laChewla
Victorian Village, The Heart Of It All
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The youtube videos show it all...
What do you guys think? I know civil disobedience is bound to happen surrounding G20, but it really seems like a lot of it was unnecessary. Certainly some protesters were out of line, but I doubt the majority of them were harming anyone...I wonder how many were merely walking to class during the day.
The G20 ROBO-COP voice is particularly disturbing. As are the protesters dressed as ninjas.
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laChewla
Victorian Village, The Heart Of It All
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blammo wrote >>
I think the protesters wanted to start a confrontation, and they succeeded. Not my scene though.
I think people from all over USA came to Pittsburgh with an agenda, but I also think a lot of students may have just been stupid and curious. Either way that pepper spray and tear gas looks vicious.
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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I'm all for trying to get your point across, but we should all know by now that when the police/national guard/swat show up…you're gonna lose. And the more resistance you put up, the harder they're going to come down. I mean…when an armed phalanx of uniformed officers/soldiers marches towards you, DISPERSE. It's pretty easy to figure out. You aren't going to win the battle for Whatever It Is You're Trying To Prove then & there.
There have to be more clever ways to achieve your goals that don't involve getting shot with rubber bullets and getting gassed into submission.
laChewla
Victorian Village, The Heart Of It All
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That phrase made me laugh... "gassed into submission".
I do agree with you to a point though.
I just don't understand why they had to shot a tear gas bomb at the Cathedral of Learning. The Summit was in the Golden Triangle, nearly 2 miles away from campus.
rus
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laChewla wrote >>
That phrase made me laugh... "gassed into submission".
I do agree with you to a point though.
I just don't understand why they had to shot a tear gas bomb at the Cathedral of Learning. The Summit was in the Golden Triangle, nearly 2 miles away from campus.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/world/26pittsburgh.html
But the intermittent conflicts that did occur were well outside the security perimeter surrounding the G-20 meetings.In the afternoon, protesters who tried to march toward the convention center where the gathering was being held encountered roaming squads of police officers carrying plastic shields and batons. The police fired a sound cannon that emitted shrill beeps, causing demonstrators to cover their ears and back up; then the police threw tear gas canisters that released clouds of white smoke and stun grenades that exploded with sharp flashes of light.
City officials said they believed it was the first time the sound cannon had been used for crowd control. “Other law enforcement agencies will be watching to see how it was used,†said Nate Harper, the Pittsburgh police chief. “It served its purpose well.â€Â
The protesters, who did not have a permit to march, rolled a large blue metal trash container down 37th Street. It stopped short of police vehicles and in front of a women’s clothing and shoe boutique called Pavement.
“It was scary,†said Alissa Martin, the shop’s owner. “You feel like you’re living in a war zone.â€Â
Seems like the police interdicted the protesters before they reached the secure area.
Also, does seem like at least some of the protesters intended to cause property destruction.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izJGY1GNeNYgNG6q1N0bsXCVfBeAD9AUE0G00
The Pittsburgh G-20 Resistance Project had targeted more than 80 Pittsburgh businesses that it said symbolize greed and global economic policies, including a dozen or so close to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where world economic leaders were meeting.But those businesses were well prepared, either boarded-up and shuttered or protected by fences, razor wire, concrete barriers and a mix of police, private security officers and National Guard troops.
Meanwhile, in the Oakland section of the city, five businesses near the University of Pittsburgh had windows smashed during an overnight protest. A diner, McDonald's, Rite Aid and Subway sandwich shop were among those vandalized.
rus
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laChewla wrote >>
I read the Times article.
Like I said - some protesters were out of control, but a lot of innocent bystanders had to deal with the heat.
From both sides. I've been tear gassed and pepper sprayed; not fun. Having to deal with this ( from the AP article above ):
Subway employee Teena Santos, a 21-year-old accounting student at Pitt, said it had been a slow, quiet evening when black-clad protesters suddenly swarmed the street and attacked the storefront. Santos said they must have used a hammer or another object to smash the window because no rocks or bricks were found.Workers and customers locked the door and waited with her until the crowd passed.
"I was pretty scared, pretty shaken up," she said.
Doesn't sound like fun either.
Analogue Kid
5th by West-Northwest
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Yikes, I know somebody who works in the Cathedral of Learning. I hope she wasn't at work today.
Roscoe
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Ironic that the protesters are in general against the perceived policies that led to the current economic climate, and have decided to protest against a group that includes and is hosted by a President who feels the same way and is trying to make the same changes the protesters want. You've got a sympathetic president, congress, and leaders of 19 other nations, and you protest?
They should have taken balloons and cake.
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