ACLU to represent CodePink activist
By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 28, 2008 at 11:50 a.m.
Updated August 28, 2008 at 12:01 p.m.
Please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, or enable JavaScript for your browser to view the video player.
DENVER COUNTY COURT — The American Civil Liberties Union is representing a CodePink anti-war protester who was shoved to the ground and poked with a baton Tuesday.
Legal director Mark Silverstein said the ACLU will defend Alicia Forrest on the charge of interference with a police officer and represent her in a complaint with the Office of the Independent Monitor.
Forrest, 24, a former fashion designer from Los Angeles, said she was asking police why they were arresting another protester at Civic Center park when the officer poked her with his baton, then pushed her, yelling "Back up, b----" as he shoved her to the ground.
The final shove was captured by a Rocky videographer.
Featured
-
DNC in Denver
Complete coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
-
The Crevasse
A five-part series that examines one tragic day on Mount Rainier.
-
Deadly denial
Sick nuclear workers applied for government compensation but most haven't seen a dime.
-
Final Salute
The Rocky followed Maj. Steve Beck as he took on the most difficult duty of his career.
-
'Colorado's burning'
Coverage of the state's worst wildfires.
-
Columbine shootings
Coverage of the April 20, 1999, shootings at Littleton's Columbine High School.
-
The Crossing
Colorado's deadliest traffic accident killed 20 children on Dec. 14, 1961.
-
Osveli's journey
Osveli Sales left Guatemala for a better life. Two months later, he came home in a box.
-
Wake for an Indian warrior
Oglala Sioux bestow a tribute to the first tribal fatality in Iraq.
August 28, 2008
12:16 p.m.
Suggest removal
ColoradoNative writes:
If that's all this woman said, she's lying. She was in the cop's face apparently daring him to do "f-ing do it again" after he probably nudged her back, to which she got what she asked for. Her attitude was confrontational and hopefully the journalists who witnessed this will step forward and clarify.
The ACLU are a bunch of leftist clowns. Where were they when the Duke lacrosse team was railroaded? Oh I keep forgetting. There's no such thing as a white male victim.
ACLU = American Communist Litigation Union
August 28, 2008
12:20 p.m.
Suggest removal
18Zwife writes:
Communist Code Pink isn’t anti-war, they’re anti-U.S. military engaging in any war, any time, any place, for any reason; BIG damn difference.
August 28, 2008
12:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
18Zwife writes:
Here’s the video.
http://www.the-two-malcontents.com/20...
August 28, 2008
12:59 p.m.
Suggest removal
CapnPoon writes:
ACLU = Another Cop's Looming Unemployment.
August 28, 2008
12:59 p.m.
Suggest removal
timeandagain writes:
ColoradoNative makes a great point...where was the ACLU when the Duke lacrosse team was railroaded??
Go ahead and defend this moron that got exactly what she deserved. She will be well-served by your 2nd tier lawyers!
August 28, 2008
1:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
timeandagain writes:
I just watched the video and the ONLY thing the cop did "wrong" was not going after her with his nightstick once she was down. That is a shame...
August 28, 2008
1:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
LingLingfor_prez writes:
There would only be a story if the headline read, "ACLU not representing CodePink activist."
August 28, 2008
1:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
alsxrf writes:
Hey Thanks for posting this video. Unfortunately, all it did was show a cop who was obviously not in any danger whatsoever clearly shoving a down an unarmed person. I'm not sure if you guys were watching a different video but she was not in his face. If a person signs up to be involved in riot control they should be ready for angry words. I mean this isn't a play ground, they are there to prevent violence and destruction not respond physically when someone verbally baits them.
August 28, 2008
1:16 p.m.
Suggest removal
freedomfighter1 writes:
Hope she wins. I don't care what she said, he had no right to do that. If he was so right, why was he pulled from the line?
August 28, 2008
1:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
DiverDan writes:
Too bad they didn't crack her skull -
Alsxrf - the cops didn't need to be in danger, they were enforcing THE LAW. The bit*h should have moved.
August 28, 2008
1:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
freedomfighter1 writes:
Diver
They are suppose to use necessary force, he used too much.
August 28, 2008
1:34 p.m.
Suggest removal
M2 writes:
Listen.. watch the video. He pushed her back but it was a quick push with not much energy used by the officer. She got knocked off balance and fell. Had she not of fallen this would not be an issue. I don't think the officers actions were over the top or unnecessary. He was doing his job to clear the streets. He pushed back a woman who was still closing in on the police after numerous commands to get back. This should be a cut and dry case. I'm sure her ego was broken... but not much else.
August 28, 2008
1:38 p.m.
Suggest removal
freedomfighter1 writes:
I watched it and I disagree.
August 28, 2008
1:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
jhdteacher writes:
odd some are so clearly and fervently in favor of government officials harming those to whom they've sworn to protect and defend (especially when the harm is inflicted upon those protesting non-violently)...i'll best assume people making such comments are young or ignorant enough to believe their turn "to be gone after with a nightstick after being knocked down" will never come
August 28, 2008
1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
M2 writes:
Sorry you feel that way jhdteacher... I am not young (I wish) nor do I consider myself ignorant. I am making, what I believe, to be a fair assessment of what I was seeing in that video. I also believe it is unfair of you to call people young and ignorant because they disagree with you. This to me is juvenile.
August 28, 2008
1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
alsxrf writes:
I agree with jhdteacher. It is odd that someone would want a person's skull to be cracked or want to have someone lying on the ground beaten with a stick. It's unfortunate some people are so angry.
August 28, 2008
2:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
M2 writes:
You are over exaggerating what the police officer did and you know it. I never said I wanted to see anyone's skull being smashed. There should be equal respect for protesters as well as the DPD.
August 28, 2008
2:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
alsxrf writes:
M2, I wasn't referring to you about the skull crack comment it was an earlier post by someone else. I agree there should be equal respect on both sides. Insulting a person or cursing them doesn't help anything. But, like it or not police officers are held to a higher standard and in the end responses like his tarnish the credibilty of the DPD.
August 28, 2008
2:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
HoosierGuy writes:
"It's unfortunate some people are so angry."
and that they try to ruin a law officer's career to make a point.
August 28, 2008
2:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
Mayor_Quimby writes:
That video tells have the story. You can hear her say to the cop, a second before he shoves her, "F-ing do it again". We dont know what happened before hand though. In my mind, why would she say this to the cop? Again, we don't know the whole story but from what she said, she got what she asked for.
August 28, 2008
2:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
18Zwife writes:
Anyone familiar with Code Pink knows their tactics; start c*ca, ignore cops demands to stop c*ca, get in cops face, drop and roll and then cry police brutality. Sue. That is exactly what the Code Pinko did. That’s a fact. They do this every time.
August 28, 2008
2:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
M2 writes:
I am not a judge or jury... I know what I believe to be the truth from the video shown. I hope the woman is alright and I hope the officer does not receive any penalty.
August 28, 2008
2:54 p.m.
Suggest removal
18Zwife writes:
Keep in mind that the co-founder of Code Pink, Medea (Susie) Benjamin purposely started the WTO riots in Seattle. She is a card carrying anti-U.S. military anti-capitalist “millionaire” Marxist.
It’s not only easy, but most cowardly, to espouse the merits of Marxism and (pretend) pacifism, while living in a capitalist country, under the blanket of security, afforded to you, courtesy the U.S. military.
August 28, 2008
3:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
Mayor_Quimby writes:
Couldnt the cop simply say "she asked me to do it"? You can clearly hear her say F-ing do it again!
August 28, 2008
3:45 p.m.
Suggest removal
alsxrf writes:
I don't doubt she wanted him to push her; look at all the national attention it brought to their group. I guess she picked the right cop because he took the bait and responded to verbal abuse with physical abuse, something our laws, courts, and many people usually have a problem with. Honestly though it's pretty difficult to make a judgement on either of them without the whole story; something we don't have based on this video.
August 28, 2008
6:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
mrscandalous writes:
i think this cop is a coward and cops wonder why they get killed and expect us to believe that they were such a great person like this pig sometimes you get what you deserve
August 29, 2008
10:40 a.m.
Suggest removal
mrscandalous writes:
im with you ramanboyy33 every one says he didnt push that hard when you can plainly see he did he gets payed to protect but who was he protecting lucky she didnt have a pop can or they would have thought she had a gun
August 29, 2008
11:43 a.m.
Suggest removal
jay045 writes:
The ACLU defended American Nazis in Skokie Illinois in the 70s. They also filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of Rush Limbaugh's privacy rights a few years ago ( see http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1... )
I hardly think they are playing favorites.
August 29, 2008
3:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
psychogirlie writes:
MarineGrunt, that woman and her companions in CODEPINK are not "commies" and one would think that the military would have gotten rid of your impulse to call women "c unts". Your mother must be proud.
This cop was way out of line. He used excessive force and violated the woman's Constitutional rights. And for all right-wing, co-called "patriots" (and I use that term VERY loosely) that don't know the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment states that:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speeh, or of the press, or the right of the people peacefully to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Therefore, this cop should be punished not only for his grievous misconduct, but for violating her constitutional rights as well. Too bad more of the Denver PD aren't getting repreimanded as well. Thank you, Pres. Bush, for the Patriot Act and revamping FISA. It is all too obvious from the situation from the DNC, that we are no longer living in a free nation. We are living in a police state, reminiscent of Nazi Germany and George Orwell's 1984.
Here is another video of protestors at the DNC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoAVce...
And remember: DISSENT IS PATRIOTIC!
August 30, 2008
2:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
PTK writes:
Da, da, komradski ColoradoNative, we don't need no pesky Constitution. Its the job of the police to keep ORDER, after all. All these conflicting arguments: too much to think about. They keep us safe from hearing too many confusing points of view. Oh, and why have Liberty too -- its just so ... Liberal. Police states are so very much safer.
Who is the Traitor in this argument?
I think if you watch the full unedited video at
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/vide...
you'll see that reporters and police nearly outnumber the protesters, and that the arrest that immediately preceeded the event here was done with disproportionate "energy".