Hempstead, NY – On October 15, at approximately 7:05 the Iraq Vets Against the War (IVAW), a coalition of veterans and active duty American service people, supported by thousands of protesters representing a board coalition of anti–war groups, were stopped by police approximately one block from the gate entrance to the Hofstra University debate grounds.
The group committed an act of non–violent civil disobedience and attempted to cross the lines after a short standoff with local police on horseback, supported by police in light riot gear. 15 individuals were arrested.
A total of 15, including five protesters, were detained and arrested after attempting to enter at the north Hofstra gate. Spokesman for Nassau Police Department, Lt. Kevin Smith informed Newsday, “When they insisted on coming through, they were placed under arrest...there might have been one injury. I don’t believe that it was serious and he was taken
to an area hospital.”
The arrested IVAW members and protesters were held for approximately five hours, and the hospitalized member, Sgt. Nick Morgan, an honourably discharged veteran diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, was badly injured by one of the police horses (his cheekbone was broken and I confirmed on October 17 that he will require reconstructive surgery). The IVAW reports that the police initially refused Morgan treatment. Nassau County police offered no comment at this time.
A phone call by this reporter to Nassau County police confirmed that there were 15 arrests of “protesters” in total, including IVAW members, They were charged with Disturbing the Peace and were released on “court appearance tickets for November 10” as Newsday originally reported.
According to IVAW representative Matthis Chiroux, the arrested IVAW members were Marlisa Grogan, James Gilligan (Cpl., Marine Corps), Kristofer Goldsmith, Mike Spiniateo (Sgt.), Adam Kokesh (Cpl), Geoff Mallard (Sgt.), Jose Vasquez, Nick Morgan (Sgt.), Nathan Peld, and Matthis Chiroux (Sgt).
