Art festival organizer Bill Saunders was dressed to impress Wednesday when he showed up to answer charges of inciting a riot. But he didn’t get to show the judge his special “political art” cummerbund.
The case was continued to Aug. 14 without any court appearance.
Saunders was arrested Saturday June 30 when cops showed up to a punk rock show in Pitkin Plaza. The concert was part of the Ideat Village arts festival that Saunders organizes each year. Click the play arrow above to see new footage of the incident courtesy of www.re-know.info.
The police had received noise complaints from tenants at 360 State, the high-rise apartment building which borders Ideat Village and with which Ideat Village has had an ongoing feud.
Police asked Saunders (at left in photo — and right and center) for his festival permit. He didn’t have it on him, and told cops his co-organizer Nancy Shea had it around the corner at the festival’s art gallery.
Saunders then took the microphone and told the crowd the police were on the scene. He suggested the cops might have to arrest other people if he gets arrested.
The police arrested Saunders on charges of inciting a riot, interfering with officers, and disorderly conduct.
Saunders claims police tackled him and used unnecessary force, as do witnesses to the incident. Police claimed he resisted arrest and fought them. A crowd gathered, taunting the officers. The cops used pepper spray on the crowd.
Saunders was bruised in the incident. Two police officers were treated for minor injuries. Police Officer Betsy Segui was placed on sick leave, with a fractured hand and injured ankle.
Shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday, a dozen Saunders supporters gathered on the steps of the Elm Street courthouse. Robert Zott, who took photos of the arrest, produced handheld masks of Saunders’ face. Attorney Irving Pinsky held a sign reading, “Stop the war on music.”
Saunders showed up with his long hair pulled back, wearing a black suit, purple shirt, and a special cummerbund with “TownY” stenciled on it.
The word, which was also stenciled on the shirts of several Saunders supporters, has appeared in various locations around town in recent weeks. “It’s political street art,” Saunders said. It means that “we as townies are stuck in a town ruled by … Yale.”
“I am a white 47 year old male who’s well known in town,” he said. If the police were willing to mistreat him in front of 50 witnesses, he said, “what chance does a black kid in the hood have?”
At the time of his arrest, Saunders told police that he would be suing them for his arrest. Asked about that on Wednesday, Saunders said, “I’ve got to clear my name first.”
Inside the courthouse, Saunders learned that the case had been continued to Aug. 14. He huddled with his attorney, Frank Velardi, who was looking over the police report.
“Obviously there’s a difference of opinion” between what the report says and what Saunders and witnesses say happened, Velardi said. Velardi refused to share the report with reporters.
Velardi said he’ll be interviewing witnesses between now and the next court date.
Asked how Saunders will plea to the charge, Velardi said, “We’ll address that on Aug. 14.”
The pissing contest continues.
Someday, I am going to set up a website: biggestjerk.com. I will post my take on all these ego driven head butting contests; Harvard Prof vs. Cambridge Police (both winners), and now this.
I thought the winner was going to be 360 State Street, but now I am thinking it is Bill Saunders by a long shot.
On second thought, I won't bother. My mother has better things to do than read my blog.