Seattle Minister Occupier Beaten And Arrested By Police

Aerianne · Dec 16, 2011

Rev. John Helmiere says he told police that he came to the Port of Seattle protest because "I'm a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I believe another world is possible." That response, he says, came just after a cop threw him down and repeatedly punched him in the face.

Helmiere, the founder of Valley & Mountain Fellowship Church in Rainier Valley, has a long narrative posted today on the Valley & Mountain blog http://valleyandmountain.org/what-we-do/creative-liberation/johns-response-to-police-brutality/ about his day at the port's Terminal 18 protest and it's worth a read.

He says that he was repeatedly shouting "keep the peace" to other protestors when officers advanced on the crowd and he soon found himself being thrown to the ground and punched repeatedly before being taken to jail.

I stood before an entrance to Pier 18 of the Seattle Port in my clergy garb bellowing, "Keep the Peace! Keep the Peace!" An officer pulled me down from behind and threw me to the asphalt. Between my cries of pain and shouts of "I'm a man of peace!" he pressed a knee to my spine and immobilized my arms behind my back, crushing me against the ground. With the right side of my face pressed to the street, he repeatedly punched the left side of my face for long enough that I had time to pray that the crunching sounds I heard were not damaging my brain. I was cuffed and pulled off the ground by a different officer who seemed genuinely appalled when he saw my face and clerical collar. He asked who I was and why I was here, to which I replied, "I'm a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I believe another world is possible." He led me shaking to a police van where began a 12-hour journey of incarcerated misery.

The protest, which had started as a call for a West Coast-wide port shutdown by Occupy Oakland protesters, had lost some steam when union port workers rejected the call to strike.

Regardless, the turnout at the protest was large (estimates of about 500 ), and demonstrators managed to grab headlines around the country.

The Seattle Police Department's version of events is that the protestors threw paint, rebar, bricks and all kinds of other nasties at them, forcing the officers to pepper spray people, use flash-bang grenades, and ultimately arrest a dozen protestors.

Rev. Helmiere doesn't mention throwing any paint, bricks or rebar, and it's hard to imagine that a man of the cloth would do so.
Click to expand...

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2011/12/rev_john_helmiere_seattle_prie.php

Jo King · Dec 16, 2011

Seattle cops don't take shit from anyone

deleted · Dec 16, 2011

Good thing he was not a Muslim..

Jo King · Dec 16, 2011

see

http://www.king5.com/news/cities/se...pt-report-slams-Seattle-police-135728903.html

zombiewolf · Dec 16, 2011

Yeah, you should see the way they act when the whole world's not watching...They are on thier best behavior here...

It's been going on for decades and not just Seattle.

Most cops are not cool, they are hateful pricks.

Cool cops are definitely the minority IMHO

Aerianne · Dec 16, 2011

Jo King said:

see

http://www.king5.com/news/cities/se...pt-report-slams-Seattle-police-135728903.html
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It says:
"Federal investigators said they found Seattle police have engaged in excessive force that violated federal law and the Constitution."

That makes me...angry.

Tyrsonswood · Dec 16, 2011

Aerianne said:

It says:
"Federal investigators said they found Seattle police have engaged in excessive force that violated federal law and the Constitution."

That makes me...angry.
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Makes me angrier that the feds don't do anything about it...... Making them just as guilty.

broony · Dec 16, 2011

Tyrsonswood said:

Makes me angrier that the feds don't do anything about it...... Making them just as guilty.
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I wonder how many levels it goes with corruption at play?

You cant trust anything if the government is in on it, small or big, and a LOT of subjects are at play here.

Scary world we live in knowing money (that only man created) keeps us fighting one another pushing everyone to a breaking point.

To the OP seattle cops are no different than any other city cop, and i have lived in seattle and dealt with the police there. Honestly its just another article pointing out the obvious, the police as a line of work is driven by power hungry corrupt people who are either to dumb to realize what they are doing to their fellow person, or get off by hurting others and supporting the mafia government that is currently running.

I get tired reading countless articles about police corruption, as well as hearing about it....and still the shit countines. I want to know when the fan will turn on.

Aerianne · Dec 16, 2011

The minister who was beat up and arrested makes some requests and I think they are worthy of being heard. He took a beating for the 99%, after all:

Here is what I am asking of anyone who will hear it:

· Listen deeply.

· Get upset.

· Generate Love.

By listening deeply, I mean allowing the experiences of others to alter your own worldview. It might mean allowing my story to challenge assumptions you may have about the reliability of police discipline or mainstream media impartiality (reports of the activity by The Seattle Times, for example, are significantly skewed thus far). It may mean allowing the stories of exploited people, like the port truckers, to challenge your assumptions about the American narrative of equal opportunity. Whatever it means, it will require humility and intentional encounters with those you tend to avoid.

By getting upset, I mean being appalled at the dehumanizing forces operating in our world—forces unveiled by deep listening. Nothing changes just because you become aware that port truckers have to defecate in plastic bags because their unjust classification as “independent contractors” bars them from using the employee bathrooms. Nothing changes just because you know that some cities have police cultures that encourage brutality, particularly against people of color. We must have the tenderness of heart to become upset when human beings are violated and oppressed.

By generating love, I mean channeling that passion into creative and liberating action. There are so many excuses to avoid it: “The issues are so complex,” “There are two sides to everything,” “I don’t want to alienate anyone and lose a chance at making an impact later.” But as the great preacher/activist William Sloane Coffin once said, “Not taking sides is effectively to weigh in on the side of the stronger.” As finite creatures, we cannot fight every worthy battle. But refusing to participate in any struggle for a more loving world is a rejection of even our very finite power. Right now I am praying for the courage to transform the molecules of my anger and the raw material of my frustration into the greatest, most indestructible, most transformative power on earth: unconditional love in action.

-Rev. John Helmiere
Click to expand...

http://valleyandmountain.org/what-we-do/creative-liberation/johns-response-to-police-brutality/

Tyrsonswood · Dec 16, 2011

Good read!

Tacticus · Dec 17, 2011

Appalling, seems like SPD are making a name for themselves for brutalizing protesters and other citizens. I would like to seem more of them answer for there crimes in front of a judge. BTW I do know that not all of them are like that because I know one very well as well as his wife and kids.

lillallyloukins · Dec 17, 2011

Jo King said:

Seattle cops don't take shit from anyone
Click to expand...

correction... they take it up the arse from their paymasters :bobby:

Aerianne · Dec 17, 2011

Tacticus said:

BTW I do know that not all of them are like that because I know one very well as well as his wife and kids.
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Yay! for him. Good cops can be heroes! We need more of his kind!

lillallyloukins · Dec 17, 2011

Aerianne said:

Yay! for him. Good cops can be heroes! We need more of his kind!
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i don't know any American cops but the Police here in general are pretty awful... there are a few good'uns but they usually young and idealistic... one of my daughters friends was a gangster to start, then he became a soldier... after his service, he joined the police force and left pretty soon after because of the corruption and unprofessionalism he saw going on...

so the good'uns are few a far between from where i'm standing...

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