Complaint #200409325,
August 31, 2004

Summary

[redacted] went to the WTC on August 31, 2004 to participate in the protest march. [redacted] works for the [redacted] and she was making a documentary about the protest and the War Resistors League. She was aware that the War Resistor's League did not have a permit when she went and she had participated in three other RNC protests earlier that week. She had a media press pass and she began the afternoon by interviewing some of the leaders for the War Resistors League. At approximately 4:00 p.m., the group that had gathered at the WTC began to march. Right before the protestors crossed onto the Fulton Street sidewalk, an officer in a white shirt spoke through his bullhorn and stated, "if you remain on the sidewalk you will not get arrested, but if you go in the street you will get arrested, this includes press." [redacted] along with the other protestors, crossed the street and walked up the Fulton Street sidewalk towards Broadway, staying on the sidewalk. As soon as they crossed onto the Fulton Street sidewalk police officers on bicycles lined the sidewalk to the right of the marchers. On the left of Fulton Street is a cemetery which is enclosed by a tall fence. There were also police officers located inside the cemetery. This created a human barricade which did not allow people to leave Fulton Street. When the group was about halfway up the Fulton Street sidewalk the march stopped. [redacted] had not heard any orders to disperse or warnings that marching would lead to being arrested. [redacted] was in the middle of the group when the march was stopped and at the time she thought that the officers were just trying to organize the people in some way. However, about 10 minutes after the group had stopped, the police officers that were making a human barricade took out orange netting and encircled the group to make certain that no one left the premises. The protestors soon learned that they were being arrested. [redacted]'s colleague, [redacted] the man who was doing the sound for her documentary, showed one of... Read report for details.