Another "I can't breath" death: Police Reform & Protests in the USA

[Kathandira]

And we're all aware that Tear Gas is against the Geneva Conventions, right? That is some seriously ironic shit right there.

And for some reason, it is being used with absolutely no repercussions.

[Edge-]

Looks like it was Saturday:

https://www.businessinsider.com/seat...tration-2020-6

Ah, thanks.

Looked into some related stuff from that...

https://twitter.com/AGarlandPhoto/st...22465577869313

SPD calling on the media to specifically photograph certain activists. Not going to happen, we don't work for you.

Seattle PD needs a better fucking publicist.

[Kathandira]

Seattle PD needs a better fucking publicist.

About an hour ago I watched the video of the protest in Seattle. People were standing, chanting, and protesting peacefully. Then suddenly, tear gas was fired, accompanied with a man on the loud speaker giving instructions and warnings to the protesters.

They had no chance to comply since they were already firing cannisters of tear gas. There has to be some action that can be taken against that department.

[WorldChamps99]

This morning near my house a older woman screamed "Blue Lives Matter!"

I think it shows that the people need to have some soul-searching about whether there needs to be police reform

[Edge-]

There has to be some action that can be taken against that department.

Doubtful, which is the very reason these protests are ongoing. Because police departments and officers have broad, expansive protection that keeps them from being held accountable for anything. Pushed heavily by their police unions, with a dash of police retribution for any politicians who dare oppose them (You support reducing police funding? Man, it would be a shame if your constituents in your neighborhood suddenly had their calls go unanswered, wouldn't it? Man, it would be a shame if the cops personally pulled you over repeatedly and harassed you or your constituents, wouldn't it?).

This is one of the many, many reasons people are fed up with this shit and arguing for police departments to be defunded.

[LeGin Tufnel]

This morning near my house a older woman screamed "Blue Lives Matter!"

I think it shows that the people need to have some soul-searching about whether there needs to be police reform

Nothing to do with the police. She's clearly just a massive Smurfs fan.

[Endus]

They literally are. The other municipalities are maintaining their own police forces... Why the fuck would they waste money doing that if the Camden County Police are policing their communities?

Are you seriously unaware that there's parts of the county that aren't part of a particular municipal region? Rural areas are in county jurisdiction. The Camden County Police existed before this change for precisely that reason.

[Edge-]

BuT It'S JuSt a FeW bAd ApPleS!

https://nypost.com/2020/06/08/cop-wh...o-be-arrested/

Cop, unnamed, will be arrested and charged with forcefully shoving a peaceful protester to the ground without cause. The police union response?

Police Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch raged against the planned arrest.

“Once again, Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD brass are sacrificing cops to save their own skin,” he said. “They created the failed strategy for managing these demonstrations. They sent police officers out to do the job with no support and no clear plan. They should be the ones facing this mob-rule justice.”

Emphasis mine, weird that a "Benevolent Association" would act more like an organized crime ring than, you know, anything having to do with law enforcement or "Benevolence"

But they don't have much to worry about, they can find other jobs even if they're fired and charged with assaulting peaceful protesters.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/n...re/5317923002/



Brevard county Fraternal Order of Police union will take them in.

Because again, it's not just "a few bad apples", but the widespread culture that protects those bad apples. Because if they're protecting those bad apples, they're all bad apples and there are no good ones.

[Volatilis]

America is more third world than third world countries.

[Edge-]

https://www.startribune.com/officers...est/571105692/

Two law enforcement agencies acknowledged Monday that officers patrolling Minneapolis during the recent protests knifed the tires of numerous vehicles parked and unoccupied in at least two locations.

So, Minneapolis PD confirming that some State Trooper assisting MPD were intentionally causing property damage, knifing peoples tires for the crime of having their cars parked in a Kmart parking lot.

The events apparently transpired around May 30, so this isn't even a reaction to the recent announcement that the MPD will most likely be defunded.

This is why they're being defunded.

“State Patrol troopers strategically deflated tires ... in order to stop behaviors such as vehicles driving dangerously and at high speeds in and around protesters and law enforcement,” he said.

Gordon said the patrol also targeted vehicles “that contained items used to cause harm during violent protests” such as rocks, concrete, sticks, etc.

“While not a typical tactic, vehicles were being used as dangerous weapons and inhibited our ability to clear areas and keep areas safe where violent protests were occurring,” he said.

Oh yeah, and they're fucking defending the behavior.

Where's all the outrage for the property damage intentionally caused by cops? Or is that different because it's to personal vehicles and effects, and not private businesses?

[Belize]

America is more third world than third world countries.

Back in Canada we had a saying that the U.S. is the richest 3rd world country

[Zeth Hawkins]

America is more third world than third world countries.

It really isn’t. At all.

- - - Updated - - -

-snip-

People actually had rocks, blocks of concrete, and sticks just sitting in their cars?

[Edge-]

https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/...otest-leaders/

Tampa PD sure looks like they're targeting protest organizers for retaliation.

Koedel was the first. The 29-year-old Tampa resident was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of inciting an affray or riot. A St. Petersburg officer wrote in an arrest report that protests he organized devolved into demonstrators throwing projectiles at police and driving past barricades.

His arrest report also mentions a traffic stop in which three people were found in possession of Molotov cocktail-making materials. Police have repeatedly declined to say whether there is evidence tying Koedel to the trio. But Koedel denied any involvement.

That's one, no direct ties but still arrested because...raisins.

Then came Gland. In recent days the 31-year-old has emerged as a leader of St. Petersburg’s peaceful protest movement. He said he is not affiliated with Koedel.

During Wednesday’s demonstrations, Gland said he was riding with his aunt and niece on their way to a dinner break. He was in the passenger seat and others rode in the pickup bed. They were headed west on Central Avenue, Gland said, when a St. Petersburg police car sped east toward them. They stopped and Gland said he got out and grabbed his niece, fearing a collision.

The officer stopped, ran up to him and ordered him back into the truck, Gland said. He said he put his hands up and got on his knees. The officer asked for his identification. Gland refused, saying it was in his pocket and he didn’t want the officer to mistakenly think he was reaching for a weapon.

Gland ended up with a notice to appear in court on a charge of resisting police without violence — and a citation for not wearing a seatbelt.

St. Petersburg police declined to answer questions about why the vehicle was pulled over.

Sure seems like he was targeted, and "resisting police without violence"? Really? And another arrest where the police fail to provide any justification for their actions.

And then there was Okwuosa, who has repeatedly called for protesters to use peaceful tactics of civil disobedience. His arrest report states that “the protest became violent when items were thrown at police officers” and Okwuosa was “yelling through a megaphone inciting the crowd to throw objects.”

Okwuosa didn’t know what his arrest report said until a Times reporter read it to him on Friday.

“What?” he said, then took a moment to compose himself.

“It’s baffling to me that they can lie so bluntly. It’s baffling to me that they can literally create stories against us.”

And number 3, he didn't even know why he was arrested.

"I don't know that part,” he said. “I know we arrested one who had a bullhorn who maybe he made himself an organizer."

University of South Florida assistant professor David Ponton III, who is an expert on race and police brutality, said protest leaders have long been singled out by the authorities.

“It’s no longer a matter of debate among historians whether police target protest and movement organizers during periods of unrest,” Ponton said. "The evidence of abuse of power by police in these instances is overwhelming and harrowing.”

Because there's a history of this exact kind of behavior.

At least they're not setting off bombs inside protests like in ye-olden days. I guess that's some progress over the past century or so!

- - - Updated - - -

People actually had rocks, blocks of concrete, and sticks just sitting in their cars?

Somehow, I don't particularly believe the police on this one given that we've seen constant, widespread lies and dishonesty from them over the past weeks.

[Santti]

https://www.startribune.com/officers...est/571105692/



So, Minneapolis PD confirming that some State Trooper assisting MPD were intentionally causing property damage, knifing peoples tires for the crime of having their cars parked in a Kmart parking lot.

The events apparently transpired around May 30, so this isn't even a reaction to the recent announcement that the MPD will most likely be defunded.

This is why they're being defunded.



Oh yeah, and they're fucking defending the behavior.

Where's all the outrage for the property damage intentionally caused by cops? Or is that different because it's to personal vehicles and effects, and not private businesses?

I can't even.

What fucking country are we even talking about anymore? This is just unreal.

[Edge-]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-a9555286.html

New York is finally banning police chokeholds.

Shame this didn't happen after the time a New York cop murdered a man by putting him in a chokehold for *checks notes* selling cigarettes.

But hey, I guess sometimes you just gotta wait until a few dozen more high profile cases where cops murder people, predominantly black men, for minor offenses before you take any action.

- - - Updated - - -

I can't even.

What fucking country are we even talking about anymore? This is just unreal.

The Confederate States of America.

The Union may have won the Civil War, but culturally the Confederacy never died. And we know that many Confederate sympathizers have infiltrated the US law enforcement community and our military, so this is less surprising.

[LeGin Tufnel]

This is just unreal.

This was more or less how I felt a couple of days ago when I saw the footage of protestors being gassed and beaten in Washington, after which the president practically goose-stepped to a church, surrounded by white skinhead bodyguards, and held up a Bible.

No doubt someone will be along to tell me I'm wrong, though.

[Edge-]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...apply-n1028981

Also, just as a reminder -

Remember that video from around 3 years back of the police officer murdering an unarmed man, Daniel Shaver, in a motel hallway? You know, the man begging for his life, who was in town with his wife to attend a convention?

Well, he did get his pension after all, $31K a year for life (he's 28 years old, so that's...at least 60 years of pension, at $31K a year meaning that Mesa taxpayers will likely pay him something to the tune of $1.8M or so), but that wasn't enough.

He was temporarily re-hired so he could apply for accidental disability pension. What accidental disability? PTSD he suffered from after murdering an unarmed man begging for his life.

Oh yeah, and this part -

Brailsford had attended a meeting of the pension board in October, during which board members said they reviewed his independent medical evaluations and that a doctor found that his condition "totally and permanently prevents him from performing a reasonable range of duties within his job classification." They also thanked him for his service to the city.

Man, if only all murderers were treated this way. Guess it's a bit different if you murder in cold blood with a badge and have an army of fellow officers and corrupt unions to back you up and retaliate against anyone that would speak out against you.

- - - Updated - - -

In case anyone doesn't believe the cops were slashing tires, much like they were breaking windows of unoccupied vehicles as they moved through empty streets last week, here you go -



It's more and more difficult to tell whether US law enforcement is supposed to help protect us from domestic terror, of if they are domestic terrorists.

[Zaktar]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...apply-n1028981

Also, just as a reminder -

Remember that video from around 3 years back of the police officer murdering an unarmed man, Daniel Shaver, in a motel hallway? You know, the man begging for his life, who was in town with his wife to attend a convention?

Well, he did get his pension after all, $31K a year for life (he's 28 years old, so that's...at least 60 years of pension, at $31K a year meaning that Mesa taxpayers will likely pay him something to the tune of $1.8M or so), but that wasn't enough.

He was temporarily re-hired so he could apply for accidental disability pension. What accidental disability? PTSD he suffered from after murdering an unarmed man begging for his life.

Oh yeah, and this part -



Man, if only all murderers were treated this way. Guess it's a bit different if you murder in cold blood with a badge and have an army of fellow officers and corrupt unions to back you up and retaliate against anyone that would speak out against you.

- - - Updated - - -

In case anyone doesn't believe the cops were slashing tires, much like they were breaking windows of unoccupied vehicles as they moved through empty streets last week, here you go -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wk-mRv1Nlo

It's more and more difficult to tell whether US law enforcement is supposed to help protect us from domestic terror, of if they are domestic terrorists.

That video was almost as hard to watch as the Floyd one. He executes a man for being incapable of following the impossible orders he gave. The fact that he not only got off for what he did but was thanked for it is shameful. Did the wife of the victim get any support from the city for the PTSD I guarantee she suffered as a result of this?

[Edge-]

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article...lted-protester

Joe Balogna, who is not actually from Bologna or made of bologna sausage despite appearances otherwise (yes, I'm fat-shaming this fuck), was applauded and cheered on by his officers after leaving the Philadelphia police department. He turned himself in for assaulting peaceful college protesters, which was all caught on video, and left one protester severely injured.

The Fraternal Order of Police spokesperson for the department had this to say -

"This is a very sad day for the Philadelphia Police department as one of our most decorated officers was formally arraigned on felony assault charges for doing his job, trying to keep our great city safe during recent unrest," the union said in a statement Monday.

ACAB. There is deep rot within every aspect of police culture and it all needs to be burned to the ground and rebuilt with an entirely new philosophy.

We're seeing both this aggressive, dangerous, deplorable behavior from officers like Balogna across the US in large cities and small, and we're seeing responses from departments and "unions" (they're functionally organized crime rings at this point, which is ironic given that police have historically been used to bust worker-unions) that continue to defend "bad apples"

If nobody speaks up and does anything about the "bad cops", are there really any "good cops"? I'd argue, especially given the events of the past weeks, no, there are not.

[Grapemask]

BuT It'S JuSt a FeW bAd ApPleS!

"“They created the failed strategy for managing these demonstrations. They sent police officers out to do the job with no support and no clear plan."

It's the part where they're trying to go with the Nuremberg they were just following orders thing that speaks volumes to how much police do not understand the problem.

Even if you've been given this FAILED STRATEGY or whatever else, basic human empathy should tell you that harming others is not cool. Just like the Buffalo incident where the old man cracked his head on the pavement - relentless cop-defenders came up with the response that the police were just following orders and procedure to clear the street. This doesn't fly with any job that you expect to keep, but certainly not one with human lives at stake.