Teen sues NYPD over GOP convention arrest

[Catchawave]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-limalv0315,0,5221420,print.story?coll=ny-topstories-headlines

BY ZACHARY R. DOWDY
STAFF WRITER

March 15, 2005

Student journalist Benjamin Traslavina, the Malverne teenager who became part of the news he was trying to chronicle when he was arrested at the Republican National Convention, struck back at his jailers Monday, filing a lawsuit against the New York Police Department.

The 17-year-old editor of the Malverne Mule at Malverne High School claims his civil rights were violated when he was accused of being one of several protesters charged with disrupting a speech at Madison Square Garden Sept. 1. He was interrogated at length and held for 28 hours, he said. The charges were dropped in December after prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence.

"I'd like to get compensation for the violations of my rights," Traslavina said after filing the lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan. "I was terrified, quite frankly."

Det. Noel Waters, a spokesman for the New York Police Department, said he could not comment on pending litigation.

more....

[Stephanie]

1. I hope this kid sues Bloomberg

Bloomberg authorized all this while he was sucking up to Bush and the RNC. He's such a weasel.

[Tsiyu]

2. We must all support this young man

These kids were held on order of and by the RNC and not by any official government entity.

They were held so that the * : the AWOL, cocaine-addicted, warmongering, worthless piece of shit pREsident and the rest of the piece of shit Repukes with their purple bandaids didn't have to face their most vile enemy- REALITY.


SUCCESS to Mr. Traslavina. And let's hope the NYPD- who are IN NO WAY supported by this administration - have a little more sense next time than to play his Gestapo.


Thanks for this update, Catchawave.

[Catchawave]

3. Here's some related information:

http://www.nlgnyc.org/rnc/index.html

The Mass Defense Committee of the NLG-NYC Chapter, which has been providing legal observers and lawyers for activists since 1968, was proud to offer its depth of experience and knowledge to activists organizing events surrounding the Republican National Convention this summer in New York City. We are now organizing the defense of the more than 1800 people who were arrested. And reviewing complaints for possible civil litigation.

The Committee is coordinating its efforts to provide RNC Mass Defense legal support with the People’s Law Collective, the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys and the Center for Constitutional Rights

....more information at site, though it hasn't been updated (?) since Oct04.

[NVMojo]

4. This is war against a public that doesn't see reality and we must

not put this down, we must continue forward and take them on!

[humanriteswritlarge]

5. Thanks for this site. n/t

[Jensen]

6. Thanks for this site....

A lot of us may need it on March 19th :9

[gratuitous]

7. Yup, and the authors of this injustice go merrily on their way

If young Mr. Traslavina can prove his case, I'm all for his receiving a fair and just settlement. I hope the NYPD thoroughly reviews its policies and tactics. I'd like to see the settlement money (if any) taken from the pensions of the cops who did the actual arrest and detention rather than from the city's general fund.

But most of all, I'd like to see the city of New York refuse to be the handmaiden for the GOP fascists who dictated this repressive policy, knowing that they could get police goons to do their dirty work and avoid all responsibility for the violations of civil rights they fomented.

[Catchawave]

8. I'm going to kick this for the March 19th protesters =nt :)

[lumpy]

9. Verily

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