Look at you friend's face, said one officer. You're
responsible for that. As if I gave the order to charge horses onto a
crowded sidewalk.
After my arrest, the police charged their horses onto a sidewalk and
unprovokedly knocked my friend Nick Morgan, a veteran of Iraq, to the
ground and trampled his face. They then arrested him, put a piece of gauze
on his facewound and loaded him onto a bus headed for jail with the
rest of the Hempstead 15.
After they brought Nick onto the bus and we the veterans identified him
as exhibiting signs of a concussion and as needing immediate medical
attention, our arresting officers laughed at us and told us Nick would
receive no help unless he himself asked to go to the hospital, though
Nick was barely conscience and completely disoriented at the time AND THE
COPS KNEW IT!
We pointed out that as a result of a serious head injury, Nick wasn't
aware enough to speak for himself. The police responded with, too
fuckin' bad.
After Nick stirred enough for us to instruct him to ask for medical
attention, he was taken to a hospital, diagnosed with a fractured
cheekbone, given nothing more than Motrin for the pain and brought to the
Police Station where he sat chained to a bench for 5 hours with no further
medical attention at all.
Additionally, police pulled other members and supporters of ours from
the sidewalk and arrested them while horses spun in circles causing
injury to anyone who couldn't escape.
After my release, a police officer, approached me,
accused me of being drunk and said I was about to get arrested again. I
retorted that his accusations were false (considering I'd only gotten
out of jail 30 minutes prior) and that I was only interested in
learning the names of the officers who arrested and harassed us as I have the
legal right to do.
I am outraged at the egregious conduct of the Nassau Country Police
Department.
But mostly, I must put this on the candidates.
Barack Obama and John McCain, you have failed to properly address the
occupation of Iraq and veteran and servicemember issues in this
campaign.
The fact that you allowed your veterans to be arrested, brutalized and
harassed for simply trying to be heard by you is inexcusable.
I encourage every person who reads this to contact both the Obama and
McCain campaigns and demand they answer our questions and condemn the
actions of the police Wednesday night.
They don't own this election, the media doesn't own this election,
we the people own this election, and we deserve to have our voices
heard. Any candidate who disagrees with that statement is unworthy the
Presidency of the United States of America.
Peace and Solidarity,
Matthis Chiroux
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