A campaign fund-raiser
for Francine Busby, a Democrat seeking the California's
50th congressional district seat in 2010, ended with two
arrests, bruises and a cloud of pepper spray.
A campaign fund-raiser
thrown by a lesbian couple for Francine Busby, a Democrat
seeking California's 50th congressional district seat in
2010, ended with two arrests, bruises, and a cloud of pepper
spray.
Busby is now demanding
an explanation from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department,
which broke up the fund-raiser, arrested the host, and
responded to a noise complaint with questionable force.
Shari Barman, 60,
hosted the event at her home with her partner, Jane Stratton,
in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif. Busby described the
event as a "quiet home reception" with a half-hour period
during which Busby used a microphone to address the
gathering.
However,
The San Diego Union-Tribune
reports that at 9:33 p.m., local police received a call from a
man alleging that someone was still using the a megaphone, and
that crowd noise was keeping him awake.
The
Union-Tribune
also reported that while Busby spoke, a man shouted
"disparaging remarks" regarding Busby and LGBT people from
the property behind Barman's home. Neighbors from three sides
of the home had no complaints, including one man who slept
through it.
An officer reportedly
said he felt threatened while responding to the call. After
Barman refused to give the officer her birth date and walked
away from him, she was placed under arrest for suspicion of
battery on a police officer and resisting, delaying and
obstructing a peace officer. Barman said in a statement that
the officer forced her to the ground and twisted her arm in the
process.
Stratton told the
Union-Tribune
that she was knocked to the ground after she warned the officer
of Barman's recent shoulder surgery.
Seven deputies, a
sergeant, and a helicopter were dispatched to control a crowd
of 30 to 50 middle-aged people.
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