Bicycle Legal Observer Falsely Arrested by Favetti, SFPD

On "Bicycle Celebration Day," June 26, 1998, after receiving news that Governor Pete Wilson had signed AB 2038 allowing local control of funding a west span bicycle path on the Bay Bridge, legal observer Jason Meggs (who coincidentally was a leader in the campaign for AB 2038, identifying the need for the bill in a meeting with MTC chiefs and finding a sponsor in Carole Migden), was arrested by officer Favetti of the SFPD on Van Ness Avenue

"Suddenly on Van Ness, the police made a "gauntlet", police along
both sides of the street for many blocks. They were pulling people
over left and right, frequently for non-violations.

I stopped to help a cyclist. I was acting as a legal observer with a
camera. Favetti immediately ordered me to keep moving. I informed
him that I had a right to observe. He walked over to me and grabbed
my camera, putting it and my hand into a copmliance hold. I was then
handcuffed and arrested.

I had been out of the way of moving traffic (police had blocked the
right lane and I was near parked cars in front of their vehicles).
I was completely within the general orders of the SFPD regarding
the RIGHTS OF ONLOOKERS."

This was not the only incident of abuse against bicyclists that has been made against Officer Favetti were made.

SFPD carried out a protracted campaign of repression against Critical Mass in San Francisco, in stark contrast to five years of official support, following Mayor Willie Brown's attempt to quash the popular celebration on July 25, 1997. Their actions had become so blatant and egregious as to pull over whole packs of cyclists in broad daylight, who had committed no crime, and issue tickets for such things as missing reflectors (which under the California Vehicle Code, are not required in daylight hours).

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• critical
• mass
• sfcm
• police
• demonstration
• protest
• legal
• observer
• videography
• climate
• change
• civil
• rights

[01Zeke10]

Observing is fine.. bugging the officer and directly ignoring him was just a plain lack of courtesy.. and asking what the guy did wrong was none of his business.. I don't blame the cop at all when the guy on the bike was being rude and refusing to mind his own business... people like you go around with a camera trying to provoke police officers so you can "make a point" or just sue them for an easy dollar.

[RobinAnneS]

Bullcrap. You were not just observing, but instead trying to interject yourself (by shouting, etc) into the lawful activities of the police while stopped illegally in a roadway. You then repeatedly failed to comply with several lawful orders to cease those activities. Your arrest was entirely warranted.

[clarkkent0]

Some bullshit comments, no legal orders given, don't need a licence to ride a bike. Fucking cops

[TheEodtch]

Didn't see the false arrest in this.

[tjhombs]

@01Zeke10 There are no laws requiring citizens to mind their own business - at least not in the U.S. Exercising your legal rights sometimes involves "making a point."

[roaringwaterbay]

so what happened with officer butthead?

[hackajim]

that cop is a douchebag.... there are plenty of fine officers doing great work in this world, his actions were dishonorable... and here on the internet with almost complete anonymity, is the only place that I can feel free to call him a FAGGOT without getting hit in the face with a club or tazed.... so if he reads this, he is a FAGGOT

[atsay714]

cops are pigs

[rich0319726]

What was the false arrest?



[pete5668]

@theiran San Francisco is already a dictatorship, with the local gestapo all powerful...