Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center: newswire/20038

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News :: Protest Activity
The Arrest and Detention of U-C IMC Reporters, Hour by Hour	Current rating: 0
by Editors Email: web (nospam) ucimc.org (unverified!)	03 Sep 2004
These are reports from the streets of New York City called in to the U-C IMC on Sept. 1 and 2 during protests against the Republican National Converntion. Five Urbana-Champaign IMC reporters were arrested on the afternoon of August 31, 2004 while collecting audio and video footage of the War Resisters march in New York City. These reports are in reverse chronological order. 9/2/04 5:51PM CDT. FINAL UCIMC REPORTER RELEASED! Sarah Kanouse called and has been released from jail after 50 hours of being detained. 9/2/04 10:30AM CDT. UCIMC Reporter has called-in from Central Booking. She is in good spirits, and expects to be released in approx. 6 hours. 9/2/04 8:42AM CDT. UCIMC Reporter Sarah Kanouse is still being incarcerated -- she's been held since the afternoon of August 31st without access to lawyers. UCIMC home support has been attempting to get more information about her condition from NYC police throughout the night. The National Lawyers Guild has told UCIMC home support that there are approximately 800 people that have not been arraigned who are well into their second day of detention. 9/2/04 4:21AM CDT. FOURTH UCIMC REPORTER HAS BEEN RELEASED!!! Zoe Ginsburg has been released from jail and is undergoing the standard legal and medical check-up. 9/2/04 3:10AM CDT. After over 35 hours in detention, a fourth UCIMC reporter is expected to be arraigned in one hour, after a court recess.
9/2/04 2:30AM CDT. The tension outside of central booking between police and protesters has de-escalated. The released UCIMC reporters have gone back into "the tombs" to the room where one of the two reporters still in dentention is scheduled to be arraigned. 9/2/04 1:18AM CDT. The released UCIMC reporters that were waiting outside of Central Booking are safely inside their van waiting for the rest of the UCIMC reporters to be released. 9/2/04 12:50AM CDT. Released UCIMC reporters are entering the courthouse to observe the arraignments. 9/2/04 12:30AM CDT. Police massing around park across from Central Booking where supporters are waiting to greet those who are released from jail. 9/1/04 10:36PM CDT. THIRD UCIMC REPORTER RELEASED!!! Colleen Cook has phoned to let us know that she has been released. 9/1/04 9:00PM CDT. Call the following numbers to pressure NYC police and court systems to release the protesters who have been arrested. Central Booking: 212-374-3942, 212-374-3921, 212-374-3838 Central Clerks: 212-374-6261 Central(?) Arraignment: 212-374-6537, 212-374-6538, 212-374-6242 9/1/04 7:50PM CDT: 28th hour of our reporters arrests. We received a report from inside Central Booking (The Tombs). Our reporter has a rash and breathing troubles from the conditions at Pier 57. Has not yet met with a lawyer. It was only after 25 hours that she knew what she was charged with-- obstructing the sidewalk and civil disobedience. 9/1/04 4:55PM CDT. The charges for the two reporters released were: disorderly conduct and parading without a permit. Both were released ACD (Adjourned Contemplating Dismissal). 9/1/04 3:15PM CDT. SECOND UCIMC REPORTER RELEASED!!! Arun Bhalla has been released. 9/1/04 2:00PM CDT. FIRST UCIMC REPORTER RELEASED!!! Zach Miller just phoned in to let us know that he has been released from prison. More information once he gets his cell phone. 9/1/04 12:42PM CDT. Nashville IMC reporter phoned in this report discussing being rushed by baton-wielding police, tackled to the pavement, and arrested while covering police actions in NYC. 9/1/04 11:55am CDT. UCIMC reporter phoned in from the women's jail with this report and discusses the context of her arrest. 9/1/04 11:45am CDT. Nearing the 21st hour of UCIMC reporters in jail. Zach Miller phoned in this report from "The Tombs" jail in New York City. We are unsure at this time why he was cut off. 9/1/04 9:56AM CDT. 19th hour of UCIMC reporters being held in razor-wire pens at the Pier 57 Detention Center without access to lawyers and without being charged with any crime. Reporters estimate that roughly 2000 people are being likewise held at this site and forced to sleep overnight on concrete floors and without any information about when they will be released. 9/1/04 7:49AM CDT. Report from inside the pier 57 Detention Facility. Most people must sleep on the floor which is covered in grime. Audio report here 9/1/04 12:45AM CDT. Confirmed with National Lawyers Guild that 5 UCIMC reporters were arrested at Ground Zero during the War Resisters March. They are being held at the Pier 57 Detention Facility.

Comments

Re: The Arrest and Detention of U-C IMC Reporters, Hour by Hour
by running dog bethemedia(at)alliedaccess.net (unverified)	Current rating: 0 04 Sep 2004
Hoi from the Southern Illinois chapter of IMC. Six of us trekked to NYC and we had a videographer arrested on Fulton St. while the rest of us were running, reporting, shooting (pictures, ya know), and writing all over Manhattan for a week. I'd like to compare notes sometime, especially about the corporate media blackout. (Please see our site at www.bigmuddyimc.org).