Banner Drops in Ypsilanti & Ann Arbor in Solidarity with Stop Cop City
"We also improved a local police monument by hoisting a black flag reading “ACAB” in place of some thin blue line trash
...
Love and rage to everyone throwing down to stop cop city, and to everyone fighting for life against domination."
"Killed by Police Over Eight Dollars – Ethan Saylor's Story"
⚠️ CW: Disability and Police Violence (The details may be disturbing to some)
On January 12, 2013, 26-year-old Ethan Saylor of New Market Maryland, went to the movies to see "Zero Dark Thirty" for the second time. After the movie, his caregiver went to bring her car to the front of the theater while Ethan waited inside. Being his favorite movie, Ethan snuck back in to watch the movie again while she was gone.
The theater manager told him that, he would have to buy a ticket or leave but, he refused. Ethan had Down Syndrome and did not understand, nor did he handle money. Not disturbing anyone, he was watching the movie, when the theater manager summoned mall security to have Ethan removed. His caregiver returned, pleading with the manager and one of the deputies attempting to de-escalate the interaction. She begged with them not to touch him and requested to speak to him. She was ignored and not allowed to go to Ethan.
The mall security guards that responded were actually off-duty Frederick County Maryland deputies, moonlighting as security guards. When one of them told Ethan that he had to leave, Ethan again refused and began to swear in protest. Two other moonlighting deputies came to "assist" in removing Ethan from the theater. The three veteran officers, Lt. Scott Jewell, Sgt. Rich Rochford, and Deputy James Harris, forcibly pulled Ethan out of his seat and tried to handcuff him. A struggle ensued and Ethan was taken to the ground by the three deputies.
With Ethan on his stomach, at least one eyewitness account cited that one officer had his knee pressing on the man's back. It also stated that Ethan was heard crying out, "MOMMY, IT HURT!". At this point, I have to ask the question if these men were stupid or just callously evil as I wipe the tears from my eyes. Obviously, that question is rhetorical. It should have been plainly obvious that Ethan Saylor was, as some laws word it, a "vulnerable adult" with disabilities.
A few months later, a Frederick News Post story stated:
“Saylor cursed and resisted the deputies, and he was briefly handcuffed with three sets of cuffs linked together, according to the sheriff’s office. Saylor ended up on the floor during the struggle and had a medical emergency. He was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.”
The Frederick County Sheriff's office investigated and later released Maryland Atty. Gen.'s report said in part:
"The opinion of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was that a 25 year old Caucasian male ROBERT ETHAN SAYLOR, died of ASPHYXIA. Down’s Syndrome, Obesity, Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, and Accessory Conduction Pathways of Heart, are also significant conditions…This individual was already compromised by his Down’s Syndrome, obesity, body habitus, and heart disease, making him more susceptible to sudden death in stressful conditions which would compromise his breathing. Using the medical definition of homicide (but for the actions of other individuals Mr. Saylor would not have died), the manner of death is best certified as HOMICIDE".
In April, another news source reported about injuries to Ethan's face and cartilage in his neck, "which has yet to be explained":
“The autopsy revealed Saylor had bruises and abrasions on his face and body. And another injury: a fracture to cartilage in Saylor’s throat. Experts say it’s an unusual injury to see in a choking case. A forensic pathologist not familiar with case [SIC] says the injury happens from some kind of force... It can be seen in a manual strangulation, ” says Dr. John Hunsaker, a forensic pathologist and expert witness. “But in and of itself, one would be difficult to diagnose without more information. And it can occur as a result of a direct blow.”
The use of three sets of handcuffs is a tactic referred to as "hog-tying", in which the ankles and wrists are restrained and connected to each other with the third. In 1995, the US DOJ (Department of Justice), warned police departments that people may die when using this hog-tying method, yet there are still many that employ this technique of restraint. To be clear in regard to the sheriff's worded claim of a "medical emergency", Ethan's larynx was crushed and at least one of the sources below use the words "broken bones" in his neck. Despite the homicide ruling, 17 eyewitness account statements and Dr. Hunsaker's statements, a Maryland grand jury refused to indict the deputies for the murder of Ethan Saylor. One of the officers, Sgt. Rich Rochford, was later "quietly hired" by Frederick city Police Department, despite his involvement in the incident.
It seems I write about these horrific instances of police violence against people with invisible disabilities all the time. It's certainly not because I enjoy them, and it is very emotionally taxing to do so. The fact is, situations like this occur so regularly, there's too many stories to ignore. 50% of people killed by police in the US have a disability and unfortunately, many people never hear about, or care about stories like this. Many seem too busy fighting about colors or wooden hammers. How many of you have heard of Ethan Saylor, Christian Glass or Elijah McClain. I feel that telling their stories to wake people up, is the first step in inspiring them to stand against these recurring injustices facing the invisibly disabled community. Ethan is just another tragic example of the senseless, hateful authoritarian murders of otherwise innocent people. He was killed over an eight dollar movie theater ticket, to put things in perspective. This is one of the main reasons I do what I do, and the support for the cause of people with invisible disabilities is very much appreciated.
Unsurprisingly "predictive policing" software fails to predict crimes but does reliably send cops into Black and brown neighborhoods.
So much of "policing tools" is a grift, it turns out. The data behind the non-lethality of tasers is suspect. The science behind accepted forensic science e.g. fingerprints is far from solid. Cops' claims about preventing or solving crimes are exaggerated. It's fakery all the way down.
ATLANTA (AP) — Sixty-one people have been indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges following a long-running state investigation into protests against a planned police and firefighter training facility in the Atlanta area that critics call “Cop City.”...
Police were way over the top at the very peaceful protest organized by Jews against the genocide in Gaza. So many cops, corralling us, preventing us from both marching, & even leaving. The police blocked all of Yonge St. & side streets. More cop cars and police than there were protestors. They should be embarrassed. We need more people coming out to these. Safety in numbers.
There were more cops for this than I ever saw at any protest. #ACAB#FreePalestine#CeasefireNow#Toronto
"You see, I'm not one to beat about the large, black boots but the first requirement for any security guard is to be totally-totally-t-to-totally insecure. I mean, who else needs to dress like a riot control cop so that he can write down your name and tell you where to park your car?"
That thing last month where the LAPD had their lawyers send a bogus DMCA takedown request to some people selling "Fuck the LAPD" t-shirts, and the t-shirt people's lawyer sent back a letter that literally just said, "LOL, no"? Well, here comes act 2: the "LOL, no" lawyers have sent a 🔥scathing🔥 letter to the other lawyers asking why they shouldn't seek attorney's fees.
I'm not a fan of the #Ontario "Public sector salary disclosure" (aka Sunshine List), but it does turn up some disturbing details:
Const. Douglas Holmes, ordered fired by tribunal for violating public trust (found guilty of assault by the SIU) and hasn't worked since November 2019: earned $112,605 last year
Const. Conal Quinn, jailed for 4 years for sexual assault: earned $117,679 last year
The difference between firefighters and cops is firefighters are trained to use the tools of their profession to protect others while putting themselves at risk, and cops are trained to use the tools of their profession to protect themselves while putting others at risk. #ACAB
Today in Labor History January 18, 1934: The anarchist General Confederation of Labor launched a General Strike in Portugal after the government banned unions, strikes and collective bargaining. The government put it down, killing 100, deporting 600 and outlawing of the labor union. Some members of the union blamed the strike’s failure on Communists, who they believe ratted out their plans to the government in advance, resulting in the arrest of several strike leaders the night before the strike took place.
not only does this say that it's #illegal to call what #israel is doing a #genocide, which is #dystopian enough already, the first paragraph in the screenshot also says this:
#Columbia Scolds Students for “Unsanctioned” #GazaRally Where They Were Attacked With Chemicals
Two people reportedly sprayed an odious chemical at protesters, leaving students with burning eyes, nausea, and chest pain.
by Prem Thakker
January 22 2024
"University responded to reports of students being injured by a chemical attack against an on-campus rally for Gaza by chiding students for holding protests without official authorization. Meanwhile, students told The Intercept that even as the school’s public safety department has said it is investigating the incident, school administrators themselves have yet to contact the victims — some of whom have had to seek medical care for their injuries.
"During a rally on Friday, according to attendees, two individuals sprayed a hazardous chemical that released an odious smell. Dozens of students have reported an array of symptoms, such as burning eyes, nausea, headaches, abdominal and chest pain, and vomiting.
"The campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine publicized the incident on Saturday morning, identifying the substance as 'skunk,' a chemical weapon used by the Israel Defense Forces against Palestinians and one that U.S. #police departments have reportedly acquired in the past. SJP also alleged that the assailants have ties to the Israel Defense Forces, a claim that The Intercept could not independently confirm.
"#RashidKhalidi, a renowned #PalestinianAmerican historian who teaches at Columbia, said that university administrators should respect the student protesters’ motivations. 'For a lot of young people, this is one of the most significant events, worst #HumanitarianCrises, certainly in their lifetimes,' said Khalidi. 'And many of them have a strong sense of justice and see injustice. I think university administrators — whatever alumni and whatever donors and whatever trustees are telling them, and whatever the politicians are saying, and whatever the media bias leans towards — I think they have to respect that that’s what’s driving a lot of these students: a strong sense of injustice.'"
"Greta Thunberg and four co-defendants have been found not guilty of breaking the law when they refused to follow police instructions to move on during a #ClimateProtest.
"District Judge John Law threw out a public order charge due to 'no evidence' of any offence being committed adding police attempted to impose 'unlawful' conditions.
"The 21-year-old was arrested at a #ClimateCrisis demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair on 17 October.
"The judge said that the conditions imposed on protesters were 'so unclear that it is unlawful'.
"He added that it meant that 'anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence'."
[News] 61 protestors indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges connected to 'Stop Cop City' movement (apnews.com)
ATLANTA (AP) — Sixty-one people have been indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges following a long-running state investigation into protests against a planned police and firefighter training facility in the Atlanta area that critics call “Cop City.”...