A pair of EPD press releases showed up in email boxes late last night, telling of yet another round of Occupy-related arrests at the county courthouse. 

EPD Press Release One:

On 01/06/12 at about 12:46 am, officers of the Eureka Police Department responded to the Humboldt County Courthouse due to numerous complaints about subjects unlawfully camping/lodging on the property. When the officer’s arrived on scene, they contacted 9 subjects camping underneath the courthouse steps. When the subjects were contacted several of them stated they were told (misled) by undisclosed persons that it was lawful to camp at the courthouse.

All of the subjects were issued citations for unlawfully camping in public. Furthermore, officers advised subjects on scene that persons could be subject to arrest if they unlawfully camped or lodged on the courthouse property.

On 01/07/12 at about 12:53 am, officers returned to the Humboldt County Courthouse. 4 subjects were contacted who were unlawfully lodging on the courthouse property. All 4 subjects were arrested for PC 647(e) Unlawfully Lodging on Property Without the Owners Permission. The subjects were identified as Daniel Mattheis (23 years old of Arcata), James Turner (47 years old of Eureka), Leroy Abernathy (25 years old of Bremerton Wa) and Loyd Smith (39 years old of La Crescenta Ca).

EPD Press Release Two:

On 01/07/12 at about 01:42 am, a Eureka Police Officer was on routine patrol travelling eastbound on 5th Street approaching the Humboldt County Courthouse. As the officer was passing the courthouse, he noticed that the American Flag and the State of California Flag were being lowered. The flagpole is located in an area of the courthouse that had been fenced off for lawn restoration. Numerous “No Trespassing” signs are posted on the 6 foot chain length fence.

The officer parked his patrol car and walked to the fence to investigate further. He saw the suspect, later identified as Lance Henry (21 years old of Fortuna), standing at the base of the flagpole holding both flags in hands. The flags were still attached to the line on the flagpole. The officer asked Henry what he was doing. Henry stated he was putting up his own flag. The officer told Henry to put the flags back up, but Henry refused. Henry said, “You think you can control me.”

Henry removed the flags from the line and placed them on the ground. While stepping on the American Flag, Henry affixed a homemade cardboard flag to the line. Other officers arrived on scene. 2 officers entered the fenced area and began walking towards Henry’s location. As they walked toward Henry, several subjects from the area of the “Occupy” protest site began yelling warnings to Henry that the officers were approaching.

2 officers contacted Henry and attempted to arrest him for trespassing. Henry became violently resistant toward the officers. After a short struggle, a third officer arrived in the fenced area and they were able to take Henry into custody. Henry was arrested for PC 602(k) Trespassing and PC 69 Resisting Arrest Using Violence. Due to Henry’s violent resistance, he was transported to St. Josephs Hospital for medical clearance prior to being booked at the Humboldt County Jail.

When interviewed, Henry stated that he had been “moved” to join the “Occupy” protest. When he arrived at the courthouse protest site, subjects he identified as “protesters” provided him with cardboard and a marker with which he used to make his own flag. When asked why he violently resisted arrest, Henry stated that law enforcement didn’t have “any authority” over him.