UPDATE on Reverend Dary's condition: He is resting comfortably at UW Hospital - he has had heart issues in the past and things are looking O.K. for now. He will have a stress test tomorrow - He is in good spirits. (Great news!)
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The minister, a gentle man named Rev. Carter Dary, sits in his zip tie cuffs, says he isn't feeling well, is having chest pains. Nitro, nitro… this man needs his nitro! He's not well, and he needs his nitro. The policeman in charge of collaring and cuffing errant Lutheran clergy put it in his palm. But he's handcuffed, see, and he can't get the pill into his mouth. He fumbles, but the pill doesn't reach its target. Too many zip ties are in the way. The policeman puts it under his tongue for him, like some weird reverse benediction. Things seem better. Rev. Dary tells the policeman that he has no family or friends to be contacted, and the policeman leaves the processing room.
But then the softspoken Reverend suddenly slumps where he sits, head against a pillar, eyes closed. A woman next to him, also in detainment tries to nudge him. He doesn't move. She yells for the police. Irving, stalwart Solidarity Singer already arrested too many times to count, also sits next to him in detainment. The police come and try to get the Reverend to respond. The police finally call EMS. It takes forever for the ambulance to arrive. Everyone waits and waits, Mr. Dary inert, folded over like too much laundry. Irving and the woman who nudged Mr. Dary, begin to recite the Lord's Prayer out loud. They think the Reverend is dying. The police, tell them to be quiet, to quit praying out loud. The police try to stop them from praying out loud to a semi conscious minister! They continue reciting the Lord's Prayer. Five to ten minutes after they call the ambulance, the police take the Reverend's handcuffs off.
Perhaps an ordained minister apparently having a cardiac event might be trusted to not run off? The police try to ascertain his condition. Can he recite scripture? He only gets out the first line of the Lord's Prayer.
The ambulance finally arrives. Mr. Dary is loaded and they slowly drive off. Slowly driving off is a good sign, and we all pray he is well.
Minutes before arrest, Mr. Dary was was interviewed about his interactions with the police yesterday. He seemed really concerned, really shaken, as can be seen on
this video:
Reverend Carter Dary, Minutes Before Arrest from Overpass Light Brigade on Vimeo.
"Yesterday, when they cuffed a young lady and dragged her out of here, I followed the police and her because she was bent over crying and I said, "Where are you taking her?" and they wouldn't answer me. When they finally answered me, they said, "We are taking her down to a holding cell downstairs." And I said, "A holding cell downstairs? Where downstairs?" And they said, "In the basement." And I said, "Okay, I'm just gonna go down there." And they said, "No, you're not!" and I said, "Why not? It's a public building and I can go where I want!" And they said, "You're not going down there!" And I said, "Yes I am!" Then a very large guy, very threatening in the way they look…
(And hère hé points to a lurking police officer who quickly moves out of camera view)
...They form a cordon around the stairs. They would not allow me, an ordained Chaplain and Pastor, down there to give comfort and prayer to these people. I feel like my Constitutional Rights have been violated. Seriously."
This was minutes before he was arrested, forcibly escorted to the holding area, where he sat in zip cuffs, and complained that he wasn't feeling well, having chest pains and needing some attention.
Nitro, nitro… this man needs nitro! He is not well and he needs nitro. The policeman in charge of arrested errant Lutheran clergy put it in his hand, but the Reverend can't reach it to his mouth, see, because his hands are so tightly cuffed...
