How a Roe v. Wade Protest in Rhode Island Was Transformed Into a Global Story Sparking Outrage
Sunday, June 26, 2022
NBC Nightly News reported on it.
For the Daily Mail, it was the featured story in the United States.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnd on it went. Nearly every major news organization reported on the violence at Friday's protest at the Rhode Island State House, following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
The event was organized by women's groups "concerned about the Supreme Court decision on reproductive health." The Women's Fund of Rhode Island urged people to join "to lift our voices in dissent." Advocates used the forum to call on the Rhode Island General Assembly to take action on the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act (EACA).
Instead, it turned into much more.
It ended in three arrests -- including a Providence Police officer who was immediately placed on leave.
One commenter on the Daily Mail story called Rhode Island "the Alabama of New England." There were more than 1,100 comments.
Violence
Videos began circulating of the violence. A man punched an "anti"-protester and then a melee ensued. Multiple people were involved including a man punching a woman in the face, but there was far more to the story.
The man was Jeann Lugo, a Providence Police Officer and at the time, candidate running for Rhode Island State Senate as a Republican. It was caught on video by a local reporter and musician Bill Bartholomew. At other times Lugo claimed to be a candidate for Lt. Governor.
The woman punched, Jennifer Rourke, was a speaker at the event and also a candidate for the same office Senate seat. For the past 3 years has been one of the organizers of the Rhode Island Political Cooperative — an organization recruiting progressive candidates for office in Rhode Island.
Lugo was immediately placed on paid leave by Providence Police pending an internal investigation -- before he was arrested by the Rhode Island State Police.
Providence Police issued the following statement on Saturday afternoon.
“Providence Police Officer Jeann Lugo, age 35, was arraigned by a bail commissioner today at 16:00 hours at the RISP Lincoln Barracks. Lugo was charged with Simple Assault and Disorderly Conduct and released on personal recognizance. He was assigned a re-arraignment date of July 8, 2022, and is currently suspended with pay from the Providence Police Department. This incident remains under investigation.”
Two others were also charged for acts of violence at the rally.
· Jessica Burton, age 39, of Warwick, Rhode Island, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. Burton was transported to the Lincoln Woods Barracks, processed, and held overnight pending morning arraignment.
· Nicholas Morrell, age 31, of Warwick, Rhode Island, for 1.) Disorderly Conduct. 2.) Weapons Other than Firearms 3.) Resisting Arrest. Morrell was transported to the Lincoln Woods Barracks, processed, and held overnight pending morning arraignment.
Outrage and Silence
While the incident was being condemned locally and nationally, Governor Dan McKee was silent — he neither issued a statement nor tweeted condemnation of the assault.
The Womxn Project, one of the groups organizing Friday’s event, issued a statement on Saturday night. “Jennifer Rourke shared with the crowd last night that, as a mixed-race Black woman married to a white man with interracial children, she knows that this SCOTUS decision will compromise the safety of her right to continue to love her husband. Now that Roe and Casey have been overturned, politicians across the country are openly discussing attacking interracial marriage and gay marriage. Jennifer discussed the anger she felt at thinking her children may not be able to love who they want to love, regardless of race or gender.”
“We want to thank the members of the public who have come forward to report these incidents we encourage anyone who has additional information to contact the police,” said Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Chief of Police for the City of Providence.
At the most basic level, a Providence Police officer punched a woman and mother in the face.
It was a national embarrassment for Rhode Island.
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