Alejandro Queral, Executive Director of the Northwest Constitutional Right Center released the following statement today following the violent arrests of two animal rights protestors by officers of the Portland Police Bureau on Saturday, March 4, 2006.

"Last Saturday, Portland Police Bureau officers and at least one private security guard hired by Schumacher's Fur store appear to have used excessive force during the arrest of two protestors exercising their First Amendment rights.  Video shot by fellow protestors and made available to the Northwest Constitutional Rights Center clearly shows Sgt. Larry Graham violently and intentionally twisting the arm of a protestor after he had been subdued to the ground.   

"The video shows a private security guard believed to be working for Schumacher's pepper spraying observers and protestors as Sgt. Graham continued to twist the arm of the young man.  The video also shows a second protestor slammed against the pavement by another police officer without apparent provocation.

"These attacks upon protestors come after several weeks of escalating intimidation tactics by the Portland Police Bureau against animal rights activists protesting in front of the downtown fur store.  In early February, another animal rights protestor received a $350 ticket for jaywalking.  A couple of weeks later, another protestor was arrested and charged with spitting.  That same day another protestor was arrested by private security guards hired by Nordstrom for chalking a public sidewalk with a political message, a non-destructive activity and protected speech.

"The Center is outraged at these events and is concerned that the level of violence displayed by Sgt. Graham may be the result of poor training, bad policies and lack of citizen oversight. Sgt Graham was previously and directly involved in the pepper spraying of a seven month old baby during the August 22, 2002 protest incident.  After that incident and the subsequent law suit in which the City of Portland paid out close to $1 million in fees, Officer Graham was promoted to Sergeant.  

"The Center will continue to act as a watchdog of police activities, and in particular those actions specifically targeting activists exercising their constitutional rights."