[occupyaustin-volunteers] Police chief Art Acevedo's (latest?) version of arrests

Tue Nov 1 09:37:52 CST 2011

Marion,

Please try the City Auditor - Kenneth Mory, Asst. City Manager - Mike McDonald, and Councilman - Bill Spellman. You might get further speaking with them. Also copy Exec. Assistant to Mike McDonald - Jason Alexander.

Angel of the LORD,

Ashley

________________________________
From: Marion Mlotok <mmlotok at austin.rr.com>
To: Volunteers of Occupy Austin <occupyaustin-volunteers at foojutsu.org>
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2011 10:41 PM
Subject: Re: [occupyaustin-volunteers] Police chief Art Acevedo's (latest?) version of arrests

Thanks for the good idea, Roger.  I also just sent an email to the Mayor and City Council Members asking where the new rules originated and asking them to review the rules and review the ban on the people arrested from coming to City Hall. 
Marion

On Oct 31, 2011, at 8:50 PM, Roger Baker wrote:

[City Council member Chris Riley did get back to me today, and I copy his email below, with the following response by Austin police chief Acevedo justifying the midnight arrests in response to a complaint by Mr. Nolan Darilek. This still does not clear up the issue of who actually ordered the arrests, which decision Acevedo appears to have previously denied having been made himself. Here Acevedo seems to be mainly saying that the arrests were justified, but his response below does not indicate whether the arrest orders originated from himself or from elsewhere, like above himself at the city manager level. In particular, we might ask where the anonymous memo that seems to have been the basis for the arrests originated? I cannot help but wonder who wrote it.  -- Roger]
>
>
>
>
>Hey Roger -- This email presents the Chief's view of what went on this
>weekend . . .
>c.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Acevedo, Art
>Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2011 7:47 PM
>To: 'Nolan Darilek'
>Subject: RE: Thank you
>
>Mr. Darilek,
>
>Thank you for writing to me and expressing your sentiments.  Members of
>our City leadership cadre have been working with OA since its inception
>to facilitate the use of the City Hall grounds for OA.  The city has
>been very accommodating, and the results have been very positive.  I was
>present the first day of OA and was truly happy to see 1,300 community
>members from a city I have grown to love, comprising a wide cross
>section of our society participate.  The positive energy and spirit
>throughout our City Hall was something to behold.  I can say that it was
>a day I will carry with me for the rest of my life as it represented the
>very best of our city, state and Nation.
>
>Unfortunately, since that time, we have seen a fairly rapid
>deterioration of conditions at city hall after a segment of aggressive
>transients moved into City Hall and actually started to camp out.
>Despite the City providing the use of City Hall bathroom facilities, we
>have seen the following:
>
>Public urination throughout including in the mezzanine, feces, public
>sex, discarded used condoms, drug use, graffiti, aggravated assaults,
>and true activists that have been at OA since day one, being accosted by
>aggressive people who did not want to conduct themselves in a manner
>which promotes a safe, sanitary environment for the OA members who are
>acting responsibly and representing the movement in an honorable
>fashion.
>
>We have been asked by a myriad of OA participants to help create a
>safer, cleaner, environment conducive to long term occupation.  If you
>spend time with many of the core OA participants, you will learn that a
>debate has been raging as to whether or not food service should continue
>at any time at OA since food service has led to many unattended
>consequences for the peaceful and dedicated OA members.  In furtherance
>of the desires of many of the OA and consistent with The City's
>responsibility to ensure the safety of OA participants, and our duty to
>protect OUR (yours and mine) City Hall from further damage, the facility
>use rules were provided by the city to OA.
>
>Our action yesterday was taken approximately 40 hours after the facility
>use rules were provided to OA and passed out to many of the OA
>participants at City Hall.  It became very apparent that a segment of
>the OA participants had no intention of adhering to the facility use
>notice after it was presented at the General Assembly Friday night.
>Many of those completely rejecting the facility use rules are the same
>small number of OA participants who have advocated direct action, civil
>disobedience and conflict with the police from day one.
>
>Last night, when City staff went into the plaza to do their jobs, the OA
>participants present were given ample time and opportunity to adhere to
>the direction of City Staff, and opted to engage in civil disobedience
>which ultimately led to the uneventful arrest of 38 OA participants
>without the use of force, or injury to any of the individuals arrested
>or officers making the arrests. I am very proud of the fact that we did
>not have to resort to the donning of riot gear or deployment of tear gas
>or other more aggressive crowd management strategy.
>
>I continue to be proud of our city's efforts to date, and my officers
>measured and professional response throughout our local movement.
>Again, many of the individuals arrested last night have been advocating
>direct action and civil disobedience since day one, and again I am proud
>that no one resorted to violence and at the end of the day, they were
>released from the County Jail and our officers went home to their
>families.
>
>In closing, I am happy to see that you intend to start participating in
>OA since I know that OA truly wants to recapture the participation of a
>cross section of our society like we experienced on day one.  Your
>participation will be a good outcome.  Regardless of the public
>statements that may be expressed by OA, I know the truth to be that the
>environment we are creating in terms health and safety, is one that many
>OA participants have been longing for.  Their hope is that a better
>environment will recapture the participants and spirit of Day One of OA.
>Thanks again for writing and please call upon me if I or a member of my
>staff can be of service.
>
>Regards,
>
>
>Art Acevedo
>Chief of Police
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Nolan Darilek [mailto:nolan at thewordnerd.info]
>Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2011 5:08 PM
>To: Acevedo, Art
>Subject: Thank you
>
>I wanted to personally thank you for your actions on Saturday night.
>
>I have been an Austin resident for a dozen years. I've seen these
>occupations, but have never gotten involved. For various reasons I
>haven't participated as much in our financial system as others, so I
>didn't feel that what the occupants stood for affected me as directly.
>
>But, thanks to what you've done, I now see that it does. I'm watching
>the live stream right now and am hearing multiple stories of people
>having their civil rights violated, not read their rights, women frisked
>by male officers despite the presence of, and their asking for, female
>officers... I am disappointed in my city, and in the officers you lead
>who, instead of protecting us, put us down and violate our rights.
>
>So thank you for showing me my ignorance. Far from intimidating me, the
>actions of your police force have encouraged me to pick up the cause. I
>plan on showing up at the occupation tomorrow and asking how I can help.
>
>I'm also curious as to which rock you've been hiding under? Surely
>you've been aware of Oakland, especially as you wished to avoid
>following in their footsteps according to reports of your statements at
>Thursday's GA? Surely you realize that any misstep on your part will
>just throw fuel onto the fire? And what was done last night, if not a
>misstep?
>
>Congratulations on encouraging me to civilly disobey, and
>congratulations on being the first ever recipient of a letter from me to
>civil servants. I'm grateful to have had my ignorance removed, and I
>hope that everyone responsible for this misstep is called to account for
>what they've done. _______________________________________________
>occupyaustin-volunteers mailing list
>occupyaustin-volunteers at foojutsu.org
>http://foojutsu.org/mailman/listinfo/occupyaustin-volunteers
>

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