This is the beginning of a police state

Interviewed by Jared Israel and Jim Desyllas (posted 12-4-99)

We just finished a phone interview with Dr. Richard Deandrea who set up
a makeshift clinic in downtown Seattle. He tells of treating people
injured by concussion grenades, plastic bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, an
unknown gas that appears to produce muscular seizures, and from physical and
mental abuse suffered in jail. Dr. Deandrea asked that we post his words
without changes because, he says, the mass media is blacking out part of the
story, namely that there has been real police terror in Seattle. To combat
inaccurate coverage, he urges all of us to use email so that the other
side can reach as many people as possible.
Interview with Seattle MD:
"This is the beginning of a police state"
(posted on www.emperors-clothes.com <http://www.emperors-clothes.com> at
1am 12-4-99)

My name is Richard DeAndrea. I'm a medical doctor. What I saw up here
was martial law. This turned into a police state. Everything you have seen
on television regarding local news broadcasts including national public
radio was a blackout. The police were using concussion grenades. They were
shooting tear gas canisters directly at protesters' faces. They were
using so-called rubber bullets. These are actually hard plastic. Some of the
damage I saw: these plastic bullets took off part of one person's jaw,
smashed teeth in other people's mouths. I saw the police arrest people
who had their hands up in the air screaming we are peacefully protesting.
The amount of looting that took place was so minimal I don't even know where
they got the footage from. I am saying this beyond a shadow of a doubt.
This is a definite sign that America is heading towards a police state
unless people start standing up for their rights as individuals. I am
actually shocked and ashamed. I am ashamed of the police force, I am
ashamed of the mayor I am ashamed of Bill Clinton. I am ashamed of the
whole thing.

Jared: These rubber bullets - what are they?
Dr. DeAndrea: They are made of polyester type material. They are like a
hard plastic toy. The idea is to hit your body, do damage, not actually
penetrate. But I did see penetration wounds, I did see people bleeding.
I did see teeth loss, I did see broken bones. There were children present,
there were families present, they were firing upon families, mothers,
grandmothers,. They were just firing at them. They came out in full
police force. They brought out swat teams, they had the national guard up here,
there was CIA surrounding the delegates' buildings. It was very obvious
that there was an institutional control that had no regard of human
rights whatever.

In addition we have video footage of protesters being taken away as well
as human rights being violated. Prisoners were taken and they were
tortured. There is a case, I believe his name is Holm, Keith Holm. He was tortured
because he would not give his name. They handcuffed, laid him on the
floor, they smashed his face against the concrete, they grabbed his hair, they
ripped out a lock of hair. and then placed pencils between his fingers
and pressed on them until he would give his name. He refused. They were also
banging his head against metal objects. He was actually the first
protester released because the Internal Affairs came in to do an investigation and
they wanted him gone because he would be able to give testimony.

We're treating people in a studio loft downtown. I just treated an ear
wound. People have been treated for concussion injuries. There have been
people who have been treated for plastic bullet wounds. Lots of tear gas
injuries, lots of damage to cornea, lots of damage to the eyes and
skins. They were using a pepper spray, a tear gas and they were also using some
sort of nerve gas. We had reports of many demonstrators winding up with
seizures the next day. It causes muscles to clamp up, muscle
contraction, seizures.

They have done several illegal things regarding these people in jail.
They have been telling them that they would not be let out, not have their
bail set if they didn't give their names. Its their legal right not to give
their name. They don't have to speak at all. Attorneys came up and said
we are representing these people. The police called the attorneys liars. At
this point they have still refused to let any of them see their clients.

There are close to 600 people who were arrested and they have been
holding them for two days on charges that are mostly misdemeanors, such as
refusal to disperse. A lot of people in there have not gotten medical attention
either. I have gotten calls from young ladies in there who have had all
sorts of emotional problems as well as physical problems. They have
called me for medical attention from inside the jail. There are people still
sitting in there who have not even been processed.

Today there were fewer attacks by police, but they did arrest more
people. And there was no violence today by the marchers and all through the day
yesterday it was the same. What you are seeing on television about
looting and anarchistic protesters - there's astraight-out blackout and they are
basically pushing that [line]. There is not much damage to property
here.

There are not many windows that have been damaged or stores that have
been looted. Those are extremely rare cases.
I used to believe newspapers were telling the truth. But now I am no
longer behind that. This is the beginning of a police state. You can quote me
on that.