BY ANTHONY PÉREZ AND SOPHIE BROWN
DES MOINES, Iowa - "I am here today protesting the abusive treatment my companion and I received at the hands of four FBI agents and two Des Moines cops," said Ardella Blandford, Socialist Workers candidate for Des Moines City Council, at an August 19 news conference in front of Des Moines City Hall. "They barged into our home without showing us their search warrant until after they had forced Rick to the floor, handcuffed him, and handcuffed me. When I questioned them about why they were there and their right to handcuff us, one agent said, `You have no rights right now! Sit down and shut up!' "

The previous evening, FBI agents and Des Moines police forced their way into the home of Blandford and Rick Haines. After manhandling the two, the cops ransacked the apartment without explanation. They searched kitchen cabinets, living room shelves, and the bedroom. The cops took photos of the apartment, and a number of items were put in evidence bags, but apparently nothing was taken when the cops left.

Fifteen minutes into the raid one of the cops dropped a search warrant on a coffee table; Blandford and Haines were still handcuffed, however, and could not read it. The police said they were looking for two articles of clothing that were allegedly related to a crime. Later one cop admitted, "This doesn't have to do with you. You're not under arrest." They asserted that the search had to do with Haines's brother, who they claimed was a suspect in an armed robbery.

Blandford learned several hours later that Haines's brother had faced the same abuse by FBI agents across town. His home was searched but agents released him after the raid without charges.

"The way they treated Rick and I is the cops' standard operating procedure for working people," Blandford charged. "I protest this abuse not just for myself but for all working people who are beaten up, framed up, and treated like animals by cops everywhere." The candidate is a member of United Auto Workers Local 270. Blandford announced, "Today I am filing a complaint against the FBI and the Des Moines police" for their conduct.

Attorney Sally Frank, a member of the National Lawyers Guild, sent a message to the conference stating, "I would hope that incidents like this do not recur."

Earl Simes, a farmer from Radcliffe, Iowa joined with those protesting the police harassment. In a statement sent for the news conference he said, "Who should worry? Absolutely each and every one of us... This is deplorable to treat Ardella this way."

Socialist Workers mayoral candidate Tom Alter told the press, "Our campaign calls on working people, farmers, and youth to reject and protest the attack on the democratic rights of my running mate and the two other workers involved in this outrageous police abuse." Alter, who is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers, pointed to other cases of brutality like the attack on Abner Louima by New York police. He added that the victory of the Teamsters who struck against UPS should be celebrated by all working people. Both he and Blandford had been out to the picket lines earlier that day. The socialists have been the only candidates in the city election to join with protests against the police killing of Charles Dudley, Jr. in Des Moines in June.

The news conference was covered by Channel 8 TV news and Cityview, a weekly newspaper. Another radio interview was done by phone later in the day, and another is scheduled later in the week.

Two college students who met supporters of the socialist campaign petitioning to put Alter and Blandford on the ballot, attended the event. Laura Schacherer, one of these youth, said in an interview, "I think it is absolutely ridiculous that the police think that people have no rights and that they are not accountable to working-class people."  
 
 
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