Local news in Brief : Costa Mesa : GOP Group Criticizes Gates on Rescue Arrests

The California Republican Assembly, the largest volunteer Republican organization in the state, wound up its convention here Sunday by narrowly passing a resolution criticizing Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates and his department and alleging “brutal acts” against anti-abortion demonstrators.

The convention, after 40 minutes of heated debate, passed the resolution 94 to 93. The resolution calls on the state Civil Rights Commission and the Los Angeles Police Commission to investigate claims by some anti-abortion demonstrators that police broke the bones of some who were arrested and fondled some of the women arrested.

The delegates also approved a resolution in support of the civil rights of Operation Rescue members. Operation Rescue coordinated the anti-abortion protests in Los Angeles on March 25 that led to widespread arrests.

Gates, who has said he may run for governor in 1990, spoke to the delegates Saturday. In his speech, he stoutly defended arrests of protesters who illegally blocked clinic entrances.

Gates acknowledged that his officers were told to use “pain compliance” when making the arrests.

Other resolutions passed by the convention included one opposing any form of gun control in the state and another calling for a pardon of former Marine Corps Lt. Col. Oliver H. North if he is convicted on any charge related to the covert selling of arms to Iran and the diversion of profits from those sales to Nicaraguan Contras.