Back in 1991, at the age of 16, I was arrested similarly, for skateboarding on a downtown street. I wasn't even damaging property - just skating down the street.

Three cop cars surrounded me. They got out, took my board, broke it, man-handled me, cut up my wrists with handcuffs, threw me in the car, and drove me to the jail. They put me in a gross-ass tiny cell with shit on the walls and vomit on the floor. There I stayed for 24 hours - no where to even sit.

The next day, I sought legal advice - just an ignorant kid, with ignorant parents. I called about 10 different law offices in the city. None would represent me - they all claimed that they represented the police and that it would be a conflict of interest.

Pointless story - but pretty much solidified my suspicion of the police ever since.