Solidarity Request for Local Antiwar Activist Mike Ladd

On March 18, 2007 at the Seattle 4th anniversary of the war protest, antiwar protester Mike Ladd was brutally beaten and arrested by the Seattle Police Department for splashing a bottle of water above his head in response to an antagonistic pro-war demonstrator.

Immediately after this non-threatening display by Mike, a bicycle policeman rammed his bike into Mike's body as five police officers violently slammed Mike into the pavement. Once on the ground, the officers smothered Mike completely, crushing his neck between the curb and his body between the ground and the officers.

Despite Mike's cries of non-resistance, the police continued to brutalize him by putting so much pressure on him that he couldn't breathe while pulling his long hair. Despite the officers' commands, Mike was never given a chance to comply with police orders to stop resisting arrest due to the immense pain and physical force applied to him.



This video depicts the actions by the Seattle Police Department as described above. It is also important to point out that the police stepped in front of the camera in order to conceal their barbarous tactics.

Also, if Mike was supposedly resisting arrest as the police charged him with, why was Mike helped up so easily after such a prolonged scuffle? If Mike were really resisting, why didn't the "resistance" continue as they lifted him up?

Once Mike was brought to his feet, he was placed standing on the sidewalk. Numerous media took pictures of him and his photo appeared the next day on the front page of the Seattle Times. A few minutes later, Mike was taken one block away from Second Avenue, placed in a cramped, unventilated, claustrophobic police van and taken to a still unknown processing station.

During his arrest, the crowd of demonstrators stood in solidarity with Mike chanting "Let him go!" "Police state -- Tear it down!" and "The cops are a tool of the rich man's rule." It was obvious to all those present that Mike's arrest was an unlawful, unnecessary demonstration of unaccountable police power seeking to intimidate the antiwar movement by making an example out of someone.

At the processing station Mike was heckled by police for protesting the war while the police photographed him and processed his arrest. Mike complained of neck and shoulder pain, but the officers ignored his complaints since they claimed there were no physical marks on the outside of his skin. (He was unable to check for himself, but symptoms of pain on the inside of the body are usually signs of damaged muscles and/or severe sprain). Mike was later taken from the processing station and brought to the King County Jail.

After Mike's arrest, his friends, fellow comrades and loved ones diligently tried to find out where he had been taken, if he was actually being booked and jailed, and attempted to post bail. Mike's loved ones and comrades were met with misinformation and outright lies by the Seattle Police Department. His supporters were sent head-on into the police bureaucracy, as they were told to go from one building to another, between the jail and a precinct located at 8th and Virginia then back to the jail (3 times), sending them on a wild goose chase throughout downtown. The police refused to make a radio call to find out where he was being held, and the jail claimed that he was not at their location. Nearly three hours later, Mike's information surfaced at the downtown jail, and Mike was bailed out and released at around six o'clock that night.

The following day, Mike went to the hospital because he was in so much pain to get diagnosed and treated for his injuries. The doctor determined that Mike had a badly sprained shoulder and neck. Mike was taken off work without pay for a week to allow his injuries to heal.

Mike was initially charged with two gross misdemeanors: 1) Assault (Yes! You heard right; assault with water!), and 2) Resisting Arrest. At his first court hearing, the City of Seattle dropped the charges because of the city's inability to provide witnesses. Shortly afterward, Mike filed a complaint against the City of Seattle with the intent of suing the city for his injuries, an unlawful arrest, and overall mistreatment by the Seattle Police Department.

In retaliation, a month and a half later, on the advice of the police department, Mike was re-charged with two gross misdemeanors. Except this time it was: 1) Resisting Arrest and 2) Obstructing A Police Officer. These two charges are oftentimes called "catch-alls" by the police as they are both very ambiguous and flexible charges that can be applied to anyone for just about anything, and they often go hand in hand.

Here is a recent Seattle Post-Intelligencer article detailing this tactic:

Again, this is a blatant act of retaliation on the part of the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department as a means of silencing legitimate criticisms and complaints from the public. It is clear that by reinstating charges that the City of Seattle and its police knew that they would lose in a civil suit, they are in fact displaying guilt on their part. Let us repeat this again: THE CITY OF SEATTLE RETALIATED AGAINST MIKE BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEIR OFFICERS HAD OVERREACTED, ASSAULTED AN INNOCENT PERSON, AND WERE FACED WITH PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

Since these new charges were imposed, Mike has had numerous court dates over the last year causing him to take time off work and requiring him to travel from Tacoma to Seattle. However, this impending court date of May 8th is of crucial importance since the police who victimized Mike will be present for the deposition hearing and thoroughly questioned by Mike's legal counsel, Larry Hildes. Depending on the course of this hearing and the pressure and presence we can put on the Seattle legal system, Mike could be acquitted of all charges and thus end the possibility of the case going to trial.

The Mike Ladd Defense Committee is asking supporters, fellow comrades, the anti-war movement, and people against police brutality to support Mike by attending his court hearing in May. Whether or not you are able to attend the court hearing, please call the Seattle Prosecutor's Office (Public Safety Division) to tell the city and the police that these charges against Mike are outrageous and that they should be dropped immediately.



BE THERE!

Thursday, May 8th, 1:30pm
Seattle Municipal Court, room 902
600 5th Ave. (at James St.

OR CALL!

Mike's case number is: 505605
Seattle Municipal Tower - Public Community Safety Division
Phone: 206-684-7757
Fax: 206-684-4648

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR PHONE CALL
1. When you call: Ask to be transferred to the prosecutor that is handling Mike Ladd's case (case #505605) and say the following:

2. Your name and whatever notable jobs, positions, affiliations you might have (student, teacher, union member, organizations you are a part of, tax payer, voter, etc). However, if you are uncomfortable telling them your name, it is fine to call as an upset taxpayer or voter as well.

3. You heard about, read about, or saw the video of Mike Ladd's arrest, and that you are outraged (disgusted, appalled, disappointed, etc.) about the way he was brutalized by the Seattle Police department.

4. You are aware that Mike Ladd was blatantly retaliated against by the city of Seattle after he filed a complaint against the city for his treatment and arrest. Again, describe your thoughts about the city of Seattle's unaccountable actions (disgusted appalled, etc.

5. All the charges are trumped up and completely false, and should be dropped immediately. In addition, Mike Ladd should be fully compensated by the city of Seattle for his injuries and overall mistreatment by the Seattle Police Department.

If you have time, other things worth mentioning are:

-How brutal the police were in the videos and the Seattle-P-I photographs
-How the supposed "victim" was not effected at all by the water bottle splash, and how he contradicted himself in the media by saying Mike tried to punch him, which is a complete lie!!!
- Why did the police feel it was necessary to stand in front of the camera while Mike was being arrested? Why did the Seattle Police feel it was necessary to pull Mike Ladd's hair in order to arrest him?

NOTE: It is possible that you will not be able to reach the prosecutor's office. If so, be sure to state all of this to whatever person you end up speaking too, be it the operator, or the prosecutor's secretary. Also, keep in mind that people you speak to might try to talk over you or cut you off. Be sure to keep talking despite this, and make your points strongly.

SUPPORTERS FROM SOUTH SOUND:

Mike will be taking the bus to Seattle on his court date. If you wish to take the bus with him, be at the Tacoma Dome station in Tacoma around 11:45 am. Since the courthouse can be rather confusing and intimidating, people may gather outside the Seattle Municipal Court around 1:00 pm and enter as a group. Mike will be there in order to greet people as they arrive.