Pro-war, anti-war and pro-troops protesters can be very passionate about their views, their political standpoints and their intentions in rallying for a unified cause. But according to Eugene Police Department officers, almost all protest-related arrests since winter term have been for charges that have nothing to do with the war and everything to do with disrespecting the rights of others.
EPD reports show that fewer than a dozen arrests have been made at war protests since January, and officers say the primary reason for the low number is their emphasis on guiding protesters, ensuring pre-march communication and giving participants fair warning of violations.
“Good dialogue with protesters eliminates surprises and problems,” EPD Lt. Rich Stronach said.
Two examples of effective communication have been asking protesters to reroute marches to avoid blocking the emergency entrance to
Sacred Heart Medical Center and instructing them to walk with, not against, traffic on one-way streets for safety reasons, Stronach said.
“(Good communication) made those marches a lot smoother, and everybody was happy,” Stronach said. “But if we can’t take first precautions to prevent gatherings from becoming unlawful, it can be a nightmare.”
At the Feb. 15 protest, EPD officers prevented a “splinter” group — typically separate from the majority of protesters — from physically blocking the Ferry Street Bridge, EPD spokeswoman Kerry Delf said. Estimated to include more than 2,000 marchers, the overall protest was based at the Eugene Federal Building where three individuals were cited in lieu of custody, meaning they were arrested but not jailed. Officers were forced to shut down Seventh Avenue at Pearl Street to accommodate for the overflow into the street, Stronach said.
At a march a month later, another splinter group attempted to block the Ferry Street Bridge and were turned around by a line of EPD officers. At that protest, seven people were arrested during what Stronach said was more of a local spectacle than a demonstration for a political cause.
“It’s not what we would have liked to have occurred,” he said.
In both instances, EPD officers were able to keep marchers from obstructing traffic on the bridge, but Stronach said that doesn’t mean the groups’ intentions are forgotten.
“Recent protests have gone well, but we will not close streets the way we have in the past.”
During an anti-war march on April 3, EPD officers reported that three female University students persisted in stepping off the sidewalk and obstructing traffic while walking toward the Federal Building. When they reached the building, two of the students were cited for “suddenly leaving the curb” during the march.
Freshman Vanessa Dudley, one of the two cited, said she didn’t have much of a choice because a patrol vehicle stopped in front of her and her friends as they were leaving the protest. Although aggravated by the $89 fine, Dudley said the violation will not deter her protesting spirit.
The third student, however, refused to stop walking when an officer attempted to cite her, Delf said. In her EPD report, the arresting officer repeatedly instructed the student to stop, then grabbed her by the backpack — which she shrugged onto the ground — and even reached for her hand, which the student yanked away, Delf said.
The officer reportedly advised the student that she had increased the severity of her charge from traffic obstruction to failing to obey an officer to interfering with police, at which point the student stopped walking and was handcuffed and arrested. As a result, what would have been an $89 fine for unlawful use of a roadway became more than $500 bail with higher fines, Delf said. The student was reportedly charged for failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer — by walking away — and interfering with police — by pulling away — and was released shortly after.
In general, Stronach said problems that lead to protest arrests sometimes have less to do with the message of the protests and more to do with marchers making a scene or desiring a confrontation.
“Our number one objective is preventing protesters from infringing on other people’s rights,” he said. “The cops don’t object to people protesting, but the sheer numbers at these protests wouldn’t allow them to fit in the area. So they extend into the roadway.”
Although some individuals may think it’s their right to walk away from a police officer issuing a citation, Delf said, civilians don’t get to make that decision.
“If an officer says ‘Stop,’ it’s in your best interest to allow yourself to be cited,” she said. “Otherwise, your refusal can be a new offense.”