Police Brutality & Violence in the US

[Chris Sunami]

Is anyone following this story in the news? There’s an armed standoff between police and protestors in Ferguson (the suburb of St Louis where an unarmed youth was recently killed by a police officer). Two journalists covering the story were arrested and allegedly roughed up, and there are reports of tear gas, random police gunfire and worse.

The pictures coming across Twitter are pretty incredible:

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ferguson

[Snarf]

Police are their own race and color…PIG.

[Chris Sunami]

It’s interesting –when you read the Twitter feeds from people at the scene, the stories are all about peaceful protestors, and police violence. But on the news this morning, the headlines simply read “Violent Protests in Missouri”.

[Coremodels]

Here’s how they respond to press apparently:

[Coy]

Seems like the right call…
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/14/1321549/-Missouri-Governor-announces-St-Louis-County-Police-to-be-relieved-of-their-duties-in-Ferguson

[Coremodels]

Seems to be a needed and refreshing change:

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/captain-mike-brown-case-marches-protestors/

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[rus]

Chris Sunami wrote:

It’s interesting –when you read the Twitter feeds from people at the scene, the stories are all about peaceful protestors, and police violence. But on the news this morning, the headlines simply read “Violent Protests in Missouri”.

Not entirely.

http://twitchy.com/2014/08/11/loot-and-rob-them-not-your-own-twitter-users-advise-black-people-to-loot-white-neighborhoods/

http://wtvr.com/2014/08/13/fbi-warns-of-new-black-panther-party-leader-inciting-violence-in-ferguson/

There are peaceful protests:

Even if they get a bit loud:

There has also been looting:

And massive ( badly ) militarized police response:

When did this become OK? When did “protect and serve” turn into “us versus them”?

“Why do these cops need MARPAT camo pants again,” I asked on Twitter this morning. One of the most interesting responses came from a follower who says he served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division: “We rolled lighter than that in an actual warzone.”

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/police-militarization-ferguson-2014-8#ixzz3AQ7FYeLC

Best I can tell most of the looters are a different group from the protestors, although it also appears the police in the area don’t differentiate between the two.

“Bring it. You fucking animals, bring it,” one police officer was caught on video telling protesters.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/police-militarization-ferguson-2014-8#ixzz3AQ75jbPy

http://time.com/3111474/rand-paul-ferguson-police/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

When you couple this militarization of law enforcement with an erosion of civil liberties and due process that allows the police to become judge and jury—national security letters, no-knock searches, broad general warrants, pre-conviction forfeiture—we begin to have a very serious problem on our hands.

Given these developments, it is almost impossible for many Americans not to feel like their government is targeting them. Given the racial disparities in our criminal justice system, it is impossible for African-Americans not to feel like their government is particularly targeting them.

Given the widely different stories about how the initial altercation went down, forensic evidence ( reviewed by the FBI ) might be the best hope for determining what really happened. That may not matter as much right now, though.

[Coremodels]

rus wrote:

Given the widely different stories about how the initial altercation went down

Does anyone give even the slightest credibility to the story that this kid with no criminal history, not engaged in criminal activity outside of jaywalking, suddenly charging a police officer in an attempt to steal his weapon? There are three witness statements on record, all three say the same thing…the kid was gunned down standing in the street with his hands above his head.

[rus]

Coremodels wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>rus wrote:</div>
Given the widely different stories about how the initial altercation went down

Does anyone give even the slightest credibility to the story that this kid with no criminal history, not engaged in criminal activity outside of jaywalking, suddenly charging a police officer in an attempt to steal his weapon? There are three witness statements on record, all three say the same thing…the kid was gunned down standing in the street with his hands above his head.

I believe it’s possible. Perhaps not that probable, but possible. I’ve seen some reports that “Mike Brown” had an extensive rap sheet, but with a name that common I wonder if it’s the same Mike Brown.

If he was killed by police in the middle of the street, not at close range as the police version of events says, there’s obvious forensic evidence that would support that. Same the other way.

That the FBI is investigating lessens the chance of a cover up. Maybe.

[Coremodels]

rus wrote:

I’ve seen some reports that “Mike Brown” had an extensive rap sheet, but with a name that common I wonder if it’s the same Mike Brown.

Considering he’d just had his 18th birthday, so even if he had any rap sheet at all it would be sealed in juvenile court, I wouldn’t lend that much credence. What we do know is that he was supposed to start college on Monday…

[rus]

Coremodels wrote:

Considering he’d just had his 18th birthday, so even if he had any rap sheet at all it would be sealed in juvenile court, I wouldn’t lend that much credence. What we do know is that he was supposed to start college on Monday…

Oh, so since he was supposed to start college ( wasn’t it a trade school? ) we should not investigate the circumstances? Just let feelings dictate events? That pesky rule of law thing getting in the way of feels?

All I’m saying is let the investigation decide the course of events. If the police acted illegally, punish them as any other criminal. If not, then not.

[rus]

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_b401feba-b49e-5b79-8926-19481191726f.html#.U-0DAFotxhg.twitter

The militarized police response to protests in Ferguson has driven a rare wedge between two forces that often work closely together – the two largest police departments in the area: the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police.

St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said in an interview this afternoon that he does not support the county police tactics in Ferguson, and has not sent officers to help them, aside from four officers to direct traffic.

He said he made the decision earlier this week, long before the confrontation between police and protesters on Wednesday night that saw the St. Louis County respond to protests with armored vehicles, tear gas and officers toting cannons and assault rifles.

“One side, the chiefly side of me, wants to always be there to support law enforcement in the city or in the county,” Dotson said. “My personal side was concerned about the things I saw transpiring in Ferguson.”

“My gut told me what I was seeing were not tactics that I would use in the city and I would never put officers in situations that I would not do myself,” he said.

[Chris Sunami]

Apparently after the governor pulled the local police off the job, the situation calmed down immediately.

[rus]

Chris Sunami wrote:

Apparently after the governor pulled the local police off the job, the situation calmed down immediately.

Yep.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/08/14/with-highway-patrol-hugs-and-kisses-replace-tear-gas-in-ferguson/

Johnson spent a considerable amount of time talking to media, explaining that the decision to tone down the show of force was deliberate, a calculation he said was made by St. Louis County police officials. He said he met with protest leaders and the NAACP Thursday afternoon, asking them their plans for the march and telling them they could march without fear of restriction. After fielding more than a dozen questions, Johnson began walking toward the protests – it had broken off its route and doubled back.

Johnson marched down the center of the street, trailed by media, as the march’s leader’s brought hundreds of chanting and sign-waving residents.

They met head on.

“Just wanna know where you are going,” Johnson said.

“Up to the Quick Trip and then stopping,” the man with the megaphone responded.

“OK! Go ahead,” Johnson said, smiling and stepping aside as hundreds of residents streamed past him.

Protesters said they were still angry, demanding justice for Brown and answers from local police about why he was shot and who the offending officer was.

But, they said, Johnson’s willingness to physically interact with them, rid the streets of heavy police equipment, and help them coordinate protests was a welcome change in tone.

Funny. It’s like there’s a difference between protestors and looters. Whoda thunk.

[Alex Silbajoris]

The BBC news said the Governor has stripped the whole force of its law-enforcement duties.

[Author]

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