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SEIU Beating: Kenneth Gladney Attacked By 'Thugs' at Tea Party

by Jon Azpiri | August 7, 2009 at 12:26 pm

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Police in St. Louis arrested six people after a town hall meeting held by Rep. Russ Carnahan. Two people were arrested on suspicion of assault, one for resisting arrest and three on suspicion of committing a peace disturbance by way of interference.

The tension outside the town hall meeting stemmed from the national debate on health care. The confrontation turned physical as Kenneth Gladney got into a heated argument with a group some describe as "union thugs."

Kenneth Gladney, 38, an activist from St. Louis who believes in a no-tax stance, said he was attacked by some of those arrested as he handed out yellow flags with "Don't tread on me" printed on them. He spoke to the Post-Dispatch from the emergency room on Thursday night at St. John's Mercy Medical Center, where he said he was awaiting treatment for injuries to his knee, back, elbow, shoulder and face.

"It just seems there's no freedom of speech without being attacked," Gladney said. On Friday, he said he had been hired by the Tea Party folks to hand out the flags and added: "I was attacked for something I believe in."

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Vegas john (not verified)

at 10:37 on August 8th, 2009

From the inteview that I saw with Mr. Gladney, he was not working or was hired by the tea party people, was simply going to the meeting as an undecided on the health care issue and was attacked and beat because he was a black man going to the meeting that he should not be going to. He also said that themob of thugs that beat him was wearing SEIU t- shirts