Tampa Leaders Address Criticism Of Police Action During Protest

TAMPA, FL — The ACLU of Greater Tampa is calling on Tampa officials to come up with a peaceful protest response plan following complaints about Tampa Police using excessive force on protesters.

In a letter to officials including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, the city council, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Sen. Janet Cruz and state Rep. Jackie Toledo, the ACLU urged police not to engage with demonstrators during peaceful protests.

While the ACLU condemned setting buildings on fire, looting and throwing rocks and bottles at police as seen during the May 30 protests near the University Square Mall, it urged police to allow peaceful protests to occur unheeded.

“The right of citizens to protest, and the right of journalists to freely report, are fundamental rights under our Constitution, which police officers are sworn to protect,” the ACLU said. “We do understand that some individuals have capitalized upon the current national upheaval to engage in criminal acts that are unconnected to protests, but TPD must not allow for citizens’ and journalists’ fundamental rights to be eroded by conflating their Constitutionally protected activities with the actions of these unconnected individuals."

During protests Sunday, May 31 at Cyrus Greene Park, the ACLU said police exacerbated civil unrest by showing up in full riot gear and ordering the protesters to disperse within three minutes.

As protesters were in the process of heading to the cars, the ACLU contended that police began "firing rubber bullets and tear gas, unnecessarily creating a panicked and chaotic atmosphere that quickly infected the gathering, and some individuals present were injured.”

The ACLU also condemned the treatment of a Tampa Bay Times journalist who was knocked to the ground and zip-tied although she displayed her press credentials to police.

The ACLU is requesting a Professional Standards Bureau review of the Tampa Police Department’s use of tear gas and rubber bullets.

“Please note that tear gas is banned under the Geneva Convention, yet TPD used a weapon deemed too vicious for enemy soldiers on peaceful citizens who were protesting the unnecessary use of force by overzealous law enforcement. The irony is not lost on us,” wrote the ACLU. “In these times of unrest, it does not ease the situation when police increase aggressiveness and violence instead of responding to protests in a peaceful manner. Such actions serve only to convince the community that protesters’ concerns about the unnecessary use of force by police are well justified, which we suspect was not the message that TPD intended to convey.”

Police also came under attack for their treatment of a 17-year-old girl who was arrested at another protest rally involving about 1,000 people on Thursday.

A video surfaced on social media showing police holding down the girl as she struggled and screamed during a protest at East Scott Street and North Tampa Street. When protesters yelled at police to stop, the video shows police spraying mace toward the protesters.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said Tampa police officers were providing traffic control for a march shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. The protesters marched through downtown and then turned east onto Scott Street, heading toward the Interstate 4/Interstate 275 on-ramp.

Officers on the bicycle squad attempted to get ahead of the crowd, riding east on the north sidewalk of Scott Street,

Police said the teen attempted to strike a bicycle officer by thrusting the metal tip of an umbrella toward his face. Police said she then attempted to strike a second officer moments later.

Additionally, police said Emadi Okwuosa, 22, used a bullhorn to incite the group into disrupting the flow of traffic on the interstate. And another protester, Stephanie Sanchez, 21, attempted to strike officers.

The chief said that, while police were making the arrests, the crowd became agitated and began approaching the officers. After being ordered to back up, the protesters continued to approach officers aggressively and throw objects at them, according to police.

Police said one protester sprayed a fire extinguisher at officers.

Dugan said police used a "deterrent spray" to stop the crowd from advancing.

Police responded to criticism about the incident on Twitter, saying, "We support the right to protest. But, thrusting an umbrella in the face of two officers is not just a peaceful stroll down the sidewalk. When the crowd was told to stay back during the arrest, but didn't and bottles were thrown at officers, they deployed spray."

The tweet was followed by the hashtag #TellTheFullStory.

See related story: Law Enforcement Braces For More Protests; 3 Arrested Thursday

In response to the criticism, the Tampa Police released its complete document of Standard Operating Procedures updated June 6, noting that the Tampa Police Department incorporates the #8Can'tWait police responses to prevent police brutality outlined by Campaign Zero.

Castor and Dugan also posted a video discussing their implementation of #8Can'tWait policies.