Perception

In the US, people can gather to make statements opposing the war on Yugoslavia.

The Truth:

ANTIWAR ACTIVIST JAILED IN SANTA CRUZ

Anti-war activist Steve Argue was brutally beaten with night sticks by rampaging Santa Cruz police before being arrested on Saturday evening, May 22, during a protest prepared by the Santa Cruz Coalition to Stop the Bombing.

While on the ground, a cluster of police kicked and struck him as one officer forced pepper spray into his throat and directly into his eyes. The police then waited almost an hour before taking their nearly comatose victim to the hospital.

Funds are needed immediately to secure Steve's release from jail and to provide him adequate legal counsel. Two thousand dollars must be raised to secure his bail
which was set at $20,000; a Santa Cruz resident has offered their home as collateral for the remainder. Contact "The Organizer" at theorganizer@igc.org or telephone us at (510) 234-6442 for information on where to send money and an update on what you can do.

Background:

On Saturday evening, May 22, the Santa Cruz Coalition to Stop the Bombing held an anti-war protest in front of the McPherson Center, site of a black-tie fundraiser
for Congressional Representative Sam Farr. It was the third event that week targeting Farr who had voted for war appropriations. Twenty-five people had been arrested in the prior two civil disobedience actions, charged with trespass and released immediately.

Seventy-five to 100 people gathered for the Saturday evening event. They shouted chants against the war and banged on the building's glass pane windows to attract
the attention of the $50/plate diners inside. Just as at other demonstrations, they brought a boom box upon which they played a recording sent from Belgrade.
"Terrifying," is how one participant described the sounds. "You could hear the Cruise missiles falling and people screaming in fear. It made the war real. It was powerful."

It was too real for one Farr supporter. She made a citizen's arrest of the Yugoslav woman who happened to be holding the boom box. Santa Cruz police, whose violent treatment of the homeless and their advocates has been exposed repeatedly, lashed out against the
demonstrators as soon as the police squads arrived on the scene.

"They ripped the boom box out of the Yugoslav woman's hand, but didn't arrest her. Instead, they arrested an 18-year old girl who was standing nearby. This infuriated the peaceful crowd which started crying out at the police: "Why are you arresting her?"

Police then lunged at other participants, taking as their immediate targets, a young woman and a man, each holding young children. As Officer La Favor seized the
young woman and applied a pain compliance hold, two other policemen "tried to tear the child from her arms."

It was at this moment that Steve Argue intervened to rescue the woman and her baby. He allegedly punched Officer La Favor in the face and when police turned on
him, Steve began to run. He didn't get far before police tackled him to the ground and started kicking and beating him mercilessly, a la Rodney King.

Officer La Favor struck Steve repeatedly with his nightstick with full force. This brutal treatment wasn't enough for the police. It was at this point that they forced open Steve's mouth open and saturated his throat and lungs with pepper spray. They then pried
open his eyes and applied the spray directly into them.

Although he was nearly comatose and a hospital was located less than five minutes away, the police refused for nearly an hour to take him to the hospital for treatment. He was then taken to jail and held in a solitary cell for over 72 hours.

Steve was been charged with Felony battery of a custodial officer, Section 243C1, as well as Resisting and Obstructing, Section 148 A1.

News reporters from Radio Free Santa Cruz were also arrested, their tape recorders taken from them. Despite police efforts to remove evidence of their brutality, a demonstrator and a camerman from KION-TV took video footage of the police assaults.

Angered at a pattern of police provocation and mistreatment of legal protesters, the Santa Cruz community has risen to Steve's defense. A "Free Steve Argue Committee" has been formed. A large audience attended the Santa Cruz City Council meeting to protest
the brutalization of Steve Argue and other demonstrators, including children. Not one member of the Council responded.

Community activists and attorneys are discussing bringing charges against the police and a civil lawsuit against the city of Santa Cruz.

Money is needed urgently to get Steve out of jail and for his defense.

Checks should be send to the Steve Argue Solidarity Committee, c/o Tracy DeAngelis,234 High St. Apt #3, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Make checks payable to Kate Wells. For more information about what you can do to help, call Tracy at (831) 421-9794.