Washington DC–Background: Two Fathers 4 Justice activists breached security and climbed onto the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on August 17, 2007. Fatherhood activist Bob Norton was present and said:
“Four security guards tackled protester Bob Dickerson to the floor and sat on him. They forced his head into the stone floor. The security people overreacted for sure. I think they tackled him just because he was trying to leave.
“It is F4J”s mission to do peaceful protests but the timing and location probably are not the best for this type of thing in DC with the hair trigger our government shows in using the Patriot Act, etc.”
A video of the protest can be seen here. To learn more, click here.
Steve, one of the security guards who arrested Dickerson, recently sent me his perspective of what occurred. Steve writes:
“I am one of the security guards who helped arrest Mr. Dickerson – I had on a burgundy shirt and a baseball cap (see picture). The problem with many of these comments/opinions are that they are done in hindsight.
“I was there with my children (I was off-duty at the time), and there was no indication that these were peaceful protestors. In this day, I don’t think it would be over-reacting to think that these people dressing in costume and scaling a national monument could have much more dire plans.
“As far as Mr. Dickerson, I witnessed him resisting arrest from a female officer who was much smaller than he, and I rushed to assist (while my children were safely with my girlfriend). I assure you we used minimal force to arrest him. While he did not lash out violently, the video does not show that he vehemently resisted physically. Again, it’s not like these people announced a “peaceful protest.” I believe the response was appropriate.
“P.S. I am also a divorced father.”