BY RON RICHARDS
SAN JUAN - While selling Pathfinder books and socialist periodicals here October 21, this reporter was arrested for obstruction of justice and selling without a vendor's permit.
The arrest came as I was staffing two tables on a public sidewalk in Barrio Obrero, a working-class neighborhood with many immigrants from the Dominican Republic. In response to a call from the manager of a nearby supermarket, the police arrived in a joint patrol with the Puerto Rico National Guard, with three guardsmen toting semi-automatic AR-15 rifles.
I immediately began taking notes of the names and badge numbers of the policeman and guardsmen. At one point the police officer and one of the guardsmen physically ripped the notes from my hand and destroyed them. The cop then put on a bulletproof vest covering his badge.
I agreed to leave but after asking the police and guardsmen to identify themselves I was arrested.
A National Guard member said, "I'm the law and you have no rights."
At a probable cause hearing October 23, I was represented by attorney Arturo Hernández. Three members of the Political Formation Workshop attended the hearing in solidarity. A trial is set for November 10. The newspaper Claridad has run a story about the case.