PEORIA -- A Peoria activist protesting government torture and other issues was arrested on July 30 at the Peoria Civic Center.
Razia Ahmed was handcuffed and arrested for criminal trespass in the Peoria Civic Center building.
She had been with a group of Peoria Peace Network demonstrators at the Federal Building. They decided to move their demonstration to the Civic Center, activist Jack Ryan said, where Michelle Obama and Loretta Durbin, wives of the two Illinois senators, were speaking at a "Women for Obama" luncheon.
The Civic Center is a public building supported with tax funds. But a contractor operates the building so it is not public property, a Peoria police officer said.
The group was asked to leave the building but Razia refused, and knelt in protest. She was then arrested. Others went outside but stayed to offer support. They said they would post her bail at the jail.
She later was released from jail and has an Aug. 28 court date.
Seven police vehicles and several officers went to the scene to arrest the non-violent protester.
A flier the group distributed asked "Is this America?" It called for the restoration of habeas corpus, and end to extraordinary renditions and torture, and asked the government to "abide by the U.S. Constitution and the Geneva Conventions" in its treatment of prisoners.
--Elaine Hopkins
UPDATE: On Aug. 9 Razia wrote her account of the arrest:
"On Monday late morning, July 30th, Peoria area peaceniks and I donned orange jumpsuits like the prisoners wear and put black hoods over our head to protest mistreatment of prisoners and other related actions of the United States.
"After demonstrating in front of the federal building we decided to move to Civic Center where Michele Obama was speaking at a fund raising luncheon. The press was already there to cover Obama. It must have been quite a sight - all dressed in orange jump suits and wearing black hoods over our heads walking in line one behind the other.
"Obviously the press was curious, while interviewing Jack Ryan they took pictures/videos of all of us.
"A man in yellow shirt (the management?) ordered every one out. I was a little distance away from the rest and did not fully comprehend the situation except that every one was leaving including some press. Like a sheep I started following the crowd, but some thing inside made me stop and kneel on the carpeted floor. I heard the man in yellow shirt yelling at the remaining press not to shoot. Then he came and asked me to leave. I told him I'd like to ask Michelle Obama: what her husband was planning to do about the issues that concern us.
"The man in yellow shirt was very rude and arrogant, told me again to leave or he'll call the police. I repeated my request, he refused.
"Then came a woman, Bonnie somebody, asked me to leave. She was a little better than the man in the yellow shirt. She told me to go outside the building and she'll ask Obama if she'd talk to me. I told her I'd wait inside while she arranges a meeting. She even called some one on the phone to go to Obama. I offered to take my hood and jumpsuit off while I wait for Obama's response. Bonnie and I were still talking when the police came and told me to leave or risk arrest. I started to tell them what I was trying to do but they did not let me finish my sentence and put handcuffs on me.
"While I was led to the police car Bonnie came and told me that Michelle Obama would like to talk to me and I should contact the office.
"If any one would like to come, my court date is August 28 at 9 am in room 321, Peoria County Courthouse."
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