Police Coverup Alleged After Mass Arrests

As the controversy grew, Ramsey and other police officials tried to keep the chief from being held responsible for the arrests, according to the council report, which is to be released today. The report says a move was made to put the blame on a subordinate, Assistant Chief Peter Newsham.

The report cites testimony from Ramsey in February 2003 in which he told the council that he was not involved in the decision to arrest the demonstrators. It quotes him as saying, "When I came up on the scene, actually, that was already practically in progress."

But in December, the report says, Ramsey told a council attorney that "I told [Newsham] that I thought that the arrests were okay."

In an interview yesterday, Patterson said she believes that the December exchange showed that Newsham was supposed to "take the fall."

"In February [Ramsey] didn't participate. In December, he approved the arrests," Patterson said yesterday. "One of these statements is untrue."

Ramsey said yesterday that he had never been untruthful about his role in the arrests. He said that at Pershing Park, he heard Newsham's rationale for arresting the protesters and then gave "tacit approval."

"I was under the impression that there had been warnings given" to the crowd, Ramsey said.

The committee report also takes issue with a raid on the headquarters of anti-globalization organizers during protests in April 2000. The report says police were unable to obtain a search warrant for the building, so they persuaded fire officials to clear out the place as a fire hazard, with police officers going in behind them.