JULY/AUGUST, 1984
On June 6th at 6 a.m. 7 people dedicated to maintaining an on-going presence opposite the White House for an end to the insanity of the nuclear arms race were arrested for camping.
Three of the protesters, Robert, Thomas, and Ellen, were beaten by 2 Park Policemen, one at a time, though they neither fought back nor resisted. What the protesters did do was take pictures, tossing the camera to each other as they were beaten.
The 3 protesters were charged with assault and resisting arrest, spent 2 nights in jail and then were released on their own recognizance.
This attack is part of a crack-down on peace protesters encouraged under the Reagan Administration in an attempt to squelch the visibility of the opposition that against this administration’s policies. Thomas, who has been vigiling for three years, maintains that the First Amendment gives him and anyone else the right to protest in this manner, and he has beaten the camping charge the last 5 times because he had no living accommodations to warrant camping. The camera, Police say, has been lost.