Feb 1st, 2012
Reason reports on the latest good news:
"Last week a federal jury in Oregon awarded damages to an environmental activist who sued the city of Eugene after a police officer seized his video camera and arrested him for wiretapping. In March 2009, Josh Schlossberg was distributing leaflets outside Umpqua Bank in downtown Eugene when Sgt. Bill Solesbee told him to move along. Schlossberg replied that his lawyer had advised him he was not breaking any laws. Solesbee then entered the bank and came back out. When he approached Schlossberg again, Schlossberg took out his camera and announced that he was recording the encounter."
As you can imagine, that was the beginning of the latest big fight to affirm our right to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions. Film away.
Showing posts with label Police Abuse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Police Abuse. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
A Prominent Observer
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Perhaps We Should Thank Them
Oct 18th, 2011
Tom Engelhardt notes the correlation between extreme police behavior in New York City and the rapid expansion of support for Occupy Wall Street:
"Their stakeout in Zuccotti Park is geared to extreme acts, suicide bombers, and terrorism, as well as to a conception of protest and opposition as alien and enemy-like. They are trying to herd, lock in, and possibly strangle a phenomenon that bears no relation to any of this. They are, that is, policing the wrong thing, which is why every act of pepper spraying or swing of the truncheon, every aggressive act (as in the recent eviction threat to “clean” the park) blows back on them and only increases the size and coverage of the movement."
That the authorities haven't learned this by now is stunning.
Tom Engelhardt notes the correlation between extreme police behavior in New York City and the rapid expansion of support for Occupy Wall Street:
"Their stakeout in Zuccotti Park is geared to extreme acts, suicide bombers, and terrorism, as well as to a conception of protest and opposition as alien and enemy-like. They are trying to herd, lock in, and possibly strangle a phenomenon that bears no relation to any of this. They are, that is, policing the wrong thing, which is why every act of pepper spraying or swing of the truncheon, every aggressive act (as in the recent eviction threat to “clean” the park) blows back on them and only increases the size and coverage of the movement."
That the authorities haven't learned this by now is stunning.
Holding The NYPD Accountable
Oct 18th, 2011
The Guardian reports:
"A second senior New York police officer is being formally investigated over allegations that he assaulted an Occupy Wall Street protester, raising fresh questions over the NYPD's deployment of supervisors on the front line in volatile public order situations."
I have noted repeatedly that a vast majority of flagrant abuses have come from the "white collar" supervisors and not from the "blue collar" rank and file.
"The officer, who has been named in news reports as deputy inspector Johnny Cardona, was filmed on Friday grabbing the protester from behind, spinning him round and appearing to punch him in the face so hard that he fell to the ground.
The New York Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent mayoral agency that deals with allegations of excessive or unnecessary force against police, is now investigating the incident, along with a number of other complaints over policing of the protests.
This is the second inquiry the board has launched in the last month into an alleged assault by a senior NYPD officer on Occupy Wall Street protesters. It is also investigating the use of pepper spray on peaceful female protesters by another deputy inspector, Anthony Bologna, who is also the subject of an internal NYPD inquiry."
The Guardian reports:
"A second senior New York police officer is being formally investigated over allegations that he assaulted an Occupy Wall Street protester, raising fresh questions over the NYPD's deployment of supervisors on the front line in volatile public order situations."
I have noted repeatedly that a vast majority of flagrant abuses have come from the "white collar" supervisors and not from the "blue collar" rank and file.
"The officer, who has been named in news reports as deputy inspector Johnny Cardona, was filmed on Friday grabbing the protester from behind, spinning him round and appearing to punch him in the face so hard that he fell to the ground.
The New York Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent mayoral agency that deals with allegations of excessive or unnecessary force against police, is now investigating the incident, along with a number of other complaints over policing of the protests.
This is the second inquiry the board has launched in the last month into an alleged assault by a senior NYPD officer on Occupy Wall Street protesters. It is also investigating the use of pepper spray on peaceful female protesters by another deputy inspector, Anthony Bologna, who is also the subject of an internal NYPD inquiry."
Friday, October 14, 2011
Totally Blatant Police Brutality
Oct 14th, 2011
CONTACT NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and tell him we don't condone the public beating of women by police commanders in the United States of America.
There is only one way to describe this. It is seriously ugly bullshit. Period. This "white shirt" is a bastard. To be fair, it is clear that his fellow officers were nearly as shocked as the crowd.
CONTACT NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and tell him we don't condone the public beating of women by police commanders in the United States of America.
There is only one way to describe this. It is seriously ugly bullshit. Period. This "white shirt" is a bastard. To be fair, it is clear that his fellow officers were nearly as shocked as the crowd.
Today's Clashes At The Occupation
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Push Forward... Be Beaten Back... Push Forward...
Oct 6th, 2011
This has been the way of things throughout history. We, the motley people, always win... if we do not give up.
This has been the way of things throughout history. We, the motley people, always win... if we do not give up.
"My Little Nightstick's Gonna Get A Workout Tonight"
Oct 6th, 2011
That's a quote. From an NYPD, rank and file cop. It's in the video below. If last night's violence can be blamed on anyone? It's the police. Period. One has to wonder whether or not the increasingly infamous "white shirts" are changing shift assignments to get exactly the kind of thugs they need. Just a theory.
That's a quote. From an NYPD, rank and file cop. It's in the video below. If last night's violence can be blamed on anyone? It's the police. Period. One has to wonder whether or not the increasingly infamous "white shirts" are changing shift assignments to get exactly the kind of thugs they need. Just a theory.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Distorting The Narrative, part 4
Oct 2nd, 2011
An interesting piece of information has been brought to my attention. In the 20 minutes between the NY Times first publishing its reportage of the Brooklyn Bridge arrests and the subsequent alteration of that report (postings HERE, HERE and HERE), the original, solo byline crediting Colin Moynihan was expanded to include Al Baker. Al Baker is the NY Times Police Bureau Chief. Years spent by the NYPD brass allowing Mr. Baker access sure seems to have paid off. It may have also had something to do with Mr. Baker reportedly being the son of an acting Lieutenant with New York's police force.
Here's an update of the increasingly well known graphic depicting what happened yesterday.
An interesting piece of information has been brought to my attention. In the 20 minutes between the NY Times first publishing its reportage of the Brooklyn Bridge arrests and the subsequent alteration of that report (postings HERE, HERE and HERE), the original, solo byline crediting Colin Moynihan was expanded to include Al Baker. Al Baker is the NY Times Police Bureau Chief. Years spent by the NYPD brass allowing Mr. Baker access sure seems to have paid off. It may have also had something to do with Mr. Baker reportedly being the son of an acting Lieutenant with New York's police force.
Here's an update of the increasingly well known graphic depicting what happened yesterday.
The "Anonymous" Warning
Oct 2nd, 2011
Pretty strong stuff directed at the NYPD's now infamous serial-macer and his fellow white shirts.
Elsewhere, The Australian is reporting that the U.S. Government is warning to firms to prepare for potential breaches of their networks:
"The US Department of Homeland Security has warned financial companies to be vigilant about a cyber security threat from Anonymous.
Wanted for shutting down websites as high profile as that of the CIA, a recently released Department of Homeland Security bulletin said the group "will continue to exploit vulnerable publicly available web servers, computer networks and other digital information mediums for the foreseeable future".
Pretty strong stuff directed at the NYPD's now infamous serial-macer and his fellow white shirts.
Elsewhere, The Australian is reporting that the U.S. Government is warning to firms to prepare for potential breaches of their networks:
"The US Department of Homeland Security has warned financial companies to be vigilant about a cyber security threat from Anonymous.
Wanted for shutting down websites as high profile as that of the CIA, a recently released Department of Homeland Security bulletin said the group "will continue to exploit vulnerable publicly available web servers, computer networks and other digital information mediums for the foreseeable future".
Chaos On The Bridge
Oct 2nd, 2011
The police led the Occupy Wall Street protesters into the Brooklyn Bridge roadway. It's on video. This was an old school set up of the kind that was once used against anti-war protesters in decades past.
What's notable in the video below is that, much like last week's violence, the more egregious behavior by law enforcement is from the commanders in white shirts, not the rank and file. What's more, some high ranking law enforcement officials can be seen clearly shouting down their more unruly counterparts (note the exchange captured at the 18 second mark). It's a mess.
The police led the Occupy Wall Street protesters into the Brooklyn Bridge roadway. It's on video. This was an old school set up of the kind that was once used against anti-war protesters in decades past.
What's notable in the video below is that, much like last week's violence, the more egregious behavior by law enforcement is from the commanders in white shirts, not the rank and file. What's more, some high ranking law enforcement officials can be seen clearly shouting down their more unruly counterparts (note the exchange captured at the 18 second mark). It's a mess.
Monday, September 26, 2011
The Continuing Decline...
Sept 26th, 2011
The screenshot below is just the current result (6:30am EDT 9/26/11) of a totally unscientific web poll regarding police behavior this past Saturday from the NY Daily News. There is no way of discerning the actual demographics of the respondents. All this really shows is that 46% of them are nuts.
The screenshot below is just the current result (6:30am EDT 9/26/11) of a totally unscientific web poll regarding police behavior this past Saturday from the NY Daily News. There is no way of discerning the actual demographics of the respondents. All this really shows is that 46% of them are nuts.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The MSM Starts To Pay Attention
Spet 25th, 2011
If anyone can identify officers who have used violence or excessive force during Occupy Wall Street, contact the New York ACLU at 212-607-3300
The coverage is biased, but at least it's something.
If anyone can identify officers who have used violence or excessive force during Occupy Wall Street, contact the New York ACLU at 212-607-3300
The coverage is biased, but at least it's something.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Stark County, Ohio's Very Own Abu Ghraib
Jan 2nd, 2011
Torture is torture. It's not something you can spin. Regrettably, we live in a culture that has been doing just that for the past 9 years. That the tactics of brutalization and sexual humiliation we've visited on other countries are now perpetrated in our own communities was merely a matter of time.
Four years ago, a woman in rural Ohio named Hope Steffey was assaulted by a family member. She did what citizens are supposed to do and called the police. She had been knocked unconscious in the initial attack and was disoriented. After some confusion resulting from her state of shock, it was she who was arrested instead of the assailant. The arresting officer injured her back and her face and cracked her teeth. She was later violently stripped naked by both female and male officers. There are many questions surrounding the behavior of all the officials involved. Dash-cam footage does "not exist" prior to Steffey being placed in the cruiser.
We continue to tolerate this at our peril.
Torture is torture. It's not something you can spin. Regrettably, we live in a culture that has been doing just that for the past 9 years. That the tactics of brutalization and sexual humiliation we've visited on other countries are now perpetrated in our own communities was merely a matter of time.
Four years ago, a woman in rural Ohio named Hope Steffey was assaulted by a family member. She did what citizens are supposed to do and called the police. She had been knocked unconscious in the initial attack and was disoriented. After some confusion resulting from her state of shock, it was she who was arrested instead of the assailant. The arresting officer injured her back and her face and cracked her teeth. She was later violently stripped naked by both female and male officers. There are many questions surrounding the behavior of all the officials involved. Dash-cam footage does "not exist" prior to Steffey being placed in the cruiser.
We continue to tolerate this at our peril.
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