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More police harassment and false arrest in Berkeley
In the early morning hours of July 20, I was the victim of an illegal detainment and false arrest at the hands of the Berkeley Police Department.
Berkeley Police Department clearly has it out for me. Before I was indicted on federal charges of animal enterprise terrorism for (according to the government's criminal complaint) allegedly protesting in the neighborhoods of those who experiment on and kill animals in University of California-Berkeley laboratories, I wrote in the Berkeley Daily Planet of being harassed by BPD Officer O'Donnell and others. Just a week after my federal indictment was dismissed, the harassment continued. I was walking home from Berkeley late Monday night. Officer Cole #146 steps out of her car. She says "Hey, how's it going?" I say "What's up?" She concocted some lie about how I "look like" a person whose backpack she found the other day. I say "No, that wasn't me" and start to walk away. She demands ID. She says "Can I call you Joe? What do your friends call you?" Another officer arrives and is told to "watch him!" Very shortly thereafter, another officer arrives. He says "Ha, he looks just like his picture!" and hands Officer Cole a printed-out picture of me, likely from some recent FBI fax. It should be noted that when the cops detain me, in flashing red letters reads "WARNING: Terrorism Organization Member. Animal Rights Extremist. Approach with Caution. Contact FBI Immediately."
This officer asks where I came from. I have in the past been the victim of police lies and distortions. I don't talk to police at all. There was no cause to detain me. They are circling and staring me down. I am traumatized and visibly shaking at this point. Officer Cole asks if she can search my backpack. I tell her no. She says "Why not, if you don't have anything to hide?" I said "Well, it's just my policy that I don't consent to searches." She asks why I'm nervous. I say "Well, first of all, there's four of you and I have no idea why I'm being stopped." Officer Cole replies "It's late. We have nothing better to do. There's no donut shops open." This struck me as especially odd, because I never said anything condescending or disrespectful in the slightest to these officers.
Another cop present, Officer Phillips takes a huddle with Officer Cole. They ask me if I've had anything to drink, if I smoked any weed. Officer Cole asks "When's the last time you smoked weed, if you were to smoke weed?" They ask if I'm taking any prescription drugs. I don't. Officer Phillips tells me to follow her eye with my finger, without turning my head. She says "Look, there's something with his eyes!" Officer Cole tells me to close my eyes, lean my head back and estimate thirty seconds.
Long story short, I was arrested for "being under the influence of a narcotic," H+S Code 11550. When they got me to the police station, they did the "follow my eyes" rigamarole once again. They told me to lift my tongue. Officer Phillips says to Officer Cole "You see his tongue? That's consistent with PCP." I don't even eat non-organic food. I would never put something as dangerous and destructive as PCP in my body. They ask me if I'm willing to piss in a cup. I say I'd like to talk to my attorney first. The arrest had no basis. There was no reason for me to make myself further vulnerable.
I have since been drug tested and look forward to being exonerated on this charge.
This officer asks where I came from. I have in the past been the victim of police lies and distortions. I don't talk to police at all. There was no cause to detain me. They are circling and staring me down. I am traumatized and visibly shaking at this point. Officer Cole asks if she can search my backpack. I tell her no. She says "Why not, if you don't have anything to hide?" I said "Well, it's just my policy that I don't consent to searches." She asks why I'm nervous. I say "Well, first of all, there's four of you and I have no idea why I'm being stopped." Officer Cole replies "It's late. We have nothing better to do. There's no donut shops open." This struck me as especially odd, because I never said anything condescending or disrespectful in the slightest to these officers.
Another cop present, Officer Phillips takes a huddle with Officer Cole. They ask me if I've had anything to drink, if I smoked any weed. Officer Cole asks "When's the last time you smoked weed, if you were to smoke weed?" They ask if I'm taking any prescription drugs. I don't. Officer Phillips tells me to follow her eye with my finger, without turning my head. She says "Look, there's something with his eyes!" Officer Cole tells me to close my eyes, lean my head back and estimate thirty seconds.
Long story short, I was arrested for "being under the influence of a narcotic," H+S Code 11550. When they got me to the police station, they did the "follow my eyes" rigamarole once again. They told me to lift my tongue. Officer Phillips says to Officer Cole "You see his tongue? That's consistent with PCP." I don't even eat non-organic food. I would never put something as dangerous and destructive as PCP in my body. They ask me if I'm willing to piss in a cup. I say I'd like to talk to my attorney first. The arrest had no basis. There was no reason for me to make myself further vulnerable.
I have since been drug tested and look forward to being exonerated on this charge.
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Weird. It looks like they don't like you.
When I lived in Berkeley, a schizophrenic man at 2220 Haste street named Richard Kibsgaard was sending dozens of postcards to someone in a studio unit in our apartment building. The two men physically resemble each other in age and appearance somewhat. Richard looks really schizophrenic and dissheveled, and there needs to be tolerance in a general sense for the mentally ill, although people need to manage any violence or unacceptable behaviors.
The postcards were written in all capital letters and would accuse the guy downstairs of being a child molester and drug dealer, and of being a sloppy dresser. It was all very crazy. Stepping back, Richard had intuitively picked out the best victim for this on the block because he was such an easygoing type who worked as a stagehand at the theater on campus.
One day, 7 Berkeley police officers came into his studio and detained him while they sifted through all his possessions in search of heroin. Since the man downstairs was not even remotely a drug dealer (everyone sharing a hallway with him sort of would have noticed), it was not difficult to guess that this drug raid was connected to the postcards sent by Richard which accused him of being a drug dealer and saying he had told the police and he was 'going down'. One of the officers had been a plainclothes officer dressed with a black hoody and bandanna at a May day reclaim the streets event where he illegally detained an indymedia photographer.
The TV/show Kopbusters, with Barry Cooper, explained that police actually need some sort of evidence other than an anonymous tip in order to get a warrant, and I never learned what that was. I suppose if I were a police officer, I would either get bored, or frustrated with lowlifes, and want to bend the rules to increase my arrest count and I bet they think you got away with arsons due to circumstantial evidence. I guess you know your rights pretty well. Except... I don't see why that is necessary in Berkeley. They have more legitimate calls and criminals around here waiting to be dealt with than they even have time for. Do you realize how high our car theft rate is? It's something like nearly 2000 cars/year. Can't they put lo-jack on bait cars, or find homes for the mentally ill in downtown doorways or things like this?
When I lived in Berkeley, a schizophrenic man at 2220 Haste street named Richard Kibsgaard was sending dozens of postcards to someone in a studio unit in our apartment building. The two men physically resemble each other in age and appearance somewhat. Richard looks really schizophrenic and dissheveled, and there needs to be tolerance in a general sense for the mentally ill, although people need to manage any violence or unacceptable behaviors.
The postcards were written in all capital letters and would accuse the guy downstairs of being a child molester and drug dealer, and of being a sloppy dresser. It was all very crazy. Stepping back, Richard had intuitively picked out the best victim for this on the block because he was such an easygoing type who worked as a stagehand at the theater on campus.
One day, 7 Berkeley police officers came into his studio and detained him while they sifted through all his possessions in search of heroin. Since the man downstairs was not even remotely a drug dealer (everyone sharing a hallway with him sort of would have noticed), it was not difficult to guess that this drug raid was connected to the postcards sent by Richard which accused him of being a drug dealer and saying he had told the police and he was 'going down'. One of the officers had been a plainclothes officer dressed with a black hoody and bandanna at a May day reclaim the streets event where he illegally detained an indymedia photographer.
The TV/show Kopbusters, with Barry Cooper, explained that police actually need some sort of evidence other than an anonymous tip in order to get a warrant, and I never learned what that was. I suppose if I were a police officer, I would either get bored, or frustrated with lowlifes, and want to bend the rules to increase my arrest count and I bet they think you got away with arsons due to circumstantial evidence. I guess you know your rights pretty well. Except... I don't see why that is necessary in Berkeley. They have more legitimate calls and criminals around here waiting to be dealt with than they even have time for. Do you realize how high our car theft rate is? It's something like nearly 2000 cars/year. Can't they put lo-jack on bait cars, or find homes for the mentally ill in downtown doorways or things like this?
Hey, do any of you four that were accused have a car? Do you know how to search it for bugs or transmitting devices? I don't know if it is safe to report the answer here, but it would be interesting to know.
after my fake terrorism court case, the cops harassed me constantly. they become stuck in their lies, and couldn't determine reality - they forgot what was fake and what was real. they are sick people.
we need to stand up against the police. I say we do a rally on the cops' lawn.
we take our grievances to the police station en masse.
it seems the new police chief is just as fucked up as the last one.
we need to stand up against the police. I say we do a rally on the cops' lawn.
we take our grievances to the police station en masse.
it seems the new police chief is just as fucked up as the last one.
I was booked and held overnight in Berkeley City Jail in the "drunk tank," despite the fact that I was not under the influence of ANYTHING. I was strip searched by the bailiff and humiliated. All of my belongings were combed through. Of course, nothing illegal was found in my possession. I am not a drug user or a criminal. This exchange with the jail bailiff and the arresting officer stands out:
Jail Bailiff: "Are you currently on probation or parole? Any warrants?"
Me: "No."
Bailiff: "Are you dealing with a case?"
Me: "No."
Bailiff: "Who is Victoria Gibson?"
Me: "My former federal pre-trial officer."
Bailiff: "So you're all done with that?"
Me: "Yes."
Officer Cole: (Chiming in) "But he is on the terrorism watch list."
Jail Bailiff: "Are you currently on probation or parole? Any warrants?"
Me: "No."
Bailiff: "Are you dealing with a case?"
Me: "No."
Bailiff: "Who is Victoria Gibson?"
Me: "My former federal pre-trial officer."
Bailiff: "So you're all done with that?"
Me: "Yes."
Officer Cole: (Chiming in) "But he is on the terrorism watch list."
Less than 36 hours later, I was again cited by Berkeley Police Officers for "biking against a traffic lane," despite the fact that I did nothing of the sort. Clearly something is up.
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