Fascism in Little Ol' Santa Fe? You Bet!

Every time a new Police Chief is hired in Santa Fe, a few right-wing wackos in the Police Department decide to flex their fascist muscles and come out to the major intersection in town where we have been holding a weekly demonstration for the last eight years. They threaten us with arrest, harass a few passing motorists who honk their horns in support of us, and go around pissing on the lamp posts. So we go through all the motions of raising a fuss in our local media, working through back channels at the Department and otherwise wasting our time to have the new Police Chief issue a new Memo telling his "pigs" to back off. Generally speaking, we have a fairly benign police force. But when some within the organization get the opportunity, they are ready and willing pull on their jackboots and start bullying the residents. We won this round, once again.

Six police officers on bicycles visited the weekly demonstration at St. Francis and Cerrillos on Friday. I thought perhaps, like us, they were there to object to the illegal wars being waged by our government. They are law enforcement officials, after all. But they had come to harass the demonstrators. When shown a memo posted at the corner outlining the agreement made with the City regarding protests at the intersection, one of the officers tore it down disdainfully.

I’m glad crime in the City Different is so infrequent these officers had nothing better to do. But it’s unfortunate they tarnished the reputation of the Santa Fe Police Department with their petty, arrogant behavior. Join us every Friday from 12 to 1 where for the last eight years concerned residents have spoken out against U.S. wars of aggression. It is a right and a responsibility we all share. 

This editorial was originally published as a letter to the editor in the Santa Fe New Mexican on August 31, 2010.