Maricopa Pepper Spray

Today is the big human rights march and rally in Maricopa with activists and citizens and some celebs (big news for a while has been that Linda Ronstadt was attending) gathering to protest Sheriff Joe's immigration policies (lock up and deport everyone who even looks Hispanic) and other human rights and constitutional violations (detailed repeatedly here and elsewhere, just click on "Maricopa County" or "Sheriff Arpaio" in the links to the right).

First word from the event is about what you would expect. And it's not pretty.

Joy Bertrand, a lawyer in Scottsdale, sends this report:

Many of you may know that today human rights activists are marching in Phoenix in protest to Joe Arpaio's immigration enforcement policies (and other nefarious acts).

Jameson Johnson, Phoenix rabble-rouser, paralegal (and, in the name of full disclosure, my boyfriend) has just reported to me the following about the protest:

He just observed a female sherrif's deputy on horseback spray about 15 people w/ pepper spray, including children.

Jameson also says that deputies are refusing to display or ID themselves by badge number.

Stay tuned. I hope this is the worst news of the day.

Jameson also asked me to send this notice to local Phoenix crim defense lawyers and on facebook. He is trying to get as much still and video footage of the protest as possible.

Thanks, Joy. And keep the news coming.