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One man facing Felony assault charges after SFPD raids party
Officers from the San Francisco Police Department descended on a party to raise money for student activists. Police arrested 11 people, one of whom has been charged with a felony.
The San Francisco Police Department violently raided a San Francisco benefit party for student activists last night after a fire marshal shut down the crowded event.
Police arrested 11 people. A 23-year-old man remains jailed on felony aggravated assault charges, but the others have been released, said police spokesman Officer Samson Chan. While in custody, one of the people arrested was struck in the face by a Sheriff's deputy while sitting quietly and not resisting, according to a party-goer who was recently released from jail.
Around 1 a.m. a UC Berkeley student who had stepped out of the party near the corner of Mission and Seventh Street saw a police officer try to get inside. The student said that when people shut the door and refused to let the officer in, he told them he would call the fire marshal and tear down the door. Within a few minutes the fire marshal showed up, and the organizers allowed him inside after briefly considering the situation.
But Officer Chan said that it was the fire marshal who showed up first, and that the marshal was there because several neighboring residents and businesses had called 911 to complain. Chan claims that when the police showed up, the crowd "threw bottles and explosives" at the officers, prompting them to request emergency backup.
People at the party said they heard what sounded like two m-80 explosions during the night but did not see anyone trying to throw anything at the officers.
According to one account, there were at least two undercover officers already inside the party when the fire marshal showed up. He said the undercover officers started arresting people and "held them up against the wall by their necks," when the fire marshal entered the party. The part-goer told Indybay that when the people streamed out of the party they found cops outside, with more officers continuing to arrive.
"There was no mention of any undercover officers," said Chan, after reviewing the police's report. He said that the SFPD do use undercover officers, but doesn't see why they would have been at the party.
One of those arrested told Indybay that he was tazed after police threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. But when he spoke to arresting officers about the incident, he was told that the San Francisco's police officers don't carry Tazers. The officer confirmed to him that he had been tazed and suggested a civilian must have tazed him while the police were arresting him, he said.
Chan confirmed that the department doesn't use tazers. He said he doesn't have any information to indicate another police agency was involved in the incident, but it is still early in the investigation and that more information be available later in the week.
Police arrested 11 people. A 23-year-old man remains jailed on felony aggravated assault charges, but the others have been released, said police spokesman Officer Samson Chan. While in custody, one of the people arrested was struck in the face by a Sheriff's deputy while sitting quietly and not resisting, according to a party-goer who was recently released from jail.
Around 1 a.m. a UC Berkeley student who had stepped out of the party near the corner of Mission and Seventh Street saw a police officer try to get inside. The student said that when people shut the door and refused to let the officer in, he told them he would call the fire marshal and tear down the door. Within a few minutes the fire marshal showed up, and the organizers allowed him inside after briefly considering the situation.
But Officer Chan said that it was the fire marshal who showed up first, and that the marshal was there because several neighboring residents and businesses had called 911 to complain. Chan claims that when the police showed up, the crowd "threw bottles and explosives" at the officers, prompting them to request emergency backup.
People at the party said they heard what sounded like two m-80 explosions during the night but did not see anyone trying to throw anything at the officers.
According to one account, there were at least two undercover officers already inside the party when the fire marshal showed up. He said the undercover officers started arresting people and "held them up against the wall by their necks," when the fire marshal entered the party. The part-goer told Indybay that when the people streamed out of the party they found cops outside, with more officers continuing to arrive.
"There was no mention of any undercover officers," said Chan, after reviewing the police's report. He said that the SFPD do use undercover officers, but doesn't see why they would have been at the party.
One of those arrested told Indybay that he was tazed after police threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. But when he spoke to arresting officers about the incident, he was told that the San Francisco's police officers don't carry Tazers. The officer confirmed to him that he had been tazed and suggested a civilian must have tazed him while the police were arresting him, he said.
Chan confirmed that the department doesn't use tazers. He said he doesn't have any information to indicate another police agency was involved in the incident, but it is still early in the investigation and that more information be available later in the week.
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The cop was a white woman, late thirties, curly brown hair,long, tied back. she was wearing blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a dark 'patron' tequilla shirt. I did not see her inside but several people that did pointed her out late at the jail.
What does that mean? Told you?
The other plaineclothes/undercover was a built white bald man in jeans and a light-colored t-shirt, one of the people using "pain compliance" to assault our friends.
The m-80s-like sounds were the cops shooting off riot shotguns.
The m-80s-like sounds were the cops shooting off riot shotguns.
There is a convention in print-reporting that you don't say, "told me" you say they told the publication you're reporting for. Sorry if it seemed confusing or doesn't fit the Indybay style.
Hi Josh, thanks for the report, but please ditch the journalism school lingo.
Simply say what you mean and mean what you say. And don't use the passive voice and other rhetorical devices that confuse who said what.
Thanks
Simply say what you mean and mean what you say. And don't use the passive voice and other rhetorical devices that confuse who said what.
Thanks
The part about the officers denying tazing the individual might be the most disturbing.
It is hard to understand what they were likely being arrested for. If it was 'failure to disperse', it also sounds like people were blocked from exiting the venue. If it was 'disorderly conduct', that sounds like a fairly high number of people for police to actually observe behavior from, unless the undercover officer had just id'd folks they didn't like.
It is hard to understand what they were likely being arrested for. If it was 'failure to disperse', it also sounds like people were blocked from exiting the venue. If it was 'disorderly conduct', that sounds like a fairly high number of people for police to actually observe behavior from, unless the undercover officer had just id'd folks they didn't like.
Bagrat,
I don't get what you mean by "journalism school lingo", if I turned that story in for one of my classes it wouldn't really fly. The "Told Indybay" is hardly J-school so much as a traditional convention for print reporting.
But you're right that it's confusing who said what. And the passive voice is a problem. But when nobody wants me to print their name, and I don't push the issue because it doesn't seem absolutely necessary for this forum, attributing who said what gets tricky as hell. I think I see a better way to have done it. But you're right, I was in a hurry to hit the send button and get back to my Sunday. And it shows.
I don't get what you mean by "journalism school lingo", if I turned that story in for one of my classes it wouldn't really fly. The "Told Indybay" is hardly J-school so much as a traditional convention for print reporting.
But you're right that it's confusing who said what. And the passive voice is a problem. But when nobody wants me to print their name, and I don't push the issue because it doesn't seem absolutely necessary for this forum, attributing who said what gets tricky as hell. I think I see a better way to have done it. But you're right, I was in a hurry to hit the send button and get back to my Sunday. And it shows.
Not sure if the cops targeted last night's last night's party due to the politics of the event, but they've been cracking down on underground parties way more in the last year than they have in a long time. Both the Guardian & SF Weekly had stories recently about cops stealing laptops from parties. I think EFF was able to get some of the laptops returned. Here's something I wrote about it:
http://publicfrenemy.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/sf-cops-are-shutting-down-parties-and-it%E2%80%99s-not-just-because-they-think-dubstep-is-kinda-played-out/
http://publicfrenemy.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/sf-cops-are-shutting-down-parties-and-it%E2%80%99s-not-just-because-they-think-dubstep-is-kinda-played-out/
We do realize that the UC student movement is followed by Homeland Security and FBI. Don't we?
Benefit party ends in riot
Submitted by anon on Sun, 2010-01-31 08:02.
From Golden Gate Express - by Andrew Palma, Staff Writer
Chaos erupted outside of a student party in the SOMA district early this morning as police drew their firearms amidst a struggle to restrain some of those in attendance.
At 12:47 a.m., police and firefighters entered a storefront warehouse at 154 7th Street between Mission and Howard Streets and ordered everyone to vacate the premises. It is not immediately clear why police decided to order everyone to leave.
What followed was a few, tense moments as police struggled with some of the people in attendance amidst cries of protest from others watching in the street.
An all-out brawl broke out between some of the partygoers and police. Within minutes of the outbreak, several more police cars arrived on the scene with officers running from their vehicles to break up and restrain the fight.
Small explosions were also heard and seen erupting near some of the police vehicles parked in front of the building, although it is not clear if that came from the police or from people on the street. The scene could only be described as chaotic as police shouted commands, some with their weapons drawn, and people on the street shouted obscenities at the officers.
Rocks and bottles were thrown at police cars as they arrived on the scene, chants of "F*** the Police," echoed from all sides of the street, and police shoved people who were standing in the street ordering them to move onto the sidewalk.
An unconfirmed total of nine people were arrested, according to party attendee Aaron Buchbinder, 26, who said commanding officer Borges informed him of that amount.
Police would not speculate when asked for details about how many people were arrested or why they broke up the party.
SF State student and [X]press photographer Krystal Peak was also arrested as she took pictures of the scene. Police allege that she was impeding a criminal investigation.
"We saw a guy being pinned down, and man and somebody else getting pushed up against a car," CCSF student Yarilis VasquezGuzman, 24, said, "The guy was saying... he was complaining about his finger. There were too many cops outside, too much aggression."
The party was organized by students from SF State, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Davis, to help raise money for fines issued during last semester's spate of demonstrations, including SF State students who were arrested during the occupation of the Business building on Dec 9.
Officers attacked at warehouse party
By: Kamala Kelkar
Examiner Staff Writer
January 31, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — A student-run warehouse party with hundreds of people allegedly turned violent Sunday morning when it was busted by police.
A fire marshal was called to a clothing warehouse at 154 Seventh St. around 1 a.m. because of the noise coming from a party thrown by a group called Occupy California. Hundreds of people were inside, but they didn’t let the fire marshal in so he called police, Officer Samson Chan said.
When police arrived, people in the crowd were allegedly throwing M-80-type explosives and glass bottles at officers, Chan said.
A 23-year-old man who allegedly had the M-80-type devices on him was arrested for aggravated assault on an officer.
Ten other people were cited for public drunkenness and other misdemeanors, Chan said.
Officers are investigating whether it was a properly permitted party.
A Web posting called the event "Indie Pop Electro," and described it as "a benefit for the occupation arrestees." Other postings on the group's blog make reference to recent occupations at University of California campuses.
No one from Occupay California could be reached for comment as of Sunday morning.
kkelkar [at] sfexaminer.com
Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Warehouse-party-turns-violent-83204062.html#ixzz0eJOAObRG
Submitted by anon on Sun, 2010-01-31 08:02.
From Golden Gate Express - by Andrew Palma, Staff Writer
Chaos erupted outside of a student party in the SOMA district early this morning as police drew their firearms amidst a struggle to restrain some of those in attendance.
At 12:47 a.m., police and firefighters entered a storefront warehouse at 154 7th Street between Mission and Howard Streets and ordered everyone to vacate the premises. It is not immediately clear why police decided to order everyone to leave.
What followed was a few, tense moments as police struggled with some of the people in attendance amidst cries of protest from others watching in the street.
An all-out brawl broke out between some of the partygoers and police. Within minutes of the outbreak, several more police cars arrived on the scene with officers running from their vehicles to break up and restrain the fight.
Small explosions were also heard and seen erupting near some of the police vehicles parked in front of the building, although it is not clear if that came from the police or from people on the street. The scene could only be described as chaotic as police shouted commands, some with their weapons drawn, and people on the street shouted obscenities at the officers.
Rocks and bottles were thrown at police cars as they arrived on the scene, chants of "F*** the Police," echoed from all sides of the street, and police shoved people who were standing in the street ordering them to move onto the sidewalk.
An unconfirmed total of nine people were arrested, according to party attendee Aaron Buchbinder, 26, who said commanding officer Borges informed him of that amount.
Police would not speculate when asked for details about how many people were arrested or why they broke up the party.
SF State student and [X]press photographer Krystal Peak was also arrested as she took pictures of the scene. Police allege that she was impeding a criminal investigation.
"We saw a guy being pinned down, and man and somebody else getting pushed up against a car," CCSF student Yarilis VasquezGuzman, 24, said, "The guy was saying... he was complaining about his finger. There were too many cops outside, too much aggression."
The party was organized by students from SF State, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Davis, to help raise money for fines issued during last semester's spate of demonstrations, including SF State students who were arrested during the occupation of the Business building on Dec 9.
Officers attacked at warehouse party
By: Kamala Kelkar
Examiner Staff Writer
January 31, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — A student-run warehouse party with hundreds of people allegedly turned violent Sunday morning when it was busted by police.
A fire marshal was called to a clothing warehouse at 154 Seventh St. around 1 a.m. because of the noise coming from a party thrown by a group called Occupy California. Hundreds of people were inside, but they didn’t let the fire marshal in so he called police, Officer Samson Chan said.
When police arrived, people in the crowd were allegedly throwing M-80-type explosives and glass bottles at officers, Chan said.
A 23-year-old man who allegedly had the M-80-type devices on him was arrested for aggravated assault on an officer.
Ten other people were cited for public drunkenness and other misdemeanors, Chan said.
Officers are investigating whether it was a properly permitted party.
A Web posting called the event "Indie Pop Electro," and described it as "a benefit for the occupation arrestees." Other postings on the group's blog make reference to recent occupations at University of California campuses.
No one from Occupay California could be reached for comment as of Sunday morning.
kkelkar [at] sfexaminer.com
Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Warehouse-party-turns-violent-83204062.html#ixzz0eJOAObRG
Rarely, if ever, have i seen the fire marshall show up before the police. Usually the police show up for whatever reason. They look at the space and determine that there is some fire hazard, or some way they can use the fire marshall in their cmapaign for harassment, and then they call thee fire marshall.
as a student who attended this party, i witnessed first hand that cops showed up to the space first, demanded to be let in and when they were refused (because they did not have a permit) they called the fire marshall. he came, demanded to be let in and when refused (because he did not have a permit), he told the people holding the door shut that he would simply break it down and bust his way in.
the minute the cops entered the party they began shoving people around, demanding to know who was in charge and demanding to know where the money was that had been raised. they physically assaulted some people - shoving several of our friends up against the wall and holding them by their throats - threatening them if they did not tell who was in charge. the cops physically blocked the entrance/exit to the building for several minutes, not allowing people to leave.
after finding the person they thought was in charge, the cops pulled his arms back behind his body, physically distorting and twisting his body in an obviously painful manner. when bystanders began to yell at the cops to leave him alone, the cops began shoving people away and threatening to arrest them as well. the cops used an extreme and completely absurd level of violence against the party-goers, tasering some folks and hitting them with batons. there has been several documented reports of a firefighter throwing a large, heavy mag flashlight at a party-goer who was running away from the party.
the party was completely peaceful and no noise violations occurred. there is still a comrade who is in jail under multiple felony charges for defense against the cops. please support the student movement.
the minute the cops entered the party they began shoving people around, demanding to know who was in charge and demanding to know where the money was that had been raised. they physically assaulted some people - shoving several of our friends up against the wall and holding them by their throats - threatening them if they did not tell who was in charge. the cops physically blocked the entrance/exit to the building for several minutes, not allowing people to leave.
after finding the person they thought was in charge, the cops pulled his arms back behind his body, physically distorting and twisting his body in an obviously painful manner. when bystanders began to yell at the cops to leave him alone, the cops began shoving people away and threatening to arrest them as well. the cops used an extreme and completely absurd level of violence against the party-goers, tasering some folks and hitting them with batons. there has been several documented reports of a firefighter throwing a large, heavy mag flashlight at a party-goer who was running away from the party.
the party was completely peaceful and no noise violations occurred. there is still a comrade who is in jail under multiple felony charges for defense against the cops. please support the student movement.
While I wasn't at the party I do know a lot of the people that organized the school occupations and they have always remained non-violent in their protests. I can't begin to imagine a student 'attacking' or 'throwing explosives' at SF Police. If you know these students, you know they don't have the capability of such things and are just organizing and raising money to get more rights on campus and to stop the budget cuts.
It sounds like the Police are/were backlashing for the occupations from last month. While it is hard to believe the police violence reported from just reading it, I have seen it first hand at demonstrations, especially when people of non-white background are around.
let's organize some solidarity protests for these students and get some evidence of what happened that night!!
It sounds like the Police are/were backlashing for the occupations from last month. While it is hard to believe the police violence reported from just reading it, I have seen it first hand at demonstrations, especially when people of non-white background are around.
let's organize some solidarity protests for these students and get some evidence of what happened that night!!
For more information:
http://www.studentunitypower.org/
Can't take money for an event without a pemit. Ever heard of the Tax Man? That's why there is a permit section in the City & County of San Francisco. The cops have one too. The cops were doing what they are supposed to do whether liked or not...Law Enforcement.......Get a permit and you DONT get the cops................So simple.........Don't like that law? Change it.
Ever hear of Anarchists? They don't need a permit - because they don't believe in a government that is illegitimate on almost all levels. They are organizing and protesting because of the way this government operates. Get real, Hobo. Money buys laws and the changes in laws - people (like us) don't really change the laws. We had 60 democrats in the US Senate and they couldn't pass bills. Is that democracy? no.
Basically everyday , every moment almost everyone is breaking some kind of law. Every day more and more rules and laws are passed that it is almost impossible to do anything. Permits are required, money must be put up, insurance must be secured or you can't hold an event. It is designed that way. Compliance is built in so small businesses and individuals cannot comply like big corporations.
What about freedom?
Basically everyday , every moment almost everyone is breaking some kind of law. Every day more and more rules and laws are passed that it is almost impossible to do anything. Permits are required, money must be put up, insurance must be secured or you can't hold an event. It is designed that way. Compliance is built in so small businesses and individuals cannot comply like big corporations.
What about freedom?
Sad this happened, but SF cops don't carry tasers. It just goes to show - someone is lying!
According to this article, from the fine people at the Chronicle, the cops do carry tasers?
For more information:
http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-02-14/bay-...
SF police do carry tasers.
Anyways, what needs to be done is every single student that was at that fundraiser needs to simply use their sheer numbers and beat the SF police force's butt into submission. Put the cops back in line before they get too far out of line.
The police are using their clout to interfere with protected rights. This should NEVER be tolerated and the police should get the spanking their mothers neglected to give them as children. And I'm not talking about a hand-spanking, I'm talking about pull their pants down, bend them over your knee, and wear out a leather strap on that hide until they're crying for us to stop.
That'll put them back in line, fast.
Anyways, what needs to be done is every single student that was at that fundraiser needs to simply use their sheer numbers and beat the SF police force's butt into submission. Put the cops back in line before they get too far out of line.
The police are using their clout to interfere with protected rights. This should NEVER be tolerated and the police should get the spanking their mothers neglected to give them as children. And I'm not talking about a hand-spanking, I'm talking about pull their pants down, bend them over your knee, and wear out a leather strap on that hide until they're crying for us to stop.
That'll put them back in line, fast.
hillbilly bill- Permits cost money and as such, are designed to keep those without money (students, poor, working class people, most immigrants, people of color, etc.) from having any stake in their own communities. For example, when people in SF wanted to organize the Really Really FREE Market in the bayview to help spread sharing and community in Hunters Point, police came down and cited everyone for not paying for a permit. That's the insanity of the government of today- you have to pay money to give things away for free!
It's an idiotic system that puts corporations and the rich before everything else (read humanity, love, compassion). it really is as simple as that. and if these students were gathered together to raise money there is no reason in the world they should have to pay the city money to do that, especially when they're not even on city property (if you believe in that sort of thing).
by your above logic, kids at the lemonade stand should get roughed up and tasered by cops for not having a permit?
and as much as I would like to rough up cops, doing that sort of thing will only land you in jail. we gotta work together and build solidarity first.
It's an idiotic system that puts corporations and the rich before everything else (read humanity, love, compassion). it really is as simple as that. and if these students were gathered together to raise money there is no reason in the world they should have to pay the city money to do that, especially when they're not even on city property (if you believe in that sort of thing).
by your above logic, kids at the lemonade stand should get roughed up and tasered by cops for not having a permit?
and as much as I would like to rough up cops, doing that sort of thing will only land you in jail. we gotta work together and build solidarity first.
Eye waz at the hotel across the street when this all went down...think it was the head security at the hotel that called the fire dept...So eye will say that eye did not c who took the first swing but what eye did c was a gross misconduct of justice in way of how the police handled the situation... First off there where 2 police cars on the scene. Most of the event goers where already outside of the warehouse and dispersing when the police started to use their night sticks to push people away from the the warehouse... Words were exchanged between officers and students then the police started to push people as they walked away and protested the police's actions... some event goers hit the ground as police started to arrest them...people were shouting at the police to let them go...as it escalated and about 8-10 more police cars showed up...Eye saw one cop get out of his car and run up to a group of girls that were telling the police officer arresting their friend to let him go and just launched himself in mid air taking down at least 3-4 females...Then someone set off an m-80...rather loud was the explosion so it just made the scene even more violent... then eye saw someone all in black toss another m-80 over the top of a police car bouncing off the hood and on the ground...by the polices actions and the fact that the person throwing the m-80 was dressed in black eye thought it was the police throwing the explosive... then the m-80 detonated and a firefighter saw the person who threw the m-80 run and the funniest thing happened it was like a dance number straight from a Broadway musical about 12 police officers ran in 2 lines staggered toward the firefighter chasing the alleged perpetrator as more police cars rolled on the scene the 12 police stopped then ran back to the scene...It was so funny like rats they ran then back again unaware of what to do...Meanwhile they left the other police arresting people alone while more attendees where at this point fighting back due to the excessive force used by the police...All of a sudden guns started to b drawn one then two next thing eye know eye saw one police officer with what eye believe to b an AR-15 defiantly not standard issue, shotguns and the likes...Then too top it all off as things were starting to chill out and most of the attendees had left the scene one obviously drunk kid started to walk back down the street toward the warehouse and about 6 police were yelling at him to turn around and when he did not they started to hit him with their nightsticks trying to push him back...Then out off no where this shorter police officer ran up to him and tried to take him to the ground by putting a choke hold on the event attendee...But this did not work and the attendee walked across the street with the officer on his back then they hit the ground as they stumbled over the sidewalk...At this point an older police officer realized that S.F.P.D were really out of control and ordered all of the police off the scene...Eye will say all in all the S.F.P.D were completely out of line and out of control with the way they handled the situation...Also eye will state that the person responsible for the explosive whether police,fire dept. or attendee was rather stupid and could have gotten someone hurt or worse...It makes me sick to know that these "police are here to protect and serve" and they have guns...Eye will also state that this goes to show you how the fall of our society is rapidly coming toward a wall...the next time eye am sure that some mostly innocent people will die or b severely hurt due to the fact that any fool can b a police officer with a gun....
till next time
cRaZy hOrse
till next time
cRaZy hOrse
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