Abortion Foes Say Police Used Too Much Force : Last of Protest Participants Are Released From Jail

The last of seven demonstrators jailed during a weekend abortion protest in Hillcrest have been released from County Jail amid charges that police used excessive force and brutality in arresting 117 people during the demonstration.

Angela Phelps, one of the leaders of the protest, said 25 of the nearly 250 Project Rescue demonstrators received “minor to serious” injuries--the worst being a broken arm suffered by Ken Fisher, an electrical worker. He was one of the many who sang, prayed and read Scripture while attempting to block the entrances to the 3rd Avenue offices of Dr. Donald G. Byrnes.

Phelps said the other injuries ranged from torn ligaments in the wrist to bruises on the face and neck. She said some of the protesters are contemplating individual legal action against the San Diego Police Department and the city.

Took the ‘Minimum Force’

Police spokesman Dave Cohen vehemently denied that police used excessive force and disputed the protesters’ contention that they did not resist arrest.

“We took whatever level of force was necessary to move people--no more,” Cohen said. “In some cases, no force was necessary because people got up and walked to the vans. In those cases where people decided not to cooperate, we took whatever minimum force was necessary to get their cooperation.”

Cohen said he witnessed most of the arrests, which occurred shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday, and that he “didn’t see anybody punched or kicked. I saw close to 100 arrests, and I didn’t see anybody abused.”

In all, 117 protesters were arrested on misdemeanor trespassing charges, with seven of them also charged on suspicion of felony conspiracy. One of the seven was released Saturday, the six others Sunday. Those arrested on misdemeanors were not booked into jail.

Some of the protesters went limp when confronted by police, a tactic Cohen said constituted resisting arrest.

‘Pain-Compliance’ Measures

Protesters have sharply criticized the use of “pain-compliance” measures, which Cohen said were necessary to dispel the crowd and get the demonstrators to move.

“You get somebody to move by applying pressure at the right spot,” Cohen said. “It’s extremely painful, and it’s taught . . . as a pain-compliance point. There is no permanent damage, but, yes, it’s painful.”

Particularly controversial was the use of nunchaku , which Cohen described as two pieces of 12-inch plastic-like material that are connected by 4 inches of diamond-braid nylon cord.

“ Nunchaku is used primarily to do a wrist hold,” Cohen said. “It’s used to gain compliance over someone without having to strike them. It reduces the likelihood of injury. It’s a non-lethal tool for restraining and controlling suspects. Could it be used in an offensive manner? I suppose it could, but in this instance, it was being used strictly as a defensive tool.”

Despite complaints about the police, anti-abortion advocates pronounced Saturday’s protest a success.

“Three children were saved from murder by two separate women (one carrying twins) being counseled and persuaded not to go through with having their abortions,” said the Rev. Mick McCoy, pastor of Vineyard Christian Fellowship in El Cajon and a leader of Project Rescue, the local adjunct of the national Operation Rescue.

Van With Anti-Abortion Sign

McCoy said the women were approached as they prepared to enter the offices of Byrnes, who runs O-B Medical Group at 3330 3rd Avenue.

Byrnes said he knew as early as last Tuesday that his office would be the probable target of a demonstration. He said his daughter had noticed someone taking pictures of the building and then driving off in a van bearing a large sign that read “Abortion Is Murder.”

Byrnes said demonstrators entered his waiting room under the pretense of having made a medical appointment, then screamed “You’re a murderer!” at several patients who were waiting to see him.

“Most of my patients that day were Mexican,” he said, “and they just thought those people were crazy. Most of my other patients have called in, offering me support and encouragement.”

Saturday’s demonstration followed a series of larger ones in Orange and Los Angeles counties two weeks ago. On March 25, more than 700 anti-abortion activists who were blockading a Los Angeles clinic were arrested. Three weeks ago, Project Rescue demonstrated in front of a doctor’s office in Escondido, but no arrests were made.

On Sunday, thousands of pro-abortion activists marched on Washington in a protest whose size was said to have matched the largest there ever.