Letter: Police Presence at Protest Suppresses Opinion

To the Editor:

I was part of a group .

Two Morris County Sheriff officers requested that the group move across the street. Every person did so despite the fact that we blocked nothing, we were polite and courteous, and we occupied only the public sidewalk.

After a while I wondered why and moved back to the original position. In a short time a sheriff's officer arrived and insisted that I cross over to join the other persons. When I asked why, he had no answer except to say that he had orders and he warned that I would be arrested if I did not move. He could not tell me whose orders or what possible charge, but three times I was told that he would have to take me into custody. I responded that this confrontation was an infringement of my free speech rights and that the "authorities" would have to deal with the ACLU. 

Meantime, across the street, the demonstrators were disbanding. Police intimidation was effective. A fellow protestor encouraged me to walk a 10-step picket route, which we did once and the sherif's officer seemed to be satisfied. 

The incident was a clear example of how police can use unauthorized power to suppress opinions, which may be objectionable to the political power structure. The purpose of this demonstration was only to emphasize that we, The 99%, are being silenced and overwhelmed by the "Citizens United" oligarchy.

We should not allow ourselves to be cowed by police, who act without legal cause when we legally and passively express our rights. Americans DO have the right and the responsibility to speak out on the sidewalk and in the voting booth to defend American democracy. 

I will continue to stand up for a free America.   

–Lewis R. Schwarz
Randolph