Luke Rudkowski Framed in “Classic Set-up”

Calling in to the Alex Jones show today, WeAreChange founder and political activist Luke Rudkowski said he was set-up for arrest at the Hilton Hotel on Manhattan last Saturday. Luke was at the hotel in order to ask New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg about his refusal to help with the medical costs of 9/11 first responders. Bloomberg had promised to address the issue but has since ignored the pleas of WeAreChange and others to help first responders.

Rudkowski said Bloomberg’s security detail and hotel security claimed he would not leave the hotel. Luke told Jones he asked to leave the premise on numerous occasions and was not allowed to do so.

[efoods]Anthony Verias, who accompanied Rudkowski, told Alex they were victims of a “classic set-up.” Verias was assaulted and brought into an office where he was subjected to intimidation and harassment by hotel security and Bloomberg’s plainclothes “goons,” as Anthony described them.

Luke said fellow WeAreChange activist Manny Valencia was assaulted as he taped Rudkowski’s arrest and his camera was confiscated.

Rudkowski said conditions at Manhattan Central Booking are deplorable. He said the holding cells were overcrowded with overflowing toilets and infested with cockroaches. Corrections officers told Rudkowski because his case is political his files would be lost and his court appearance delayed.

The police would not return WeAreChange cameras and video footage because they consider it evidence in a criminal case. Luke was told he would have to go through the District Attorney and his lawyers to get the footage and equipment returned. Police told Rudkowski the videotapes may be erased.

Rudkowski said police were generally supportive and helpful even though the police did not offer vouchers for WeAreChange equipment and videotapes. Rudkowski asked for the vouchers.

Luke faces a trial in two months on a charge of criminal trespass.

Rudkowski, Manny Valencia, and Anthony Verias will appear later this evening on the Infowarrior show with Jason Bermas.

This article was posted: Monday, March 30, 2009 at 2:09 pm

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