On October 30th 2014, 74 year old former CIA Analyst of 27 years Ray McGovern was arrested outside the 92nd Street Y in NYC where former CIA director and retired military general David Petraeus was speaking at an event. Ray was arrested while attempting to enter the David Petraeus talk as a paid ticket holder.

When he made his way to enter the venue, Security, as if they were expecting him, said. “You’re not coming in here Ray”. The same Ray McGovern had also engaged in a “Silent Protest” at a recent Hillary Clinton speech where she spoke out in favor of protests without fear of threat or violence. Ray stood and turned and faced the back of the room about 12 yards from Hillary when he was dragged out by Security “bruised and bloodied” back in Feb 2011. He was roughed up and needed medical attention, “It was a pretty brutal attack”, Ray says, “Hillary Clinton who watched me be physically violated and grabbed – was condemning violence against protesters”.

At the 92nd Street Y, activists included myself, from World Can’t Wait, Brooklyn for Peace and Veterans for Peace. Ray told the Guard that the Bill of Rights gave him the right to enter. I had no time to get my camera out as I reached into my pocket for my Blackberry and began recording his arrest. Ray was screaming in pain about his shoulder when NYPD pulled his arms behind his back. Ray’s arms were twisted behind his back when he was being taken to the Police car, even though he did not want to have his shoulder re-injured.

Ray’s plan was to wait until the Question and Answer part of the event to ask David Petraeus about the training of Iraqi troops he was famous for training and who were so well trained that they ended up fleeing and leaving their weapons at the first hint of Islamic State militants earlier last year. I had hoped to hear the photogenic but inept Petraeus explain why the Iraqi troops, which he claimed to have trained so well, had fled northern Iraq in what has turned into one of the most important events of the 21st century. I even harbored some slight hope that the advertised Question and Answer might afford hoi polloi like me the chance to ask him a real question.

“It’s another sign of a growing hostility toward dissent”, Ray says.

On previous court appearances since his arrest Ray choose to have a trial which was set for this week. According to Ray’s lawyer from the NY Lawyers Guild, Moira Meltzer-Cohen, the prosecution much prefered to get rid of the case instead of looking ridiculous by proceeding to court. They knew they had no case and wanted it to go away.

Thank goodness, Ray’s case was “dismissed” and the Judge added that Ray must be a “Law Abiding Citizen” and not get into trouble for the next six months. Take a look at the video of Ray McGovern’s arrest on my Youtube Channel:

Image Gallery of Catherine Watters photos from event: