Gothamist: Demonstrations, Riots, Raids, and Arrests at RNC

NannyState

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:44:07 -0500

How long before we have our own Tiananman Square? I give it 3 years.

blablanyc

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:08:49 -0500

The Times' journalists are doing great job.

Pull My Finger

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:19:39 -0500

She is happy as a pig in shit. Now she has something to talk about for next 10 years on her radio program.

The Edge

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:14:57 -0500

Seems like that shot of that douche running on top of the cop car summarizes what seems to be about 90% of the people who protest the RNC. You expect to be taken seriously when doing stupid shit like that? And trying to "hide" your identity?!? What's the point when your ass is going to get knocked flat anyway.

Rolltide23

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:31:25 -0500

Oooohh....are the poor wittle kids taking another beating from the police? Will they ever learn that if you fight the police, you will lose.

Polemicist

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:17:29 -0500

entropone: As you said, the video doesn't give enough information. I merely contested the notion that "being a cop does not give you a right to order people around".

entropone

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:40:55 -0500

but Polemicist, you're still assuming that the order was lawful. And I don't think the video gives us any indication either way. So we get to go back to issue of, lawful or not, is it the right thing for the State to do, arresting journalists covering political issues? Cause they can always find a justification to do so. Even if, after years of legal wrangling, they settle or admit fault or whatever.

Polemicist

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:34:31 -0500

Actually, JMH - you have to comply with orders issued by the police when you are on public land. Ignore a lawful order on the street anywhere and you will be arrested.

JMH

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:21:29 -0500

Being a journalist does not give you a right to go wherever you want to go.And being a cop does not give you a right to order people around as if you were a drill sergeant and they were draftees.

Tails

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:00:59 -0500

Amy deserved to be arrested. Come on! Look at the video. The cops told her to move and she was blatantly disregarding those instructions. Being a journalist does not give you a right to go wherever you want to go.

kapusta

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:47:24 -0500

10,000 guilty criminal citizens (we,re all guilty until proven guilty) were arrested and tortured in 2004 in new york by the Fascist Security Forces(aka ny,s finest). will you people forget about this 18th century "certain unalienable rights" bullshit? that's for pussies and faggots.

babyhitler

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:47:23 -0500

wasn't everyone complaining about China's freedom of speech 2 weeks ago?

entropone

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:46:48 -0500

er, that was to Tgirl, but I, uh, addressed my comment to myself instead of her. (headslap).

entropone

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:45:32 -0500

entropone, while there are credible reports of protesters resisting police aggression, i have not heard any reports of targeted property destruction or vandalism. it's the police who are rioting, and they're the ones with the deadly weapons. a lot of these folks *are* spending their lives and their energy every day working for change in cities across America. don't discredit them out of ignorance just because the newsmedia have been telling you bad things.

Tgirl

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:35:51 -0500

last time I checked, lawful protest and anarchy are not the same thing. Vandalism and rioting are not protected by the Constitution, nor should they be. If these folks want change, why don't they roll up thier sleeves and make a difference by contributing their time, talent or money where it is needed most?

Pull My Finger

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:26:23 -0500

When the left act like a bunch of crazed asshats then they should be rounded up. Its part of the whole civil disorder thing. Deal with it or stay the fuck home.

Future Taliban

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:23:39 -0500

"Land of the Free Home of the Knave"

trotskie

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:12:15 -0500

"What's the point in having it for four days?" Aren't most conventions four days long? Comic Con and the MLB fanfest were...

cmoney

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:56:37 -0500

I've been reading that many of these people aren't being arrested, simply detained and that they can be held for 36 hours, thus taking the wind out of the potential protests. Idea being there would be no need to file false arrest warrants which would later be found to be outright lies.

JGNY

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:50:32 -0500

hmmm. People should protest, of course. However protests are a tool that should be used wisely and when appropiate (when a tangible result can be measured). I really don't see this as an effecitve use of protest, it's results are negligable at best to counter-productive at worst. As I said the republicans are going to self destruct and I feel that right now a better way to work against the the GOP is through the media and internet (see Palin's eventual withdrawal from race due to Daily Kos bloggers; much more effective then throwing up peace signs).

jt10000

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:49:31 -0500

Is this going to turn out like the supposed "clashes" at the 2004 RNC, where almost 2,000 people were arrested and about 90% of the arrests were eventually thrown out? Where the police were not arresting people for things they had done, but as a preventive measure to get protesters out of the way? Where, according to a NYTimes article in 2005, at least one policeman incited violence to try to get more arrests to happen. I can't help but wonder if the Republican National Committee gets assurances from the local police that they will overreact to make sure that protesters are portrayed as fringe elements, real justice and freedom of speech be damned.

Steven

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:39:16 -0500

The conventions should be done away with or at least make it one day. What's the point in having it for four days?

cmoney

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:38:01 -0500

Anybody who feels protesting should be squashed is welcome to move to China!!

Gothamist_Cynic

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:35:45 -0500

Polemicist is obviously smoking McCain's cock.

esquared

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:34:30 -0500

Why is it that there are often protests at Republican gatherings and not at the Democratic gatherings?

Fritzdecat

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:31:22 -0500

Polemicist what the hell are you smokin?

melanarchy

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:27:39 -0500

The only thing better than Polemicist's "comment" will be the string of people who will agree with it straight faced, and the even more hilarious string of people who'll miss the sarcasm.

DUNX

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:27:31 -0500

Polemicist- do you not see the irony of calling protests an affront to our democracy? Since when it is it an affront to our democracy to have your voice heard on the street? Are you completely ignorant to the history of political change in America?

Polemicist

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:24:52 -0500

There is no legitimate purpose for public protests. Especially in the days of the internet where so much information and debate is easily accessible, public intimidation such as this should be illegal. In my opinion, the police aren't doing enough to put a stop to this affront to our democracy. People should be free to make informed political decisions without an angry mob in their face.

Phineas Gage

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:24:22 -0500

Arresting reporters is a nice touch. Has anyone seen the USA lately? We appear to have lost it.

melanarchy

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:21:58 -0500

JGNY, there will always be violent protesters in the fringe, but protesting is an American tradition. You seem to be suggesting that all protesters should stop because republicans will spin it negatively? The raids on houses of organizations that had planned protests prior to the protests or the breaking of any law at all is sad and should be treated as a serious breach in the personal freedoms of all citizens not the "necessary silencing" of a few fringe crazies.

The Man Bat

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:21:08 -0500

JGNY....you are very naive. DO your research. Agent Provocatuer. Many of those "protesters" are actually cops.

entropone

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:13:13 -0500

jeez. everybody expected a crackdown but the level and intensity of what's going on should make everybody ashamed of this police force, no matter what you think of the angle and messages of protesters. going after organizers, raiding media groups with submachine guns? that is some fearsome shit.

JGNY

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:08:42 -0500

Sorry guys. As a life long democrat I have to say that all you are doing is making us look bad. In 2000 and 2004 at the start of the war these marches made sense but the republicans don't need any help failing this year. They are digging their own grave and these protests are fodder for the right wing talking heads who preach to millions of gullible americans every day. They will effectively link these demonstrations with Obama and peel away votes.

peanut100

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:07:23 -0500

wow...this makes me really sad. maybe they arrested amy since she reps democracy now, not fascism now?

Bottomless Chips

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:04:54 -0500

It's a battle of the fascists vs. the socialists! Which inferior political system will win?