Post by pelicanguy on Oct 4, 2006 13:32:01 GMT -5
www.2theadvocate.com/news/4302832.html
Activist warns against using tear gas
New Black Panther Party will take over Iberia streets, he says
By PATRICK COURREGES
Advocate Acadiana bureau
Published: Oct 4, 2006
NEW IBERIA — A New Orleans activist said Tuesday that if another can of tear gas is flung into a crowd of people — black or white — in Iberia Parish, the new Black Panther Party will come in to take over New Iberia’s streets.
The Rev. Raymond Brown, representing the state chapter of the National Action Network and the new Black Panther Party, made a speech in New Iberia’s west end at the site where deputies used tear gas to break up a crowd Sept. 24.
Mayor Hilda Daigre Curry has also called a town meeting for 6 p.m. today at West End Park on the subject of the Sept. 24 events.
Brown said Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert’s deputies reacted inappropriately to the gathering of people on Hopkins Street following the close of New Iberia’s Sugar Cane Festival lat month.
He said that the New Orleans Police Department deals with gatherings blocking streets all the time.
“The Police Department does not use tear gas to ask a crowd to disperse,” Brown said. “A professional group would have talked to the leadership of the crowd.”
Brown said the Black Panthers would be ready to confront deputies if it happens again.
“When the government fails to produce for its people, you have the right to form your own government,” he told the gathering that grew to 20 or 30 people over the course of the afternoon speech. “If he (Hebert) fails to correct the wrong that he did and we hear about any more black people, or white people, being gassed in this parish, the Black Panther Party will be here.”
Signs held up at the gathering included:
“Sheriff, how many black people have you gassed today?”
“IPSO Toxic gas”
“IPSO are liars”
“No Warning”
IPSO refers to the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and “No Warning” referred to the complaint by many residents that deputies did not issue any warning before throwing tear gas into a Sept 24 crowd estimated at 500 people or more.
Brown blasted Hebert, Curry and Gov. Kathleen Blanco for what happened on Sept. 24 and what has not happened since.
Brown dismissed Hebert as a “no-good politician sheriff” and Curry as a “no-good politician mayor.”
He also said he had written Blanco requesting a State Police presence at the Tuesday afternoon gathering, but no State Police were in evidence.
Brown said Blanco should have taken action in response to the tear gas attack, but she has a history of being slow to act.
“Gov. Blanco, as you know, she was slow to respond to (Hurricane) Katrina,” he said. “The governor, excuse the expression, is a no-good bitch. That’s not a curse word, we say that in church. She’s no good.”
Brown also ripped the local clergy who have worked with the city and Sheriff’s Department in the west end, calling them “Uncle Toms, bootlicking and tap-dancing, scratch-where-it-don’t-itch preachers.”
He said that he is willing to be diplomatic about the situation and is willing to meet with Hebert and Curry.
“We want a resolution,” Brown said. “If they gas some more people, we’re coming here. We’re going to take over the streets.”
Nathaniel Lee, a resident of the area who attended the meeting, said the area needs solid law enforcement and community policing that has been promised, but not delivered.
“We need the police,” he said. “We don’t need them to instill fear in the people.”
Lee said that the Sheriff’s Department has begun to concentrate too much on the west end.
“You focus your attention just on my people,” he said. “You just can’t take it upon yourself to decide who is good and who is not good.”
Lee said he was on Hopkins Street the night of the tear gas incident, and saw that the deputies did not use discretion in throwing the tear gas.
He said that while adults ran when the tear gas first hit, children did not recognize the danger, and mothers were the most likely to double back to help children.
Lee said that meant a second salvo of tear gas fell mainly among women and children.
He said children are learning to fear deputies.
Leroy Vallot, a local resident and representative of the local chapter of the National Action Network, said older people in the west end already fear the police.
He said that the problems people had with the tactics of the old New Iberia Police Department have carried over since the Sheriff’s Department took over, partly because so many former NIPD officers made the transition.
“Some of us supported the disbanding of the New Iberia police,” Vallot said. “We see the same old lockdown mentality.”
He said the only hope for the people of the area is having U.S. Attorney Donald Washington step in.
Activist warns against using tear gas
New Black Panther Party will take over Iberia streets, he says
By PATRICK COURREGES
Advocate Acadiana bureau
Published: Oct 4, 2006
NEW IBERIA — A New Orleans activist said Tuesday that if another can of tear gas is flung into a crowd of people — black or white — in Iberia Parish, the new Black Panther Party will come in to take over New Iberia’s streets.
The Rev. Raymond Brown, representing the state chapter of the National Action Network and the new Black Panther Party, made a speech in New Iberia’s west end at the site where deputies used tear gas to break up a crowd Sept. 24.
Mayor Hilda Daigre Curry has also called a town meeting for 6 p.m. today at West End Park on the subject of the Sept. 24 events.
Brown said Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert’s deputies reacted inappropriately to the gathering of people on Hopkins Street following the close of New Iberia’s Sugar Cane Festival lat month.
He said that the New Orleans Police Department deals with gatherings blocking streets all the time.
“The Police Department does not use tear gas to ask a crowd to disperse,” Brown said. “A professional group would have talked to the leadership of the crowd.”
Brown said the Black Panthers would be ready to confront deputies if it happens again.
“When the government fails to produce for its people, you have the right to form your own government,” he told the gathering that grew to 20 or 30 people over the course of the afternoon speech. “If he (Hebert) fails to correct the wrong that he did and we hear about any more black people, or white people, being gassed in this parish, the Black Panther Party will be here.”
Signs held up at the gathering included:
“Sheriff, how many black people have you gassed today?”
“IPSO Toxic gas”
“IPSO are liars”
“No Warning”
IPSO refers to the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and “No Warning” referred to the complaint by many residents that deputies did not issue any warning before throwing tear gas into a Sept 24 crowd estimated at 500 people or more.
Brown blasted Hebert, Curry and Gov. Kathleen Blanco for what happened on Sept. 24 and what has not happened since.
Brown dismissed Hebert as a “no-good politician sheriff” and Curry as a “no-good politician mayor.”
He also said he had written Blanco requesting a State Police presence at the Tuesday afternoon gathering, but no State Police were in evidence.
Brown said Blanco should have taken action in response to the tear gas attack, but she has a history of being slow to act.
“Gov. Blanco, as you know, she was slow to respond to (Hurricane) Katrina,” he said. “The governor, excuse the expression, is a no-good bitch. That’s not a curse word, we say that in church. She’s no good.”
Brown also ripped the local clergy who have worked with the city and Sheriff’s Department in the west end, calling them “Uncle Toms, bootlicking and tap-dancing, scratch-where-it-don’t-itch preachers.”
He said that he is willing to be diplomatic about the situation and is willing to meet with Hebert and Curry.
“We want a resolution,” Brown said. “If they gas some more people, we’re coming here. We’re going to take over the streets.”
Nathaniel Lee, a resident of the area who attended the meeting, said the area needs solid law enforcement and community policing that has been promised, but not delivered.
“We need the police,” he said. “We don’t need them to instill fear in the people.”
Lee said that the Sheriff’s Department has begun to concentrate too much on the west end.
“You focus your attention just on my people,” he said. “You just can’t take it upon yourself to decide who is good and who is not good.”
Lee said he was on Hopkins Street the night of the tear gas incident, and saw that the deputies did not use discretion in throwing the tear gas.
He said that while adults ran when the tear gas first hit, children did not recognize the danger, and mothers were the most likely to double back to help children.
Lee said that meant a second salvo of tear gas fell mainly among women and children.
He said children are learning to fear deputies.
Leroy Vallot, a local resident and representative of the local chapter of the National Action Network, said older people in the west end already fear the police.
He said that the problems people had with the tactics of the old New Iberia Police Department have carried over since the Sheriff’s Department took over, partly because so many former NIPD officers made the transition.
“Some of us supported the disbanding of the New Iberia police,” Vallot said. “We see the same old lockdown mentality.”
He said the only hope for the people of the area is having U.S. Attorney Donald Washington step in.