Clashing with APD

Posted by Luke Montavon in Albuquerque

What started as a peaceful demonstration March 31 in downtown Albuquerque turned into a clash with the Albuquerque Police Department, and resulted in use of tear gas and at least four arrests of demonstrators, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Protestors for roughly 12 hours controlled portions of downtown Albuquerque and Central Avenue in response to the shootings of homeless man James Boyd on March 16 and Alfred Redwine on March 25. A community protest was previously held in response to the Boyd shooting. The recent protest was called for by the hacktivist group Anonymous, along with cyber-attacks on Albuquerque public websites. Anonymous is known internationally for its distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) against religious, governmental and corporate entities. In addition to the DDoS attacks, names and personal phone numbers of APD officers were released online.

Demonstrations began at approximately noon in downtown Albuquerque, starting at the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department and civic plaza, continuing to the University of New Mexico via Central Avenue, and switching back and forth between the two locations.

On March 30 demonstrators expressed great sentiment against killings committed by APD. Photo by Luke Montavon

Marchers faced confrontations with APD at different points throughout the day, after ignoring commands to disperse. Concerns were aroused in particular when marchers controlled both lanes of traffic on Central Avenue, blocking emergency medical vehicles; at least one ambulance was unable to enter the hospital as a result of the demonstrations.

At times, however, APD would promptly leave areas, leading to the illusion of a victory for the crowd. However, one organizer was motivated to confront the police, yelling around 4 p.m., “We have to go back [to APD Headquarters 5th & Roma], we need to face them.”

Marchers quickly retraced their steps back to APD headquarters, taking to the rear side of the building facing City Hall. When organizers decided to return to the front of the building, they found APD in riot gear forming a line of defense further up 5th street, resulting in a standoff lasting a couple of hours. This confrontation was ended by demonstrators, followed by a speech from a community member who warned the remaining riot squad: “I do not want to see a war happen here, but know this, if you want to start a war you will not win.”

As marchers continued back toward UNM, APD gathered at Central New Mexico Community College to regroup and reorganize. Brief celebrations ensued in front of the entrance to the UNM campus where marchers (mostly students) held the intersection of Central Avenue and Cornell.

Soon after, marchers spotted police cars a couple of blocks down the road nearby the APD substation. As the marchers approached, the officers present abandoned their post and the substation was overtaken and vandalized. Marchers continued back toward the UNM campus. Consisting of four to five armored SWAT trucks, three  prisoner transport units, mounted police and dozens of officers in riot gear.

At this point, at least half of the crowd took to the sidewalks and many left the site, later to regroup again at APD headquarters. The remaining crowd was repeatedly warned “This is the Albuquerque Police Department, this is an unlawful protest.” The final warning issued: “You have two options 1. Be arrested for engaging in an unlawful demonstration or 2. Disperse.”   Tear gas was deployed around 9:30 p.m. after a protester in a UNM parking lot was spotted with an AK-47 assault rifle; other protesters pleaded for the unidentified man to put away the gun.

On  March 31, a forum was called with Mayor Richard Berry and Chief of Police Gorden Eden to discuss the actions taken by APD at the protest. According to the Albuquerque Journal, Eden said police made a conscious effort to ensure no one was hurt at the event.