Sacramento cops assault dockers returning to work

ILWU Local 10 Exec Board
31 Aug 07

Defend the Local 10 Brothers –
Assaulted by Cops on the Sacramento Docks!
Emergency Executive Board Meeting Tuesday September 4!

Photo: Jason Ruffin

West Sacramento cop pulling Aaron Harrison out of his car

On August 23, West Sacramento police and private security guards viciously attacked, maced and arrested two Local 10 brothers, Jason Ruffin #101168 and Aaron Harrison #101167, coming back to work on the SSA terminal after lunch. When the guards insisted on searching their car, the longshoremen questioned their authority to do so and called the Local 10 business agent. While one was talking on the phone to the BA and without provocation, they were assaulted, dragged from the car, handcuffed, jailed and charged with “trespassing” and “obstructing a police officer”.

How the hell can longshoremen be “trespassing”, returning to work after lunch, having already shown their PMA ID cards to guards at the terminal. Was it racial profiling because the two longshoremen were black? Authorities citing a new maritime security regulation that permits vehicle inspection doesn’t mean maritime workers can’t question it. It doesn’t take away a union member’s right to call his union business agent, And it certainly doesn’t give authorities, private or government, the right to assault and arrest you without provocation.

This is the ugly face of the “war on terror” on the docks. And it’ll get worse unless we come together and take action to defend these brothers. Their court date is set for October 4 at 8:30AM in Yolo County Superior Court; 213 Third St.; Woodland, CA.

An injury to two is an injury to all!

We, Executive Board and Local 10 members, called for an Emergency Executive Board meeting Tuesday September 4 to resolve this urgent matter.

AUG. 31, 2007