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Article: One watchdog missing in action. (American Civil Liberties Union) (On Society) (column)
- Article from:
- U.S. News & World Report
- Article date:
- November 5, 1990
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 All rights reserved. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Last summer, while I was investigating the astonishing violence inflicted on anti-abortion protesters by police in West Hartford, Conn., one question kept coming to mind: Where was the American Civil Liberties Union during all this?
On June 17, 1989, after protesters occupied an abortion clinic, the police used prolonged "pain compliance holds" (i.e. torture) on invaders and legal protesters alike. Many arrestees were denied medical care, held incommunicado for two days and arraigned in a court closed to the public. Many protesters claim permanent nerve damage. One woman suffered police-induced damage to her uterus and had to have surgery. Some of those arrested ...