Antiwar Protests
With Alfred Broadbent
Assistant Chief of Police,
District of Columbia
Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2003; 1:30 p.m. ET

Thousands are expected to come to Washington this weekend for a national antiwar demonstration that organizers say will be their last chance for a massive display of dissent before the U.S. goes to war with Iraq. Saturday's rally and march follow an October protest that drew about 100,000, a turnout that organizers and police said was the largest antiwar demonstration since the protests against the Vietnam War. The same coalition that coordinated the October rally, ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), is organizing this week's protest.

D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey said he "wouldn't be surprised" if the turnout matched that in October. Assistant Chief of Police Alfred Broadbent was online Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET, to discuss the department's plans for the weekend protests.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Washington, D.C.: How many police will be on duty this weekend and are you ready for thousands of protestors?

Alfred Broadbent: The department will be ready for the amount of protestors that show up and the department is prepared with extra officers that are assigned to work the event over the weekend.

Washington, D.C.: Do the police go through special training for events such as this?

Alfred Broadbent: Yes, they do. Since 1993 all new police officers receive a 40-hour block of instruction on civil disobedience and crowd control. In addition to that, at a minimum, all officers that are a part of our Civil Disturbance Unit receive 16 hours a year.

Alfred Broadbent: Prior to 1993, officers who volunteered to be members of the Civil Disturbance Unit also received 40 hours of training on civil disobedience and crowd control.

Rosslyn, Va.: Do you expect violence or more civil disobedience?

Alfred Broadbent: We do not expect violence at these protests. We expect a large crowd who will be exercising their first amendment rights and we will be there to assure that there will be a smooth transition and the communities that they are walking through.

Alexandria, Va.: Can you give us a rundown of what's happening where and when this weekend?

Alfred Broadbent: On Saturday, Jan. 18, there is a group called the East Coast Student Antiwar Network that will be holding a prayer vigil at Freedom Plaza between 9 and 11 a.m. That group will march from Freedom Plaza at approximately 11 a.m. to meet up with a larger group that is going to be rallying down on the Mall on 3rd Street. Also, there's a large group called ANSWER which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism -- that group has a permit for 30,000 and they will be congregating on the Mall between 3rd and 7th St., NW, and that group is scheduled to march on public space beginning approximately 1:30 in the afternoon.

On Sunday, Jan. 19, the group called Youth and Student ANSWER ... they have received a permit to march from the Dept. of Justice to a rallying point at 17th and Penn., NW. The permit is for 2,000 people. Also, there's a demonstration planned on Sunday, the 19th, at Farragut Park. That's from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and that's on U.S. Park Police territory.

Washington, D.C.: Will the police come down pretty hard on unpermitted protests, or will you let them go since it is a holiday weekend and disruption will likely be small?

Alfred Broadbent: The police would recommend that all groups that want to march on public space obtain a permit. Permits can be obtained by responding to our Special Operations division located at 23rd and L St., NW.

The reason the police recommend that you obtain a permit is so that they can ensure the safety of the marchers while they are on public space and also to plan around dignitary movements of the president and other foreign dignitaries who might be traversing the streets of Washington.

washingtonpost.com: During protests in the District in September, police rounded up journalists along with protesters. What steps are police taking to avoid arresting journalists who are not involved in the protests, but who there to cover the events?

Alfred Broadbent: The Metropolitan Police Department works with members of the media and journalists to ensure their safety; however, we recommend, like all citizens, that they not break a law. Anyone interested in meeting with members of the Metropolitan Police Department to discuss this issue in further detail, please contact our Special Operations Division at 202-727-4641 and we would be glad to sit down and discuss this issue.

Vienna, Va.: How does the average policeman feel about these kinds of demonstrations? What goes on in their minds when thousands descend upon the nation's capital and they have to keep things moving?

Alfred Broadbent: The Metropolitan Police Department takes great pride in how they handle major protests that occur in Washington, D.C. We encourage people to come to Washington to exercise their first amendment rights. All we ask is that they do it in a lawful and peaceful manner.

Arlington, Va.: Will it be hard getting around town this weekend? Where are the trouble spots?

Alfred Broadbent: On Saturday, the trouble spots will be when the large group leaves the National Mall on 3rd Street at approximately 1:30 in the afternoon and begins their march on public space. The route they will be taking is they will travel eastbound on Independence Ave. from 3rd St., SW, towards the Capitol; when Independence Ave. turns into Pennsylvania Ave., they will continue eastbound on Pennsylvania Ave. to 8th St., SE. The march will then travel south on 8th St., SE to M St. and then travel west on M from 8th toward 2nd St., SE. Therefore, vehicular travel along this route will be impacted from approximately 1:30 until 6 p.m.

On Sunday, Jan. 19, at approximately 10 a.m., the permitted march will leave the Dept. of Justice in 900 block of Pennsylvania Ave., NW, and travel westbound on Pennsylvania Ave. to 15th St., NW The march will then proceed north on 15th St. to H St.,NW, and then proceed westbound on H to 17 St., NW, then southbound on 17th to a rallying point at 17th and Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

Washington, D.C.:
Do the police plan to utilize the District's cameras and train them on the anti-war protestors? If so, what kinds of things will you be looking for and what will be done with the footage after the rally and march are over?

Alfred Broadbent: The Metropolitan Police Department will be utilizing cameras to monitor the march to ensure public safety. The department will not be recording video footage from these cameras.

Washington, D.C.: The protest groups often put up posters and flyers, but don't take them down later. Is this illegal, and will anything be done about it?

Alfred Broadbent: Yes, it is illegal to place a poster on street posts, buildings, trees, etc. We encourage protestors when they bring signs and placards with them that they take them with them when they go home or properly dispose of them in the trash; however, should protestors leave debris behind from their protests, the D.C. Dept. of Public Works will respond after the event to clean the area.

Washington, D.C.: How many members of the D.C. Police Department are U.S. National Guard and Reserve personnel?

Alfred Broadbent: There's approximately 100.

Washington, D.C.: Do you feel that many of the people who stayed away from last fall's protests because of the sniper attacks will attend this weekend's protest, even though its chance for effecting the outcome of the election or Iraq policy is now non-existent?

Alfred Broadbent: There were two major protests in the fall. One that occurred at the end of September dealing with the IMF/World Bank and the second occurred sometime after that concerning the antiwar effort. I believe the protest you're speaking about was the large antiwar protest. At that event, there were over 100,000 protestors/demonstrators and the event was peaceful with no arrests and the organizers of that event obtained permits to march on public space; whereas at the IMF/World Bank demonstration, the protestors did not obtain permits to march on public space.

Washington, D.C.: How does the MPD plan on using its video surveillance network during the upcoming demonstrations? How do you justify the use of video surveillance for activities protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution?

Alfred Broadbent: As I stated earlier, the video cameras will be utilized to monitor and not record activities. The primary purpose of the cameras are for public safety. Since 9-11, it has become critical for law enforcement to monitor large crowds that present opportunities for individuals who want to engage in terrorist activities. The Metropolitan Police Dept. monitors these large crowds to ensure the safety of the protestors as well as the citizens who live and work in Washington and our police officers.