Text Fwd: Bud Boothe mistreated at Jan 5 vigil at Vandenberg

Peace Protests at Vandenberg Space Command / Air Force Base
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Bud Boothe mistreated at Jan 5 vigil at Vandenberg

I, ELDEN T. (BUD) BOOTHE, declare as follows:

I am over the age of 21 and a resident of Santa Barbara County, California. On January 5,
2011, at approximately 3:05 p.m., I parked my car in the parking lot at Vandenberg Middle
School and walked directly across the intersection into the joint-jurisdiction area that is
designated as the Free Speech zone for public protests or vigils. At no time did I leave the
designated Free Speech Zone on my own accord.

I was in the Free Speech Zone for approximately five (5) to ten (10) minutes before two
individuals dressed in civilian attire (one who was taking pictures) and I believe four (4)
uniformed personnel approached me inside the Zone. One of the civilians called me by name,
“Bud”, and said “I think you have a Ban-and-Bar and you are not suppose to be here. You have
two minutes to leave and you will be arrested..”

Almost exactly two minutes later, one or two uniformed personnel came up behind me
inside the Zone and told me to put my hands behind me. I then was placed in metal hand cuffs.
The uniformed personnel then walked me outside the Zone and escorted me toward the Visitor’s
Center while I was handcuffed. As I was being escorted toward the Visitor’s Center, I told the
escorts that the cuffs were too tight and they were hurting my wrists. No one did anything to
alleviate the tightness of the cuffs.

Once we reached the parking lot outside the Visitor’s Center, the escorts “sat” me down
on the curb. I again told the escorts that the cuffs were too tight. Nothing was done to alleviate
the pain caused by the cuffs. At one point in time a plain-clothed person interrogated me,
including asking me to identify my car. I did provide this information, namely that I drove a
2007 Toyota. Around that same time, I was frisked by uniformed personnel who removed
everything from my pockets, including my wallet. I do not recall if it was before or after I was
frisked that I was left seated on the curb for approximately fifteen to twenty minutes, during
which time my back began to hurt me. I informed the escorts that my back was hurting. The
escorts went into the Visitor’s Center and brought a chair outside for me to sit in. They still did
nothing to address the pain caused by the tight cuffs.

I was left sitting on the chair outside the Visitor’s Center for approximately 20 minutes
and then uniformed personnel escorted me to a sedan vehicle. The personnel were unable to get
me into the sedan due to the fact that my hands were cuffed behind my back and I was not able to get into the sedan. I continued to complain that the cuffs were hurting me. Nothing was done
responsive to my complaints of pain.

When the uniformed personnel realized that I physically could not get into in the back of
the sedan vehicle with the handcuffs on, they took me over to a Suburban style vehicle. They
were able to assist me in getting seated in the back seat of the Suburban although the cuffs
continued to cause me excruciating pain about which I continued to complain. In fact, I was
actually screaming that the cuffs were hurting me. No one, including the plain clothed
photographer who also was in the Suburban style vehicle, acknowledged my expressions of pain.
To the best of my knowledge, no one even looked at how tight the cuffs were snapped onto my
wrists.

Although I originally was told that I was going to be released at Ryan Park, I actually was
driven to Vandenberg Village. As they took me out of the Suburban style vehicle, I said I am
starting to feel dizzy. At that point in time, the handcuffs were removed. My right wrist already
was black and blue. I do not know that the photographer ever took a picture of my bruised wrist.
The uniformed personnel leaned me up against the Suburban style vehicle and called medics. By
the time the medics arrived, I no longer felt dizzy. One medic took my blood pressure who then
commented that my blood pressure was low, adding that she was surprised that my pressure was
low in light of the recent course of events.

I was given the choice of either signing a release or being escorted to the local hospital. I
elected to sign the release. After I was released, Nancy Lynch, another individual who had
participated in the peaceful protest in the authorized Zone took photographs of my bruised wrist.

Others who had participated in the peaceful protest in the authorized Zone who observed that I
was handcuffed and escorted by military personnel BEFORE I stepped outside the Zone
included: Dennis Apel, Mary Becker and James Robertson.

Although I insisted that I could drive myself home, Ms. Lynch, Ms. Becker, Mr. Apel and
Mr. Robertson all insisted that they wanted to make sure I made it home safely. Mr. Robertson
rode in my car with me and Ms. Lynch, Ms. Becker and Mr. Apel followed. Once I was back in
Los Olivos, I thanked everyone for their concern for my safety and I drove back to my home
alone.

I declare under penalty of perjury pursuant to the laws of the State of California that the
foregoing is true and correct.

\ Executed this ___ day of January, 2011, at Los Olivos, California.

ELDEN T. BOOTHE
What does Vandenberg AFB do?

See https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dfpxc5ff_690gdj4p6dd&interval=5