Cheri Honkala's Statement on July 4th Action
Wednesday, October 08, 2003

This morning our attorney, Paul Messing, filed a lawsuit in Federal Court before Judge Dalzell on behalf of myself and Galen Tyler against the Philadelphia Police Department, as individuals, officers, and officials.

On July 4th, Galen, myself and members and supporters of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union intended to raise attention to the issue of homelessness on Opening Day of the National Constitution Center, and to practice our 1st, 4th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution. Instead, they were denied.

For some reason, on that day law enforcement decided what kind of constitutional rights I would have. None. Even though I, Galen and the KWRU have over a decade of non-violent civil disobedient history in this city, including a non-violent march of over 10,000 people during the Republican National Convention. Instead of Galen and I being able to use our V.I.P. tickets and go into the Constitution Center and return home later that night to my son and his grandparents who had just arrived in town from Puerto Rico, Galen and myself instead found ourselves being subjected to unreasonable force. In over 100 degree heat I sat dripping wet, with handcuffs so tight I lost sensation in my hands as I tried to not pass out in the back of the paddy wagon as it sat parked somewhere near the Liberty Bell.

Galen Tyler received the worst, as several officers jumped on him from behind and then subjected him to an intrusive body search. Later he would visit Pennsylvania Hospital. But the worst was yet to come. After laying with wet clothes, Galen and I were then placed in the freezing cold holding cells for several hours. About five hours into the evening I would soon learn that bail was being set at $5,000 for me and that Galen and I were being charged with aggravated assault of an officer and we would not be released for the next couple days.

Today what we have for you are two things: 1) the facts, and 2) a message. The facts are presented to the public by way of the police officers' own testimony presented here in the court's transcript, and secondly by way of this video tape that taped everything that happened that day.

Galen and I were given over eight charges, none of which were committed. The felonies alone could have sent us away for 14 years. Behavior like this is serious and has to be put to a stop. We cannot let liberty fall through the cracks.

Our message today is this: No Ashcroft, No Ridge, No Bush and No law enforcement officials will take away the only thing we have as poor people in this country, and that is our voice. If you don't want to hear about poverty, hunger and homelessness, then end it and stop trying to hide it. If we the people don't begin to demand answers to law enforcement's behaviors, such as wire-tapping in the Mayor's office, or the silencing of America's poor, and instead decide to live in fear, then we as a city and a nation are really in trouble.

- Cheri Honkala, KWRU