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Indybay Feature
Tue Feb 18 2003
Cops Lose Temper, Crowd Fights Back
Over 40 People Arrested in SF
Updated 2/21: Arraignment updates at our police and antiwar feature pages.

2/16: Following the main march on 2/16, approximately two thousand people joined an unpermitted breakaway march. The march started at Civic Center and headed downtown. The crowd was blocked from entering Union Square and one person was arrested in a confrontation in front of the Crate and Barrel. The crowd then moved towards Powell St and several people climbed on top of a cable car with their signs. While over six people had climbed onto the car, the only one arrested (minutes after climbing down) was the sole African American in the group who had been on the car. The crowd then moved towards the San Francisco Shopping Center where a window was broken at Abercrombie and Fitch. As the crowd moved back up Market St another window was broken at Old Navy but there were no arrests.

As the march was returning to Civic Center, it got boxed in by police near 8th and Market. As the crowd chanted to be let go, the police lost control of their horses. The horses reared and jumped into sections of the crowd. Angry protesters attacked by the horses started throwing things and the police line collapsed with protesters moving back as a group to 8th and Market. At 8th and Market the police arrested perhaps one or two people for minor charges and the crowd tried to block the police cars from leaving and a police car window was broken. The police then charged, swinging batons and hitting (and kicking ) everyone in sight.

Eventually the number of protesters decreased, the police took the intersection and the protesters got back on the sidewalk. Due to the location most of the crowd was now composed of people leaving the main march rather than the original breakaway protest. Around 7 PM the police stopped blocking the intersection, the crowd moved in and a few minutes later several hundred police moved back to retake the intersection. There was no conflict and most people moved back to the sidewalk but a small group of people (perhaps forty protesters) was surrounded in the middle of the intersection. The small group sat and locked arms and after the police used various pain techniques the small group of peaceful protesters were put in several police cars and a bus.

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