Saturday, October 22, 2005

SANTA ANA POLICE DEPLOY EQUESTRIAN UNIT
TO GREET O22 PROTESTERS

Twelve horses used to “control” peaceful
crowd of about thirty demonstrators

By DUANE J. ROBERTS
duaneroberts92804@yahoo.com

SANTA ANA, CA – When a small contingent of marchers
protesting police brutality arrived at Santa Ana
Police Department headquarters earlier this afternoon,
they discovered to their dismay that twelve police
officers and deputies mounted on horseback had been
deployed to greet them.

The rather unusual deployment of an equestrian unit to
face off such a tiny number of demonstrators not only
raised eyebrows about the spending priorities of the
Santa Ana Police, but brought up some questions about
the ability of persons exercising their constitutional
rights to access "public fora."

Since 1998, various protests against police brutality
have occured on the public sidewalk and stairs
directly in front of Santa Ana Police Department
headquarters. But today, about a dozen horses were
stationed in that same area, posing difficulties for
protesters to make their point.

When one demonstrator asked a Santa Ana Police
sergeant why the equestrian unit had been positioned
on a public sidewalk, he responded by saying "they"
didn't want anybody walking up the stairs. He did say,
however, that people could use what space was
available on the sidewalk in front of the horses.

It's unclear if Santa Ana Police were originally
planning to deny marchers access to all "public fora"
in front of police headquarters. But after one person
challenged them by reciting the First Amendment of the
U.S. Constitution under flag poles located near the
equestrian unit, they took no action.

Despite the bizarre deployment of a hoof detail, Santa
Ana Police appeared to have behaved more
professionally and with much greater restraint at this
anti-police brutality protest than they did last year.
At that demonstration, four people were taken into
custody. No arrests occurred today.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from across the street.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from beneath the flag poles.

Equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Photographed from beneath the flag poles.

Santa Ana Police officers on the public sidewalk, not far from the equestrian unit.

Santa Ana Police officers on the public sidewalk, not far from the equestrian unit.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.

Closeup photos of the equestrian unit stationed on the public sidewalk. Protesters didn't have much room to move about in front of them.