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.