Police officers use pepper spray on a group of protesters during the Democratic National Convention in Denver. (AP Photo) |
The Associated Press
DENVER — Police officers did nothing wrong during mass arrests on the first day of the Democratic National Convention, an independent police monitor said Monday.
In a letter to ACLU attorney Taylor Pendergrass, monitor Richard Rosenthal said there is no evidence to support a complaint alleging officers lied about whether they gave an order to disperse before arresting more than 100 people during the Aug. 25 gathering.
The American Civil Liberties Union complaint also contended a police officer pretending to be a protester created a tense atmosphere when he confronted another officer. Rosenthal said the undercover officer acted appropriately.
The ACLU did not immediately return a call for comment.
In the letter, Rosenthal said the officers did not knowingly lie and that any inaccuracies in statements were the result of “errors or omissions” during communication among them.
The complaint argued that officers violated a policy requiring them to give the crowd a chance to disperse before making arrests.
During previous trial testimony, Pendergrass said some protesters questioned whether police gave an order to disperse before arresting them, which contradicted testimony by officers.
Police have said anarchists planned to wreak havoc at convention delegate hotels and downtown businesses and that officers were trying to control the crowd.