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Address to the Olympia City Council, - Tuesday, 12 July, 2011.
Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2011. Read by Brendan Funtek.
-Good Evening. I'm reading for Scott Yoos, who is mute.
These are his words:
"A couple of Fridays ago, I skipped my regular, morning date with Amy Goodman, in order to attend an open "chat with the new Police Chief", at Batdorf & Bronson's Coffeeshop downtown. Despite the fact that THE OLYMPIAN printed the wrong time in its announcement of this informal meeting, about 2 dozen interested citizens made it to the event. (I suspect there probably would've been even more that this moderate number, if the correct information had been published.)
"During the conversation, Chief Ronnie Roberts repeated his claim that it will take around '$50,000' to equip all the O.P.D.'s patrol cars with video cameras. You may remember that I am an eager advocate for this measure; I think that the sooner we can get surveillance on the police cars, the better. ...I'm confident that if even one of the four cars which sped to The Scene of my Arrest last month had been recording our interaction on video, then the current "Police Report", (which unfortunately is blindly-accepted as "the Gospel Truth" by many), ...that flawed document would need to be substantially re-written, in order to reflect something closer to the real Truth of what happened that grim night, in the parking lot of Twister Donuts.
"Quoting from THE OLYMPIAN article which followed the coffeeshop rendezvous: 'Roberts said five cameras have been purchased but have yet to be installed. He added that the Department does not have the resources to place dashboard cameras on all patrol cars.'
" ...I come here tonite asking: "What are we waiting for? ? ? Can't we just install the five cameras which we have NOW, A.S.A.P., rather than waiting till every car in the Force is so well-equipped?
Personally, I strongly suspect that the Police Department may be "taking its own sweet time" in enacting this suggestion, because some Officers may view this as an infringement upon their liberties, to act as they jolly well please, without any fear that their words could ever be called into question.
"No one likes being told that they're something 'wrong', whether the misfeasance is as 'vile & sinister' as: depositing some soiled napkins into a City-owned dumpster (after hours), or, as 'petty & innocent' as: tackling, deliberately hurting, arresting, & detaining a homeward-bound citizen, (without provocation.)
"To suggest that our Police themselves need policing is not, generally, a very popular notion. (Surely Andy & Barney didn't need to submit themselves to video-surveillance, while patrolling the tree-lined streets of Mayfield!) -But, we are living in a different age.
"I believe that equipping patrol cars with surveillance cameras could be very revealing, in that it would allow an 'un-blinking eye' to monitor and record interactions in which Police misconduct occurs. (You aren't likely going to find that in "Police Reports" which have been crafted by the very hands & minds of the perpetrators themselves.)
"The citizens of Olympia have paid for at least five of these dashboard cameras. I challenge the Council (and the O.P.D.) to quit dragging-your-feet, and to install these valuable tools for police accountability, immediately; and to adopt a definite plan to equip the rest of the police cars with similar cameras, -pronto!
"Thank you for listening."
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Update from the Scott Yoos Support Committee
by Scott Yoos Support Committee
http://www.olywip.org/site/page/article/2011/09/02.html
"The law will never make men free; it is men who have got to make the law free." - Henry David Thoreau
Scott Yoos, a valued member of the anti-war, nuclear resistance, and environmental movements is being unjustly targeted for prosecution in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington on allegations that stem directly to his disability.
Scott's inability to speak and use of sign language was misinterpreted as 'assaultive' behavior by Olympia police. While riding his bike home from the Olympia Film Society on the night of June 1, 2011 Scott was the victim of overly zealous police who stopped him, claiming (in police reports) he had "thrown something in or taken something out" of a dumpster. When Scott signed he had done nothing wrong, the police tore his bike away from him, placed him in 'pain compliance' holds, arrested him, and brought him to the jail where his civil rights were further violated.
Scott's experience sparked a citizen's call for police accountability. Members of the Olympia community who know Scott to be a peaceful man immediately recognized that the police had discriminated against Scott because of his inability to speak and recklessly escalated an innocent situation. However, rather than issuing a public apology to Scott, mandating diversity training for police on issues of disability; and dropping the unjust charges - Thurston County prosecutors chose to charge Scott with a felony in addition to two misdemeanor charges.
In early August, prosecutors moved to trump a misdemeanor trespass charge by adding resisting arrest and felony assault charges - falsely claiming Scott chose to come in contact with the police when the cops threw him to the ground, bound and arrested him. Scott of course denies the ridiculous allegations.
The case has become political. Scott Yoos is a recognized member of the social justice community. When public monies are used to harass and prosecute the good citizens of our community, it's time for people who know right from wrong to hold the unscrupulous officials who bridge public office with private interests accountable.
Pursuing such charges serves to manufacture consent towards a police state rather than respecting the civil liberties of the people in this community. The new charges also serve as an unethical move on the part of risk management operatives to undermine the very strong potential of liability from future civil litigation.
Risk management refers to the "coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events." What happened to Scott was indeed unfortunate. The risks identified are officers prone to violate the constitutionally-protected civil rights of free citizens, and the costly litigation that follows. Risk management strategies include transferring the risk to another party and reducing the negative effect or probability of the risk (these are the two strategies being exercised here). Two additional strategic options exist in the arena of risk management, options which are appropriate; but, quite sadly for our community, not being exercised - they include avoiding the risk, and accepting some or all of the consequences of a particular risk.
Through it all - police ignorance concerning disability issues continues, and Scott Yoos, rather caring for his health (Scott manages a complex disability set), must instead focus on defending himself against false allegations that have the potential to further undermine his civil liberties.
It is not likely that those who make it their purpose in life to 'cage the mockingbird' believe a jury would find Scott guilty of such a charge. However, fears of a foolish jury bring innocent men and women to plea to a charge they are in fact innocent of in order to avoid the consequences of a felony conviction on a charge they are also innocent of (felony consequences include loss of voting rights, housing, and certain categories of sustenance income and social service resources). As stressed above, a legally coerced plea could serve to undermine police accountable through civil process. This is the game being played; however, Scott is not playing. He is innocent, and he is sincere. We will see Scott reveal the truth of events within the trial process, and in effect expose the unethical conduct of the police, and those who have served to protect the bully cops.
...A Not Guilty plea on all charges was presented to the court at the August 16, 2011, arraignment. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 10:30 AM Wednesday, September 28, 2011, in Thurston County Superior Court (Bldg. 1, 2000 Lakeridge Drive, Olympia, WA). Supporters are encouraged to attend a 9:30 AM vigil at the courthouse complex in support of Scott and for police accountability just prior the pretrial hearing. ...
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Assorted articles from Works in Progress newspaper:
Works in Progress — July 2011 Olympia's poor targeted by police
"BAD COP: NO DONUT!"
by the Scott Yoos Support Committee
http://www.olywip.org/site/page/article/2011/07/02.html
The highly questionable arrest and detainment of notable WIPster, Scott Yoos, on the night of June 1st in Olympia, Washington, has encouraged community dialogue concerning how police resources are being used to criminalize activists and the poor. Yoos was arrested and detained without cause after discarding some litter which he had collected into a City dumpster near a donut shop.
After reviewing police reports, Patty Imani, a friend and member of Yoos' support committee stated: "I can only speculate from reports that the police were watching the dumpster in order to stop hungry people from salvaging food; however there was no wrong done and the police had no reason to detain Scott, let alone intimidate or belittle him because he could not speak. (Scott is mute.) I do believe Scott was targeted. I don't know if it was simply because he appeared to be a poor person looking to salvage food from a dumpster. There is also some question that he might have been targeted because of his volunteer work in the social justice community." While Scott was detained, one officer spoke to another in reference to Scott stating, "Yeah, he's at all the protests."
Another officer had committed Scott's former address to memory. Scott had lived at that address during the height of Olympia's antiwar movement, in which he and his housemate were active. Over the past seven years, public records requests found a pattern of illegal surveillance of those in the Northwest antiwar movements by local police departments sharing information with Homeland Security through regional fusion centers. Even the US Dept. of Justice encouraged surveillance of citizens to be curtailed - not simply because the repression is illegal, but because it wastes millions of dollars and makes the police and feds look like fools in the end. We wonder if Ronnie Roberts, Olympia's new police chief, who prides himself on undermining nonviolent civil resistance movements when he was working in Eugene, Oregon, ever got that memo. Perhaps we are giving them the benefit of the doubt; he may actually believe that arresting poor folk on suspicion of finding a day-old donut in a leased city dumpster is, as he said to the Olympian, "good police work."
Scott embodies the principles of constructive Olympian activism. As a prolific volunteer, he works with several non-profit and social justice projects within the community and can be found stocking produce at the Food Co-op, promoting Olympia Film Society, distributing Works In Progress, volunteering with Olympia Books to Prisoners, and teaching free sign language classes at Media Island. Scott stops to share a joke or send a friendly wave with most everyone he passes as he walks and bikes through town. He does not drive a vehicle, does not consume wastefully, and gives back every breath he takes.
Word spread quickly of his experience with police, and friends were quick to express concern to city officials. On June 7th, more than 100 community members picketed in front of Olympia City Hall. Many spoke before the Council on issues of police misconduct and the unjust targeting of the poor. Robert Whitlock stated: "I really question the use of resources [for] guarding dumpsters," saying he'd rather see police protecting the community from aggressive drivers and other real crimes. Berd made the plea, "Let the dumpster go."
Since the public outcry, the Olympia Police Department has worked to counter public scrutiny, insisting that arresting Yoos for "putting something in or taking something out" of the dumpster was "good police work." The Police reports prepared after Yoos' encounter with police, which were promptly forwarded to The Olympian after the paper reported on the Council meeting, are most disconcerting. Officer Wilson, one of the arresting officers, specifically interpreted Yoos' use of sign language as "assaultive" in his report, stating: "Yoos signed very emphatically, slapping his hands together hard and making some sort of gesture under his chin."
Sign language is a very expressive mode of communication, and traumatic and emotional experiences (such as, say, being pinned-to-the-ground, handcuffed, and having one's face pressed into the pavement by a chuckling cop) call for impassioned signing. Scott had every right to communicate "emphatically," in his futile effort to be understood. We are sorry if Olympia's police are afraid of the deaf and mute community's language, but that prejudice should be interpreted for what it is.
It should be noted that Yoos was the victim of a violent assault in 1984, at the age of 18. While traveling cross-country, he was brutally attacked by two men who took his belongings. It was then that Yoos suffered a traumatic head injury that left him mute and with the set of disabilities he lives with today. Friend and supporter, Patty Imani, stated: "I imagine Scott is growing weary of being cornered by violent men who throw him on the ground and take his things. It's extremely sad that a violent attack led to his disability, and here he is attacked largely because of his disability. That's the way I see it. There is of course difference in the degree of violence, but it is still violence towards a simple man going on his simple way. The police should feel ashamed for further traumatizing a man who has already suffered enough. They always seem to pick on the most vulnerable people. They're bullies, that's all."
Olympia has witnessed an increase of police targeting of its low-income population since the Olympia City Council passed a more restrictive panhandling amendment to the "Pedestrian Interference Ordinance" last month. The ordinance restricts the freedoms of movement and activity of low-income segments of the population. Sitting or lying down in public areas, playing music, or requesting help (spare change) from passersby have become criminal offenses since the Olympia City Council passed the "Pedestrian Interference Ordinance" in 2007. Further restrictions on panhandling have brought a swiftly increasing number of arrests of the poor. Individuals who salvage food in City dumpsters are accused of "Criminal Trespass." (Although business owners who lease the dumpsters may not have issues with hungry people looking for food, police watch the dumpsters and arrest the poor on "Trespass" charges, stating that "The dumpsters are the property of the City.") This is particularly disconcerting, since many of the poor are disabled, veterans, and youth escaping unhealthy family situations, often without an adequate support network. In addition, citizens who have stopped to observe the poor being detained and "bullied" by Olympia police have been threatened with arrest themselves if they did not stop observing the encounter.
A new Olympia organization, CIVIL, has been formed to address problems with what they believe to be illegal targeting and criminalization of the poor. The group, which believes the restrictive ordinances are unconstitutional, has developed a campaign and action plan to challenge the ordinances and support those being targeted for poverty-related offenses. CIVIL is recording incidents of police encounters with the poor and has noted a pattern of police targeting, isolating and arresting low-income peoples on poverty-related charges. The Scott Yoos Support Committee meets every Monday at 5 PM at Media Island. CIVIL meets every Monday at 7 PM at Media Island. Come on by, help us take our community back and put a stop to the city of Olympia's long-term strategic gentrification and repression plan.
...
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Olympia activist and WIP worker attacked and arrested
from WIP News Service
http://www.olywip.org/site/page/article/2011/07/03.html
[This article was originally posted to the WIP website on June 8, as the story first broke.]
On the night of Wednesday, June 1, local activist and long-time WIP volunteer Scott Yoos was apprehended in an open parking lot by an officer from the Olympia Police Department. Scott was "caught" red-handed throwing away some damp paper towels in a dumpster labeled "City of Olympia." For this crime of attempted not-littering, Scott was arrested, and is now being charged with trespassing and "obstruction of justice," and is required to attend a pre-trial hearing on August 1.
Scott is a man of peace, a dedicated activist, and a well-beloved member of the community. He has been a volunteer for Works In Progress for over 10 years, and also volunteers with the Olympia Film Society, the Olympia Food Co-op, and Books To Prisoners. Scott also lives with a disability: He is physically unable to speak, and can only communicate through sign language or through writing words on scraps of paper. (Scott also co-teaches a free "signing for brave beginners" class through the Olympia Free Skool.)
Scott had been in the parking lot only briefly before a patrol car rolled in. The officer immediately accused Scott of "Trespassing." The officer called for reinforcements, and subsequently three more cars sped to the scene. The two arresting officers grabbed Scott's bike out from under him, and then threw Scott to the ground. The police tied Scott's hands behind his back and took away his pen and paper, denying him the ability to communicate anything to anyone. After pressing him face-down into the pavement for several minutes, Scott was eventually taken to jail and held there for hours.
On the morning of Wednesday, June 8, Scott and dozens of supporters packed the Municipal Court (in the old City Hall on Plum Street) for Scott's arraignment. It was well within the prosecutor's authority to simply choose not to pursue charges against Scott. However, the City has chosen to charge Scott with both "criminal trespass" and "obstruction of justice," thus endorsing the actions of the police. Scott's next pre-trial hearing is on August 1, at 8am, back at Municipal Court.
Community reaction Outrage over yet another incident of police violence has inspired renewed organizing efforts around police accountability and poor/homeless solidarity in downtown Olympia. Efforts are underway to reconvene the Olympia Solidarity Network. Several people have called for a citizen oversight board for local police, and local Copwatch has suddenly found a number of new volunteers.
The night before Scott's arraignment, several dozen of his supporters packed the chambers at the new City Hall on 4th Avenue for the weekly City Council meeting to express their outrage, both over the attack on Scott, and over the City Council having moved in the past weeks to grant police more authority to target the poor and homeless in Olympia.
Tamatha Roberts, a friend of Scott's, testified: "Scott's a great guy. He did not deserve this to happen to him. It's an outrage, and it's gotta stop, here and now, with brutalizing activists and low-income and homeless people for just sitting on the sidewalk when they have nowhere else to go. If you don't want them sitting on the sidewalk, then give them a place to go. Give them a place to go so they can be out of the cold and rain and be safe."
CopWatch organizer Drew Hendricks commented on the community's reaction: "The outpouring that you see testifies to the character of Scott Yoos. You see the reaction that you get now because all of us know Scott. We understand that this is completely out of character. Many, many more people go through what Scott goes through who are isolated, who are alone, who are going through addiction, who don't get this kind of public outpouring. Occasionally, police officers engage these persons and cause their deaths, and this department and this City Council have never, ever taken responsibility for that."
Carolyn Terranova put Scott's incident in the context of anti-homeless legislation locally and nationally: "Scott is just one of the incalculable cases of law overstepping law, something that [Giorgio] Agamben calls the 'State of Exception.' If we are truly living in a 'State of Exception,' where 'the power and voice of authority over others extends well beyond where the law has existed in the past,' then it is no accident that four days after I read about Scott, I received word of three people being arrested for feeding homeless people in a park in Orlando. These people were violating an ordinance that restricts group feedings in public parks. Need I mention this City Council's attempts to make Olympia's streets 'clean and safe' through their attempts to further marginalize the homeless population here? If we are going to be brutalized and arrested by state entities for conduct such as throwing away paper towels in public, or feeding our most vulnerable community members in public, then we so-called 'citizens' might be better off branding ourselves 'We the refugees.'"
Towards the end of public comments, Scott Yoos himself approached the podium, along with a friend who read a prepared statement on his behalf. Scott's statement read in part, "I have been deeply touched by the solidity and the solidarity of support which I've received. Contrary to current evidence, I believe that people are not stupid. When presented with the unaltered facts, they know the difference between right and wrong, and will (eventually) choose to engage in a conscious evolution, rather than continuing down a path which leads to certain self-destruction. Our combined love here tonight is much greater than anything which our oppressors can hold up against us. Let us press on with no fear towards building a kinder and more just Olympia."
You can watch the video of the whole City Council meeting and all public comments, including Council comments, at the city's website.
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On the morning of June 8, Scott Yoos was called to answer for his heinous crime of not littering,
or as the court called it, "obstruction of justice." Scott faces a
pre-trial hearing on August 1, while city police and officials face the
ire of the community.
Photos by Bethel Prescott
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After his arraignment the following day, Scott provided these further comments:
"What you saw happening last night at the new City Hall was friggin' beauty-full! I never dreamed that there'd be that kind of support there, (many of them telling stories similar to my own). They just chose the wrong guy to abuse. Perhaps they weren't aware how well-connected I am within this community.
"I know we're on the right side of this struggle. I had done nothing wrong, and the police reaction to my presence there was way over-the-top. This isn't only about what happened to me late Wednesday night / Thursday morning. It's a story that gets replayed over and over weekly, perhaps even daily."
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Public testimony at June 7th 2011 City Council Meeting:
June 7th 2011 Olympia City Council Meeting Video
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