SDS Calls Press Conference to Address Police Brutality and Media Misrepresentation

SDS to Hold PRESS CONFERENCE on Friday, October 9, 2009 at 3:15 at the Public Safety Building on Exchange Blvd.

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For Immediate Release:

On Wednesday October 7, 2009 Rochester Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) called for a protest of 8 years of war and occupation in Afghanistan. This protest was coordinated in conjunction with other chapters of SDS throughout the country as a national day of action. At 5:30pm the march left from Washington Square Park and made its way to Main Street in downtown Rochester. At Main Street, the march headed west.

At about 5:45 pm the peaceful march was disrupted by approximately thirty police cars. The police made their first arrest by wading through the group of protesters to pick out the only African-American student in the vicinity. This is a blatant example of the kind of racism and discrimination carried out daily by the Rochester Police Department. A press videographer who was filming the arrest was then attacked by police, wrestled to the ground, and arrested. The police began to attack and arrest community members and students, nearly all of whom were standing on the sidewalk. The police shoved and hit people with clubs, used pepper spray, slammed people into the ground, and punched protesters. Twelve people were arrested in total. At least three protesters sustained injuries; two were hospitalized and received stitches.

Despite local media reports of a protester throwing a drum at police, we are not aware of any action of this kind and we strongly suspect the police fabricated the accusation to justify their egregious behavior thereafter. The police claim the alleged drum thrower was charged with “obstructing governmental administration,” yet according to police statements, the only person charged with “obstructing governmental administration” was arrested while filming. The fact is, this person had no possession of a drum. Additionally, police have claimed that they acted the way they did because protesters failed to let a fire truck through an intersection. This is also a fabrication. Video posted on rochester.indymedia.org shows protesters clearing the intersection long before the fire truck approached.

The Rochester Police Department has since been harassing members of SDS and sympathetic community members with a series of intimidating tactics, surveillance, and pulling over arrestees for seemingly random traffic stops.

Stay tuned for more details to come. Again, SDS is holding a PRESS CONFERENCE on Friday, October 9, 2009 at 3:15pm at the Public Safety Building on Exchange Blvd. Contact: Jake Spezio - 585.802.2585

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