Reports From R2k Legal And Medical Support

Report from R2K Legal Support

(As of Monday, August 7, 2000)

• Total Arrests: 480
• Released: 155
• Still in Jail: 325
• Felony cases: 36
• Now on Hunger Strike: 149

All the women and most of the men have pledged to go on hunger strikes if negotiations with the Philadelphia police do not progress. Most of those on hunger strike began last week, many on Tuesday.

Preliminary hearings for the felony cases started last night (Tuesday, Aug. 8) at 8:00 p.m. and are expected to last until August 18.

Report from R2K Medical Support

(As of Monday, August 7, 2000)

These are reports from debriefings of released prisoners, regarding incidents they experienced firsthand. In other words, these are only the cases for which paperwork has been done. It is by no means all the reported cases. The medical and legal team say they will compile and document more cases as prisoners are released. The documentation team has interviewed witnesses of multiple incidents of brutality against protesters and prisoners, some of whom are still incarcerated.

They have 32 counts of excessive force, of which seven are accounts of severe hog ties, meaning the tie down was completed in less than 30 minutes. Prisoners' hands were blue and swollen and several people were on the verge of losing consciousness. In two of those cases, people were bleeding from the wrist.

Two police officers' names and badge numbers come up repeatedly. One is responsible for dragging a man in the nude, grabbing a protester's penis, stepping on necks, jumping on a man’s back with the help of two other officers, slamming a face into a cell door.

The other officer’s activities include reportedly saying "I'll f*ck you up the a** and make you my b*tch," slamming a man against wall repeatedly, punching a prisoner in the stomach, holding a prisoner's face in the trash with his knee in the prisoner’s neck, throwing a prisoner against the wall.

They have four cases of reported denial of access to medication: one person with HIV reports being denied for two days. One person with migraines, who was vomiting, claims to have been denied all medicine including over the counter painkillers. One hypoglycemic person claims being denied access to adequate food. There are other reports of asthmatics and diabetics being denied medication.

Philadelphia authorities

District Attorney Lynne Abraham, [phone]
Mayor John Street, [phone]
Deputy Police Commissioner Mitchell, [phone]
Capt. Fisher (Police Civil Affairs), [phone]
Chief Maxwell (Criminal Investigations), [phone]
Police Commissioner John Timoney, [phone] or [phone]
City Council President Anna Verna, [phone] and 3413
Mayor's Chief of Staff, Stephanie Suber, [phone]
Roundhouse Jail, [phone]
City Solicitor Ken Trujillo, (215) 683­5003
Council Member Mr. Nutter, (215) 685­3416
Council Member Ms. Blackwell, (215) 685­3418

When calling Philadelphia authorities, media are encouraged to ask

• Why are nonviolent demonstrators being held in this manner?
• Why such high bail amounts?
• Why are they not just being released?
• Legal observers and released prisoners are reporting that people are being abused, denied bathroom visits, medicine, food, water, etc. What do you have to say about these allegations?

Activists are demanding the following

• unconditionally and immediately release all the remaining prisoners, or at least —
• cease the reported federal investigation and stop calling nonviolent activists "terrorists"
• drop all charges on all the arrested activists — including the felony charges and the charges against those who have already been released
• cease separating and isolating some of the prisoners allow full access to health care including medicines; food and restrooms
• allow attorneys to meet with the all the arrested activists
• allow the media to enter the jails to determine the veracity of the abuse stories.