Luke Rudkowski and two others arrested by NYPD - now released!

[Libertarian Perspective]

You can just see what kind of a country America has become if mayors have to cower in fear while they get police thugs to arrest some guy who wants to ask some questions and is not being threatening or abusive. Luke is not making a big deal out of it, IT IS a big deal. What happened to trying to ask questions and get redress of greviance that is what Hitler and Stalin did, not what American officials should do.[
quote author=TheHouseMan link=topic=96045.msg564570#msg564570 date=1238411249]
This seems like a bit of a drama queen affair. How bad could it have been? He was detained for a few hours.. boo hoo.
[/quote]

That kind of attitude is what is bringing America down.

[Dig]

This seems like a bit of a drama queen affair. How bad could it have been? He was detained for a few hours.. boo hoo.

Yeah kidnapping, false imprisonment, abuse of power, assault, and violations of the constitution really should not even be mentioned anymore on this site.  I mean Bloomberg is a hard worker, he should be allowed to tag and bag anyone he wants. (wtf?)

[Dig]

Real Journalism Versus “Professional Journalism”
http://www.prisonplanet.com/real-journalism-versus-professional-journalism.html
George Washington’s Blog
Monday, March 30, 2009

If Jon Stewart walked out of his studio with his camera crew, went to where establishment figures were speaking, and threw tough questions at them, you’d get something like We Are Change.

The We Are Change reporters have asked the tough questions - a la Stewart (well, minus the comedy) - to former presidents, secretaries of defense, leading Neocons and Iraq war architects, and many other establishment figures.

So their interviews are syndicated nationally and they’ve all received Pulitzer prizes, right?

Not exactly . . .

We Are Change founder Luke Rudowski was arrested for trying to ask New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg about his refusal to pay for the health care of 9/11 first responders.

The charges? “Impersonating a member of the press” and trespassing.


Professional Journalism

Freud’s nephew, Edward Bernays, created the concept of “professional journalism”. What is professional journalism, you may ask?

Renowned veteran journalist John Pilger summarizes it as follows:

Edward Bernays, the so-called father of public relations, wrote about an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. He was referring to journalism, the media. That was almost 80 years ago, not long after corporate journalism was invented. It is a history few journalist talk about or know about, and it began with the arrival of corporate advertising. As the new corporations began taking over the press, something called “professional journalism” was invented. To attract big advertisers, the new corporate press had to appear respectable, pillars of the establishment-objective, impartial, balanced. The first schools of journalism were set up, and a mythology of liberal neutrality was spun around the professional journalist. The right to freedom of expression was associated with the new media and with the great corporations, and the whole thing was, as Robert McChesney put it so well, “entirely bogus”.For what the public did not know was that in order to be professional, journalists had to ensure that news and opinion were dominated by official sources, and that has not changed. Go through the New York Times on any day, and check the sources of the main political stories-domestic and foreign-you’ll find they’re dominated by government and other established interests. That is the essence of professional journalism. I am not suggesting that independent journalism was or is excluded, but it is more likely to be an honorable exception. Think of the role Judith Miller played in the New York Times in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. Yes, her work became a scandal, but only after it played a powerful role in promoting an invasion based on lies. Yet, Miller’s parroting of official sources and vested interests was not all that different from the work of many famous Times reporters, such as the celebrated W.H. Lawrence, who helped cover up the true effects of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August, 1945. “No Radioactivity in Hiroshima Ruin,” was the headline on his report, and it was false.

Consider how the power of this invisible government has grown. In 1983 the principle global media was owned by 50 corporations, most of them American. In 2002 this had fallen to just 9 corporations. Today it is probably about 5. Rupert Murdoch has predicted that there will be just three global media giants, and his company will be one of them. This concentration of power is not exclusive of course to the United States. The BBC has announced it is expanding its broadcasts to the United States, because it believes Americans want principled, objective, neutral journalism for which the BBC is famous. They have launched BBC America. You may have seen the advertising.

The BBC began in 1922, just before the corporate press began in America. Its founder was Lord John Reith, who believed that impartiality and objectivity were the essence of professionalism. In the same year the British establishment was under siege. The unions had called a general strike and the Tories were terrified that a revolution was on the way. The new BBC came to their rescue. In high secrecy, Lord Reith wrote anti-union speeches for the Tory Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and broadcast them to the nation, while refusing to allow the labor leaders to put their side until the strike was over.

So, a pattern was set. Impartiality was a principle certainly: a principle to be suspended whenever the establishment was under threat. And that principle has been upheld ever since.

And as Newseek’s Evan Thomas admits in a new article:

By definition, establishments believe in propping up the existing order. Members of the ruling class have a vested interest in keeping things pretty much the way they are. Safeguarding the status quo, protecting traditional institutions, can be healthy and useful, stabilizing and reassuring….

“If you are of the establishment persuasion (and I am). . . .”

Virtually all mainstream reporters are “establishment” journalists like Thomas. This is just another way of saying “professional” journalists in the sense Bernays used that term.

(This does not mean that everyone who makes their living through journalism is a sell-out. Some people do make some or all of their income as journalists and alternative news site operators, but aren’t afraid to question those in power.)
The Significance of Rudowski’s Arrest

The media organization which sponsors Rudowski is Infowars.com, a website which has many times the readership of small town “establishment” or “professional” newspapers. Indeed, given the popularity of Infowars and its sister sites, Prisonplanet.com and Jonesreport.com, the Infowars news network probably has more readers than all but the largest traditional newspapers.


So the issue cannot be one of size or audience.

The real question is whether real journalists will have access to those in power, and so be able to exercise the stereotypical role of the “Fourth Estate” in asking hard-hitting questions to our leaders in government.

Rudowski’s arrest - like Amy Goodman’s arrest at the RNC convention for documenting violence against protestors - is an attempt to crack down on real attempts to question the powers-that-be and to document their actions.

If “professional” journalists with a “vested interest in keeping things pretty much the way they are” are the only ones allowed to speak with those holding the reigns of governmental power, then freedom of the press is dead in America. And if freedom of the press is dead, so is democracy.

[Dig]

Activists Arrested For Asking Bloomberg A Question Plan Countersuit
Released We Are Change members tell of “inhumane, insane surreal” experience
http://www.prisonplanet.com/activists-arrested-for-asking-bloomberg-a-question-plan-countersuit.html
Paul Joseph Watson Prison Planet.com Monday, March 30, 2009

We Are Change New York members have described the “inhumane, insane and surreal” experience of being arrested by police for asking Mayor Bloomberg a question and promise that “the full story of this incident is yet to be heard.”

Luke Rudkowski, along with fellow We Are Change members Manny and Anthony, were all arrested on Saturday night for asking Bloomberg a question about 9/11 first responders outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue.

They followed orders by police to stay in one designated area and yet were arrested for trespassing and were later hit with the charge of “impersonating a journalist,” despite having Infowars press credentials.

As The George Washington Blog points out today, “The media organization which sponsors Rudkowski is Infowars.com, a website which has many times the readership of small town “establishment” or “professional” newspapers. Indeed, given the popularity of Infowars and its sister sites, Prisonplanet.com and Jonesreport.com, the Infowars news network probably has more readers than all but the largest traditional newspapers. So the issue cannot be one of size or audience.”

Our recent exclusive report about the MIAC controversy became a national story, being covered by Fox News and the Associated Press, amongst hundreds of other mainstream news outlets. To claim that Infowars is not a genuine media outfit is manifestly absurd.


“Rudkowski’s arrest - like Amy Goodman’s arrest at the RNC convention for documenting violence against protestors - is an attempt to crack down on real attempts to question the powers-that-be and to document their actions,” concludes the George Washington Blog.

The We Are Change members have all now finally been released from Manhattan central bookings. They plan to air a live web broadcast at 10pm Eastern tonight to tell the full story and broadcast footage that led up to the incident. However, since the prosecution has seized all three of the group’s cameras and footage of the incident as criminal evidence, new cameras will have to be purchased.

We Are Change are asking all concerned activists to help them buy more cameras and create a legal defense fund by making a donation. They are also asking anyone who can offer legal services to contact bri.wearechange@gmail.com.

The court case will be in two months and the group is planning a countersuit on the basis of false arrest, official oppression and violation of the 1st amendment.

“You can try to stop me, but you cant stop the idea of CHANGE! This is not over by any means,” promises Luke Rudkowski.

[Dig]

Anthony, Manny and Luke are safe home, live broadcast coming soon.
http://wearechange.org
Posted: Monday, March 30, 2009


This is Luke Rudkowski here, just got home from the most inhuman place in NYC, Manhattan central bookings. The stories that I have from that place and about everything that has happened while shooting for my new film "Truth to Power" is insane and surreal.

I will try to buy another camera tomorrow in between my class's in order to give a live video broadcast this Monday March 30th, 10PM Eastern Time on wearechange.org.

I have to buy another camera because the prosecution is keeping all 3 WeAreChange cameras and footage of the incident as criminal evidence. From conversations between wearechange and the mayors office before the incident, to the police department seizing footage of the arrest, you will hear it all on the live broadcast 10Pm Eastern here on WeAreChange. The full story of this incident is yet to be heard.

Special shouts out to Manny and Anthony for being in their with me, these men showed tremendous amounts of courage in the face of intimidation and threats by police intelligence as they filmed the events and were arrested.

I am going to make this a huge issue, all donations will go to the legal defense of wearechange and a counter suit. Anything we can get is greatly appreciated, especially if people can send us used cameras or are able to donate their legal services, the court case is going to be in 2 months.

You can try to stop me, but you cant stop the idea of CHANGE! This is not over by any means.

[mr anderson]

Yeah kidnapping, false imprisonment, abuse of power, assault, and violations of the constitution really should not even be mentioned anymore on this site.  I mean Bloomberg is a hard worker, he should be allowed to tag and bag anyone he wants. (wtf?)

This seems like a bit of a drama queen affair. How bad could it have been? He was detained for a few hours.. boo hoo.

"Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their f**king skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do what we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!"

"Yeah, you really got my act down good, guys. That'll be great. You know, when I'm done ranting about elite power that rules the planet under a totalitarian government that uses the media in order to keep people stupid, my throat gets parched. That's why I drink orange drink." (After being asked to do an advertisement for orange drink)

Bill Hicks

[Libertarian Perspective]

So how can I donate to WeAreChange?
Is it on their website? I genuinely want to help Luker get justice in this unfair matter and I beleive that it is up to us the peopel to sort this issue out and support each other, otherwise if we do nothing, our inaction will allow tyrany to set in.

[psy0ps]

Yeah kidnapping, false imprisonment, abuse of power, assault, and violations of the constitution really should not even be mentioned anymore on this site.  I mean Bloomberg is a hard worker, he should be allowed to tag and bag anyone he wants. (wtf?)

There NEEDS to be a law suit for every one of those you mentioned and make them think twice before ever doing this again!!

[Dig]

the prosecution is keeping all 3 WeAreChange cameras and footage of the incident as criminal evidence

Evidence of what? Evidence of a totalitarian, tyrannical regime in Bloomberg's elite dystopia? Evidence of how f-d up a mayor can be (and this is after Koch and Giuliani)? Evidence of Mike Bloomberg taking a huge f**king shit on the constitution? Evidence that Bloomberg rather kidnap, assault, steal, extort, and intimidate rather than answer a qestion? Evidence that Michael Bloomberg is a raving psychopathic lunatic drunk with so much false power that he can no longer function in society? Bloomberg is really working hard to avoid murder charges for preventing an investigation into the EPA, 911 dust, and denying health insurance for the first responders. Bloomberg is going completely insane with a mixture of cowardly fear and power. I mean by now it is obvious that Bloomberg has conspired to deny the 9/11 first responders any possible justice and basic human rights.  His actions have let to the death of hundreds of 9/11 emergency workers. Just admit your crimes Bloomberg, everybody already knows.

[creat3d]

So how can I donate to WeAreChange?

There's a call for online donations at http://www.wearechange.org/

[agentbluescreen]

We love you Luke.

Thanks for your service to our country and to truth.

hurting their side and strengthening ours.

xoxo,

Cali

The thing that alarmed me the most is the fact that freedom of the press is history in Post-EisenBushie AmeriKa

Ever since the traitor Eisenhower signed the criminal and unconstitutional NDA/DRO of Rep/Senator LBJ and then after the Church Commission Poppy Bush installed his criminal "Mighty Wurlitzer" CIA Mafia news gatekeepers army to protect his drug empire it has been impossible to publish a genuine news report in Bush's AmeriKaKA!

These creep criminals at NYPD have a Stasi officer responsible for disinforming a special select corporate-socialist interest-group of paid shills with official CIA Mafia Mighty Wurlitzer Corporate Propaganda System 'passes' only as to what crimes they are committing and what innocent persons they have seized and are imprisoning without charges.

Since when does 'the press' ONLY INCLUDE paid card carrying employees of the CIA Mafia's Corporate Propaganda Outlets?

In the America of Our Constitution "THE PRESS" is anyone with a pen or keyboard or microphone, or camera,  and an internet connection, stack of blank DVD's, printer or a sheet of paper.

Since when is it that in order to be a 'REPORTER" one had to be the employee of a CIA Mafia "EDITOR"?

[chris jones]

I salute and cheer for Luke and his partners, Bless his heart.

 I do not cheer for the the pols.

Bloomberg is a piz in the wind, he is but a stooge following the lead of the imperialists NWO. But he is a politician in power, does that ring bells.

The nation is divided, the haves and have nots, the power and the powerless or peons.

MSN, is hype for government controlled propaganda. They, the elitists control artists have been buggering us for the past 50 years or more. it has now come to its final stages.

Psuedo Americans, our people who have no FN idea what tryany is, who are holding on to the illusion of yestayear, or are seeking to join the what they may beleive is the winning side.

The simple fact that we have genocided 1,300,000 in Iraq , forged by lies and deceptions, and the majority didn't blink an eye, does that not say it all. The rhetoric, remember, ( and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea). Where did that go???

In the final analaysis there will be a majority of our people who swarm to Oby's NWO, his supposed change. They are either brainless followers, ones who prefer the lie over the reality, or they are power grubbers on a lower level but equal to that of our illustrious leaders.

My take on this, the Silent majority has been the wall to freedom, used by the pols for over a generation. It was this way during Nam, and this situation continues. The power needs them, uses them, and feeds them sugar coated shiite, the SM's look no further. They the power are masters of human nature, they have the numbers down to a science, and the fear tactics are refined to a point that terror is imbedded into the hearts of this nations populace, they will not admit it, but its there. SO-They prefer the lie.

We are a different breed, simply because we do not accept their lies, we seek truth, therfor we are a threat. Perhaps we are the last remaining Americans, constututional beleivers, bill of rights .

The takedown of this nation is in its final stages, we as truthers can not dissalow this, the family of truth  is growing, it will not be much longer that the SM's can avoid the truth.

[Mike Philbin]

beautiful Hicks post - you could post his stuff all day for me - Hicks was a politicomic genius.

Luke, can't wait for your report surrounding the event of your arrest.

[Phil R.]

Awesome news.  Can't wait to hear what he says about all of this.

[Libertarian Perspective]

There's a call for online donations at http://www.wearechange.org/

Yes I have donated about $10 for Luke. I hope that they sue the mayor and the police officers who broke his First Ammendment rights. 

[nustada]

Yes I have donated about $10 for Luke. I hope that they sue the mayor and the police officers who broke his First Ammendment rights. 

I wonder if you sue the police personally, if a Claus can be made that they can never receive a bonus or raise from the city so they cant be compensated with taxpayers money.

[peepnklown]

NYPD will just use state money in the court-case so we must hold each officer and other superior officers involved personally responsible for their crimes.

[Puff1]

... so we must hold each officer and other superior officers involved personally responsible for their crimes.

Good luck with that.

[ridebmx]

dEATH TO THE NEW WORLD ORDER

Peace will prevail

[jimwill]

the prosecution is keeping all 3 WeAreChange cameras and footage of the incident as criminal evidence

I wouldn't be surprised if the footage comes up all blank - or the scum have taken them and shot porno, so they can have SOMETHING to charge Luke & co. with!

[37]

"Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it."
--Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 1786.

"I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents."
--Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington

“The free press is the mother of all our liberties and of our progress under liberty”
--Adlai E. Stevenson

"The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed. The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure."
 --Thomas Jefferson

"The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves, nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe."
--Thomas Jefferson

[ridebmx]

"Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it."
--Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 1786.

"I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents."
--Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington

“The free press is the mother of all our liberties and of our progress under liberty”
--Adlai E. Stevenson

"The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed. The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure."
 --Thomas Jefferson

"The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves, nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe."
--Thomas Jefferson

Terrorist alert, terrorist alert !

The Constitution is off limits!

[37]

Terrorist alert, terrorist alert !

The Constitution is off limits!

Guilty as charged. 


These New York cops are just redcoats. 

The British were constantly looking for the "author of Common Sense", Thomas Paine.

They probably wanted to arrest him for "impersonating the press". 


I studied Journalism in college.  It was just ridiculous.  How to sell what you write or how to write what will sell.  No mention of the ethics of objective journalism.  That's why I changed my major.  I should have stuck with it, though, that's part of how they weeded the good people out of the press. 

[Eckhart Tolle]

NEW YORK Criminal Court
Docket 2009NY025417
Defendant RUDKOWSKI, LUKASZ

Law Code and Code Section/Subsection
   

PL 140.10 0A *** TOP CHARGE ***

Charge Detail
   

B Misdemeanor, 1 count, Not an arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description:   CRIM TRESPASS 3RD:ENCLSD PROP


NEW YORK Criminal Court
Docket: 2009NY025417
Defendant: RUDKOWSKI, LUKASZ
Born 1986

Arrest/Incident Date/Time
   

Arrest Date: March 28, 2009
Arrest Time: 20:00
Incident Date: March 28, 2009
Incident Time:

Case Related Numbers
   

Criminal Justice Tracking Number: 63492611J
NYSID Number: 5608516J
Arrest Number: M09629465
Summons/Ticket Number:

Arresting Officer Info
   

Agency: NYPD
Officer Command: 18

NEW YORK Criminal Court
Docket 2009NY025417
Defendant RUDKOWSKI, LUKASZ

Appearance Information:
Appearance
Part & Date    Judge    Calendar
Section    Court
Reporter    Release
Status    Arraignment
Type    Hearing
Type    Docket
Detail
B, May 26, 2009          Pending                    No Type     
APAR3, March 29, 2009     WHITEN,M     Pending     THIMBREL,K     Released on Recognizance      Pre-Arraignment Deposition Given          CASE CONTINUED (ADJOURNED)

Docket Information:
Standards and Goals Age    Defendant Status
     

Docket Sentence Information:
Docket Sentence
No Data Available

Defense Attorney Information:
Name    Type    Court Date    Court Part    Firm Name    Phone Number    Address
     Legal Aid     March 29, 2009     APAR3          212-732-5000     49 THOMAS STREET, NEW YORK, NY, NY

Assistant District Attorney Information:
Name    Assignment Date
     March 29, 2009

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/Login

[L2Design]

Thank god they're out... We'll make those cops lives hell... I'll donate money to wearechange also!

Whats the new name for the Freedom tower? New World Tower? I heard that in the news.. pissed me off even more

[gEEk squad]

Luke Rudkowski and WAC are now on AJ. Tune in.

[911aware]

sue the Hilton for kidnapping!

did they have guns?  aggravated kidnapping!

[Eckhart Tolle]

Whats the new name for the Freedom tower? New World Tower? I heard that in the news.. pissed me off even more

I hear ya..

It's a slap in the face from the NWO.

I heard it was going to be called  "One World Tower"

[Eckhart Tolle]

Luke Rudkowski and WAC are now on AJ. Tune in.

I hope Alex lets him speak.. Lol.. I want to hear what Luke has to say. 

[37]

I hear ya..

It's a slap in the face from the NWO.

I heard it was going to be called  "One World Tower"

Freedom Tower name changed to One World Trade Center[/b]
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/friday/news/ny-nyfree2712590972mar27,0,6084299.story

People are pissed. 

That was the name of the North Tower, which is disrespectful on several levels.

[Eckhart Tolle]

I'll bet cash that the Video Tapes will somehow be "lost".

[Irobot]

Activists Arrested For Asking Bloomberg A Question Plan Countersuit

Released We Are Change members tell of “inhumane, insane surreal” experience

http://www.prisonplanet.com/activists-arrested-for-asking-bloomberg-a-question-plan-countersuit.html

[CarolinaWildcat]

I wouldn't be surprised if the footage comes up all blank - or the scum have taken them and shot porno, so they can have SOMETHING to charge Luke & co. with!

From one report I read,they were awfully interested in pictures of him at the target range.Look for those to be in the spotlight.

[Eckhart Tolle]

From one report I read,they were awfully interested in pictures of him at the target range.Look for those to be in the spotlight.

I heard them talking about that on the AJ Show..

There's a report? Any link?

[Dig]

I heard them talking about that on the AJ Show..

There's a report? Any link?

The NYPD Intelligence Officer saw photos of Luke shooting a gun at a shooting range and was asking him if he had a license for that
www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message759861/pg1

[Eckhart Tolle]

The NYPD Intelligence Officer saw photos of Luke shooting a gun at a shooting range and was asking him if he had a license for that
www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message759861/pg1

That's pathetic.. That's like the Sheriff wanting to arrest Michel Phelps because of his Bong smoking picture.

This is all a Witch Hunt.. The cops are just trying to create something more serious out of thin air to charge this law abiding citizen with.

It could've been a movie prop for alls they know.

Does one even need a gun license to shot at the ranges?

Also if a person has a Gun Permit the cops are first to know because it is put on that persons file.

[Irobot]

Kurt Nimmo
Infowars
March 30, 2009

http://www.infowars.com/luke-rudkowski-framed-in-classic-set-up/

[Dig]

That's pathetic.. That's like the Sheriff wanting to arrest Michel Phelps because of his Bong smoking picture.

This is all a Witch Hunt.. The cops are just trying to create something more serious out of thin air to charge this law abiding citizen with.

It could've been a movie prop for alls they know.

Does one even need a gun license to shot at the ranges?

Also if a person has a Gun Permit the cops are first to know because it is put on that persons file.

It is worse than phelps.  It is not illegal to shoot a gun.  In NY you do need a license.  But here is the situation...


THEY WERE KIDNAPPED AND THEIR BELONGINGS WERE STOLEN!

[Dig]

Kurt Nimmo
Infowars
March 30, 2009

http://www.infowars.com/luke-rudkowski-framed-in-classic-set-up/

Luke Rudkowski Framed in “Classic Set-up”

Kurt Nimmo Infowars March 30, 2009

Calling in to the Alex Jones show today, WeAreChange founder and political activist Luke Rudkowski said he was set-up for arrest at the Hilton Hotel on Manhattan last Saturday. Luke was at the hotel in order to ask New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg about his refusal to help with the medical costs of 9/11 first responders. Bloomberg had promised to address the issue but has since ignored the pleas of WeAreChange and others to help first responders.

Rudkowski said Bloomberg’s security detail and hotel security claimed he would not leave the hotel. Luke told Jones he asked to leave the premise on numerous occasions and was not allowed to do so.

Anthony Verias, who accompanied Rudkowski, told Alex they were victims of a “classic set-up.” Verias was assaulted and brought into an office where he was subjected to intimidation and harassment by hotel security and Bloomberg’s plainclothes “goons,” as Anthony described them.

Luke said fellow WeAreChange activist Manny Valencia was assaulted as he taped Rudkowski’s arrest and his camera was confiscated.

Rudkowski said conditions at Manhattan Central Booking are deplorable. He said the holding cells were overcrowded with overflowing toilets and infested with cockroaches. Corrections officers told Rudkowski because his case is political his files would be lost and his court appearance delayed.

The police would not return WeAreChange cameras and video footage because they consider it evidence in a criminal case. Luke was told he would have to go through the District Attorney and his lawyers to get the footage and equipment returned. Police told Rudkowski the videotapes may be erased.

Rudkowski said police were generally supportive and helpful even though the police did not offer vouchers for WeAreChange equipment and videotapes. Rudkowski asked for the vouchers.

Luke faces a trial in two months on a charge of criminal trespass.

Rudkowski, Manny Valencia, and Anthony Verias will appear later this evening on the Infowarrior show with Jason Bermas.

[Femacamper]

Can we say, MONEY BOMB!!!