Protesters must be granted their right to assemble

First off let me put down something I hope we can all agree on. The ability of a people to… First off let me put down something I hope we can all agree on. The ability of a people to redress their government for wrongs it has inflicted is essential in any free society.

Now for a history lesson. Three years ago, the World Trade Organization met in Seattle. They were greeted by an estimated 20,000 protesters, and the events that ensued were frightening: police in riot gear, peaceful protesters arrested by the hundreds, tear gas and a city in confusion.

Fast forward to last weekend. Washington, D.C. planned to host meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

This was no secret. The date of the meetings was set months ago. Nor was it a secret that the Anti-Capitalist Convergence planned protests modeled after the ones in Seattle to accompany those conferences. Washington has been aware of these plans for more than five months.

Given this situation and memories of what transpired in Seattle, the city had two options.

One: They could recognize that an overwhelming number of people had a common view and wished to express it. They could then take measures to cooperate with the protesters by giving them a platform to express their views. They could perhaps even grant their somewhat radical views recognition, given that they are growing in popularity. These actions would make sure protesters didn’t disrupt the city.

Or, Two: The city could fear the protesters. They could prepare to suppress them and deprive them of a voice. They could beef up their police force and arrest the protesters. These actions would also ensure an orderly city.

Guess which one Washington picked.

If you said fear and repression, give yourself a cookie. In the weeks preceding the conference, Washington not only equipped its own police with riot gear but also recruited 1,700 police officers from as far away as Miami and Chicago. Combined with 1,500 D.C. officers, they prepared to “maintain order” in the city.

Police Chief Charles Ramsey, standing at the head of these battle clad officers, told CNN “Our goal is no arrests.” Kind of makes you laugh doesn’t it? Especially when the facts are considered: on Friday police outnumbered the protesters by more than 1,000 and 649 people were arrested.

If Ramsey was so against resorting to arrests, you’d think he would give protesters the option to disperse before barricading all exits to Freedom Park and arresting everyone inside. But several witnesses state that no option was given.

Witnesses also reported seeing protesters struck in the head by police batons and one activist reported to a hospital with her injuries. In reaction to the officer’s actions, those assembled began to chant, “This is what a police state looks like.” I have to agree.

Now it would be ludicrous to say that we’re no better than the Nazis or that this was another Tienanmen Square. The fact is as far as liberty is concerned, we’re better than most nations and definitely not to be compared with Communist China, Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany.

But that doesn’t mean the actions by Ramsey’s officers are acceptable. Or that the city’s strategy to deal with the protesters can be excused. The actions taken by police last Friday scare me. The fact that larger demonstrations were held on Saturday with only minor incident is of minimal consolation.

Ramsey justifies the actions of his officers by noting that protesters had no permit for the demonstrations on Friday. This is true, but brings us to the larger topic of how constitutional the permit for demonstration law is. Answer: not at all.

If citizens want to exercise their right to assemble in protest of the government, they must first get permission from the government. Something about that just doesn’t sound right to me.

They say that it’s the only way to ensure protests are safe and orderly.

We have no way of knowing if this is true or not. What we do know is that this is the only policy that ensures protests are few and lame.

The right to peaceably assemble is a fundamental one, as is the right to free speech. When I see these rights so blatantly encroached in our nation’s capital, it makes me wonder. It makes me wonder just how much force our government is willing to use against its own citizens in the name of order.

For information about what the ACC has to say check out www.globalizethis.org and www.imf.org for the other side of debate.

Other questions, comments, insight or instruction? E-mail wminton@pittnews.com.