STREET you may be subject to arrest if you enter the streets. The majority of the march had already past this location. VERY few people were within range to hear this. The officer giving the order was at least 1/2 a football field away from the march to begin with, not to forget when we march we chant, and we chant loud.

The march spilled into Main St., past Wilson St., past Sherman St. - on Sherman St. a State Trooper blocked the way - behind him was a van and bus of police suiting up in riot gear. Continuing a short ways further at E.Main and University if you were standing on Main St. you would see the line of riot police closing in both directions.
This is the point the march moved off the street onto the sidewalk.

The police began arresting what appeared to be anyone within reach who was an easy picking. On one arrest made I saw an officer point to him before a group of officers went in to grab him from the crowd. Similar tactic to what I've recently learned from a wonderful workshop(wink) as a 'Snatch Squad'.

There was a situation with an undercover/narc officer in the grassy area away from the street and away from his buddies in blue. This officer became useless once identified and fled from the crowd taking no 'prize' with him.

On several occasions I witnessed the police blocking camera lens with their hands. This would occur near the street at an arrest scene. The corporate media was positioned mostly behind the police line. It is said one person with a video camera was arrested. He was unable to hand off his equipment.

11 arrests were made. All male. From all areas, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus...Varity of arrestees, older,
younger,wearing a face cover, uncovered faces, people sitting down, people standing....

The march made it's way back to the memorial area - in silence and shock of the injustice that had just occurred. Keeping with solidarity a womyn was on a megaphone trying to keep everyone together on the walk back, as it was dangerous to be alone.

At the memorial area the police gave an order to leave the campus, those that live on campus "are free to go home". If the crowd did not leave in ten minutes arrests would be made. Most persons left. Most then went to the jail.

Later those that did stay added one more arrest making it a
even dozen arrested today. (as of 8:00pm). At the jail the only information obtained is talk of a 4th degree misdemeanor. This is all I have to report. At the jail persons began using sidewalk chalk to write things like fascist police, PEACE, body outlines... the police came out of there station to tell us we can not 'damage property' or 'vandalize' or we would be arrested. So some went and got poster board and made signs that said, Honk against police brutality, Honk if you hate pigs, 2 others also. Lots of honking from the roadway. Lots of peace signs out the windows.

A police car parked across the police station to observe.
About 30 persons where in front of the police station showing support for their comrades when I left.

Any information regarding the womyn with the cop car window incident?????
At the jail it was stated no womyn - All men were arrested.

Rumor has it womyn were taken to county jail. Not sure if this is true//

i saw a woman get arrested yesterday (an older woman, because it seemed they were targeting the older crowd). they showed her on the news today and said she was a psychologist who is still behind bars

She was sitting on the grass, not part of a
group, when arrested.
Thank you Andy for the information and confirmation.

As of last night at about 1 am all the males arrested from the march have been released, one woman was still in custody but reportedly had legal counsel working on her behalf. It seems one other man was transported with the march arrestees but was being held for an unrelated charge.

I can confirm that the woman was arrested. All I know is her name is Linda, and I can confirm at last I knew she was being held for a felony charge something to the effect of "destruction of property" which needs a little explantion: according to other detainees who were on the bus with her, she was standing when an officer told her to "sit down!" and proceded to shove her into a seat. Her head snapped back and hit a window, cracking it in a spider-web pattern. For this, Kents "finest" are charging her with a felony.

The 5 men that were transfered to the Portage county jail before being released were arraigned this morning at the courthouse in Kent. Most if not all were charged with Disorderly Conduct (max $250 fine & 30 days) and all plead "Not Guitly". The other men that were bailed out Sunday night from the Kent city jail will be arraigned Thursday morning (probablly @ 8:15 am), which is the same day as the pre-trial hearings for those charged with crimes steaming from a march in Kent after the US began its full-scale attacks on Iraq.

Thanks to everyone that was able to stay in solidarity outside the jails and helped raise money to get people out. Your support and hard work was appreciated tremendously.

I am curious to hear what Art Mckoy had to say at your protest. Do any of you know of transcripts posted anywhere? I listened to him discussing the event today on the radio and when the debate turned to the war in Iraq and tempers began to rise he actually said he felt many of the changes in Iraq as a result of the war were for the better. Say what? I was shocked to hear him say that, as were my co-workers, considering he had spent the previous day giving speeches against the war and marching with you guys. Was his speech at your protest filled with that type of mixed signal?

since i didnt hear the radio show you refer to i cant comment on any "mixed signals" do you remember what show he was on? we might have the audio from the speech online later and you can judge for yourself, but id like to hear what he said on the radio too, especially the questions he was asked. since there are hardly any non-right wing talk shows and neo-con news fronts anymore i bet he was asked a bunch of BS like "Dont you support the troops?" or "What about Saddam?"

Art called into the Mike Trivisonno show on WTAM 1100 to discuss the events at Kent. Art is actually a frequent guest on the show and has been invited to be in studio later in the week to discuss the events in more detail. Anyways, Art had described the days events and began talking about the protest and the march and then the police. They began debating a number of issues surrounding the day but I will only go into the war part of the discussion. Art said one of the reasons he was there was to protest the war in Iraq. Mike asked what was left to protest the war is all but over. Art went into the standard rant about oil, innocent lives being lost, the norm from that side of the debate. Mike countered with the standard rant from his side about Saddam being evil, WMD's, and so forth and the two really started to go at it a bit. Mike then you said, "You cannot tell me you actually believe these people were better off with Saddam then they will be now without him....". That is when Art responded with a comment to the effect that he would grant Mike that, Iraq was better without Saddam in power and some good had resulted as a result of the attack. And as you can imagine Mike jumped all over that and more shouting occured. But anyways, that was the comment that surprised me and that is why I am curious to read or hear what exactly he said at your protest. I don't picture any of you ever making a concession like that. I find it hard to believe Art would have made such a comment infront of a group of anarchists and anti-war protestors and I find it harder to believe that a day removed from the rally he would say such a comment on a radio show.

I would also like to add I realize Mike Trivisonno is rough on you guys and most of you consider Clear Channel part the elite media and the enemy. So in your response please keep in mind I did not post any of this in an effort to say I agree with Mike or Clear Channel or anyone's personal view of the event. That could be a whole different debate. I am really just interested in what Art McKoy had to say at your rally and would like to compare it to the comments made on the Triv show.

Pathetic Losers
by Your All Assholes Saturday October 25, 2003 at 11:47 PM

Please get a life you pathetic assholes. The relatives of the countless Iraqi's killed by Saddam are glad that we kicked his ass. BLOW ME PEACE PUSSYS

Dear Get A Life,

Peaceniks are regular people who like to have sex and occasionaly procreate. We have children we love, and don't want the war machine to kill them, especially after we've invested so much time and energy and money and whatever else into making them productive, loving people.

I suggest that you take your own advice and have some sex, perhaps occasionally procreate, and join the living who DO have a life already; only we don't want to lose it to war-mongering, murderous losers who would not have sex, occasionally procreate, and raise children.

Peace to you, my (pussyless) brother...

Mike Monasky

Cleveland Indy Media Center