"What caused the use of force to occur? Civil disobedience. If there was no civil disobedience, there would have been no injury and there would have been no use of force. If we don’t have that civil disobedience, you don’t have the use of force by police." Lt. Jeffrey Harold, Metropolitan Police Dept, During Demonstration in front of the White House, 1/19/03
During the Jan. 19 MLK day actions for peace, Clara Sinclair, 80, from Sandy Springs Retirement Home, was pushed by police and knocked unconscious while she participated in a peaceful sit-down protest against a war in Iraq, in front of the White House. She was taken to the hospital and her condition has not yet been confirmed. The non-violent civil disobedience was sponsored by Iraq Pledge of Resistance and United For Peace. The police officer responsible for knocking Sinclair down has not yet been identified, as he had removed his Badge Number. The incident occurred at the intersection of 16th and H Streets, bordering Lafayette Park, which was closed to the public by police.
