D.C. cops used rape as punishment after Inauguration Day mass arrests, lawsuit says

[riversedge]

Source: Think Progress




Wide array of unconstitutional tactics alleged in suit over chilling round-up that hit peaceful protesters, journalists, and anarchists alike.

Alan Pyke

Jun 22
................................

Officers quickly deployed pepper spray, tear gas, and crowd-control grenades of various types. The Metropolitan Police Department opted to “kettle” everyone on the streets nearby the initial anarchist-driven property destruction, something it does not, by reputation, make a habit of doing during protests.

The mass round-up swept the “Antifa” rowdy types together with many peaceful protesters, journalists, and volunteer legal observers who turn out in bright green hats to help uphold First Amendment rights at such events in the capital. After hours of kettling, police arrested more than 200 people. All were initially charged with felonies by the United States Attorney’s office, which continues to pursue the vast majority of those cases.

This is how the public has understood what happened in the District on Inauguration Day for the past five months. But that story undersells the full scope of the MPD’s violent conduct that day, the D.C. chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) alleges in a lawsuit filed Wednesday against the city, police department, police chief, and numerous yet-unnamed officers.


“Molestation and rape as punishment”

The “guilt by association” round-up and mass arrests, the liberal use of pepper spray, and the kettling itself would all be constitutionally dubious enough on their own, the ACLU-D.C.’s Scott Michelman said Wednesday.

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Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/aclu-sees-dc-cops-over-inauguration-arrests-971b821c9480

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umm.. this sounds serious.




https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1000/1*6T2Xwe2ImT59JM1zaKao5w.jpeg

Cameras, gas, and chaos on Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C. CREDIT: AP Photo/Mark Tenally

[Not Ruth]

1. Raping prisoners is a crime everywhere

[riversedge]

3. Look at these allegations.....

.....An officer ordered Horse, fellow plaintiff Milo Gonzalez, and three others to take their pants off before grabbing their testicles and then inserting a finger into their anuses while “other officers laughed,” the complaint alleges. Horse is a photojournalist, one of six reporters initially arrested and charged whose cases have been dismissed.

“It felt like they were trying to…break us so that even if the charges didn’t stick, that night would be our punishment.”

“I felt like they were using molestation and rape as punishment. They used those tactics to inflict pain and misery on people who are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty,” Horse said. “It felt like they were trying to break me and the others — break us so that even if the charges didn’t stick, that night would be our punishment.”

In a statement responding to the lawsuit on Wednesday, the MPD defended its reputation and maintained that all its arrests were proper.

[DesertRat]

5. OMG

[Kolesar]

2. Where was this, Guatemala?

That is some inspired perversion. How do they get these cops?

[paleotn]

6. Remember the bully in Junior High?

He's a cop now.

[Doug the Dem]

12. POS Cop FIRED!

Yeah, I don't think Student-Throwing is part of police training.

[Tiggeroshii]

4. I hope this finally gives rest to any intent of giving them decade long prison sentences

[elmac]

7. fascist pigs will be fascist pigs nt

[Cal Carpenter]

8. Holy shit I can't even read past the headline

Evil authoritarian nasty motherfuckers I can't even type what I'm thinking.

[elmac]

9. I remember watching a PBS documentary decades ago

probably back in the 80's about Vietnam war protesters in the late 60's. Those that were arrested, NYC I believe, were put in with the worst of the worst rapists and murderers on purpose and they were raped, had their teeth knocked out and other torture at the enjoyment of the pigs. Things really haven't changed in this fascist country.

[IronLionZion]

10. So these abusive cops are going to be charged right?

You can't sexually assault white journalists without a lot of lawyers, the ACLU, DUers, ThinkProgress, and lots of other powerful liberal organizations pursuing justice and policy change. Something is going to happen because of this right? Cops will be fired or jailed?

I'm a brown male in DC and am surprised by this. DC police actually have a positive reputation of managing protests peacefully before.

Cathy Lanier was our police chief right up until last fall. She has an interesting bio that has inspired a lot of feminists:


New guy wants to prove something?

[Dopers_Greed]

11. Following Dear Leader's example

Taking after their Groper-in-Chief

[Solly Mack]

13. K&R

[not fooled]

14. Brownshirts working on behalf

of Der Fumpster.

Goons working for fascists.

Anyone who thinks the police are sacrosanct and that it's OK to treat the hippies this way because this could never happen to them doesn't realize they are one incident or erroneous arrest away from being subject to the same abusive treatment.

These brave protestors are the bellwether brave souls on the frontlines of how our society views anyone who gets on the wrong side of the police.

[lapucelle]

15. You can access the legal documents here.

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3870902/6-21-17-Horse-v-DC-Complaint.pdf