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A union organizer who is the national coordinator for the drive to boycott Palermo's pizza said Monday she filed a complaint with the Milwaukee County sheriff's office against a deputy who she said snatched her cellphone out of her hand while she was videotaping him during a confrontation on the Ring St. bridge.

Striking Palermo's pizza workers, the worker rights group Voces de la Frontera and the Overpass Light Brigade were posting a message reading "Palermos-Negotiate" in lighted letters Friday night along the Ring St. footbridge over I-43.

It was part of a series of weekend events to try to get the frozen pizza manufacturer to recognize the workers' union and negotiate over issues of pay, safety and other concerns, said Joe Shansky, spokesman for Voces de la Frontera, which is organizing the workers.

The company has called the workers claims "categorically false."

The Overpass Light Brigade has posted other messages of support for Palermo's workers and about 70 political and other messages over the past 10 months in various municipalities without incident, brigade member Joe Brusky said.

On Friday night, about 40 workers and supporters were on the footbridge when police arrived and said someone had complained, he said.

Occasionally during events, police show up to inquire, Brusky said.

"We're careful not to affix signs to the overpass or obstruct access, and police decide we can be there and it's cool," Brusky said. "Police have always been very civil."

But on Friday police said they had been called to the footbridge by the Milwaukee County sheriff's office, Brusky said. Then Deputy Sheriff Van Callies arrived and "stormed onto the bridge" and demanded that the lights be taken down and turned off, Brusky said.

"The deputy said he was going to arrest and book all of us for disorderly conduct," said Rosemarie Molina, who is with the United Steel Workers Union in California and is the national coordinator for the effort to boycott Palermo's.

"My training tells me to pull out my cellphone camera and start recording the action," she said. "Without any communication or warning from him, he comes toward me, snatches the phone, twisting my fingers and takes my phone," she said.

Molina said she protested. The deputy then took the cellphone of another woman on the footbridge who was also videotaping the incident, she said. The incidents were captured on video.

Meanwhile, nearly 20 police vehicles arrived at the scene, including six Milwaukee police cars, two bicycle patrols, two motorcycle police officers, a police wagon, a K-9 unit and nine sheriff's vehicles, Brusky said.

As more officers arrived, the deputy left the bridge and a Milwaukee police officer told those gathered there had been a "misunderstanding" and miscommunication and that they could return to their light project.

No one at the scene was arrested, Molina and Brusky said.

"Those holding the lights were rattled, and some left their lights because they were scared," Brusky said.

Molina said in the complaint she filed Monday that Callies took her phone illegally, physically made contact, hurt her and harassed her.

Fran McLaughlin, speaking for the sheriff's office, said the department is gathering all the facts in the situation.

"We won't respond to speculation about what occurred, but we won't have answers today," she said Monday. She said she had not seen the video.

Callies could not be reached for comment. A call to the Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriff's Association was not returned.

A spokesman for the Milwaukee Police Department said officers did respond to the Ring St. footbridge at the request of the sheriff's department. The squads were released after the situation was evaluated, he said.

Voces and the brigade said Monday they will file a Freedom of Information Act request to determine who gave the orders for Friday's actions.

The workers have been on strike since June 1. Palermo's CEO Giacomo Fallucca has written to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka asking to give his side of the controversy. Both sides are reportedly working out a time and place for the meeting to discuss the situation. The boycott is part of the strike.