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Cherry-picking moments from those videos, or from that long day of multiple sites of protest involving hundreds of individuals, I have no doubt you could find some people whose behavior was objectionable, but you could do that with literally any movement in history.
I watched firsthand, standing toward the front of a crowd of perhaps a hundred unarmed protesters on the edge of Civic Plaza late Sunday night, as we were almost completely surrounded by literally an entire police force prepared not for a group of dissatisfied citizens but for war. And that is not an exaggeration. There were hundreds of armed police, all with riot shields, batons, gas masks and guns, in row upon row upon row. The smell of tear gas was everywhere, stinging everyone's eyes and throats; and on every side but directly behind us, I could see police with their faces hidden; machine guns or assault rifles in their hands; police cars; flashing lights; and armored vehicles―the kind you'd typically see in Iraq or Afghanistan.
If you live here, get out and be a part of these protests. They're important. And there will be more. To paraphrase Skyler from “Breaking Bad,” we need to keep this city safe from the people who keep this city safe. Protest, go to City Council meetings and get informed―read anything you can on the subject―sign petitions, write letters and help make the movement one you can you be proud of. The problem is bigger than a few violent cops―the problem is a system that trains those cops to be violent and then excuses them from all accountability when they, for instance, shoot a homeless camper to death. The problem is that we have become a police state. As citizens, it's both sane and adult to demand that the armed presence that controls our city be subject to oversight and reform, particularly when that presence has had such an exceptionally lethal recent past.
And please, don't let criticisms you may have of nuances of various corners of the protests blind you to the legitimacy of the larger cause. Citizens standing up for their rights is not going to cost the city any jobs―that boring, small-minded complaint―if anything it's empowering us. And in a group as varied as the hundreds of protesters who took part in Sunday's protests, judging the whole by the actions of any small part would be silly. A crowd isn't a monolithic entity. Sure, hacktivist group Anonymous was at these protests, but these weren't Anonymous events. Hippies were there, but these weren't hippie events. Punks were there, but these weren't punk events. The inclination to portray all the protesters as the same is wrong. Only one group there was unanimously armed and prepared for violence. That group was APD. And they looked preposterous.
"After more than eight hours of walking through downtown Albuquerque, protesters started vandalizing property, with one person seemingly attempting to take down the street sign at Central and Yale, and other protesters spray-painting property. . "Officer Tasia Martinez of APD confirmed late Sunday night that protesters left damage and graffiti all along Central Avenue that will have to be cleaned up at least all day Monday."
spooky24
"After more than eight hours of walking through downtown Albuquerque, protesters started vandalizing property, with one person seemingly attempting to take down the street sign at Central and Yale, and other protesters spray-painting property. . "Officer Tasia Martinez of APD confirmed late Sunday night that protesters left damage and graffiti all along Central Avenue that will have to be cleaned up at least all day Monday."
Msn did nothing wrong that I can see-you are the one cherry picking. Just plain ole forgot they caused all that damage. I think they were lucky-if they had tried something like that here it would have been much worse.
I guess you are saying that if your mad about something you can break the law and destroy property.
spooky24
I guess you are saying that if your mad about something you can break the law and destroy property.
Here is another one you forgot. They tried to shut down the interstate by slinging their signs into onrushing traffic and blocking the entrance ramp.edit on 4-4-2014 by spooky24 because: (no reason given)
Secondly, let us keep the issues where they are. The issue is injustice. The issue is the refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants, who happen to be sanitation workers. Now, we've got to keep attention on that. That's always the problem with a little violence. You know what happened the other day, and the press dealt only with the window-breaking. I read the articles. They very seldom got around to mentioning the fact that one thousand, three hundred sanitation workers are on strike, and that Memphis is not being fair to them, and that Mayor Loeb is in dire need of a doctor. They didn't get around to that.
ever heard of provcateurs?
spooky24
Violence hurt both sides equally. I just don't see anything that could be gained by inducing the violence from either side.