[Sosfbay-discuss] Fwd: Police File Charges Against Watsonville Brown Berets for Peaceful Protest

[Tian Harter]

*Note: I went to this march, and it was a remarkable and beautiful 
event. - Tian

Act Now! Police File Charges Against Watsonville Brown Berets for 
Peaceful Protest*
by Watsonville Brown Berets Sunday, Mar. 26, 2006 at 9:48 AM
brownberets at msn.com <mailto:brownberets at msn.com>


> Watsonville Police charge Brown Berets for peaceful action!




PLEASE PASS WIDELY! IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED!

Open letter To The Community: Help the Brown Berets Get Charges Dropped 
for Peaceful Action on March 25 in Watsonville, CA

On Saturday, March 25, 2006 Watsonville saw the largest March for Peace 
and Justice in the history of the city. Documented and Undocumented 
Workers, families and allies marched in total solidarity with Anti-War 
Activists, led by Fernando Suarez Del Solar, Pablo Paredes and Medea 
Benjamin in a 2,000+ citizen, strong & peaceful march though the city of 
Watsonville. It was beautiful.

The route had been pre-planned and sent to the police. Crowd security 
was provided by the Watsonville Brown Berets. The Berets also are part 
of the nationwide coalition, “The Alliance for Human Rights,” the group 
which decided to make March 25 a national day of action against HR4437. 
This new, abusive, immigrant-bashing legislation is heading for the 
Senate on Tuesday which, among many awful things…would make simply being 
illegal in this country a felony. There have been marches, walkouts and 
various actions across the country over the past week in practically 
every state. The momentum to Saturday’s march had been building.

With so many people, we could never have taken the sidewalks solely. We 
marched down one lane on four lane roads…with two lanes heading in each 
direction. We marched in only the furthest right hand lane and on the 
sidewalk. Traffic was still moving in both directions. People stayed 
inside the line of the one lane the whole time.

Yet, after the march, the Watsonville Police Department targeted one 
organizer (a Brown Beret) and wrote him a citation with 8-10 counts 
against him, including criminal charges. We are still waiting for the 
ticket to arrive in the mail, what we know we have learned from one 
policeman and the news. They will also be charging the Brown Berets for 
police overtime. This was an effort to show people that “…they can’t do 
whatever they want to,” in the words of the Watsonville Police.

The people wanted to march in the streets, they have that right. The 
extent of the crowd demonstrated the power of the immigration issue and 
the passion of the people. The Brown Berets did not expect or bring that 
many people. Residents came from everywhere to use the opportunity to be 
heard. This has been a silent population until now. Silent because they 
are working 12-16 hour days in the fields, hotels, and factories so 
Americans can enjoy the lifestyle and economic privilege we are 
accustomed to.

As concerned and compassionate citizens, it is our duty to ensure that 
no one who organized or participated is ever a scapegoat or vilified on 
behalf of the powers that be. It is our responsibility to stand up and 
demand the Watsonville Police view their job that day as one of public 
service. That service being to protect the people in the streets. We had 
peaceful demonstrators, our own security yet the Watsonville Police 
insisted on assigning 10 cops and various vehicles to our march. This 
was not requested or necessary. We marched in Salinas right afterwards 
with NO POLICE SECURITY and we were fine.

PLEASE HELP THE BROWN BERETS FIGHT THE CHARGES AND THE POWER STRUCTURE 
WHICH IS TRYING TO “TEACH US ALL A LESSON.”

ACT NOW!!!! Call Captain Manny Solano: (831) 768-3300 (leave message) or 
(831) 750-2943 (cell phone) and tell him to simply, DROP ALL CHARGES 
AGAINST THE BROWN BERETS, financial and criminal. Also, his e-mail is: 
msolano at ci.watsonville.ca.us <mailto:msolano at ci.watsonville.ca.us>

Write letters to the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Register Pajaronian 
immediately, they have both covered the story. Condemn the Watsonville 
Police Department for charging us with fines and citations for simply 
leading the people safely on a very emotional issue.

We have no money, we do everything through volunteers and small, in-kind 
donations. Please help us.

In Community Solidarity,
The Watsonville Brown Berets
brownberets at msn.com <mailto:brownberets at msn.com>

-- 
Tian
http://tianharter.org
Saturday March 25th: I marched in Watsonville for Peace and 
Justice with something like 700 other people, including Medea 
Benjamin and Fernando Suarez del Solar, whose son Jesus was
one of the first people that died in Iraq for Bush's oil war.
Tian Harter for Senate, P.O. Box 391854, Mtn View CA 94039-1854