Watch as the young girls who are standing there are pepper-sprayed in the face for no reason other than speaking out against what’s happening to another protester. Listen to them scream. God bless America!
“In 2008 the New York Police Department, as part of a court settlement, has agreed to formalize several changes it has made in its crowd control procedures at political demonstrations. The department said it would ensure that protesters will not be trapped inside pens surrounded by police barricades, that people will be given “avenues of escape” when police approach on horseback and that the public is informed about access routes when sidewalks or roads are closed.”
— NY Times City Room Blog, April 15, 2008.
Amerika the not-so-beautiful. Repression is repression, even if you paint it red, white and blue. Since the rule of law’s been ended in the US, they can’t prosecute crime anymore and the police have become nothing more than tools of oppression.
“Kick off your bedroom slippers and put on your marching shoes.” (Before the NAACP) Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang.
I know I mentioned it somewhere earlier, but Eqyptian officials could have learned a lot about crowd management and control from what is by now usual and customary actions in US cities.
Mubarek would probably still be in power.
John Halle posted a description of what he saw and experienced while in the group which marched to Union Square yesterday. Very good. Worth reading.
Not a win hearts and minds approach by the police — more like scare people so they won’t feel safe using their First Amendment rights.
Mubarak’s army was not politically reliable, and Mubarak’s police force was not militarized. So not possible for that system to learn, jawbone.