An ASL Interpreter Beaten and Choked by Police During Occupy Portland.
From a tweet: ‘Though Justin was lying on the ground in compliance, Portland Police continuously beat him in the back with clubs until his eyes rolled back in his head. Fellow protesters thought he was dead. He is now in critical care.’
Allegedly one of the protesters, Justin James Bridges, an ASL interpreter for Occupy Portland General Meeting, was savagely beaten and choked by the clothing around his neck by the police until he passed out. He wasn’t arrested, but was severely injured. Reportedly he no longer could use his arm and has no feeling in his right leg.
Earlier Patti Durr, a well known Deaf activist, was arrested in Occupy Rochester. Even though it was a peaceful protest, some of the protesters were arrested. Patti was handcuffed in the back for several hours, preventing her using her hands to communicate and creating severe pain in her arms and hands. The fact that a deaf person was handcuffed in the back for hours in one of the biggest Deaf communities had caused a big outrage among the Deaf locals fed up with the police’s systematic failures to recognize the rights of Deaf people.
Ironically, in another protest, none of the Penn State University protesters was arrested, even though they upturned a media van and setting fire.
Apparently it’s okay for students to protest violently against the firing of a legendary football coach deemed guilty of conducting massive cover-ups of his pedophile employee’s misdeeds on his facilities. Yet the ordinary tax-paying citizens exercising their rights to free speech and assembly are beaten up and arrested. Such a strange country we live. : /
For more information on the status of the ASL interpreter, check the links.
http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/letendre/2011/nov/14/occupy-movement-violently-raided-nationally/
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P.S. An update: http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2011/11/14/interview-with-hospitalized-protester-justin-james-bridges
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Another update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQBgqpbxzBk&feature=share
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i will continue to update.
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3rd update: the alleged beating by the cops at 8.40 but i haven’t seen any baton striking him in this tape. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZPlYmz4dIU&feature=player_embedded#!
From a tweet: ‘Though Justin was lying on the ground in compliance, Portland Police continuously beat him in the back with clubs until his eyes rolled back in his head. Fellow protesters thought he was dead. He is now in critical care.’
Allegedly one of the protesters, Justin James Bridges, an ASL interpreter for Occupy Portland General Meeting, was savagely beaten and choked by the clothing around his neck by the police until he passed out. He wasn’t arrested, but was severely injured. Reportedly he no longer could use his arm and has no feeling in his right leg.
Earlier Patti Durr, a well known Deaf activist, was arrested in Occupy Rochester. Even though it was a peaceful protest, some of the protesters were arrested. Patti was handcuffed in the back for several hours, preventing her using her hands to communicate and creating severe pain in her arms and hands. The fact that a deaf person was handcuffed in the back for hours in one of the biggest Deaf communities had caused a big outrage among the Deaf locals fed up with the police’s systematic failures to recognize the rights of Deaf people.
Ironically, in another protest, none of the Penn State University protesters was arrested, even though they upturned a media van and setting fire.
Apparently it’s okay for students to protest violently against the firing of a legendary football coach deemed guilty of conducting massive cover-ups of his pedophile employee’s misdeeds on his facilities. Yet the ordinary tax-paying citizens exercising their rights to free speech and assembly are beaten up and arrested. Such a strange country we live. : /
For more information on the status of the ASL interpreter, check the links.
http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/letendre/2011/nov/14/occupy-movement-violently-raided-nationally/
.
P.S. An update: http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2011/11/14/interview-with-hospitalized-protester-justin-james-bridges
.
Another update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQBgqpbxzBk&feature=share
.
i will continue to update.
.
3rd update: the alleged beating by the cops at 8.40 but i haven’t seen any baton striking him in this tape. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZPlYmz4dIU&feature=player_embedded#!
November 14th, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Handcuffing a deaf person behind his back is common police procedure for everyone, including other disabled people. People in wheelchairs are handcuffed, rendering them unable to move their wheels. Blind people are unable to navigate or feel their way through. People with medical problems are unable to move their muscles or take care of their physical needs. There needs to be provision in the ADA Act for this.
Police handling of protesters is deliberate: to discourage any behavior that can be disruptive or potentially violent. Police training in crowd control leaves a lot to be desired when dealing with peaceful demonstrations, especially those including special needs persons.
Even though this interpreter is hearing, damage to one’s person is inexcusable police behavior…this isn’t a violent demonstration. Write to your politicians and demand changes in how Americans are treated by police.
November 14th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Mishka Zena – thank u for covering this topic. I thought the same thing re: the violent outburst re: a football coach and the violence by our police while the protestors for the Occupy movement have been peaceful.
Native Warrior has a few vlogs up re: Occupy Portland and one includes a brief interview with a hearing guy named Justin who signs. Justin talks about standing before police saying ILY and the police being emotional and then the police backdown and allowed the protesters to stay but seems a few days later were ordered to clear out the park for real and that is when Justin (same person) got attacked? If the same person – i cant imagine he did anything to provoke the cops and even if he did – they are supposed to be trained in restraining not in chocking.
Native Warrior’s interview with Justin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQS8LxuNoKI&feature=relmfu
Native Warrior’s summary of his experiences at Occupy Portland in which Justin had interpreted for him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmBuc9o69mY&feature=relmfu
if it is the same justin – i think the media might be interested in Jayson’s interview with justin.
peace
patti
November 14th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
Patti, I believe so the same guy, Justin. I just checked Jayson’s video. it is really made me upset when he tried to tell police.. They should not lift him and can serious with back pain or should bring board to make him flat instead pull his back up instead of no board with his back can be cannot feeling from neck to bottoms. They are stupidest and know better.. They did not listen Justin did tell them.. my back is broken.. STUPIDEST!
November 15th, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Hello, the police did handcuff my hand so tight and it caused my hand numb, tingling. After telling the police I am deaf with severe capral tunnel syndrome problems abd already went through several capral tunnel.surgeries. In few day later, my both wrist was bruised. I had to go through capral tunnel surgeries. Police really are asshole and they just dont care about anything. They care is win award for making a bust/arrest.
November 17th, 2011 at 5:16 am
video interview of justin in hospital – click CC box then transcribe audio for captions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9xdsfolmVs&NR=1
November 30th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
I want to also add that camping out in front of Best Buy before Black Friday is considered normal and that large chaotic gatherings in shopping malls on black Friday is considered normal…but when it comes to camping on public property and peaceful gatherings in front of banks exercising our fundamental right to speech and assembly…that’s considered a MOB and unlawful.
Think about it.
December 26th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Wow. There were so many people violated in various cities through the Occupy movements, but an ASL interpreter? That’s just heinous.