At around 1 p.m. today, Michael Dominquez of Occupy Fresno was arrested for carrying a sign!

[annm4peace]

"Michael (Dominquez) just got arrested for holding a sign. Lieutenant and 4 deputies came out, Michael felt the constitution trumped the county ordinance and was taken away in handcuffs."

WE NEED EVERYONE'S SUPPORT. WE, AS CITIZENS, MUST DEMONSTRATE OUR DEFENSE OF BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.


(this happened earlier)
Fresno Sheriff - "Penal Codes trumps 1st Amendment"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yB5o1kG9ZE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU0Rg1gVQ1I

Eight more courageous Occupy Fresno! activists were arrested early this morning.
Isn't this a perfect expression of power in this country? Corporations dominate the media; they have tens of thousands of lobbyists working 24-7 to control legislation and rule-making; they dictate election outcomes and elected officials with their campaign cash. And when a small group of citizens engage in legal dissent in a public park, the sheriffs are ordered to arrest them.

44 sherriff showed up to arrest more people tonight. (Sunday).
They came in riot gear with shields and also several k9 units all while trying to make peace with them.
This is what happens when county thinks that their penal code trumps the US constitution.



Please join me in calling Sheriff Margaret Mims. Her number is 488-3121.

If you are unable to talk with her directly, leave a message letting her know that you heard about the Occupy Fresno demonstrator, Michael Dominguez, who was arrested this afternoon in Courthouse Park for holding a sign!

My message to her was: I'm extremely upset about this and want her to reverse any charges against Michael Dominguez for exercising his right of free speech. I left my name and phone numbers for a call back.

Bob Navarro's message to KPFA:

I am Robert Navarro, an attorney working with the Occupy Fresno movement. As you may know, there have 2 sets of arrests, in the last 2 days, 15 in the first, then 8 in the second. However, this afternoon one of the protesters, Michael Dominguez (arrested in both group arrests) was in Courthouse Park sitting down holding a sign and was arrested, I am told, for holding a sign. He was told that the group had been warned that was "not allowed."

Yesterday, after I got out of jail, I spoke with the Fresno County Sheriffs who now have a 24/7 presence in Courthouse Park. They were of the belief that it was against the park ordinance to wave signs and chant because that constituted "a meeting" and one must have permit for a meeting in the Park. I pointed out, and they conceded, that the permit only applies to ten or more people. There were only 3 OF protesters there today when Dominguez was arrested.

I have called Sheriff Mims' office but was unable to speak with her directly. I would appreciate any investigation KPFA could do into this overt violation of the First Amendment.

OF will be filing a request for a TRO as soon as myself and other local attorney volunteers can put it together.

STAND WITH OCCUPY FRESNO!

[LiberalFighter]

1. Law enforcement like to provide only info that supports their position.

With the belief that the public is too stupid to verify it.

[JDPriestly]

2. How many Tea Partiers did Fresno arrest for carrying signs?

[annm4peace]

3. Fresno Co Sheriff attacks 1st Amendment as City of Fresno attacks the Homeless

It is amazing. Over 20 arrests for those participating in 1st Amendment rights.

and then at the same time.. City of Fresno and Fresno PD are removing the only shelter some of the Homeless in Fresno have.


http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/07/18698136.ph...


"I arrived at the homeless encampment known as The Hill this morning at around 10 a.m. As I entered the area to begin taking pictures, I was immediately surrounded by three California Highway Patrolmen who told me to leave the area. They “escorted” me to the Public Information Officer for Caltrans who said I would not be allowed to enter the area where they were destroying tents and other structures of the homeless people who lived there. I was forced to stand outside of the fence and take photos from that distance, even though their were other photographers standing where I had just been removed from." from Mike Rhodes, editor of Community Alliance.


The destruction of The Hill began today with Caltrans destroying tents and other structures at the North end. This was part of a joint two week effort by Caltrans and the City of Fresno to destroy all of the homeless encampments in the downtown area.

The first person I talked to today, as I was walking towards The Hill on G street, was an older man who was crying and saying that they just destroyed his home. He said he had no where to go. Other homeless people were trying to save as many of their possessions as they could before the bulldozer got to their shelter. The City of Fresno gives lip service to helping people find housing, but none of the people I talked to today had a place to go.

The City of Fresno set up a tent on Santa Clara and G street and were helping homeless people fill out applications for housing, although nobody (as far as I know) is being offered immediate housing. The city said last week that they had 140 slots available (if you qualified) and that more might be available next year. Those vague promises seemed to mean little to the homeless, whose lives have been made more difficult by losing the only shelter they had.

Those 140 housing slots are a drop in the bucket for the 15,000 estimated homeless people in Fresno.

If you can come out and document (video or photos) the destruction of these homeless encampments, that would be great. Post your photos to Indybay, and/or send them to me so we can get them to our attorneys who are looking at, what appears to be, a violation of the federal court order stopping Caltrans and the City of Fresno from taking and immediately destroying homeless people’s property.

On Tuesday the "clean up" will continue - probably on Santa Clara and F street.

Earlier stories about this series of evictions can be seen at:

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/10/26/18695320.ph...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/10/27/18695578.ph...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/10/27/18695595.ph...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/01/18696544.ph...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/02/18696797.ph...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/02/18696844.ph...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/03/18697051.ph...
§

[Tsiyu]

4. K&R

I can't believe these arrests are happening in the Land of The Free, where we have rights and freedoms and liberty, and where - supposedly - we are a shining beacon to the world illuminating the wonder of these human entitlements.

First, you wonder why cops are so threatened by peaceful protesters. Curious. Alarming. Self-defeating.

Second' you realize the rest of the world sees the awful reality:

America advertises its ways as "the righteous soap of democracy designed to clean up tyranny and lawlessness," but America is actually just more stinky dog shit packaged in the latest SWAT gear.