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Protesters plead not guilty
Published Tuesday, October 27, 2009
All three people arrested and charged during the Oct. 17 protest at the downtown veterans memorial have now pleaded not guilty to various misdemeanor counts.
Michael Christopher Lawson, 21, of Memphis but also residing in Minneapolis, and Naomi Alaska Snoozy, 21, of Minneapolis, both pleaded not guilty Monday to disorderly conduct charges.
Snoozy also pleaded not guilty to one count of obstructing the legal process.
The two are listed with the same Minnehaha Avenue address.
A third person, 20-year-old Matthew Donald Novak of Austin, pleaded not guilty to unlawful assembly and misdemeanor property damage Oct. 19.
All three suspects are scheduled for pre-trial hearings on June 17 of next year.
According to a police report, Snoozy, Lawson and Novak were counter-protesting a gathering organized by Austin resident and member of the National Socialist Movement Samuel Johnson decrying illegal immigration.
The three were joined by at least 25 to 30 others who pushed in on Johnson and three of his supporters while they spoke. A number of people threw tomatoes, cups of Jell-O and other objects at the neo-Nazis, the report states.
Novak stepped on Johnson’s public address speaker during the melee, according to the report, but the 20-year-old said it was accidental.
He was then arrested without confrontation.
Snoozy was told by an officer to back up as she got closer to the neo-Nazis but refused, the report states.
The officer then put out at his hand and said, “Can you step back, ma’am?” Snoozy replied by saying she was a boy and continued to push forward.
When the officer took control of Snoozy by the hand, she went limp and fell to the ground, according to the report. Another officer assisted in carrying her away from the crowd.
While in jail, Snoozy said she was a boy but not born with any male parts. She said she’d be more comfortable staying with men in jail.
Snoozy was released that day and the report does not indicate if she was detained with men or women.
Lawson was spotted being verbally aggressive and throwing fruit toward the neo-Nazis, the report states.
An officer used a chemical spray to subdue him and bring him in to custody.
Because so many people were clustered, the spray inevitably hit others, according to the report, but no one had reported their exposure to law enforcement officials at the time of the report.
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Comments
Posted by Rhino (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow.. a not guilty plea that is true.
Posted by notsuprised (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There's got to be some sort of welcome to downtown Austin slogan for this. She males? Nazis? Illegals? A person couldn't make this stuff up if they tried.
Posted by formeraustinian (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To the ADH: Why would you automatically place this article in the "hot issues" area when there are only 2 comments and neither are controversial? Are you attempting to make it an issue where there isn't one? Way to be objective on your reporting - ONCE AGAIN - NOT!!!
Posted by Aletheia_Kratos (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Former - they always pick the article that they think will get the comments far before it actually has comments. Please try to pay attention and keep up with the rest of the class.
The former articles about this protest/counter-protest generated a huge number of comments. Based on that alone, it was a fair pick.
As for the not guilty plea being true or not true - it is clear from the videos of the protest that these folks wanted desperately to get arrested. On that basis alone I have decided that our police would have been better served by laughing at them rather than arresting them.
On the other hand when a person (man, woman, or in between) is dead set on getting arrested I do suppose that we should oblige them and put the shackles on them. That way they can get their "Arrested at a Silly Rally" merit badge and earn the respect of their fellow jobless rally hunters.
Posted by PrettyBird (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
maybe next rally we as austin folk could set up the area with bouquets of flowers to welcome those attending! maybe this would settle them down or set the mood!?
not guilty?! uhhh kind of a no brainer to me...guilt as charged!
Posted by formeraustinian (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here we go again with another of AK's diatribes! All this idiot can do is continually put down others and attempt to make herself look smart. I have asked in the past and am now asking again for AK to refrain from commenting on my posts. If anything this jerk said was worthwhile it would be one thing, but I'm tired of the nasty comments - AGAIN!! And yes, I have stooped to her level. I apologize to all(except AK) but I am sick to death of the insulting comments.
Posted by dirtyduster (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
why didnt the person whom slapped the cell phone out of someones hand get arrested.....that looked like it may have started the whole mess...
Posted by gohan1231234 (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"why didnt the person whom slapped the cell phone out of someones hand get arrested.....that looked like it may have started the whole mess..."
Because it seems, the police are there to protect the Nazi's and would rather target transgender people than avowed white supremacists and facists.
Posted by gohan1231234 (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You shouldn't be the list bit surprised they pleaded not guilty based on the officer's ridiculous actions that day. They were making arrests at will, and used an entirely inappropriate amount of force.
You better believe folks are going to stand up for their rights, and the community will be right there standing with them in support!
Posted by Aletheia_Kratos (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 3:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Former has to be the funniest poster on this forum. I guess the joke about trying to keep up really got someone in a tizzy.
A suggestion for all - if you come here and start swinging (even if it is at the paper's staff) you might expect to get a tiny sarcastic slap back - especially if your swinging is silly on its face. It is damn hard not to crack jokes about clowns.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How long until the KKK marches in Austin?
Posted by Aletheia_Kratos (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it would be waaay better for us to have a Snoozy parade. When can we get the counter protesters back for another show?
Posted by chiodos (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't really think including how the Snoozy told police that she was a man in a girl's body really went along with the story.. I mean it kinda sounds rather personal to be included in a public forum.. but what do I know.. I'm no newspaper writer.
Posted by leftthehatebehind (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, Snoozy's gender issues should not be part of the story as it really has nothing to do with WHY this person was arrested... even if the officer called Snoozy "ma’am" before the arrest, what Snoozy told an officer when jailed should not be part of this.
It's typical though...
Posted by Aletheia_Kratos (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What are you reading? The officer asked Snoozy to step back and referred to him as a Ma'am. He immediately said he was not a Ma'am but was a man. There was nothing private about the exchange. In fact it is all on video.
Posted by GWAnderson (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a case the police must win, if they lose the police will be in big trouble. Violation of their (protesters) civil rights. There is a lot of film of police miscoduct at this event. Wait for all the film that was taken showing police misconduct against the protesters. It will come out at the trial
The police knew about the Nazis and the counter protester more than a week in advance.
It is my opinion that the police were suporting the Nazi and wanted to arrest as many protester as they could. They also protected the Nazi.
Hitler would have been proud of the Austin Keystone Kops. He couldn't have gotten as good of protection & beating up those who disagreed him than from his own brown shirts could have done.
Gordon W. Anderson
Posted by Big (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gordon W. Anderson is a total idiot... You're saying that the Austin Cops are Nazis??? Get a clue... According to the previous article- the police arrested the people that were physically aggressive... It has nothing to do with "protecting" Nazis...
Posted by JayJ (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 2 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Our fathers and their fathers risked it all. Many passed away fighting a foe seeking world domination, including the USA. Why do some insist on capitalizilng the term nazi? Webster might say so, but sorry, I won't do it.
Posted by formeraustinian (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by leftthehatebehind (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Aletheia_Kratos what are you reading? Re-read my post. I am talking about the latter.
Posted by chiodos (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To me it just sounded like a typical media tactic to throw something in there thats inapropriate just to make the readers have another reason to be against the offender is all.
They video taped her while booking her and saying she was a boy in a girls body? I wasn't referring to the ma'am/man part.
Posted by cooper (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Still no one knows why the Nazi that slaped the phone out of the persons hand wasn't arrested both sides were wrong and I feel that arrest should have been made on the Nazi side also. KTTC has shown the video of that event no arrest and I want to know why? My understanding of the law is that the minute that any contact was made that it is a form of assault, but no arrest on tha Nazi part, Why?
Posted by Aletheia_Kratos (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I suspect it has something to do with the fact that your understanding of the law is false.
Posted by cooper (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ak an assault is something that can be done without even touching someone. Battery is the willful or intentional touching of a person. This doesn't have to cause injury. It sure didn't look to me like the person with the phone was asking the Nazi to slap it out of his hand. Thus I think that my understanding of the law is preatty much on. And an arrest should have been made there as well. I am not trying to knock the APD they have a hard job and no matter what they did that day someone would have been complaining and calling them names. These men and women deserve our respect. Like I said in my other post both sides were wrong and both should have had the common sense to know better.
Posted by knight777 (anonymous) on October 29, 2009 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
former:
So you are sick and tired of some of us commenting on your posts. Solve your problem and not post your drivil and lies. Simple solution for you. I bet you never thought of it.
former: Have you ever asked why illegal immigrant proponents have never mentioned Centro Campesino's Brown Berets ? What force or assignments do they have for the illegal invasion plan?
Federal Immigration and Nationality Act: "Any person who..encourages or induces an alien to..reside..knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such...residence is..in violation of law, shall be punished as provided...for each alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs...fined under title 18...imprisoned not more than 5 years or both."
"A person (including a groujp of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:....assists an alien she or he should reasonably know is illegaly in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment..
...encourages that alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way...
...knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions."
Note to some: Fraudulent marriages are equally against the law. ... and there is more.
Just look at your (and others) racist claims and try to understand why you are laughed at. Federal immigration laws are not racist. Those people who want Federal Immigration laws enforced .... are not racist. Only the ignorant and un-informed like you scream, stomp your feet, argue in vain and try to intimidate everyone. You have no laws or legality for your claims. You will lose this war.
Posted by GWAnderson (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Big since you are anonymous, you are do not stand by what you wrote. I never called the Austin Police "Nazi", you did.
"According to the previous article- the police arrested the people that were physically aggressive. You should check out all the facts."
A Nazi did get physically aggressive by attacking a person, knocking a cell/camera phone out of his hand. This is at the least a Gross misdemeanor, should be a felony.
"It has nothing to do with "protecting" Nazis..."
It seems to me when the police refuse to arrest a person who committed the most serious crime that happened that day, they are protecting him.
Big since you are anonymous, don't bother to respond unless you use your real name.
Gordon W. Anderson
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