Seattle police accost, beat, jail Canadian visitors for jaywalking

[Newsjock]

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

As infractions go, jaywalking is minor. It's not the sort of thing anyone expects will lead to scrapes, bruises and a night in jail. But what happened to Benjamin De Jong and his girlfriend after a Mariners game Sept. 15 is more than a simple case of jaywalking.

"Police brutality is more like it," contends the 22-year-old, who was visiting from British Columbia when he got a lasting memory of Seattle, courtesy of police.

De Jong admits he and his girlfriend jaywalked across First Avenue in Pioneer Square -- just like a throng always does after a sporting event. They were on the heels of friends who forged into traffic just ahead of them that evening, heading to the J&M Cafe.

"As we were 5 to 10 feet from the curb, an unmarked vehicle sped toward us," De Jong said. "He hammered on his brakes. Two guys jumped out wearing dark clothing."

... De Jong -- 5 feet 7 inches tall and 150 pounds -- said one of the men from the van grabbed him from behind and brusquely turned him around. He said he saw the second man from the van jerk his 105-pound girlfriend by the arm like a rag doll.

... De Jong was tossed on the ground. His knees got bruised. Blood oozed from his elbows. He was handcuffed and taken to jail. He faces pedestrian interference and obstructing charges. His girlfriend, Kristen Heidt, also 22 and from Canada, was roughed up; bruises were left on her body -- and she has photos. She was not taken to jail or charged, even though a police report says she grabbed an officer during the confrontation. Heidt remains shaken up.

Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/jamieson/334765_robert09.html

[monktonman]

1. Whats with the cops lately? n/t

[baby_mouse]

2. They want a fight.

[acmavm]

5. The think they're ass kicking hard asses like Blackwater.

[rucky]

7. Maybe they're auditioning for a job with Blackwater? n/t

[Mythsaje]

3. Just another "isolated incident."

Nothing to see here. Move along.

[gateley]

4. I'm glad this made it into the newspaper, and I'm hopeful that the cops get

nailed after Internal Investigations gets through with them. I also encourage De Jong and his girlfriend to press police brutality charges. This is inexcusable.

Pioneer Square is filled with people after an M's game - certainly the police had more important things to focus on other than jaywalking.

[Cobalt Violet]

6. Why were they not tazered?

:sarcasm:



Fuck the police state. :nuke:

[Spinzonner]

8. Well, they haven't had any anarchists

to beat up for quite a while. Sometimes you just have to take what you can get.

:sarcasm: