Occupy: the family

The first Occupy Portland demonstrator to come to trial is school teacher Jonathan Zook. His whole family is part of Occupy Portland. I spent the day in court with them. Zook, his partner of eighteen years, and their two children testified today.

Police arrested Zook on the night of December 17. The State has charged Zook with resisting arrest, interfering with a police officer, disorderly conduct, and assault. But Zook, his partner, and their two children, all present at the time of his arrest, say these charges are false. The Zooks describe a situation in which the police, in retaliation against a light-hearted remark Zook made to one of them*, slammed his body to the ground and arrested him, and then accused him of attacking them. They also threatened his children, ages eleven and thirteen, with pepper spray.

The children were wonderful on the stand. The eleven-year-old said, "I'm excited and passionate about it [Occupy Portland], and I believe in what it's for." I'm writing the story for the Portland Occupier, and it should appear early tomorrow morning, but for Blip, here is a picture we won't use: it is Zook's lovely other half on the witness stand. She's a college professor of urban planning, asked during today's testimony, "Why did you take your children to the march on December 17?"

She testified, "We want to raise them to be good citizens and good community members, to stand up for what they see that's wrong. We think that carries over to society: we should stand up and speak out when we see what's unjust."

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* Zook says that in response to the Police shouting, "Get out of the street!" he responded, "I speak English." Zook said the remark was meant to convey that they didn't need to shout.