Crowdsourcing Uncut Police Video from the Dec. 12 Occupy Protest at the Port of Seattle

E.S.



Remember the December 12, 2011 West Coast Port Shutdown protests? The flying flares, the stun grenades, the claims of police brutality (by a clergyman!), the edited SPD video that was released shortly afterward to show, in the words of one police spokesman, that the port protest was "not peaceful"?

Via John Helmiere

Minister John Helmiere

Remember how Minister John Helmiere, of the Valley & Mountain Spiritual Community in Columbia City, said he saw himself in the edited police video (" I’m the tall guy in the white overcoat ," he told me back on Dec. 16) but conceded the edited police video didn't show his alleged beating at the hands of police?

"I wish there was more," Helmiere told me at the time.

Well, now there is more.

On Dec. 16, I filed a public records request with the Seattle Police Department asking for the full, unedited video taken by two police department employees who shot video of the Dec. 12 Occupy/West Coast Port Shutdown protests. I recently got the SPD's response—two discs that the SPD says show "all video" from the event—and the wonderful Kelly O has now posted the video from both discs on YouTube for your examining.

Here are the videos:

I've watched both of these videos and I have to say that for myself, the major takeaway is how patient and self-controlled the police were in response to an incredible stream of verbal abuse that was hurled at them—along with bags of paint, pieces of wood, and other objects—by the protesters.

Check out, for example, the guy in the Santa hat who I noticed at around 10:00 on Part I of the video ("What the fuck's the matter with you?" he yells at an officer trying to clear him from an intersection) and who can still be seen shouting at officers ("I'll take that fucking badge off you, bitch") at 17:20 and beyond.

There is certainly scuffling, and pepper-spraying, and use of force by police to clear the intersections and roadways that protesters were occupying. You'll also see more of Minister Helmiere in his white overcoat and black stocking cap (starting at around 20:00 on Part I). Oh, and there's a male protester claiming rape, who gets arrested starting at about 23:00 on Part II and by 24:00-ish is yelling: "Don't touch my ass! Don't touch my dick! They're raping me!"

But I didn't see any rape or brutality by police.

I'll admit I've only watched these once, though.

Maybe you'll see something I didn't? If so, please note the time stamp—and whether it's on Part I or Part II—in the comments.