Officer Down

Following an Anti-G8 march in San Francisco over the weekend three people are facing a variety of felony charges in connection with a serious head injury suffered by a police officer during a confrontations with some protesters. Following the incident, according to KESQ, police arrested 21-year-old Cody Tarlow of Felton, 31-year-old Doritt Ernst of Berkeley and 28-year-old Gabriel Meyers. The three were charged with attempted lynching, aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon and other offenses.

Deputy Police Chief Greg Suhr said Saturday that the officer was in serious but stable condition with brain swelling at San Francisco General Hospital. He is expected to recover.

Police spokeswoman, Maria Oropeza, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the officer and his partner were driving along answering a call about protest “vandalism” when someone allegedly threw a mattress underneath their car. "They got out to apprehend the suspects, at which point they were surrounded by a crowd," Oropeza said. "One of the officers was struck on the head by an unidentified object."

According to protesters, the mattress was actually a styrofoam sign, there was no fire (as was alleged by some), but a smoke bomb was thrown toward the cop’s car. According to one post on San Francisco Independent Media, “…the police officer who jumped out of the car began swinging his nightstick at people…”

Another post on San Francisco Independent Media stated after the officer was struck, “A legal observer then informed other officers nearby who were beating protesters that there was an officer down. This then became their top priority and a bunch more cops showed up on the scene. These cops began swinging and attacking anyone they could see (even the legal observer who told them about the injured officer). They cleared the scene and called for an ambulance.”

If any Oread Daily readers happened to have been on the scene, feel free to comment. Sources: San Francisco Independent Media Center, KESQ (San Francisco), San Francisco Chronicle