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Redwood Curtain Copwatch. May 12:
Sunday, May 13 at 8:30PM: Gathering/Rally at Occupy Eureka for Hans Ashbaucher
On Friday, May 11th, Hans Ashbaucher took a plea bargain in the case from his November 12 Occupy Eureka arrest. Hans was preparing to go to trial on Monday, but we all know that from the court system, it can be very difficult to get any justice (or to avoid being screwed).
On November 12, Hans was filming EPD Sgt. Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez because, in Sanchez style, he came to harass and bully the Occupy Eureka folks and flash a big bright light in peoples’ faces. What was particularly remarkable is that Sanchez (as CopWatch has seen him do before) ignored some very serious violence going on less than a block away, in order to stick around to intimidate people who were doing nothing wrong (Occupy Eureka folks). He also cut down our banners with a knife and is openly adverse to being filmed.
Hans was injured by the cops that night, his ribs broken. He was in jail for five days. When Sanchez brought Hans to the hospital after bringing him to the jail (against EPD policy), with Hans cuffed, injured, and calling out for help, Sanchez choked Hans. Sanchez then went on to claim that Hans assaulted him while cuffed on the hospital bed (Sanchez admitting in his police report that he was choking Hans)- and the all-too complicit DA went along with it.
So, Hans is going to jail as part of his plea bargain from yesterday. The DA wanted him to go on probation (like 90-plus percent of the people who get arrested do), but probation is not viable for a politically active, targeted-by-the-police person. So, Hans plead to ‘disturbing the peace’ and will be doing some jailtime beginning 9am on Monday. It’s a 30 day stint (24 days actual), but let’s hope/pray that he gets out real quick, as often happens with a full jail.
It is important that we support our comrades who are arrested when they stand up for us all.
- THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, MAY 13 at 8:30PM: Gathering/Rally at Occupy Eureka for HANS! Bring your good thoughts, support, and if you can, yummy food.
- Instead of going to court with Hans on Monday morning at 8:30am, come Sunday night at 8:30PM!
- At 9:30pm, join us in the nightly candlelight vigil in defiance of the “urgency” ordinance passed by the Bd of Supes.
Here’s what Hans posted on his Facebook:
In November of last year I was thrown down, my ribs broken as I was arrested while simply video taping the police during the ongoing “Occupy Eureka” – protest/demonstration/occupation.
On the night of my arrest I was charged with resisting arrest & battery against a police officer. Two tough charges for refusing to put my camera away. I have a right to film, as long as I was not interfering with the officer (which I was not guilty of!)My actions of video taping and telling the officer to do something more important than harass the “Occupiers”, never should have resulted in the treatment I received or the charges against me. Well, let’s fast forward 6 months and it brings you to this post:
Instead of risking trial and possibly being convicted on trumped up charges I plead out to a “Disturbing the peace” charge, and refused probation given the nature of my involvement as an activist in the community. Shoot, probation is not feasible for a person in my line of “work”. So now, I’ll be doing close to a month in jail, starting Monday morning. This is our justice system folks. Video tape the cops and you’ll pay! Be careful out there, keep me in your prayers and my son also, I love you and enjoy the beginning of summer. Stay strong!
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related:
Salem-News.com Archives. Nov 14, 2011:
A County’s Worsening Vendetta Against ‘Occupy’ Eureka?
(EUREKA, Calif.) – In this long night before the dawn of America’s awakening, cops again raided the ‘Occupy’ Eureka encampment, arresting some 20 people and tearing apart their newest Action Encampment, rebuilt only 3 days ago before a crowd on Veterans Day in honoring Scott Olsen, Iraq vet, a victim of cop brutality in Oakland’s Occupation. This had been a great collective effort in also establishing an outreach center and library as part of its ongoing demonstrations after the first camp had been destroyed days earlier.
This follows on the heels of yesterdays cop brutality of Hans Ashbaucher, but this morning many witnessed and also filmed police using metal batons in beating of protestors. (…)
This raid, striking before sunup, was meant to arrest all involved and confiscate everything, obviously to avoid the newly created village being seen by Monday’s work day traffic and the massive canvas depicting the Declaration Of Independence at the Courthouse entrance.
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Photos from North Coast Journal “The End of Occupy Eureka?” March 29, 2012 eviction:
GREY COAST ANARCHIST NEWS 