Zombie’s Anatomy of a Video: Fabricating Police Brutality
The real story behind the Alicia Forrest/Carlo Garcia arrests.
(Crossposted at Little Green Footballs)
On Tuesday, August 27, during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, I witnessed an incident that seemed at the time to be rather minor, but which over the subsequent days turned into a major scandal — primarily due to a video posted online by the Rocky Mountain News.
This carefully edited video shows Officer Stewart of the Denver Police knocking Alicia Forrest of Code Pink to the ground during a protest, and then, after an edit, Forrest getting arrested by other officers. This video has created a firestorm among left-wing blogs, and also engendered many follow-up stories in the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News, Westword, and other mainstream Denver media outlets.
However, I personally witnessed the entire incident, from the beginning to the end, and can say without reservation that the Rocky Mountain News video is intentionally deceptive, and crafted to make the protester (Alicia Forrest) appear to be a victim of needless police brutality. I have photographic and video proof, shown below, that Alicia Forrest “asked for it” in the sense that she disobeyed police commands to stay back and also taunted the police; and that she was not seriously injured by Officer Stewart; and that the Rocky Mountain News in particular committed an act of media malfeasance by purposely posting on their site a deceptive video that left out all the context surrounding the incident. Furthermore, many blogs jumped on the story and trumpeted it as evidence of police misbehavior, when in fact there was no misbehavior at all.
The report below has 25 photos and four short videos, but bear with me and read all the way through to the end in order to see the full story. The full incident lasted many minutes and is a little complicated, but can easily be followed photo-by-photo in the report below.
Let’s start things off with the one-minute-long Rocky Mountain News video (YouTube link) that is the focus of the scandal (originally posted as part of this article). Watch it now. What are your impressions? Doesn’t it seem like that innocent little girl was first beaten and then arrested by the police for no reason? Shocking, isn’t it?
But that’s not the entirety of what happened. Keep reading to see the full story that the Rocky Mountain News (and other media outlets) didn’t want you to see.
The story began when a group of extreme anti-gay Christian preachers showed up in Civic Center Park to reproach the mostly left-wing crowd gathering for an unrelated parade and protest march.
They immediately drew a large circle of detractors and media.
Dozens of people were yelling at and getting into arguments with the Christians. These two men mockingly simulated gay sexual acts to taunt the preachers.
But it wasn’t all fun and games and mockery. As the minutes passed, the atmosphere began getting more and more confrontational, as revealed in this video (YouTube link) showing a radical group chanting “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Christian fascists go away!”
Eventually, the police felt they needed to intervene in order to prevent a possible outbreak of violence. Mounted police moved in and told everyone to step back and stop pressing in around the preachers.
The police then tried to set up a defensive perimeter.
I originally moved a bit away, as instructed, and so missed exactly what happened next, but according to the Denver Post, “Carlo Garcia, a leader of protest group Recreate 68, had asked police to escort the [anti-gay Christian] pastor out of the park. Instead, police said Garcia posed a threat and arrested him.” I saw that the Recreate 68 guy (later identified as Carlo Garcia) had been confrontational and threatened to remove the Christians himself, because he didn’t like what they were saying; the police replied that everyone was entitled to free speech, no matter what their point of view; when Garcia wouldn’t back down, they arrested him. The Las Vegas Sun published this photo of Garcia menacingly grabbing or wielding a pole.
Here’s a photo taken of him being arrested, moments afterward.
OK, everything up until now has been simply a precursor, setting the stage for the controversy that was to follow. As Garcia was being led away, a very large group of protesters, members of the media and just plain hangers-on followed the arresting officers, swarming around and demanding that they “let him go.” Many photographers (myself included) scrambled to record the action, and it was here that I first encountered the Code Pink member whom I later learned was called Alicia Forrest. You can see her in the foreground of this picture, wearing pink clothes and a pink crown. Notice how, of all the photographers, she was standing closest to the mounted officers.
In fact, in every picture I took, Forrest was always the one person closest to the action and most aggressively challenging the police. Despite the fact that the police very loudly and forcefully ordered everyone to “GET BACK!”, Forrest would not get back.
Here you can see Carlo Garcia being escorted by the police, and Alicia Forrest once again testing the limits of acceptable behavior by crowding in as close as she could get. Furthermore, despite having a camera, she was obviously not a journalist, because she was wearing a “protest outfit” (Code Pink-style clothes) and was among the people yelling at the officers “Let him go!” and “Police brutality!”
This video (YouTube link) shows the second part of the convoy/chase, in which police transported Garcia from the middle of Civic Center Park over to Bannock Street. Pay close attention to how the police officers repeatedly command everyone to “GET BACK!” and “Back AWAY from these people — NOW!” and even despite all that, Alicia Forrest is still visible fleetingly at two different points in the video being very close to the arresting officers. Now, as you can see, she wasn’t the only person venturing too close, as several other photographers would on occasion either purposely or accidentally find themselves at the front of the crowd. Even I got shoved forward several times, and thought myself in danger of being shoved back by the police. And to be perfectly frank, if a police officer had pushed me backwards during one of those moments where, through crowd dynamics or inattention, I found myself at the front of the pursuing crowd, then I would not have been surprised, nor would I have accused the police of brutality. Because the police felt they were in a very precarious situation, and the crowd was not obeying their commands.
But Alicia Forrest (seen here at the lower left) was nearly always the most aggressive one of us. In this picture, even after being directly commanded many times to step back, she’s right in the face of an officer (Stewart, in fact, the one who moments later would knock her backwards), taking a picture of Carlo Garcia and yelling at the police to let him go free.
The chase came to a brief halt as the police had to wait for the arrival of a vehicle to transport Garcia to be booked. In Old West style, the mounted police circled their horses around him and the arresting officers, in an attempt to keep the hostile crowd at bay.
This video (YouTube link) shows the police horses walking in a circle.
Garcia was screaming to the crowd that he was innocent. The police presence had by this time increased significantly.
Now we’re almost getting to the crucial part.
Thanks for this perspective. I had a post on my blog about the video, and had asked if anyone knew the story behind it. This clears up a lot of questions I had about what went on there.
Great work on this. I appreciate it.
Thanks again.
Thanks for being there, Zombie.
Hmmm….ya gotta be careful about wearing them strapless tops if your gonna tangle with the police. Yikes! A couple photos showed “too much imformation”!
Gee I hope it hurt!
The only criticism valid of the officer is that he should have not called her “bitch” but simply called her “madam” or “ma’am”. Why was the vehicle an open one? In the UK closed cell vans are used for those arrested during such needless charades.
Thank you for the report.
Do you think Officer Stewart should be investigated or suspended?
Investigated, yes. Suspended, I don’t have enough information to say. For example, what were his instructions? Was the Forrest confrontation covered by those instructions?
Stewart is a professional who, apparently, briefly lost his composure during an important assignment. I have sympathy for Stewart and the opposite for Forrest, but…Stewart is a professional.
(I’m not qualified to evaluate whether it was a good idea to arrest Forrest while she was talking to the media.)
Do you think the Rocky Mountain News committed journalistic malfeasance?
Quite possibly. Time elapsed between Forrest’s being on the ground and getting arrested, but how much? Note that her tiara is on the back of her head when she gets up and walks away. When she is arrested, it has been adjusted.
George Kochaniec, who took the RMN video, claims he turned his camera off only momentarily between Forrest getting up and getting arrested. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a video record of Forrest’s actions between getting up and getting arrested.
The homo-pinko, mob rule ideology distilled:
“I saw that the Recreate 68 guy (later identified as Carlo Garcia) had been confrontational and threatened to remove the Christians himself, because he didn’t like what they were saying; the police replied that everyone was entitled to free speech, no matter what their point of view; when Garcia wouldn’t back down, they arrested him.”
Great stuff, Zombie.
“that Alicia Forrest “asked for it” in the sense that she disobeyed police commands to stay back and also taunted the police”
Sorry, bud, you lost me with the “asked for it” stuff. By that rationale, we might as well roll over and accept police domination.
The guy who pulls a weapon when the cops raid the wrong house with a no-knock warrant? He was asking for it.
I mean, look at that chick! She’s a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter than the cop. She’s got a pink back pack, he’s got a night stick.
She may have been “asking” to be confronted by the police, but not like that!
Oh what a big man that guy is…He can beat up a girl!
You’re asking for it, Herb.
Pallywood arrives in Colorado as Carter’s anarchists arrive in Gaza. I guess this must be what they mean by globalization.
It appears that Herb didn’t actually read the post. Hey Herb, you’re supposed to actually read the whole thing before opening your yap.
TO: Zombie
RE: Do We Have….
….photos or video of the woman interfering with the other arrest?
RE: Officer Stewart
I think Officer Stewart’s use of vulgar language in his altercation with the woman was inappropriate. It demonstrated that he was not being professional in the performance of his duties, i.e., he was getting too personally involved and that interferes with performance.
I’m certain that it’s a common problem in any profession where there is great stress, but nevertheless, he should be counseled about it. Not necessarily punished unless he manifests such in futures situations and counseling doesn’t seem to be improving his performance.
As for the use of the riot baton, it looked appropriate to me. He told her to back up. She resisted. He pushed her back with the baton with a ‘love tap’ to the forehead. Nothing intended to break bones. He could have administered it to her nose and that certainly would have broken. She seems to be rather ‘thick’ in the head in the first place.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Being a 'professional' requires a certain degree of detachment.]
TO: Zombie, et al.
RE: The Videography
Yes. I think the editing of the video as presented is inappropriately done. The implications it leaves the viewer with are, by nature, FALSE and this causes me great concern for the Rocky Mountain News management. It’s almost, but not quite, on a par with the fauxtographic techniques being used by Reuters and AP, as I recollect.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
You don’t actually mean that the msm is capable of creating news or suplanting journalism with an editorial….. what a far right wing nut job you are. The sooner you learn how not to question the easier it will be for you not to have to think.
Here, have some kool aide
Do I think the officer could have handled the situation better? Yes (the B word was unprofessional, and I’ll even go so far as to say he shouldn’t have pushed her until she actually physically touched him — but I don’t know, maybe she did; it’s hard to tell). Mr. Garcia was most definitely threatening (cops, other protesters) and his arrest appeared very well handled. Ms. Forrest appears to have deserved her arrest as well — she obviously was not so badly harmed by her run in with “the man and his brutal ways” to have stopped her shenanigans. Perhaps the officer should have threatened her with arrest?
This is about the weakest example of “police brutality” I’ve ever seen (I’ve often remarked about how these same folks would have held up against Daley’s riot brigade during the real ’68; I for one wouldn’t place any bets on these protesters). As for the crying over the “poor, little girl” — I’ve been in a few labor strikes; protests aren’t sweetness and light nor are protesters somehow holy untouchables. If a person wants to play the game then they should be ready to pay the price. If you want to be treated/viewed like a “poor, little girl or innocent little waif” (in pink no less), then don’t go to protests and don’t act confrontational with police.
This is why I laugh at the notion of democrats / liberals as vanguards of tolerance and and diversity.
Popular speech (such as advocacy for civil right) needs NO protection. These extreme Christian (whose methods I find distasteful as a christian) is exactly why the first amendment was created for. You can’t cry and bitch about how “dissent” against Bush or the government was squashed then attempt to remove dissenters from the liberal viewpoint.
TO: lee
RE: Uuuuuhhhh…
….say again, all after “These”. You’re coming through garbled and stupid.
RE: You’re a Fellow Christian?
Answer me this…..
Has the Christ come in the flesh?
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[A tree is known by its fruit. -- some Wag, around 2000 years ago]
> If a person wants to play the game then they
> should be ready to pay the price.
Oh, they are ready to pay the price (taking a knock on the nugget), but then they get right back to playing the game. What you may call complaining, or whining, or crying, is just them playing part two of the game called The Spin.
Self-hating boomer, how did you know I didn’t read the whole post? Are you watching me?
GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!
(PS…read the whole post, then formed my own opinion. It’s always a good idea to give people the benefit of the doubt. You should try it.)
Bobdog, I’m asking for a little common decency. If that cop wants to push around protesters, he should pick on someone his own size. Not someone who’s going to crumble into a fetal ball when given a little “love tap” with a baton.
All you guys celebrating this, ask yourselves if you would be celebrating San Francisco cops beating up abortion protesters.
Will you say that they “asked for it” because they didn’t disperse when the SFPD told them to? Will you call it a love-tap when a brawny cop knocks a church lady on her butt? Do you have principles or just political loyalties?
Go ahead. Ask yourself. And be honest.
My comments are addressed at all protesters — if you want to instigate civil disobedience, if you want to act belligerent and antagonistic towards law enforcement, then you had better be prepared for what may happen to you as a result.
And I’m not buying Ms. Forrest’s crumpling into a fetal ball. I call BS and grandstanding (yes, working the Spin). She obviously wasn’t so damaged as to jump up and go back at it. I wouldn’t buy it from anyone, whether they be to the right or the left (or somewhere inbetween or beyond) of American politics.
Heck, I’m not even anti-protest, as civil disobedience is sometimes the only course left to take (although there was no need for it in this situation — Mr. Garcia could/should have stood down and gone on with his regularly scheduled protest and Ms. Forrest could/should have stood down and not kept pushing her boundaries, while still engaging in her protest).
Don’t know the truth of this “scandal” one way or another, but are your readers so ignorant that they don’t know/can’t see/don’t understand that you’ve editted the video too?
I sure hope not.
So she was arrested when she spoke to journalists about being beaten by a cop.
Thanks for clearing that up.
This is a good report. But for one thing, and it has to do with worldview, the report would be outstanding. So, those who subscribe to zombie’s worldview will not appreciate me pointing this out.
I saw nothing biblicly extreme about the signs being carried by the Christian group. They are more correctly referred to as Christian activists.
I am aware that many who do not subscribe to Christianity adopt elements of the faith they like (ex., thou shall not covet, kill, lie), and reject other elements (ex., homosexuality is sin), to form a personal worldview. Then, operating under this worldview, Christians protesting in favor of “thou shall not lie” are simply called Christians. Christians demonstrating against homosexuality are labeled “extremists”, even though both protests are founded on the same Christian (NT) and Jewish (OT) text. The distinction is driven by a worldview-based bias, not objective thought.
I am also already aware that those who hold such worldviews likely do not care that I rate the report good, not outstanding. Whatever.
Zombie how come you’re not in St. Paul? We need an independent eye trained on the events taking place there. Otherwise all we have is the Star Trib’s version of events – i.e., the liberal press narrative. It looks like there was a mini-riot today in St. Paul, and plenty of anarchist/commie provocations of the police. So far all I can find is the Strib’s “balanced” portrayal of the protest march/riot.
An excellent analysis that tells the whole story. The RMN basically did the same hatchet job that the MSM did with the Rodney King incident by editing out the lead-up to the event because it did not support their one-sided anti-police report.
I’m with Herb, I think the cop crossed the line. Also I think he probably violated policy by striking her in the head.
Flame away.
4Heavenssake, you dipstick, was that supposed to be clever? I sure hope not.
Zombie, thanks again for the full context.
Your new readers should look at your “anatomy of a photograph” http://www.zombietime.com/sf_rally_september_24_2005/anatomy_of_a_photograph/
That was genious. Simple, clear and devastating to the lie.
I have been appreciating your work for years. Aging hippies with Che Guevara tee-shirts and backpacks are not a pretty sight, but I’m glad you are taking the pictures.
Seriously readers, look at the whole zombietime.com site
He should not have called her “bitch”. “Dumb bitch” would have been more appropriate.
I think Officer Stewart’s use of vulgar language in his altercation with the woman was inappropriate.
Given her actions, he showed remarkable restraint.
What the RMN did is typical of the left wing mainstream media and happens all the time. Is anyone really surprised? If you disobey reasonable commands from the police be prepared to suffer the consequences like a grown-up. Forrest got what she deserved, the officer was exercising his First Amendment Rights by calling her a bitch, which she is.
I’m the last person in the world to defend a Code Pink crazy, but a police officer doesn’t have the right to assault you unless he’s in the process of restraining or subduing you as part of a lawful arrest.
In this case the cop could have restrained her and then arrested her for disobeying a lawful order, or interfering with a lawful arrest.
But he didn’t. Bad move on his part.
As for the cop’s gratuitous “bitch” comment: the First Amendment has nothing to do with anything here. An employer can set up rules for its employeers, saying “its unprofessional to use abusive language, and can in some cases be a firing offense”, and if you go ahead and do so, he might fire you.
In this case, the cop just winds up looking like a bully. He, after all, has got a big riot baton and a firearm, and he is invoking the Police Power of the state. He’s got to be on his best behavior, even if he’s dealing with a moron like the one here. Instead he personalized the situation. On camera. Not cool. Grounds for being disciplined.
Anyone remember seeing the vid of a Baltimore cop verbally abusing some skate-boarding teens, assaulting one of the kids, throwing his skateboard on the ground, and confiscating it? That a*sshole cop rightfully wound up being in deep trouble.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GgWrV8TcUc
This officer should have know that he would be investigated regardless of what was said or done by anyone. Therefore I think he made a mistake in not actually cracking her head open. I mean damn if you’re gonna be accused of brutality you might as well be brutal, right? Besides, one less code pinko moron in the world would be a blessing.
I am dismayed to see the moderator allow Bubba’s post, which essentially advocates police brutality AND the possible killing of a citizen whose politics he (and I) find abhorrent.
I suspect the writer is a leftist troll. His first sentence:
“This officer should have know that he would be investigated regardless of what was said or done by anyone.”
is utter nonsense. if the officer didn’t knock her down his confrontation with her wouldn’t have been commented on. (Are the officers who cuffed and arrested Garcia all being investigated for that?)
If the post isn’t removed, it will be used as an example of the rights alleged fascist tendencies.
Rose and Valery,
Screaming from the gallery: “Let him go free!”
Bang-bang, Maxwell’s silver hammer,
Bang, upon her head!
Bang-bang, Maxwell’s silver hammer,
Bang, upon her head!
Good job, Zombie. While sure police brutality (when occurs) is a disturbing matter, it is also true that often their reactions are justified (if not outright, deliberately provoked for further exploitation). It is a matter of common sense to stay away from melees or incensed crowds with agendae: that young lady was silly enough to expect applauses and cheers in those circumstances – group hysteria & stressed-out cops. Garcia was/is clearly a trouble maker out to score points, and Alicia Forrest an obnoxious girl.
A revisiting of what happened last year in Los Angeles in McArthur Park (on Cinco de Mayo) illustrates on a larger scale this type of situation.
The Daily Kos and Michael Moore have found another martyr.
As a veteran soccer player, I have to applaud Alicia’s performance. In the beautiful game its called “drawing the foul”, or “diving” and she did an excellent job. At the first hint of contact, she hit that pavement like her bones had been liquified. I personally would have rolled around on the ground more, maybe clutch my head some but all things considered she’d make a fine addition to any Euro football squad.
Yes the cop screwed up. He lost his cool, and is going to get at least admin off of this. But before you go critizing him for “beating up on a little lady”, just remember she’s not alone and this wasn’t an isolated incident. That cop had been on the short end of a long day of verbal abuse, incidental harrassment, and tension. That doesn’t excuse what he did, but please spare me the police brutality claims. She wasn’t minding her own business when bully boys in blue attacked her. She deliberately aggravated an already tense situation, with predictable results. If you want to see undue malice, go on youtube and search under south+korean+riot+police to see what real hard cases do. This was just a poor schmuck who had a momentary lapse in judgement and is now going to pay for it, while the grandstanding little princess will receive a hero’s reward.
Oh, and Herb, not that it in any way justifies the hit, but she WAS literally asking for it. I believe the phrase on the video is “F*&king do it again!” Well, there you go.
I served in the Army from 1970-73 and then became a police officer. I remember many such “events” as this type during anti-military protests I saw on TV while in the service and as a police officer surrounded by “hippies” and other “peace-loving flower children.” The more things change, the more they stay the same as the old saying goes. I felt my old adreniline pumping reading this article and especially during the videos with the all too familiar moronic chanting diatribe (I thought broken records went the way of the gooney bird with the advent of CD’s).
Thanks for getting it right. I wish there had been someone interested in the truth back in teh good ole hey-days of “police brutality” phobia run amuck. Amen and amen.
This girl is a wacko, plain and simple.
The officer overstepped his authority by believing he is allowed to assualt other human beings because he wears a uniform, plain and simple.
A member of code pink, anti-American POS. In my eyes the cops, or anyone for that matter, can beat ‘em, kick ‘em, mace ‘em, whatever, to their heart’s content and I’ll never shed a tear.
I may be just a good old country gal, but Ms. Forrest should not be allowed near small children or animals. She is antagonistic and I could see her taunting anyone and anything in order to get what she wants.
Though calling a woman bitch is not stellar police behavior, the officer in question was antagonized. We have no clue what else she said to this man. I do know that protesters, including those with Code Pink, are trained to use language not to support their mantra but to push others over the edge in order show how the government and/or police are against them.
Getting whacked on the head is a badge of honor and pride for this woman. It fed her ego.
This is disheartening. Should that police officer have been a normal citizen and behaved in that way, he wouldn’t stand a chance in court. Give a guy a black suit, badge and beating stick and all of the sudden anyone who says anything he doesn’t like is a target. And idiots applaud a tough guy beating up a girl because she was “code pink” and therefore inhuman.
My what a blessing and example the Christians there could’ve be by standing up for her; by, heaven forbid, acting Christ-like! But those aren’t Christian protesters- they aren’t even Christians. Christ didn’t put political pressure on Caesar to ban prostitution. He talked with a prostitute- defended her from idiots with stones not unlike the idiots above with the signs.
Those anti-gay idiots wouldn’t be satisfied if a gay converted willfully. Christ’s love isn’t the answer for these “Christians”. Only the almighty hand of the Federal Government deserves their loyalty.
- An Ashamed Christian
I was THERE, in fact I was the one PREACHING ON THE BENCH. This guy Garcia walked behind me with a sign and was pulling my shrit, trying to pull me off the park bench. BAD MOVE, as the police behind me saw that, they grabbed him and he then played the victim card. I was there acting on my freedom of speech and freedom of religion as the police protected my rights that day.
Ruben Israel
I was THERE, in fact I was the one PREACHING ON THE BENCH. This guy Garcia walked behind me with a sign and was pulling my shirt trying to pull me off the park bench. BAD MOVE, as the police behind me saw that, they grabbed him and he then played the victim card. I was there acting on my freedom of speech and freedom of religion as the police protected my rights that day.
Ruben Israel