(WIS) Capitol Crackdown Sends Disabled Veteran to Hospital, Another Activist to Jail

[Ellipsis]

Source: Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative

The Capitol police crackdown on free speech continued today as two more people were arrested leaving the building after a spontaneous gathering in the rotunda.

Dawn Henke, a disabled veteran from Phoenix, Arizona, who currently resides in Wausau, was walking out of the Capitol when she was told that she was under arrest for a vaguely described violation of the Wisconsin administrative code. She was not holding any signs or other prohibited objects. The only thing in her hand was a single song book from the Solidarity Sing Along.


/snip/

Voth said this of his experience: “I was leaving the Capitol with a group of people. They were giving someone the bum’s rush as if to arrest her. It was like the wolves were cutting the weaker ones from the herd and they were going after her. I felt, they just can’t do that! I moved toward her to protect her and the police warned me back. I did not back off so they arrested me.”


/snip/

Henke remained seated on the floor for nearly fifteen minutes before an ambulance arrived. Before she lost consciousness, Henke was able to inform her arresting officer of the location of her nitroglycerine pills, which he then administered to her while still handcuffed slumped on the floor.

Henke was taken to the VA hospital, treated and released in stable condition. A Capitol Police officer followed the ambulance to the hospital and told her she was “unarrested.” After her release Henke said, “I really just want to know what that was all about and what they were arresting me for.” She plans to investigate.

Read more: http://wcmcoop.com/2012/09/14/capitol-crackdown-sends-disabled-veteran-to-hospital-another-activist-to-jail/

---

...


Apparently, the space between Dawn and Greg's back makes her the "leader" of this circle, according to DoA spokesperson Stephanie Marquis. This is bullshit! Call her or email her and let her know.

Contact: Stephanie Marquis, Communications Director
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]

[jtuck004]

1. "Unarrested". n/t

[Smilo]

2. Welcome to the Fascist State of Wisconsin.

"There were 8 arrests last Wednesday for violations of 2.07(2) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code dealing with Displays and Decorations. The arrestees were detained for a variety of infractions such as: holding up pieces of paper quoting the WI Constitution, holding blood drive t-shirts from Muslims For Life, holding signs that said “We heart blood donors” and holding a red heart balloon."

http://wcmcoop.com/2012/09/09/new-arrests-no-laughing-matter-at-wisconsin-capitol/

[dmark]

3. Il Douche and the Cheesehead Fascisti

At least Mussolini made the trains run on time. Walker deep-sixed the trains.

[Scuba]

6. Welcome to DU!!

[Auntie Bush]

9. I second that welcome!

[Blue Owl]

4. Does big Scott Walker feel all proud of himself now?

That goddamned motherfucking cheating piece of shit is arresting people for practicing democracy. Why isn't he in jail?

[silvershadow]

5. How does that work, the "Unareresting" thing...I mean, I was LE for many years.

Never heard of it. But, then again, I was LE prior to 9/11, and things have changed quite a bit. As in, we are in uncharted territory now.

[Lefta Dissenter]

13. "Unarresting"

They've unarrested many activists throughout the past year or so. In this case, the "arrested and then unarrested" still does not know what she was charged (and "uncharged&quot with.

[Ellipsis]

7. kick

[Ellipsis]

8. Chris Ahmuty, Milwaukee executive director, ACLU: Chief Erwin must follow the constitution

David Erwin, the new state Capitol Police chief, has had a rocky start. His on-again, off-again, on-again attempts to arrest protesters at our state Capitol suggests problems.

Either he hasn't worked out how to handle a complicated situation or else his boss, Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch, is hard to satisfy.

Like anyone in law enforcement, Chief Erwin needs to remember that whatever he does, it must be constitutional. Before our rights are jeopardized much longer, I hope he understands the Constitution protects everyone regardless of their views or demeanor.

The Capitol rotunda after all is our state's premier public forum.

— Chris Ahmuty, Milwaukee executive director, ACLU of Wisconsin

[Ellipsis]

10. "At approximately 2:00 p.m., the officers approached a female who was identified as the leader"

Today, singers were outside the Capitol during the noon hour and no citations were issued.

"Approximately 1:00 p.m. this afternoon, Capitol Police observed a group who were marching, chanting and shouting in the Capitol rotunda. The Capitol Police received a noise complaint from workers inside the Capitol building regarding the extreme noise. At approximately 2:00 p.m., the officers approached a female who was identified as the leader to cite her for disorderly conduct and no permit. While the officers attempted to talk with the female, another member of the group interfered with the conversation. The officers gave him a verbal warning, which he did not follow. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct and also resisted arrest. During the incident, the female had a medical emergency unrelated to the detention and was transported to a local hospital for medical attention."

Stephanie Marquis

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/crime_and_courts/blog/crime-and-courts-handcuffed-protester-suffers-medical-crisis-at-the/article_2aecb820-00e5-11e2-a068-001a4bcf887a.html

[Ellipsis]

11. Police pursued 74 year old woman outside of capital

On Thursday, the Capitol Police warned citizens of arrest for obstruction for following police who were filming the singers, and they pursued 74 year old Mary Beth Schlagheck outside of the building.

Mary Beth was carrying a bag full of song books used by people who attend the Sing Along. According to eyewitness Karen Tuerk, “They said they were told the she organized today’s event and that she did not get a permit to to do so. She said that she did not–she was just in the neighborhood and dropped by to sing, and she was just returning the song books.” Tuerk continues, “They asked her who gave her the songbooks and she said that she did not care to give out that information. They told her that they would be investigating her and did she understand that. She answered that she understood that they were doing their jobs and doing what they were told.”

WCMC reached Mary Beth by phone later in the afternoon and recorded an interview with her. This is what she said about her interaction with the officers: “They were about learning who’s the leader (of the Sing Along), what their names were, what was in the red bag… this is just totally bizarre… but I was shaken, I was really shaken.”

Phone interview here

&feature=youtu.be


http://wcmcoop.com/2012/09/13/capitol-police-to-protect-and-serve-or-intimidate-and-harass/

[Ellipsis]

12. The Two-Pronged Assault on Dissent in Wisconsin’s Capitol - The Progressive

Since making his first public comments in the press in August after being named Chief this summer, Erwin has waged a two-pronged assault on political dissent and free speech in Wisconsin’s Capitol.

The first part of his strategy is to carefully craft a narrative of chaos, disorder and fear. He describes the people who feel their voice is not heard in state government under the Scott Walker regime who use the rotunda as a public place to air their grievances as rowdy, noisy protesters who disrupt the business of the people who work in the building.

In tightly controlled appearances in a few selected media outlets, Erwin reproduces unverified stories of legislative staffers being harassed by citizens coming into their offices asking them questions aggressively, and young children being afraid of the loud singing that takes place every day at noon in the rotunda.

Erwin has given long interviews to rightwing public relations outfits Wisconsin Reporter and the MacIver Institute, as well as to Wisconsin Eye. In each of these he claims that he is a non-partisan public employee who respects everybody’s right to free speech. But in an interview with WKOW he said, “There is a time and place for free speech, and we reserve the right to regulate that a little bit.”

http://www.progressive.org/2-pronged-assault-on-dissent-in-wisconsin-capitol

[Lefta Dissenter]

14. And, by the way,

to Cap Po and DOA - BULLSHIT!

I was with Dawn throughout the entire incident. The statement from Capitol Police/DOA is so full of crap there's no ROOM left for it to hold water. Dawn's heart condition was aggravated by the stress of the arrest. We're supposed to think it was just a coincidence that she passed out and had pain when surrounded by cops, handcuffed and arrested for unknown charges? Tell that to the physician in the Emergency Room.

She was not a "plant," as claimed by Rep Kedzie - she has been here at the Capitol MANY times (at least twice a week for many months), and has documented those visits with thousands of photographs of the Capitol, the Sing Along, and the community.

I am just furious. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Ellipsis]

15. As am I... vent away brother.

I never doubted for a moment that the stress of the arrest contributed to her attack. Kedzie said she was a plant... funny that. She's known, respected and has deep roots within her local community. He's the plant.







Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. That is their fear plain and simple.


And what's the difference if your a leader or a follower in reference to arrest.... THAT GOES BACK TO SELECTIVE PROSECUTION. It's like they make the case for a lawsuit by their choice of words and tactic. If one is an inspiration does that make you a leader. If one has been in the service does logic dictate that a chain of command must exist. What they don't get is passion is internal. It answers to no leader or authority... only to an individuals own sense internal judgment of right or wrong.