DECLARATION OF WILL BOLAND
RE: APRIL 6, 1996

I, Will Boland, hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the following is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and recollection:

1. At approximately 9:30 p.m., I heard a man speaking very loudly in front of the White House, declaring his impatience with "ignorant" people, and reciting the Declaration of Independence.

2. At the time I did not know the man's name, but have since learned that it is William Thomas.

3. A young Secret Service officer approached from across the street and from the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue, yelled at the Mr. Thomas to "Shut up."

4. The officer continued across the street, talked to Mr. Thomas for a few minutes, and returned to his post across the street.

5.Within minutes Mr. Thomas was again voicing his displeasure very loudly. He also began to recite the First Amendment.

6. This continued for a few more minutes when suddenly a woman, who I have since learned is named Concepcion Picciotto started shouting loudly.

7. Looking over, I saw the same officer engaged in tugging and pushing Mr. Thomas around, yelling the he was under arrest.

8. Mr. Thomas made no effort to strike out or even hold on, he simply struggled to maintain his footing.

9. I saw this all very quickly, maybe a half-minute, maybe a minute and a half. Then the officer said, "You're under arrest. You're resisting arrest."

10. Then the officer lifted Mr. Thomas off the ground, turned in a circle, and threw Thomas to the ground, striking his head upon the bricks. There was a loud kerthunk, and the officer went down on top to him.

11. Other officers arrived and completed the arrest.

12. At no time did Mr. Thomas engage the officer in any physical manner.

13. It was plain to me that the officer was enraged, totally out of control, unprofessional.

14. The incident was so disturbing that me and another bystander, named Anthony, went to the White House gate to report our observations to the Secret Service.

Under penalty of perjury,

Will Boland
April 14, 1996

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