Breaking : Drug Dealers Admit Berkeley PD Have Asked Them To Assault Cop-watchers [View all]

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"The cops said they would make things hard for us, if we didn't get you to leave." - Anon drug dealer, revealing deal with police

Today on Feb 3rd (2013) Drug dealers in People's Park have admitted today that Berkeley Police has recently asked them to assault local cop-watchers in retaliation against a complaint being heard by the Berkeley Police Review Commission which involves local police reform and Occupy activists. The dealers explained that the police have made a deal that BPD would look the other way provided they would keep cop-watchers out of People's Park and off of Telegraph Ave.

"The cops said they would make things hard for us, if we didn't get you to leave." - Anon drug dealer, revealing deal with police

"I'm going to punch you in the face. I know who you are, and I am going find you. The police will not protect you; they don't want you around." - A second dealer

A local cop-watcher was surrounded in People's Park, and threatened to be beaten if the individual did not leave the Park. The drug dealers explained that the Berkeley police are giving them amnesty on Telegraph and in People's Park if they would remove cop-watchers out of the Park. They seemed assured there would be no consequences to the attack, as if the attack truly would have police approval. Two maintenance workers cleaning the Park restroom, who happened to be in the area, moved closer to make their presence known, which prevented the attack. The cop-watcher was surrounded and pinned, and could have been killed.

The Berkeley police are facing a police review complaint regarding the improper ticketing of a medical marijuana user on Park property, despite presenting proper medical marijuana paperwork. This ticket was initiated by Officer Cole of BPD. Along with the ticket, marijuana was seized, placed into custody and has yet to be returned to the lawful medical holder. The detainment and ticketing of the medical marijuana holder was captured on video by a known cop-watcher, and had been distributed to the Berkeley Community Law Center as well as the police review commission. The complaint regarding this issue is under current review, with witnesses having being interviewed. People involved in the local activist community are witnesses. As well the official _Berkeley CopWatch_ has issued a private behind the scenes statement on behalf of the complaint.

The average cop-watcher is for sensible drug reform, and and an end to the militarized drug war. So the police have chosen a tactic to contract hits on cop-watchers by granting amnesty to drug dealers. The tactic creates conflict; how can cop-watch in Berkeley safely operate if drug dealers are given the green light to beat cop-watchers?

The drug dealers who surrounded the cop-watcher made it very clear that the Berkeley police told them that they would be run out, if they would not stop cop-watch from patrolling Telegraph Ave. The said that the police would make things harder for people caught dealing drugs, if cop-watch continued to film and provide advice during police business.

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/02/03/18731288.php