Protesters Rally Against Police Brutality in Wake of IWW Union Member Arrest at Insomnia Cookies

Cambridge, Mass. - Forty people gathered in Harvard Square yesterday evening for a march and rally to protest the arrest of Jason Freedman, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World union, by the Cambridge Police at a legal picket Thursday night in front of Insomnia Cookies store on Mt. Auburn St. Freedman was charged with assault and battery of a police officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.

Christopher Perkins of the IWW said of the previous night's events, "One of our fellow workers of the IWW was involved in a legal picket, a protected strike of a store called Insomnia Cookies, he was supporting the workers on strike. As we were doing our picket, peacefully, 12-15 police cars arrived, they began generally, provoking …. Members of the public were stunned, asking 'Why are they doing this? (Insomnia Cookies) "What's going on?'"

"They [police officers] encircled one of our members and started pushing and being more aggressive than we've seen before. So we began saying to them that this was a legal picket and have every right to be here. Jason started speaking with them and was holding a banner, and a police officer grabbed it and pulled it toward himself and said, "Are you assaulting me?" At that point, he [Jason Freedman] was grabbed, pulled toward the car, dragged down to the sidewalk, and then basically abused. We have the names and badge numbers of the police officers involved, but can't say them publicly."

Pickets have occurred for months in support of Insomnia Cookies employees who joined the IWW and attempted unionize both the Harvard Square and Boston University Insomnia stores - five of whom were allegedly fired for their organizing activities, including Tommy Mendes. 

The march circled between Mass. Ave. and Insomnia Cookies store on Mt. Auburn St. for over an hour while attendees chanted slogans like "Cambridge PD, Stop Brutality!" Many onlookers took brochures giving the union perspective on the previous night's incident.

Another protestor, MIT junior Edward Varios said, "This is my second time coming out here. I'm out here because Jason Freedman was assaulted last night by police officers. There's an epidemic of police brutality against people who want to become a part of a union and those who organize. Insomnia was trying to stop the union, and it looks like they have extra security. I grew up in New York, so I have seen stop and frisk, and other forms of violence against organizers. Police come out to brutalize left-wing protesters ... but when it comes to people who support the status quo, like extreme conservatives, you don't seen ten cop cars out front."

There was a light police presence outside the main Harvard Square MBTA entrance at the start of the march, but no visible presence during the march and concluding rally.

This article is a news brief.

Photos by Jason Pramas.