Lisa Brown’s own Protest Past may have Driven her current Public Safety Decisions

BELOW PRESS from the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) era in the 1980s INCLUDING LISA BROWN.

“18 are arrested in aid protest at Court House”

“After gathering in downtown Spokane demonstrators try to block doorway”

No. This is not a recent headline.

It is from decades ago and includes Mayor Lisa Brown and her co-conspirators .

In the above news report, see “Those arrested in the protest were … Lisa J. Brown”

Lisa Brown participated in the protest arranged by the “Pledge of Resistance Committee.” The article states that the Committee’s purpose is to prevent further United States involvement in Central America. “The committee often uses acts of civil disobedience to show its disapproval of American policy.”

One of Lisa’s co-conspirators is quoted as saying, “If they want to continue this act of war against Nicaragua we want them to know they will have to put American citizens in jail.” Stahmer told nearly 100 people gathered at a rally before the arrests.

The news report continues, referencing another protester, Tom Schmidt who stated that he would have liked to have been arrested but had to go to work.

The above story continues, “The demonstration did not end before one of the protesters was kicked by a woman in her 50s as she forced her way into the building. Police went after the woman but said they were unable to find her. Lisa Brown, who was kicked in the ribs, said she wished she could have explained to the woman she was taking this action. Brown is quoted as stating, “The reason we’re here is because the policy of the United States in Central America is immoral and illegal.”

Pictured in the story above is David Biviano, arrested with Lisa Brown, who stated he would not pay any kind of fine, declaring,

“I don’t want to give the government any money. God knows what they would do with it. I’d rather do the time.” - David Biviano

Current Protest Politics

Chud Wendle has captured the situation of last summer well in a recent Facebook post. Chud writes (emphasis added):

“This is not an opinion post on yesterday's guilty ruling by a federal jury finding the three Spokane protestors of conspiring against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement but rather a post sharing the corruption and "political" interference of the investigation of the June 11, 2025 protest that took place within City of Spokane's Administration.

Mayor "this prosecution was politically motivated" Brown proudly makes this statement but is completely silent on the interference of this investigation that was ordered by her Police Chief. In addition, the Mayor was aware that there was going to be a protest well in advance of when it was scheduled to occur but opted to have SPD respond after it became heated. Could this protest have ended peacefully if the Mayor's office responded quicker?

From the public records that provided the police reports from the point of when SPD was called into respond to the protest through the investigation (I'm in possession of the 296 pages from this PRR but told by the City that they are not releasing any more reports as they had orders):

"On 06/13/2025 at approximately 1530 hours, I was ordered by Capt. MEIDL that any reports or body worn camera footage regarding this investigation was not to be shared with the FBI; Capt. MEIDL stated that the order was at the order and direction of Chief Kevin HALL. In my career, I have never been ordered to not cooperate with the FBI in an ongoing investigation. In addition, I was advised that I could continue my investigation of this matter, but to not provide any material to the FBI as I progressed in my investigation. I was also ordered that if there was probably cause to arrest anyone with this investigation, the charges would be forwarded to the Washington State Attorney General's Office and not the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office." Police Report by T. Schwering

On 6/14/2025 and from the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney's Office - MCCOLLAM stated,

"I'm disappointed to learn that your department admin may have issued a directive that investigators are not to cooperate with or provide the FBI with any information relating to the arrests made at or near Homeland Security Investigators building this past week. I certainly hope that is not the case.."

And response

"Yes, I was given a directive by Capt. Meidl on 06/13/2025 that I was not to work with the FBI regarding this case; this order included not providing reports or BWC footage... In addition, I was ordered to bypass your office for any felony charging recommendations and send the charging requests to the Attorney Generals Office." Police Report by T. Schwering

And you might be asking why would these orders be issued?

At the June 11, 2025 press conference, Mayor Brown stated "this afternoon, former council president Ben STUCKART called me and informed me of some individuals detained by ICE and his intent to prevent ICE vehicle from leaving the facility. I asked him what he, and he had fellow protestors with him, wanted to achieve. We discussed legal assistance. I did call Attorney General Nick BROWN, and discussed the situation, made him aware of it, asked him to investigate options and connected him to Ben (STUCKART). Ben did inform me that members of his, his group, intended to peacefully protest, and they intended to stay at the facility until they were arrested." Police Report T. Schwering

Mayor Brown was aware of the protest well before it was scheduled and sought legal advice/counsel for Ben and the others from the AG but did not have SPD ready to respond when the actual protest began. Despite knowing that there would be a conflict with the AG's office because the charges would be felony charges, the orders were still made to bypass the Prosecuting Attorney's office.

Per public records, Ben Stuckart texted Mayor Brown the day of the protest asking her to stop SPD from arresting the protestors.

The question that has previously been asked to the Mayor was whether the orders to not cooperate with the FBI and to bypass the County Prosecutor were directed by the her or if Chief Hall singlehandedly issued the orders. Crickets.

The public records obtained regarding the protest and its investigation were sent to the Spokesman and CenterSquare. Center Square did publish an article (included in the comments) while the Spokesman chose not to.

The purpose of this post is to expose the politics that are coming out of the Mayor's office. What happened on June 11, 2025 was not a protest. A peaceful protest does not include damaging federal property, assaulting law enforcement officers, and violating the law in so doing. Knowing about the protest before it was scheduled to begin she could have made every effort possible including having SPD prepared to make sure it was kept as what Ben desired "a peaceful protest."