Protesters and police treatment pre-RNC
By xParanoiax
@xParanoiax (6987)
United States
August 31, 2008 2:43am CST
http://www.xanga.com/MyFreedomWings/672461588/50000-expected-to-protest-rnc.html
^ I've compiled a list of some of the sources here. And no, this is not self-promotion...I do run that site...but I wanted to give you a list of all the articles without taking up a ton of space here. Click if you wish, no pressure. I encourage you to google it for yourself, don't take my word for it.
Okay, so...there was some pretty questionable police-protester relations at the DNC..like the police herding the protesters and chasing away reporters from the scene (as the protesters themselves shouted "NO VIOLENCE, NO VIOLENCE"), slamming a code pink lady to the ground (yes she was rude, but was violence against a lady in heels necessary?)...but here, the RNC hasn't even started and this concept has arisen: Pre-emptive arrests.
Confiscating materials they prolly didn't have a warrant to confiscate..and raiding a number of houses and meetings of activists.
Now they say even bigger numbers of protesters will be there for the RNC, so do you think this has any effect on the law enforcenment's present mentality and how they're dealing with these folks?
Do you think this is anywhere near acceptable behavior? Do you think it tramples on their rights?
What do you think about this whole thing?
I know, I know...conventions and big political events can get rough on both sides, but this just seems a bit heavy-handed to me.
2 responses
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
31 Aug 08
Why has America become a fascist state? What happened to the idea that people are arrested for committing crimes? I can't imagine anyone standing up for arrests made before anything at all has happened! This is only expected where tyrrany reigns!
Whether protesting the DNC or RNC, each person has civil rights, which are being trampeled upon. Weren't such things to be illegal in this country? Where did freedom of expression go?
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
1 Sep 08
=( it's a sad day when those expected to guard our rights and uphold the law sometimes take the opportunity when it presents itself to them, to abuse the power given to them.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
1 Sep 08
So true! We all know that power corrupts, but weren't there suppposed to be checks and balances in place to keep people as honest as possible? Is all we've believed in just a farcs? Why do these people think it's OK to betray us?
I want my country back, so I can love it again!
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
1 Sep 08
We all just need to keep on 'em, I figure. Alot of cities now have police-watchdogs, run by regular people who actively talk about the cops to give them an incentive to behave and to talk to their higher-ups if they gotta.
However, this isn't common enough, apparently, to stop stuff like this.
Checks and balances only work when the people who're employed by said things are doing their jobs...
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
1 Sep 08
I don't really consider the issues with the police to be political. I think that there are an unfortunately noticeable number of bad cops out there that abuse their authority. I couldn't believe the video of an ABC reporter being assaulted by a police officer while standing on the sidewalk in front of a hotel where people were staying for the DNC. The cop literally pushed him into traffic, and then accused him of blocking traffic. Officers were then seen holding the man against a wall by his throat before cuffing and arresting him.
Actions like this are about abusive police. They don't answer to Bush, nor are they employed by either political party. They are local cops who ignore their training and abuse their power. I don't blame republicans or democrats, I blame them and their superiors for allowing them to behave this way when their duty is to protect people.
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
1 Sep 08
RNC and DNC...and protests are by nature political, the police's interactions just touching onto it, so...*couldn't really help the category I put this topic under, on mylot 'cause "news" didn't fit too much considering how little mainstream coverage I found on it*
*apologetic look*
Anyway, I largely agree with you. Their bosses -- their superiors, are the ones who allow them to do stuff like this and don't repremand them for it...which ultimately, doing nothing about it is like encouraging it when you've authority over your officers. So...bleh.
