Part 1: "...that was the last time I was offered water that day."

- Heading out? 

- Yes, it’s so hot out there! Gotta make sure we put on some sunscreen.

- I know, right? It is. Good luck out there!

- Are you traveling for work?

- No… actually I live in Maine, but I came here to protest.

- Oh, wow. All by yourself or with other people?

- Just myself. Well, I’m a mother of four and a grandmother. Here by myself, though I’ve done it quite a few times.

- That’s incredible. I can’t believe you traveled all the way from Maine to DC by yourself just to protest, and you’re also here by yourself! What are you working on now?

- It’s something… you know what, so the last time I was here to protest, I got arrested and put in jail. So I’m trying to document everything that happened and doing my research. I’m sorry, didn’t mean to hold you up.

- No, not at all. I was just going to check out some museums before I leave later this afternoon, but I’m happy to be here with you. How come you were put in jail, just for protesting? 

- Ah… yes. So I was here in September last year, also by myself. I was just holding a sign at the Lincoln Memorial, then an officer approached me and asked me to leave. I told him I didn’t have to, and asked him to show me if he had any paperwork that proved otherwise. He told me he didn’t have to show me anything, and then arrested me. 

- What? It was non-violent, how could he do that to you!?

- I know, right? So I was taken to Park Service where they drove me to the booking place… is it what they call it? I can’t remember. But that’s where they took my mugshot and everything. It was freezing. Jail. There was a bench. Cockroaches everywhere. When the guy arrested me, he put on the handcuffs so tightly and I got carpal tunnel. And you know, when your hands were handcuffed behind your back, it wasn’t easy to sit because I couldn’t sit up straight. 

- I can’t believe they did that to you.

- So there were also some very nice people. I’ve had experience with both the good ones and the bad ones, because of what I do. The other police officer who drove me from Park Service to the booking facility, I could tell he was very kind. He didn’t know what happened, but he asked me if I was okay. He turned off the AC for me because I said that I felt freezing.

- It was already cold in Sep?

- No, it was hot out there. But I felt freezing, and he turned it off just for me, even though he was in his full uniform from head to toe. Oh, and then the gentleman at the booking place was nice too. I don’t know if you could tell but my lips get dry quickly. Probably because I got older. So he offered me water. We each got a paper cup of water to take with us, but that was the last time I was offered water that day.

- That’s wild. I’m glad there were some kind people there. How long were you jailed for?

- One night. So the next day, which was a Friday, I got my arraignment hearing. They told me there was no paperwork regarding my case so they were not sure. I think they were also trying to find anything I would be held against, so they said I protested without a permit. 

- Wait, I didn’t know you even needed a permit to protest here? I see people protesting all the time, it can’t be that everyone needs a permit. And just holding signs?

- No, you don’t. The judge told me I should check my mail and look for a summons. Oh, and thankfully I got my hearing at 6pm that day, which was their last shift… otherwise I would have been jailed until they opened the hearing again on Monday.

- Wow. And what about the summons? 

- Oh, I received it somewhere in Jan, which said I’d need to come back to DC in Feb. So I came back here in Feb, and they told me that they checked the body cam footage and didn’t find I did anything wrong. They could see I said exactly what I did. So my case was dismissed.

- You had to travel all the way from Maine to DC just for them to tell you they found nothing wrong?

- Yes. I know, right? They could have let me know that when they found out. But imagine if I was charged, it would go in my record, and you know how it could change one’s entire course for the rest of their life.

- You’re so brave. Where did you get this drive from?

(stay tuned for part 2)