Press Release: Cheri Honkala Arrested & Intimidated During RNC Protest
For immediate release
July 19, 2024
Press Contacts: Leela de Paula, 413-270-2087
Cheri Honkala, 215-869-4753
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST CHERI HONKALA ARRESTED & INTIMIDATED DURING RNC PROTEST
MILWAUKEE - The Co-founder of the Poor People’s Army, a group fighting to end poverty, was arrested Monday while the group peacefully marched with Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein and allies from King Park to gates of the Fiserv Forum where the Republican National Convention is being held.
While the convention ensues this week, millions of families and individuals across the country are facing issues of homelessness, hunger, debt, chronic joblessness, overdoses, and other preventable human rights abuses. During the march, Poor People’s Army Co-founder and spokesperson Cheri Honkala was arrested while attempting to cross a final military-style checkpoint entering the zone around the RNC.
The Poor People’s Army issued “citizen’s arrest” for the crimes against humanity committed by the Republican Party, according to the group.
“We march to hold those in power, in both corporate parties, accountable for crimes against humanity at home and abroad,” said Honkala. “As usual the authorities denied our permits and tried to discourage us from exercising our 1st Amendment rights, but we successfully and peacefully marched.”
Honkala has been arrested over 200 times for nonviolent civil disobedience. After this arrest, law enforcement took Honkala to the largest county correctional facility in the state, Community Reintegration Center, a jail 16 miles away from the Forum. After entering the facility, Honkala says she was led through a large hall with about 200 men in military uniforms staring at and making comments about her. Honkala was not given a phone call and not offered an opportunity to use a toilet. She was put into a cold holding cell and an industrial size fan was brought in to blow on her. When released, Honkala was driven to and dropped off at an unknown, industrial location during a storm by herself and was not given means to communicate with people searching for her. Honkala navigated the unfamiliar location in search of contact. Eventually, with help from strangers, she was able to call Poor People’s Army march coordinator Leela de Paula and co-founder Galen Tyler, and was found at 10 p.m. Monday night.
“Prior to the RNC, the National Lawyers Guild made several attempts to gain clarity on where protesters would be taken if arrested and how attorneys would be able to access their clients,” said Victor Forberger, a member of the Madison chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. “The city refused to share this information, putting protesters' rights at risk. Our attorneys were denied information about and access to Ms. Honkala by the Reintegration Center and every police district we spoke with. The manner in which she was released put her health and safety at risk.”
The Poor People’s Army likens action taken by law enforcement to an extrajudicial kidnapping and is in communication with lawyers regarding further legal action. No other members were arrested.
The group says it will not be intimidated and will return to Milwaukee with allies on August 3rd to begin a two week march to Chicago for the DNC. There, they plan to hold another “trial” to determine whether a citizen's arrest should be issued to the Democrats as well.
About Poor People’s Army:
The Poor People’s Army is a nonviolent army of poor and working people, led by poor people, fighting for our survival by any means necessary. For three decades, The Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC)/Poor People’s Army has been “reclaiming the basic necessities of life” with free food distribution and housing takeovers of abandoned government-owned properties. They have a forthcoming book, Takeover! A Human Rights Approach to Housing. https://www.poorpeoplesarmy.org/
