Gabriel Meyers, 28, is facing an August 4 trial on felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with his arrest at a July 8, 2005 San Francisco protest against the G8 Summit. The G8 includes the richest industrialized countries whose leaders gather annually to organize continued global economic domination by the powerful over everyone else. Protests against the G8 were held world-wide last summer during the Scotland G8 Summit meeting. Gabe could face up to three years in prison if convicted, and he needs support.
Gabe was arrested along with two others last year and charged with felony attempted lynching — i.e. “unarresting” someone by trying to free them from police custody — and misdemeanor rioting during an incident in which a cop was hit in the head and suffered a fractured skull. Gabe is not charged with striking the officer. The police didn’t arrest anyone in connection with the beating. The government is accusing Gabe of attempting to lynch himself — essentially of trying to get away from the cops after they grabbed him. He was originally also charged with two misdemeanor resisting arrest charges, but they were dropped because of their weakness at a June 2 court hearing.
Gabe’s lawyers think the other charges are also very weak and that the government is pressing on with the case for political reasons. Gabe is being used as a scapegoat for the incident because the cops never found the person who hit the officer and they want to get someone for something. After the officer was injured, members of the police force were furious over the beating and circulated a petition voicing “no confidence” in the police chief and other police commanders.
Gabe is receiving support from the Midnight Special Law Collective and the National Lawyers Guild. He is asking people to contact SF district Attorney Kamala Harris and tell her to drop the charges against Gabriel Meyers – call her at 415 553-1752 or email at www.sfgov.org/.