WeAreChange founder and activist Luke Rudowski was arrested at the Hilton Hotel on Manhattan today for attempting to question New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg about his refusal to pay for the health care of 9/11 first responders. Rudowski had Infowars press credentials and a video camera when he was singled out by Bloomberg’s security in the lobby of the hotel located at West 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue). According to a post on the WeAreChange blog Rudowski and other members of WeAreChange were confronted and asked questions by hotel security and Bloomberg’s security detail. Rudowski was apparently singled out and forcibly detained at the hotel and subsequently handed over to the New York Police, who arrested him on a charge of trespassing. Rudowski was also charged with impersonating a member of the press. Infowars is a bona fide press organization. Alex Jones operates numerous news websites in addition to hosting a nationally syndicated talk radio show that is currently rated as the most listened to talk show over the internet. Jones’ Infowars and Prison Planet have broken numerous stories, including one covering the MIAC controversy that was picked up by the Associated Press and mentioned by Fox News host Glenn Beck and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Luke Rudowski has worked as an Infowars journalist for several years and his journalism is featured in Alex Jones film Truth Rising: 9/11 Chronicles, released in 2008. As of this writing, Rudowski is being held at the 18th Precinct at 306 West 54th Street on Manhattan (Note: Closest Subway Station: 50th Street: A Local, E Local) . An officer Fagan answered calls in regard to Rudowski’s arrest. Infowars staff report Fagan abruptly hung up the telephone when inquires about Rudowski were made. The 18th precinct phone number is: 212-760-8300. A NYC information page on the internet lists the following number for the precinct: 212-767-8400. Alex Jones and Infowars are requesting calls be made to the police asking about Luke Rudowski’s whereabouts and the trumped up charges against him. The New York Police and Mayor Bloomberg need to be made aware of the fact there is a First Amendment in this country and it is an egregious violation of that amendment when members of the press are unduly arrested and charged.
Please remember to be polite when contacting the police and other New York City officials.

Infowars

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NYPD Arrest Luke Rudkowski and 2 Others Update as of Midnight EST: Another number given by the 18th Precinct for information - (646) 610-6700. That number is in addition to (212) 760-8300, and the one listed below. Please do not stop calling until we find out what is happening to Luke, Manny, and Anthony. And today at 9:00 a.m. EST, there will be a street action held at Manhattan Central Booking, Manhattan Civic Center, 100 Centre St., New York, NY 10007 (212) 374-3921 to show support, inform others, and press for the release of those illegally arrested. Information is still coming in at this point - see below for some of the latest updates: Michael Bloomberg was set to appear at a $500 per ticket function put on by the Inner Circle. (http://innercircleshow.org/infotickets.html) Hilton New York 1335 Sixth Avenue between 53rd & 54th Streets New York NY 10003 Members of WeAreChangeNY News were assembled in the lobby area at the Hilton Hotel in order to ask Mayor Bloomberg some additional questions regarding the first responder issue which continues to be ignored. Requests to meet with our reporters have been repeatly denied by the Mayor's office. Reporters were stationed at various locations around the lobby and according to witnesses on the scene hotel security and members or Mayor Bloomberg's security detail began tracking and hovering around Luke and others with cameras who were waiting patiently for the Mayor's arrival. Members of both security staffs began to ask questions about who were guests at the hotel and who was press. Orders to "detain" people soon began so that those individuals could be banned from the building. All of the members of WeAreChange immediately complied with all instructions given by the security detail so that they could exit the building but within seconds arrest orders were given. According to WeAreChange camera operators there is video of these unlawful arrests as it appears that in some cases there were no warnings given and some people were simply arrested just for being in the lobby of the hotel.
Luke and the others have been taken to the NYPD 306 W 54 Street 8 Ave / 9 Ave

212-767-8400.

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Updated: Sunday, March 29, 2009