Police Attack Protesters With Mace, Tazers to Keep Them Out of City Hall : NOLA Indymedia

Police Attack Protesters With Mace, Tazers to Keep Them Out of City Hall:
Council to vote on demolishing 5000 affordable homes

Thursday December 19, 2007

The scene was described by many as a microcosm of everything that’s wrong in the city and America. The whole situation has been referred to as “high noon,” and “do or die time.” It’s decision day for public housing in New Orleans.

Underneath New Orleans City Hall, a huge office building topped with a neon casino-style sign, milled a growing group of public housing residents and supporters. They had arrived for the 10am Council meeting to speak against the demoltion of affordable homes. They were locked out and told to “go home.” The City Council is expected to vote in approval of demolishing more than 5000 public housing units in 4 developments across the city today. The majority of the council has already pledged publicly to rubber stamp HUD’s highly controversial plans.

Locked out of the council chambers the protestors were quickly surrounded with dozens of police. Behind them stood eight horse-mounted police, and behind the gate keeping them out of the hall were many more heavily armed officers. Right in front of City Hall, behind the protesters is Duncan Plaza, which has been turned into an enormous homeless camp. Many Duncan Plaza residents came over to show their support for the cause. There are more than 12,000 homeless in the city today. Inside the chambers, the City Council proceeded.

First locked out of their homes for more than 2 years, and now locked out of the very City Council meeting in which the city’s politicians are set to vote for tearing down their homes, many of the residents began pleading with the officers to be allowed in. Pleading turned quickly to outrage as it was clear that the process would move forward without their voices or even witness. Receiving phone calls from their allies inside the chambers, the protesters were told that the Council meeting was being held up by chants and clapping until everyone was allowed inside. The Council members refused and called on their security forces to clear out the chambers.

In the desperation the group outside began shaking the large metal gates locking them out. The gate was easily broken open. Police moved in with pepper spray and batons, quickly beating back anyone near the entrance. Chants of “housing is a human right,” and “justice!” filled the air along with the putrid smell of the chemical weapons used by the NOPD. The gate was re-secured with handcuffs this time. Again the protesters chanted and demanded entrance. Some called into question the legitimacy of a “public” meeting in which the public was excluded.

As they pushed against the gates it suddenly became clear that something was happening inside the chambers. Dozens of police quickly sprinted into the building with their hands on their weapons. Outside this sparked concern among those gathered who began to slam against the gate once more. An ambulance arrived in the compound and a stretcher was taken into the building. Police would not communicate with those outside as to what was happening in the chambers. Protesters in the building began calling their allies and reporting that the police were forcefully clearing the room. It is confirmed by housing advocate Jay Arena that he, Malcolm Suber, Sess 4-5, and Endesha Jukali were arrested along with others. It is reported but not yet confirmed that Sess was tazered.

Outside the protesters again managed to break through the gates and pulled one side of it away from the officers. The police moved in and attempted to pull the gate back. Then came the pepper spray and tazers, this time much more forceful. At least two women were struck with tazers. On of them was simultaneously hit with spray and tazer and then smashed between the pavement and metal gate. She was rushed away from the scene by friends who treated her nearby until an ambulance could be found. Here medical condition is unknown at this time. Another woman, Bork, the same activists who yesterday chained herself to a building at BW Cooper was tazered and taken away in an ambulance. The police fanned chemical weapons out over the entire crowd hitting dozens in the face and eyes.

Activists from the Coalition to Stop Demolition have put out a national call to allies: come to New Orleans, help stop demolition, take nonviolent direct action. The struggle, after today continues, but it has become glaringly apparent the lengths to which the City Council and their allies will go to tear down homes.

BUSH : "Gee now who do you think was behind this Preemptive Attack by the New Orleans Police ???????????? You don't think I have anything to do with it do you ????????????"

Does anybody know if Bork was taken to the hospital or not? Several of her friends are trying to track her down tonight. If you have any updated info on her or know of somebody in touch with her, please email me.

Glad to hear you're okay, D. Thanks for reporting on this and putting the story out there from a perspective other than the police. This is valuable work. Keep up the fight! Peace and love.

When will the next demonstrations happen? I'd like to be there.

Where's the outrage when even the video shows unacceptable violence and outright lies?! The force was uncalled for! It was a mob that was provoking police and attempts to pull down a gate and rush the police. The police were well within their right to respond as they did!
How clever to show some photos with poor blacks. They weren't the ones rushing the gates, though. The culprits were mostly the out-of-town agitators. The bald guy who rushed the gate then rushed to be interviewed by reporters claimed to be a New Orleans resident, but was later revealed as a Portlan Oregon resident that came to N.O. to push his agenda.

What's all this crap about "you have to be poor and black" to support public housing.

Total nonsense. Residents want to come home, period. The way that the media and conservatives in this town have emphasized the fact that some whites and some out of towners support the residents in their desire to come home to public housing is shameful.

It rings of the same old dixie-confederate hatred of "yankees," "carpetbaggers," etc., that was heard after the emancipation of the slaves.

Sure the crown broke open the gates. But remember, they were unlawfully locked out of a "public meeting." If I were a resident I'd be pissed. I'm pissed as is. Total injustice. Demolition needs to be opposed BAMN!

no body owes them anything what about all the dead people from the cival war, what about all the crime the blacks commit, they allready have it better here in the us than any where in the world, and by the way who do they expect to pay for their food,water,electricity,housing, medical care, i bet its the same people they have absolutely no respect for, you give these beast an inch and they want about 50 miles there are plenty of so called pro black athletes that could help a few of them

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DISGRACEFUL PICTURE IN THIS COUNTRY, ASIDE FROM WHAT HAPPEN AT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. WHAT A TRADGEDY FOR THE FOLKS, WHO NOT ONLY LOST THEIR HOMES, FRIENDS, AND THINGS, IT BREACKS MY HEART.
AND AS FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIRSELVES, WHY, BECAUSE IT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM, IN THE NEXT STORM, HOW DO THEY KNOW? TO ALL THOSE IN THIS SHOWING, AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME, THANK YOU FOR THE HEART, YOU PUT INTO YOUR BELEIFS, OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU! PEACE & BLESSINGS!
LINDA

I feel, obviously the force used was not appropriate, or using no spray and just blocking the public is unacceptable. It seems that also many of the more recent developing communities such as the middle class, white middle class, and academic intellectual activist groups are obviously still needing to create stronger ties within the communities that they are currently engaged in service. The work of standing, creating voice, providing space for others to grow, as well as listening is a long process. The oppressive forces at work have been built over hundreds of years, and will not be degraded within a few months, years, or decades. Relationships are important. My mothers family is from New Orleans, I have a cousin who works
in Law Enforcement in New Orleans. On a family and relationship level he will listen and question authority, but not if he don't know you. Sounds familiar doesn't it?
New Orleans is not eco-tourism for activists. It also needs the support of very solid individuals and spirits willing to work thru the long haul. Color, class, education, and gender are all important. But not just because we read a few bell hooks or Barbara Holmes books. Breaking bread is a start and solidarity is an
awakening. May peace be with all doing the work of
personal and public bittersweetsalty love.

Ashay

Rufus(listening heart)

More propaganda. I love the way the protestors cut out what they dont want you to hear. Here are some facts

You are losing this because most project residents want the projects torn down. Don't believe me, go ask them, I did.

As far as the city council incident, do you bring milk every where you go, or were you did you plan on causing a scene that would force the officers to respond? I have also read all of the childish anti-police rants posted here and elsewhere. Get it off your chest on the web because if you know anything about the police here, they tolorate a lot as long as it is peaceful. It is a police force that deals with violence that is not seen anywhere else. Bottom line, you can't surprise them with confrontation, they live it every day.

Our people have survived the hurricane and are dealing with a violent crime problem. You people come along and for your own selfish gain get a FEW militant project residents and now you think you have a cause. The projects will come down. Despite everthing else, this cause is lost for you and you do not have local support. If you did you would still be in the city council chambers.

GO HOME, you are not wanted here and admit it, you have failed to meet your objectives.

There is no way to enter this controversy politely. Lives are still at stake since the Army Corps of Engineers and the local Levee Board murdered over a thousand of our neighbors. Do not ask us to be silent whether we are from here, have four and five generations in New Orleans or have come to help since Fall 2005. Because many on this page reply in fear of African Americans and of supporters from elsewhere I will add my voice in support of these people and of those who rebuild and defend my city. If the hate some of you bubbles onto these pages shame on you. Curse the helpers and the injured and the dead and I gaurantee that venom will return to you multiplied. Bless and help the wounded and that too will return multiplied. Sit by and ignore and that too will come back to you when you need help and none is around. Finally to the elected bosses and the land developers who would sell themselves out, you need to pay attention to your conscience and your better selves, please seek that within, trust me it is still there, nourish it so we all can see you act on it.