2008 Woodie Awards
Resistance and Remembrance
Jocelyn Orr
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: Community
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"It doesn't feel like it has been a year, but my boy will not die in vain," she said standing on the corner 5th and I Street in Eureka at the Humboldt County Courthouse, with a photo of her son Christopher Burgess.
Burgess wants people to feel safe around police. But right now, she said, "even the little teeny kids are scared of the people that are supposed to be protecting us."
Oct. 22-23 marked two days of protest against police brutality. The events brought attention to police brutality that people feel occurs in this community. It was also a time to remember those that had lost their lives during confrontations with police. Nine people, including 16-year-old Christopher Burgess, have died in the last two years after involvement in violent clashes with Eureka Police.
Eureka Police Department Captain Murl Harpham said, "All of the situations have been where people pointed guns and weapons [at police officers]."
All but one was on methamphetamines at the time, or they had a history of methamphetamine use, he said. "[Methamphetamines] are a big problem in this community."
Oct. 22 was a national day of protest to stop police brutality. There were protests, marches and rallies in San Diego, Oakland, Calif., Sonoma County, Calif., Denver, Houston, Seattle, Chicago, New York, and Portland, Ore.
The events in Arcata and Eureka were organized by Redwood Curtain CopWatch and several Humboldt State University women's studies majors.
Students from Humboldt State rallied on the Art Quad. Over fifty students listened to speakers, shouted chants and marched to the Arcata Plaza. From the Plaza, they bused, carpooled or biked to the Gazebo in old town Eureka for another rally and march. In the evening, over dinner, the group decompressed, dialogued and watched the video, "We are the Streets."
On Oct. 23, approximately 40 people gathered to remember Christopher Burgess and protest police brutality.
Ruby Lyles came to the courthouse on her lunch hour to remember one of her best friends, Christopher Burgess. "I am here to support the protest against police violence," Lyles said. "The police community needs new training."
Sometimes police are forced into situations they don't want to be in, Harpham said.
Harpham studied and taught classes in officer survival at the police academy.
"Even though a person has been shot they are often still able to move and kill police officers," he said. Police officers are trained to shoot people several times if the officer feels their life is in danger.
There is no easy way to avoid these confrontations, he said. They have been occurring since the beginning of time.
Heather Tucker, a women's studies senior at Humboldt State said local attention needs to be drawn to the issue of police brutality. "People should be acting against the criminal and blatant violence," she said. "I don't think it should be ignored."
She said people need to take action to hold cops accountable, record events and support families of victims. "It's a community responsibility."
Angie Hart, a student at College of the Redwoods, waved a black and red flag on the corner of the courthouse. Black symbolizes freedom and red symbolizes equality, she said. "We can know we stand in solidarity with other people around the country, but we are doing this for ourselves."
Hans Ashbaucher said that he has been affected by the police state here. Last April he and 16 others were arrested while participating in a demonstration and protest against the cruelty and criminalization of homeless, he said. The protest was organized by the People's Project and took place on 11th and D Streets in Arcata.
Although Ashbaucher said he suffered physically from his arrest, he did not lose his life. He and others wore name tags to symbolize the lives that have been lost during confrontations with local police departments. Ashbaucher represented Martin F. Cotton II, who died on Aug. 9 in police custody.
"Police officers are suppose to be peace officers, peace keepers-not hurting [people] and putting people in life and death situations," he said.
Kelly Pollette, a Eureka resident that works near the Arcata Plaza witnessed the march. Although she is aware of what the protesters where talking about she didn't think the deaths were caused by the police. "Just because it is [the protesters'] opinion doesn't mean it's true," she said.
Julia Moebius avoids police altogether. "I pretend like the police don't exist. I just live my life," she said.
"In their own way the police acknowledged national police brutality," she said, "by not beating us for just one day."
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