Transcripts For KCSM Democracy Now 20160321

Andio and Behavioral Health harlem activist who had just thended a book launch at open Society Foundation about solitary confinement. We will speak to five mualimmak jazz hayden and play bigger recorded at the scene. I am under arrest for what . For what . Hold on. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President obama has arrived in cuba for a historic threeday visit, becoming the first sitting u. S. President to visit the island in 88 years. Obama is scheduled to meet cuban president raul castro this morning at the palace of the revolution in havana. A state dinner for the obamas will be held tonight. On tuesday obama will address the cuban people. He is also scheduled to meet with cuban dissidents. Well have more on obamas historic trip after headlines. In arizona, demonstrators shut down a highway leading to a rally for republican president ial candidate donald trump outside phoenix saturday, delaying the rally ahead of tuesdays key primaries. Three people were arrested, including jacinta gonzalez, a leading immigrant advocate who had locked her neck to a vans window as part of the roadblock. Gonzalez said she was then transferred to immigration custody, despite being a u. S. Citizen. Yesterday when we were arrested, the two colleagues and was arrested with released. Because my last name was gonzales, i was questioned by ice and placed in the detainer. Proves the hatred and the profiling that trump sense and trust remote is the same that exists in the administration. Amy at a trump rally in tucson, a trump supporter was caught on video sucker punching an antitrump protester as he was being led away. Tony pettway was arrested for misdemeanor assault and released. The protester, bryan sanders, was kicked out of the rally after chanting liar and holding a sign that read, trump is bad for america. Meanwhile, another video from the rally showed Trump Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski appearing to grab a protester by his collar. The footage shows lewandowski, in a blazer, grabbing the mans a man at the same time as a member of trumps private security team. The protester is yanked backwards. Speaking to George Stephanopoulos on abc, trump refused to condemn the violence at his rallies, saying professional agitators bore much of the blame. He also praised lewandowskis spirit. Because of security at the arena, the police were a little bit lax and he had signs they had signs up in that area that were horrendous that i cannot say what they said on the sign, but the ultimate word, and was all over the camera come and frankly, the Television Cameras cannot take it and they cannot do anything about it. I will give him credit step. The video collects wanting tocredit for have spirit. Amy Corey Lewandowski has also been accused of grabbing the arm of a breitbart reporter, leaving her bruised. In new york city as many as 2000 , people marched against donald trump, chanting, racist, sexist, antigay, donald trump, go away. They marched from Trump International hotel and tower in Columbus Circle to another trump tower on fifth avenue. Three people were arrested amid a heavy police presence. Vermont senator Bernie Sanders will skip the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs committee, the powerful proisrael lobbying group. Sanders is the only candidate from either the republican or Democratic Party not to attend the conference. His democratic rival, hillary clinton, and republicans donald trump, ted cruz and john kasich , are all slated to speak there today. Sanders said his Campaign Sanders Campaign Said aipac rejected his offer to address the conference by video link, even though republicans mitt romney and Newt Gingrich did so in 2012. A u. S. Marine has been killed in northern iraq. The pentagon said Staff Sergeant louis cardin was killed saturday by enemy rocket fire near makhmur. He was his death appears to have 27. Revealed the existence of a new u. S. Firebase in iraq where cnn reports hundreds of marines have been living in tents. Cardin is the second us servicemember killed since the u. S. Campaign against isil began in 2014. In brussels, belgium, salah abdeslam, a suspect in the paris attacks that killed 130 people, was arrested in a raid friday. Authorities had searched for abdeslam since the attacks in november. Belgian Authorities Say he was plotting more attacks in brussels. In istanbul, turkey, suicide was a turkish citizen who belonged to isil. The attack killed an iranian and three israelis, two of whom also had u. S. Citizenship. Hundreds of refugees have arrived on the greek islands despite a new deal between turkey and the European Union aimed at reducing the flow. Two Syrian Refugees died over the weekend attempting the crossing while two little girls were found drowned. Under the accord, all people now arriving on the islands face a return to turkey. For every syrian refugee sent back to turkey from greece, the eu has vowed to resettle one syrian from the turkish refugee camps. In bral, demonstrato took to the streets nationwide friday to defend the government of president Dilma Rousseff against what they say are undemocratic attempts by the rightwing opposition to oust her from power. Last week, a judge suspended rousseffs appointment of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da silva to a cabinet post. Rousseff says lula will help strengthen her government but , critics see his appointment as a bid to protect him from what lula says are politically motivated charges of money laundering. The judge who blocked lulas appointed had recently posted phos of himself on social media marching in an antigovernment protest. Brazil faces a dire financial crisis and a Corruption Scandal that spans political sides. In mexico, Community Activist Nestora Salgado has been freed after two and a half years of what a United Nations panel deemed an illegal detention. Salgado, a dual u. S. Mexican citizen, organized a Community Selfdefense group in her hometown in guerrero state, where the line between drug cartels and local officials is often blurred. Salgado walked free friday after a judge determined the kidnapping and other charges lodged against her by local officials were baseless. Speaking at a news conference, she described her imprisonment. I felt that i was buried alive in a drawer. I was so out of touch for 20 months, in isolation for crime i did not commit. They did not let me coexist with other prisoners. I only saw them when i would to court. They treated me the most brutal way they could. It is difficult to struggle against the government when theyre out to get you, but even worse they did this when all i wanted was to defend my community. Amy here in new york, the father of one of the 43 students ssing in mexico for 18 months ran the Half Marathon sunday in honor of his son. The students disappeared from guerrero Nestora Salgados home , state after an attack by local , police. Surrounded by supporters in times square, tizapa called for the United States to suspend billions in u. S. Aid for the drug war. Halt toe asking for a the initiative, that is the message that i want to give to people in the United States. To pressure the government so they stop helping the Mexican Government because with these weapons, theyre practically killing us. Amy and in western massachusetts, a builder has placed a 10by15foot replica of author and naturalist Henry David Thoreaus cabin in the path of a proposed gas pipeline. Residents oppose the pipeline planned by energy firm kinder morgan, saying it threatens the local environment. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President obama has arrived in cuba for a historic threeday visit becoming the first sitting , u. S. President to visit the island in 88 years. On sunday, obama and his family toured old havana after meeting with u. S. Embassy staff and their families. It has been nearly 90 years since a u. S. President stepped foot in cuba. It is wonderful to be here. Back in 1928, president coolidge came on a battleship. It took him three days to get here. It only took me three hours. [laughter] for the first time ever, air force one has landed in cuba. And this is our very first stop. This is a historian visit and opportunity to engage directly with the cuban people and a forge new agreements and commercial deals to build new ties between our two peoples, and for me to lay out my vision for a future that is brighter than our past. Amy president obama is scheduled to meet cuban president raul castro this morning at the palace of the revolution in havana. A state dinner for the obamas will be held tonight. On obama will give a speech to tuesday, the cuban people. During his visit, he is also scheduled to meet with cuban dissidents. Just hours before obama landed, cuban authorities broke up a march by the ladies in white, reportedly detaining dozens of members of the group. While diplomatic ties have been restored between the two countries, many issues remain unsolved. The 54yearold u. S. Trade embargo on cuba remains in place. The United States has also refused to give up control of its navy base and military prison at Guantanamo Bay in cuba. Last year, president raul castro said cuba will not be able to normalize relations with the United States until washington returns guantanamo to the cuban people. Obama is visiting cuba along with nearly 40 u. S. Lawmakers and the ceos and executives from almost a Dozen Companies including xerox, paypal, marriott, airbnb, and Starwood Hotels resorts. We go now to havana where we are joined by two guests. Carlos Alzugaray Treto is a former cuban diplomat who served as ambassador to belgium and luxembourg, and head of the Cuban Mission to the European Union. He is a former professor at havana university. And we are joined by Peter Kornbluh. He directs the cuba documentation project at the National Security archive in washington, d. C. He is coauthor of the book, back channel to cuba the Hidden History of negotiations between washington and havana. Lets start with the ambassador. Can you describe the scene yesterday in havana when the obama family arrived . President obama, the first u. S. Sitting president to go to cuba in 88 years. Unfortunately, it was raining so it was kind of march by climate conditions, but i think in general, one has to be described is the general attitude of the population is an attitude of sympathy to president obama. But at the same time, of expectation about what is going to happen with the embargo. I think it was best said by the 75 euro lady wrote to president obama saying, i like you, i like you being reelected, but you have to do something about the black page of u. S. Embargo against cuba. Obamasght before the landed, the group ladies in white held a protest. It was broken up by authorities, reports are that a number of people were arrested. Can you explain who this group is . Well, basically, this is a group that is being receiving money from the United States. In the cuban according to cuba and interpretation of that law, these people are not exactly representing cuban society, but more representing the old policy of the United States, which has been designated to create a regime change in cuba. Castdent obama himself aside this policy when he mentioned at the beginning of this process the United States was not interested in destabilizing cuba. At the fact of the matter is, cuban authorities consider these elements are doing exactly that, destabilizing the cuban system and they are paid agents of u. S. It wasnt a very amy Peter Kornbluh, if you could weigh in . It wasnt the best opening gesture on the part of the cuban authorities yesterday to intercept the ladies in white. My thinking is they just let them proceed to their destination, they would have gotten there and then turned around and gone home, as they do often on sundays. Issueou know, that is in im sure well come up in private conversations between president obama and president castro. Im sure the cubans have advice for the United States of america on human rights issues as well, perhaps even as bold as saying, you know what is going on down there at Guantanamo Bay. The point is, the two sides are talking and they will talk about this and they will talk about many, many other things. The arrival of president obama under a huge rainstorm really cannot dampen the fact that this is a historic trip, a major step forward. I say historic game changer in not only the future of u. S. Cuban relations, but the future of u. S. Relations with the world and particularly the latin american region. I hope that what obama is doing is leading a model for future president s of diplomacy and civil connection with the cuban government, with the cuban people that will live on in the annals of u. S. For politics. On the other hand, you have to understand cuban authorities, what they have in mind. On the one hand, they want to give the president the best , welcome,eception which is the sense of the cuban people. But at the same time, theyre concerned about the security situation surrounding the visit. They do not want the visit to be marred by any kind of situation. I would agree with peter, the best thing for the cuban government would have been to let the demonstration go on. Sometimes you have to balance on the one hand, secure to concerns and on the other hand, the issue that is related to the image of the country. Amy Peter Kornbluh, the significance [indiscernible] amy i dont know if you can hear me with the winds of change slamming your microphone. But the significance of the ceos of the various corporations from marriott to starwood to paypal. Talk about what president obama is doing with the corporate delegation there. Agenda for this afternoon is to kind of hold an entrepreneurial summit with cuban, kind of small the Business Leaders, and with u. S. Business leaders. We ran into jose andres, the famous spanish chef who is in washington, d. C. He is a wonderful set of restaurants across the u. S. He is here promoting the idea of good food and good restaurants and the future of the culinary business in cuba, which has a great future along with the many other businesses here. Of course, the starwood ceo starwood just signed an agreement, making it the first Major Corporation since 1959 to have an agreement in cuba to manage and invest in several hotels in the coming years here. So that is what obama wants i think president obama feels opening the doors of commerce in cuba and the United States is going to help a transition, and economic transition that raul castro himself has initiated to move cuba into a mixed economy from a strict socialist economy to a mixed economy. Of course, for that to happen, you have to have a private sector. That is what those Business Leaders and business thinkers are doing here in cuba with the president of the United States today. Amy might it also be might it also be with republicans wanting to turn back whatever obama does this year investmentorporate and stake in cuba, it will be harder for the republicans to reverse the opening with cuba, leader . Peter . Amy. Ure absolutely right, im negligent for not mentioning that from the outset. President obama has this super interesting strategy, ringing Business Leaders down here and wants them to get connected down here, be invested down here both psychologically and monetarily. Then he wants them to go back to the u. S. And unleash their lobbyists on the Mitch Mcconnells of the world, the push the leadership to vote to lift the embargo. No doubt in my mind that if there was a vote, we would get the embargo lifted. The embargo is really a skeletal framework now as with obama punching holes in it with his executive orders. Thatere not going to get vote and to the leadership changes. But by that time, think obamas hope is u. S. Businesses will be entrenched here, will have interest here, and will be pushing their own legislators would lobbyists to lift the mr go entirely. Amy on sunday, republican president ial candidate ted cruz criticized president obama for history to cuba. He tweeted i have a word for the people of cuba who will witness the gaudy spectacle in havana america has not forgotten you. Cruz then linked to an article he wrote for politico headlined, in cuba, obama will legitimize the corrupt and ignore the oppressed whats american about that . In the article, cruz writes in cuba the castros have been the implacable enemies of the United States for more than half a century. It is in our interests to make common cause with the brave souls who oppose them. That is ted cruz, whose ancestry, his father is cuban. Your response to that, ambassador carlos Alzugaray Treto . I think is unfortunate that still some politicians in the United States are buried in this course. Cuba is changing. It is important that in the process of change, we have as normal a relationship as we can have with the United States. I want also to make the point that something that has been not very much reported in the media and the United States is something that was announced yesterday by the minister of Foreign Trade of cuba. Secretary of commerce of the United States is here and there is going to be a business meeting not only with the withte sector, but also the state sector. If the United States wants to make business in cuba, obviously, it has to make business with the two sectors. Not only be private sector, but with the state sector. It makes sense. In fact, the agreement of starwood is with the government enterprise. So it is inevitable they have to come to realize that reality. Is repeating an old language that i dont think even reflects what most of the cubanamerican community in the United States angst. The majority of cubanamericans are more in line with others that are Business People who have been successful in the United States, but they want to do business with cuba. And this is important for both sides. Cuba is changing. Im going to repeat something i said a few days ago to another media. Cuba is changing. Cuba is changing and its own terms. You cannot expect cuba to follow a foreign script about the changes that are going to happen in cuba. As the foreign minister said the other day, it is very important Cuban Foreign minister said, listen, cuba is a country and permanent transition, and permanent change. The changes started in 1959 but right now were more interested in having an appreciative economy. At the end he said, were having the congress and were working at expanding civil and Political Rights for cuba. So obviously, the agenda is big for the cuban government but something the cuban government will do, and i suppose most cubans agree with that, we dont discuss the problems of our change with foreign partners back come on the position of imposing. We want to hear president obama and security things, ask some advice is something we should consider in our process, but not as an imposition from the outside world. That is what the u. S. Used to do before 1959, and that is what is not going to happen after 2018. Amy Peter Kornbluh if i could say, im here with the White House Press corps credential for the nation magazine and reporting for the nation magazine on what is happening here. There was a private off the record reception with Obamas White House staff last that, susan rice was there, Benjamin Rhodes who is really negotiated this whole trip with the cubans. I think people are sensitive to the points that the abbasid are has just made. If the president of the United States he cannot just come down by Calvin Coolidge or Woodrow Wilson used to do the past or Teddy Roosevelt and say, this is what is going to happen in your country. I think understand the tone and the need to respect the sovereignty. I think that is the symbolism of president obama being on a silent for three days. Fidel castro is still alive, raul castro is the leader of this country. There will be a delicate presentation in a speech that president obama is going to make think we will be discussing the tone of that speech and what he says, but i know u. S. Officials are sensitive to that. Theres a Political Campaign back in the u. S. , carlos, and a lot of Politics Around that, just like your around his visit. Here, so thatis is what is important. I agree with peter. We are seeing a different thing. And that is very, very, very amy i want to talk about the loosened restrictions on travel and trade with cuba. The new measures allowing ifricans to travel to cuba they plan educational activities, including interacting with cuban people visiting museums and allowing cubans to have u. S. Bank accounts and and sellers from u. S. Companies and permit the u. S. Dollars in transactions with cuba. Josh earnest said the shift could advance Economic Reforms in cuba. It also could apply more pressure to the cuban government to implement additional reforms to the cuban economy. All of that would be a good thing and all of that would be in service of the basic policy goals that we have laid out from the beginning. I would just observe that those were also the policy goals under their power they were prioritized by the Us Government for 50 years under a cuban embargo. In an attempt to isolate the cuban nation. Amy Peter Kornbluh, the latest restriction lifting that is taking place now, direct flights, Bank Accounts . Letnd obamas decision to individual u. S. Citizens become people to people abbasid is by simply checking off a box on the ticket to cuba. I thought it was extraordinary last night at the president of u. S. Arrived on you air force one. The first thing he does is take a tour of old havana like a tourist with this family and yet the truth of the matter is, it is still technically against the law of the United States to travel as a tourist to cuba. This is one of the extraordinary it is secrecy is and contradictions of what is going on. Republican congress has to lift this restriction on your Citizens Rights to travel that we can all follow in the path of the president of the United States. What he has done is set the tone by taking these steps to meet several key cuban demands post up carlos can speak to the issues of the dollars. He also met the cubans request they made over the years and said,edly recently that cuban Baseball Players be able to play for Major League Baseball teams and not have to defect to the United States. He is authorized now all cubans to come and work in the u. S. , get a paycheck from the u. S. Without having to immigrate to the u. S. Or defect to the United States. Amy there is going to be a show, baseball game, that will end the trip. I want to ask you, peter, about president obama going before cuba to argentina and saying he will unsealed the files on argentinas dirty war. But the significance and the politics of that trip to argentina . We have lost you, amy, but your question is about the announcement that president obama is going to make it several days on march 24 when he is in buenos aires. That happens to be the 40th anniversary of the vicious military coup that took place in 1976. Obama will be there. To thel visit a monument human rights victims. He will announce that he is when a Specialty Classification of cia, Defense Department and fbi records on the repression in argentina and helped advance truth and justice and memory in that country. I just think that is an amazingly important human rights gesture that will also said another president. He will unveil and reveal history order to make history. And nicaragua to thank you for being with us. President obama is what argentina after cuba. Carlos treto and Peter Kornbluh, joining us from havana on this historic threeday trip. The first trip by sitting u. S. President in 88 years to cuba. We will have more on it in the coming days. When we come back, and antitrump rally takes place in front of some of Donald Trumps major buildings in new york. Stay with us. [music break] amy rifle against rifle. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Protesters in arizona blocked a highway leading to a donald trump rally saturday, as many as 2000 people rallied against donald trump in new york city, condemning his racist rhetoric and violence at his rallies. Demonstrators marched from trump patel and tower to trump tower on fifth avenue. Three people were arrested and a number were pepper spray amidst a heavy new York City Police presence. Amy littlefield was there and spoke with those who attended the protest. I never thought that i would live in society where the kkk is running around in the daytime. Met is what people before march 4. So many Violent Attacks are happening at his rallies. Days, wehe good old would carry them on a stretcher. Back in the good old days they would not jump back. Who and what are you talking about . He wants to deport people. He was to kick the immigrants out. Look, it is 2016. This country would be nothing without immigrants. You would not have no sushi or thai food or colorful dances or anybody to take care of your bratty ass children. America would be nothing without immigrants traveling to the country. I am here because i was offended by the racist comments that donald trump said about the community which is not just the mexican community, but latinos and immigrants in general. I work at one of the trump buildings. I work for the restaurant. I wanted to respond with what i , which iso do best photography. I did a response in photography. He did reply to the New York Times saying he was not going to press employers to punish people for what i did, but i cannot take that i guess. He still wants to deport me and 11 million other a double ended undecorated immigrants. Handful of people are Holding Signs that say build the wall. I have sent mcdonald and here because i support trump. We dont like the viewpoint that Trump Supporters are violent. Were having a protest and we just went to show people the other side. So far there is somebody who kept on coming closer and closer screaming at us, but go fascist, fascist, fascist [captioning made possible by democracy now ] hopefully, nothing worse will happen. Trump has been criticized for some of his rhetoric, some say he has incited violence by encouraging people to get them out or help the their legal fees. Do think that is true . I think when a woman is raped, i think that is is wrong if you say she was asking for it based on how she was dressed. I think it is very selective people saying that it is trumps fault that antiTrump Supporters are violent. What is your sign say . Build a wall. Personally, i am not a trump supporter, but i do agree with him that we need to secure the border. If he is bringing that to peoples attention and he is bringing it up in the media, im glad he is doing that. I dont like his language sometimes. Im not necessarily a trump guy. Im not. Hey, at least he is bringing this to peoples attention. My name is marie and im here in order to fight against trump and his racism, bigotry, his lies and his cruelty. Day shot and90 a killed in america. Enough. Another reason im here, trump thought it was funny for him to say, it was a joke for him to say he can stand for a fifth avenue and shoot somebody and he will still get votes. I lost my nephew due to gun violence. Jokes have consequences. It looks like police have just pepper spray some of the antitrump protesters. This is an example of what only protest fascism. They answer with more fascism. Pepper spray, they pushed them. I am an immigrant. My entire family was born in egypt. We moved there for a better life. This country was built on the foundation of immigration. They kicked the native americans out and took over, so they have no right to get other people out. Amy a special thanks to Amy Littlefield for that report. At a trump rally in tucson this weekend, a trump supporter was arrested for sector punching and antitrump protester as the protester was being led away. Another video showed Trump Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski grabbing a protester by his collar. Lewandowski has previously been accused of grabbing reporter Michelle Fields arm leaving her bruised. When we come back, we hear the story of two harlem activist arrested. One in a visor to mayor deblasio. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The new York Police Department internal Affairs Department has launched an investigation into the arrest of an adviser to mayor bill de blasio in harlem acvist last tuesday night. Five mualimmak was arrested while attempting to mediate a Police Confrontation with a homeless man in midtown manhattan. Five serves on mayor deblasios task force on Behavioral Health and the criminal Justice System. Via just left an event where he read his essay in the new book hell is a very small place , about his five years in solitary confinement. Since being released from prison in 2012, five has become a prominent advocate for helping previously incarcerated men and women. Five was arrested along with tuesday fellow prison activist joseph jazz hayden. He was recording the Police Confrontation with the homeless man with his cell phone when they came out of the open society after the reading. Hayden is the founder of the antipolice brutality organization all things harlem. Five other people who attended the brew book reading were arrested when they went to the Police Precinct when they went to acquire about the arrest of their friends and colleagues five and jazz, charged with refusal to disperse. On Nermeen Shaikh and i spoke to thursday, five mualimmak and joseph jazz hayden, as well as to Terrence Slater, one of the people who was arrested while inquiring about five and jazz. I started by asking five to describe what happened on tuesday night. Launch,re at a book every successful launch of multiple projects that we do together in representing the different voice of those are suffering in solitary, survivors family members. We were leaving out, it was mostly disturbed call happening to thend i was speaking ems drivers because that is what i do. And being with the behavioral tell health task force, we have certain protocols. Speaking to the drivers, i knowstand they were fully what knowledgeable. Amy i want to go back to the clip of what they were doing. Theres a disturbed man who is simply saying, please, leave me alone. Im not hurting nobody. Amy what were you telling the police . Was it just ems or also police . It was also police, but we were just letting them do their job because they were doing our job. They were talking him down and getting him into the ambulance. That is the hardest part. If it takes too long, theyre going to end up apprehending him. So the ems workers are being nonthreatening, also being able to talk to him, letting them know what theyre going to do before they do it. Those types of deescalation is what keeps a person calm and not react for their actions. Theyi understood that, were fully professionally knowing what they were doing and the other officers was assisting them. I was there watching and monitoring, as jazz was as well. Amy jazz, youre filming. Tell us what you saw. It started out, youre just filming as five is instructing ands talking with the ems the disturbed person. You were also encouraging the disturbed person to go in the ambulance. Andes, we came out of soros at that point, the incident was are ready in progress. So the homeless person was sitting on the ground and he took off his shirt and flung it, so he was topless. He was saying, you know, why . What is all of this for . Nobody. One nothing to i havent hurt anyone. So i am filming because this is what i do. This was the perfect opportunity. And he was telling me, yes, recorded, record it. And this is the homeless person. Eventually, the police that were there were doing an excellent job. It was nonconfrontational. They were trying to get him to go to the ambulance, which was parked at the curb. As they began to take into the ambulance, he and up in up flaied the background you can hear me to tell him to call down. Amy lets take a listen. I am recording you. Amy that is the video. Andre sort of both shouting videoing. I am calming him and trying to achieve the same goals that this police unit is trying to achieve. And then all of a sudden, flashing lights comes from the and policemen jump out of is a sharpnd it dichotomy of the policing that we were observing and the policing that they brought. You know, they brought this aggressive policing. Amy so lets take a listen. Move back. Move back. Hold it, hold it. Sir, move back. Lets go man, youre doing all this yelling and screaming, man. Come on, man. Amy so thats the video, as theyre telling you to move back, move back. Are you moving back . But you are still filming. Yes, but im moving back, but im still filming, you know, because thats my priority at that time, is to film. And, you know, the Supreme Court and other judicial bodies have said that citizens have a right to film their Public Servants as they perform their activities, right . So im filming. But this guy is becoming more and more aggressive, right . Amy not the disturbed man, but the police. Yeah, no, this new unit of police that showed up. Amy hes in the ambulance already, right, the disturbed man . Yeah, the disturbed man amy so this is all over. Yes. Amy except theyre pushing you. Yes. I mean, you know, hes cooperating with them, and they put him in the ambulance. Right . And amy he had some friends there who were picking up his things . Yeah, i think there was a couple guys involved in that spot, you know, and they kept coming back into the picture. But i couldnt hear what was going on between them and the police. But this new unit escalated the conflict between the crowd, that was observing d not in any way being aggressive towards the police or in any way you know because this unit that was there , originally was led by a sergeant, and the sergeant was softspoken and, you know, sympathetic. And when this guy came in with his crew, suddenly things became confrontational. Y and then youre filming them with five. And, five, what are you telling this new group now . Well, when they came they they accosted the person who was , already going into the ambulance. And he had an injury, which the other man grabbed him up. And then they came over to us about 10, 15 feet away and persisted to push us back. I was still trying to intervene, because the incident was over. He was already in the ambulance getting care. Now, after he already had grabbed up the other mentally ill person and put him into the van, his friends were gathering his belongings, but also tried to intervene, as well. And i was pushing them out of the way, trying to at least deescalate the circumstances. Like, hes moving back. You dont have to persistently push. And thats when he hit me with the baton. Amy i want to go back to the videotape. Yo, im under arrest for what . For what . Collects why are you next to my gun, dude . Get back to stop nobodys next to your gun. Amy they have hit you with a baton . They had are he hit jazz. Sore in the still ribs. Amy i hear them Say Something like, youre near my gun. My hands went up at that point because he pushed me and said, youre too close or near my gun or something to that aspect, making it basically an accusation that i was going to grab his gun. My hands went up when he shoved immediately me back. Amy you were wearing your top hat and a suit . Yes, just coming from an event, actually, yes, yes. Amy and then what happened . Racist comment, as well, said, well, then the other officer, who had a racist comment, as well, said, oh, youre one of them harlem activist niggers, and literally grabbed me up. And thats when i was arrested. Amy and on what grounds . He said he was from harlem, and he doesnt like activists from harlem, and thats why he left the harlem district and moved down to manhattan north, because we dont do that down here. Were not allowing that. After that point, i know im going to jail. Theres nothing else to say. I went to make sure that jazz was ok. Amy but on what grounds were they arresting you . They said i was obstructing governmental procedures, resisting arrest arrestbeing arrested resisting arrest, Disorderly Conduct and a slew of other frivolous charges. Amy and, jazz, what did they tell you . And did they take your camera . No, they didnt take my camera. Amy thats your cellphone. Yeah, i passed that on to a young lady that was there. Amy because everyone had just come out of the Soros Foundation event. So they were all watching. They was trying to get my camera. But i was holding it out here, and the young lady grabbed it. And that was the end of that, you know, the camera. Amy so where were taken, and why were you held overnight . They held us overnight because they literally told us when we came into the precinct, one of the first things that they said was, yeah, youre not going nowhere, because we dont want you to. They literally said, we can let you go with a summons, but were not. Yes, literally. And i already gave my belongings to dolores canales, who was there, as well, at the event. She had came in from california. It was a big event. Amy and dolores is . Dolores runs the family prison hunger strikers organization. Shes also a soros fellow. And she does a lot of organizing and literally reduced the amount of solitary in california. An amazing activist, mom and leader in this movement. And she was there, as well, amongst many other people, as well. Nermeen and, Terrence Slater, you were there that evening, too. And what happened to you . Well, as a result of the incident that took place with jazz and five, me and four other individuals said, oh, lets go to the precinct to find out whats going on, because nobody knew what they were being charged with. So when we get there, im on the phone, and i go in the precinct. So they tell me i cant use the phone there. So im like, all right. So im calling a bunch of people that i know. Listen, we need some lawyers. We need to try to find out whats going on with the brothers. So, as i do that, im coming in, and i walk in. They say, yeah, him, too. And we all get arrested. So we dont even find out why were arrested. Were all standing there. Were all cuffed. We dont know whats going on. But one thing in particular i do remember, they was always trying to find out whats going on with these phones. Theyre like, where are the cameras . Where are the cameras . You went into manhattan north to say, whats happened with them . And you all have your cameras. And they arrest you, or they give you a summons . No, they arrested us. We were standing there cuffed for some time. We were roughed up and placed afterwe were roughed up and placed into cuffs, the lieutenant was just basically saying, yeah, we have to go through the process. Youre all going to end up getting a summons in lieu of arrests. Then i asked, why youre not reading us our miranda rights . Were standing here in handcuffs. They said, well, we dont really have to do that, and being sarcastic, you have the right to remain silent. I suggest you exercise that now. So, im sitting there looking like, whats really going on here . Like i dont really understand. It was really confusing. Amy and youre the ceo of inc, of incarcerated nation corp. Yes, maam. Amy so then what happened . Well, as were sitting there, we see jazz, we see five. We ask, what are you all being charged with . We dont know what is going to be on the summons. So, its just an area where nobody knows whats going on. Theyre doing a lot of work on the computers. Theyre fingerprinting jazz. Theyre fingerprinting five. And we still dont know whats going on. So after everything settling down, we come out, and we all link up, and were trying to find out what was the next step, whats the best course of action now, because they had let us know jazz and fives not going anywhere. Amy have you been injured, five and jazz . Yes. I feel like 100 years old. And i go to the gym regularly. But they injured the back of my leg, and i cant even do a knee bend. And they was trying to handcuff me, and literally i thought they was trying to break my arms. Right . So i still have pain in my elbows and in my wrists, right. And then, where he was jabbing me with the club, as he was moving me backwards, right, he tapped me there three times. And, you know, i have i mean i thought maybe i had a , fractured rib. And this is why me and five ended up going back to the hospital, you know, to get xrays to see how much damage was done. Amy and, five, how much damage was done . Well, i have some injury to my leg. I just had a total Knee Replacement recently. I tried to explain that to them. Amy i remember when we last interviewed you right, you had right, and then also had some damages in my ankle and some scratches and abrasions and a few bruises. And my wrists, of course, were ollen, because when they put the cuffs on, they put them on extra tight, right . Oh, man, yes. And its a different lens for a person with Mental Illness. Its a different lens when youre over the age of 55, right . When youre having this type of treatment from them. And the sad part is that the other officers who were there all now have to be silent, because of this blue wall of sort of trust that they have. So you have two officers who really escalated the circumstances, and everyone else is just like, in the precinct, having to be complacent. Theyre being coached. The other younger officers were being coached to how to write the report. So you have the two officers who were aggressive telling the other ones how to write the report in front of us. And this is their sort of rookie initiation. This is the problem with nypd, right . You have officers who are community policing, who understand their importance yes. In being in the neighborhood, being visible, not being threatening, because thats their environment that theyre a part of. And then you have officers who come out like its a war report, right . Like they have quotas and other things to fill, and thats their priorities. So we have these two clashing cultures. And it seemed that all those hours that we were in that cell and then im going through it again, being in those small, confined spacesthat we were denied medical treatment, up until the point that corrections had to make nypd give us treatment. Nermeen can you explain how you were released . We were released through court, though we had to argue about bail, because they wanted to give us all high bails, which was one of the major issues i have with the mayor, people with Mental Illness having bails that are beyond their capacity to pay. Amy as a member of mayor de blasios task force on Behavioral Health and the criminal Justice System, did you ever tell them who you were, th you were an adviser to the mayor on these issues . I spoke that very many times to dulled ears, and he said, oh, i dont care about that. Oh, youre one of those harlem activist niggers. Oh, i know about you. Thats why i left the harlem precinct. Thats harl. Im going to and he locked me up. So he very well knew. The officer or the sergeant, whoever else was there, also knew. Amy do know what happened of the mentally disturbed man . Know, but i know he was injured. A whole release was a day and a half later. In my own a situation, i was handcuffed to a chair without and wend of straps remained handcuffed in a chair the entire time. Amy wait, in the Police Station . And in the hospital as well. Chairhandcuffed to the the entire time. Spent the night handcuffed to the chair literally. Amy where were you held overnight . The precinct, then to bellevue, then clashed on amy jazz, were you handcuffed to the chair as well . Handcuffed to the chair all night. Then during the process of transportation, i am handcuffed onthe back and i have to sit a seat in the back of the police car where there is no legroom and i have to lean on the sides and hope that this guy doesnt hit a bump and break my arm, my shoulder or whatever the cases be. You know, i had to remain constantly alert. Amy were you seatbelted in . No, i wasnt seatbelted in. No, absolutely not. You know, and this cuffing a individual in the back as you transport him amy you mean putting your hands behind your back. Handcuffing your hands behind your back. Yeah, try to imagine that, you know, that youre in the back seat of a car or taxi, you know, and the taxi driver is not concerned about you, and hes trying to maneuver in the environment. And youre just there having to, you know, Pay Attention toevery little bump could be a broken arm. Amy do you mind sharing your age . My age . 74. No consideration. And im nonthreatening. Nermeen well, five, just before we end, i wanted to go back to what you said about the ways in with emotionally disturbed people, like the person that night whom you were trying to help. In your experience, especially a homeless person, which i understand he was, how easy is it for them to get even the well, now that the task force has created all of these intersections and understand that we can connect different organizations to Work Together to be able to support that, its a lot more different now. From 2014 on, theres a lot more access for people with Mental Illness. We have a lot more districts of brc, with muzzy rosenblatt, as well. And thats where he was trying to go. He was trying to get into detox and trying to get into the hospital. But through the hospital, hes able to get his medication, hes able to be treated, right . If that hospital is in accordance with the process. And that should leave that he should not leave the hospital without a connection to have outpatient treatment, as well. So that means every time you have an encounter with a person, youre creating the solution that will eventually notave them intersect with the police again. And thats their intentions. But it wasnt. And the process even for me wasnt the process. We were asking for medical help the entire night. Corrections had to actually say, were not accepting them until you take them to the hospital. Amy what time and what day were you arrested . This was around 8 00, 9 00 tuesday night. Amy and when did you get out . Last night, yes, yesterday evening. We were the last to be held in the court. Amy so over 24 hours. Oh, definitely over 24 hours, chained to a chair. Amy in your handcuffed you were chained the entire time . The entire time. Yes. Almost two days, and being transported and through transit, everything, and denied our medication, to the point that the sergeant said, if you want to make this three days, you just need to lie to them and tell them you have no medical conditions, you dont need any psychotropic medication and everything. If not, then this is going to take an extra day, as a punishment. Thatjust how much we play the number game. We play the number game and treat people like cattle to say, well, if you want this process to be three days, then just tell them you have no issues. Now, then i will start decompensating and have another issue. So i wanted my medication, which should have been the first response. I should have had that at the precinct. I should have been taken, or call an ambulance or have me taken to the hospital. Amy five mualimmak who serves on mayor to blasios task force on Behavioral Health and criminal Justice System along with longtime harlem activist jazz hayden and Terrence Slater come all through work with a group incarcerated nation corp. , known as inc. Their arrests tuesday night are being investigated by the internal Affairs Bureau of new york. We reached out to mayor to a spokesmanice and said the administration is committed to increasing Police Transparency while ensuring our hardworking officers can effectively perform their duties. That does it for today show. 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