Defend the Hartford 18
Police lay siege to peaceful march
By Leslie Feinberg
A police attack on peaceful anti-war marchers in Hartford,
Conn., on Oct. 25 is generating widespread outrage. Eighteen
people were arrested on charges ranging from "disorderly
conduct" to "inciting a riot." Some of the charges are felonies
that carry sentences up to 10 years.
At an Oct. 26 arraignment, bail bonds were set exorbitantly
high--from $15,000 to $50,000. But supporters raised enough
money to spring everyone by that night.
The only excuse that police officials or the big business
media could offer for the cops' laying siege to activists is
that there was no permit for the demonstration. But local
activists note that past protests have taken place without
permits and without incident.
The political climate in the state is very much influenced
by the fact that the military-industrial complex has a strong
base in Connecticut. The state is home to a submarine base at
Groton and other military installations.
Connecticut--cited in the last census as the most segregated
U.S. state after Mississippi--also reportedly has one of the
richest counties as well as three out of 10 of the poorest
counties in the country.
Delivering an important message
Sage Radachowsky, a sociology graduate student at the
University of Connecticut, was one of those arrested. He told
Workers World, "The demo was organized by a loose network of
people: students and nonstudents, young and old. The message
was to protest the bombings in Afghanistan and U.S. foreign
policy, though there was no centralized message other than
being for peace and against all forms of oppression."
The rally began about 4:30 at Bushnell Park with speeches
and skits. A half hour later the number grew to more than 200
activists. They spilled into the street and marched toward Sen.
Joseph Leiberman's office to deliver an anti-war petition and
protest his position as a pro-Pentagon hawk.
Radachowsky described, "The protest before police attacked
was nonviolent but defiant. We walked through the streets. We
stayed on one side and didn't block traffic for more than two
minutes at any point, but we were not going to remain on the
sidewalk either, feeling that this was a message that needs to
be heard.
"Police were present from the beginning, although their
numbers increased. Police became more and more confrontational,
running their cruisers at high speed up to people and stopping
only feet before hitting them. They brought out canisters of
pepper spray. They tried to run cars into protesters to block
the way and shove people. People walked through the spaces
between the cruisers and continued. Police also shoved with
billy clubs but people absorbed the shoves and continued."
Radachowsky said, "Then police shout ed out 'Those three!'
and 'Him!' and arrested some people. Many were standing on the
sidewalk when arrested."
A busload of riot-clad police arrived and tried to disperse
the crowd.
"Shame, shame," protesters jeered at police who beat and
pepper sprayed Vittorio Lancia as the man shouted, "I have
asthma!" At least one of Lancia's ribs was broken.
Tom Deere was one of those hit and pepper sprayed. "It
stings a lot, but I'll be OK," he reassured fellow
protesters.
When a group of activists on the sidewalk tried to discuss
what to do next, police reportedly grabbed the facilitator. A
woman shouted, "Why are you taking him?" One cop yelled over
his shoulder, "Conspiracy to incite a riot."
Readying for a long-term struggle
Those who escaped arrest made their way to Hartford police
headquarters on Jennings Road to demonstrate their support for
those held inside.
Behind bars, Radachowsky explained, "is a sexist, racist,
homophobic and generally dehumanizing environment. There was a
U.S. flag and a 'Wanted: Osama bin Laden' poster on a prominent
door. They made remarks constantly about how we should be
ashamed of ourselves, and how 'if it were up to me you wouldn't
be here safe and sound right now,' etc."
But, Radachowsky stressed, "This will most emphatically not
stop me from protesting. In fact, the opposite is true. It only
makes me more persistent and determined. We're holding another
vigil here at UConn tomorrow."
Anne D'Alleva, an assistant professor at the University of
Connecticut, has played a dynamic role in organizing actions on
campus against the anti-Muslim frenzy and against the war.
D'Alleva told Workers World, "I have tremendous admiration
for everyone involved--the students are so dedicated, and so
skilled. What strikes me about our activist community is that
we're working on so many fronts at once.
"One of the things that has emerged so clearly is how
related these oppressions are: racism, sexism, homophobia, the
war. Not surprisingly there has been a spate of homophobic
incidents here on campus since 9/11. We always have a problem
with homophobia here, but I think 9/11 has authorized some
people to show a kind of blanket hatred of otherness."
D'Alleva concluded, "We're realizing that this is going to
be a long-term effort. We're all working hard to raise money
for the legal defense and to organize protest to the police
brutality experienced there while working long-term on the
issue of peace."
Reprinted from the Nov. 8, 2001, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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