[asia-apec 1713] Fw: Hawaiian authorities increasing security for ADB meeting

[APEC Monitoring Group]

> Honolulu Police targeting ADB protesters
> From: Refuse & Resist! Hawaii Chapter
>
> When the Asian Development Bank announced that it was going to
> hold its next meeting in Honolulu, R&R! immediately began alerting
> people to the probability of increased repression. That this is
> happening is no longer a question!
>
> * According to the Honolulu Advertiser (7/12/2000), all of HPD's
> 1800 officers are receiving special training in "handling civil
> disturbances, dealing with crowds and other situations" to prepare
> for the convention, and the HPD has requested "special equipment"
> costing several million dollars.
>
> * Jeff Beatty, founder of Total Security Services International has
> been brought in to speak at a seminar sponsored by the HPD and
> Hawaii Tourism Authority. (Beatty is a former U.S. Army Delta
> Force commander, special adviser to the FBI and CIA, and planned
> security at the Atlanta, Barcelona and Los Angeles Olympics!)
>
> * On January 12, 2001, KITV ran a special report beginning with an
> intimidating line of HPD officers loaded down with special
> equipment to "deal with ADB protesters". They reported that the
> HPD, firefighters, National Guard, and Sheriff's dept were
> coordinating their training efforts and even staged a
> "demonstration" at a special police training ground showing a few
> demonstrators throwing water balloons and then being shot with
> "non-lethal" weapons. This supposed "news" was threatening and
> intimidating.
>
> * On Thursday, January 18, Channel 2 (Joe Moore) reported on 4
> bills introduced at City Council. The report again showed an
> intimidating line of officers set to advance on protesters, and related
> the bills to preparations to the ADB protests. The following
> description of the bills comes directly from the City and County link:
>
> 1. Bill 6, 2001: "A bill for an ordinance relating to public parks and
> recreation facilities. To (a) provide a definition for "camp" or
> "camping" relating to park use and park use permits; (b) allow
> horses and dogs used by law enforcement officers; and (c) allow
> arrest for camping when and where camping is not allowed.
> (Introduced by Chair Jon Yoshimura)
>
> 2. Bill 5, 2001: "A bill for an ordinance relating to wearing of masks
> or disguises. To establish certain prohibitions with respect tot he
> wearing of masks or disguises." Submitted by HPD; introduced by
> Jon Yoshimura.
>
> 3. Bill 4, 2001: "A bill for an ordinance relating to prohibited
> activities in the city: To prohibit any person to possess with intent to
> use a device capable of emitting an obnoxious substance as
> described in Section 40-2.2 of the ROH 1990."
>
> 4. Bill 3, 2001: "A bill for an ordinance relating tot he traffic code. To
> amend the penalty and enforcement provisions relating to putting
> glass or other injurious substances on a highway." The amendment
> would allow the immediate arrest of persons who put glass and
> other injurious substances on highways.
>
> These bills were submitted in preparation for the ADB, but will
> remain after the ADB is over. In other words, we'll have a whole
> new set of repressive rules and ordinances aimed at limiting the
> freedom to protest. These ordinances are very broad. They clearly
> seek to further limit the ability to camp, and allow police horses and
> dogs to be used in arresting persons who are camping. Just what is
> a "mask or disguise?" Often protesters wear paper masks in the
> likenesses of individuals or even animals. Sometimes they wear
> bandannas to protect them from possible tear gas attacks. And
> what kinds of devices are "capable of emitting an obnoxious
> substance"? The news report referred to water guns. Could it
> include a soda can or water bottle? We can be sure it doesn't
> outlaw police guns capable of emitting bullets, tear gas, pepper
> spray, pellets, etc.
>
> The ADB Conference is still 4 months away, and Hawaii's
> population is already being threatened and intimidated. New laws
> are being adopted. Intimidating "news reports" are being aired.
> Articles in the newspapers boast about the acquisition of new
> equipment "prepare for the protesters". And youth are already
> being interrogated by police detectives about their affiliations and
> plans. In short, while peole from many different trends are
> preparing for non-violent speak-outs and protests against the ADB,
> the HPD (along with the military) are preparing for a police riot! This
> is outrageous.
>
> Ben Cayetano and Hawaii's State Dept of Tourism and Economic
> Development have issued an open invitation to finance agencies
> such as the WTO, IMF, and APEC. In order to do this they are
> willing to turn Hawaii into a virtual police state. R&R! calls on
> everyone to protest every effort to limit our right to speak out
> against the anti-people policies of the Asian Development Bank
> (aka Asian Destruction Bank).
>
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