Last night, the pretext was protection of the world leaders at Phipps Conservatory. Tonight, however, there is nothing inside Phipps except shrubs and flowers -- tulips, roses, petunias, daisies, orchids.
No pansies, though. All of the pansies are outside, in the street. Wearing command staff uniforms (left) and issuing orders to use weapons against college students for standing in a public park.If you look closely, you'll see that all four -- Bochter, Harper, Trosky and Donaldson, as best I can tell -- are frowning. I guess they're just miserable
UPDATE: The Pitt News and Post-Gazette are embarrassing the Trib . . . and Channel 4 . . . and Channel 2 . . . and Channel 11.
UPPERDATE: If Nate Harper and the guy who gave the order to attack aren't fired by Monday, Pitt students should boycott every business that doesn't display a "Fire Harper" or "Dump Luke" sign.
UPPERERDATE: If the plan is to ensure that Pittsburgh's gene pool dilution continues (because the educated and talented leave, creating a Yinzer residue), I am confident it is working.
20 comments:
I'm not privy to all the information about Friday night -- I think few are -- but I've seen nothing so far to suggest a "police riot", the cops getting out of hand, or any leadership needing to be removed.
After observing over the last few days, I was not sympathetic with the outfit that informed me of further protests to take place in Oakland/Schenley on Friday night. While many of the assembled may have been student looky-lous, I'm sure there was a great deal of douchenarchist provocation, and I'm sure there was a lot of info-war stuff being spread especially on Twitter. I'm not saying it wasn't a dangerous and alarming scene, I'm just saying I don't think it was the Po Po that was at fault.
(My mind is still very much open to new or new-to-me reporting)
Read the Pitt News' coverage. Read the eyewitness accounts. Check the Pitt News' photographs. Read the Post-Gazette blog.
Then consider that students were peaceably assembled where they live, along Forbes Avenue in Oakland. And that -- despite no indication of aggressive action by the students, let alone any property damage -- the police chased the students up to O'Hara, down to McKee, into dorms (until, I am told, the Pitt police stepped up and told the city police to stay out of the dorms). The police used gas, decibels and, according to some accounts, rubber bullets against students who were chanting "Let's Go Pitt."
Then read the relevant portions of the Constitution of the United States of America. It won't take long, because the part about "peaceably to assemble" is the first part.
If, after that, you still don't see an egregious abuse of authority, I respectfully suggest you take a shower, because while you were mingling at the convention center, some of that Saudi-Chinese-Russian vibe might have rubbed off on you.
Ha-ha. Thursday was Convention Center day, Friday was up-with-people day for me. But I will give those sources a 2nd look.
I can only say that by the 4th or 5th day of policing a group that enjoys gathering about it cover groups, that tries its damnedest to be provocative of riotous behavior in others and that has already established a destructive M.O., I am going to be able to forgive a CERTAIN DEGREE of heavy-handedness and impatience.
And if it helps my case, I saw some videos *distributed by* the anarchists to provoke outrage, and actually saw officers to my eyes possessing the forbearance of saints.
No second look required.
If you watched the iReport videos, read the Pitt News accounts (especially Twittered), viewed the Pitt News photographs, reviewed the Post-Gazette Big Events blog and do not have a clear sense of what occurred, I do not expect additional research to be productive.
So far, I am not a fan of the taking of what looked to be a group photo with a detainee. NOT AT ALL. Of course from the distance, I couldn't tell whether the detainee was grinning ear to ear.
I'm not a fan if Police on Craft Ave. were using their new toys to get out of having to displaying their numbers and insignia like they ought.
Importantly, claims of security going "into the dorms" or "through dorm rooms" don't seem to be quite demonstrated yet. I'd hate to be wrong about this.
And it was a mistake to arrest Sadie Gurman.
But even taking ALL OF THAT into consideration, I'm still not outraged.
If trespassing in a public park after dark will get me watery eyes, a burning throat and some strawberries on the skin, then these days aren't much different when folks used to drink liquor, smoke weed and make out with catholic girls up on flagstaff...
Of course, that's when Manny Sanguillén was the only Pittsburgher who wore shin guards to work.
And it was a mistake to arrest Sadie Gurman.
Unless there is evidence you haven't shared indicating that Sadie Gurman was less culpable than the others arrested, it is difficult to envision a legitimate, non-ugly reason to lament her arrest uniquely.
Being arrested isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person. I wasn't "lamenting" her arrest; I'm saying it was a mistake. Again, I am not repulsed.
Pending SG's forthcoming accounts and reportage on her experience. Wash she walloped with a baton?
Her arrest was no more a mistake than most of the arrests were. Why shed special tears for her? Unlike the average student, she had an employer who would rush down with ready cash, make a call or two and spring her on an expedited basis.
Were they using a jamming device on moral compasses at that convention center?
Then read the relevant portions of the Constitution of the United States of America. It won't take long, because the part about "peaceably to assemble" is the first part.
It's the first amendment, but not the first part as the main body comes first. The key thing seems to be the definition of 'peaceful.' Given what happened the previous days, I'm willing to give the police some trust as to what was not looking 'peaceful.' And if somebody screws-up the carousel or my office, I'll be pissed.
I wish no ill toward anyone's office, under any circumstance, but a bonfire at the carousel . . .
Just got back from Sat night's march around Oakland. Peaceful, loud, obscene, funky. Maybe 200 people at its height. Not a large police presence at all in terms of numbers, but some aggressive and ominous antics from them on occasion.
Heard a lot of stories about how Friday's gathering was peaceful and contained, and then the police surrounded them and ordered them to disperse. "Surrounded them and ordered them to disperse". That is, decided to bust it up and arrest those involved.
I was where MH was only a couple hours ago, now I just don't know what to believe. The Citizen's Police Review Board is coming out with a "no holds barred" report in a week or so.
May be fortunate you missed Friday's festivities, Bram, given your G20 press credentials.
I understand that 10 or more journalists were gassed (including Dennis Roddy and several Pitt Newsers), arrested (Gurman from P-G, 2 or 3 photographers and writers from Pitt News), or had cameras/notes/memory cards confiscated or destroyed. One journalist expressed a belief that at least some of the journalists were targeted, and if cameras were smashed/confiscated that seems a reasonable inference. Stories I have heard (including from a police officer -- some officers are bothered by what happened) about the treatment of one journalist are ugly, but the stories differ and I would like to get a better handle on it.
I also have heard a story about mistreatment of a student that, if true, could conceivably inflict damage as high as the chain of command goes. It's hard to believe, but then who would have believed we would have video of a dozen officers assembling and smiling so they could take a "big game hunter" photograph with a cuffed student right on Forbes Avenue?
Good to see you coming around, Bram. And I'm glad you weren't around for the melee on Friday.
Infinonymous,
"Her arrest was no more a mistake than most of the arrests were. Why shed special tears for her?"
While I agree with your take on on pretty much everything, I vehemently disagree with your take on the arrest of a member of the media -- The Fourth Estate -- who was covering an event.
If there is no media to cover police excess -- or just an event in general -- then who knows that it has occurred?
Now, certainly new social media has made it easier for citizenry reporting, but does that mean that we do not want the MSM to report on events too?
Arrests of members of the media would be just as disturbing to me as arrest of legal observers. There needs to be observation and documentation of events. They are the stand-in for the rest of the public who were not there. They are to be an objective voice that -- in the best of worlds -- are on no side and not of the event itself.
When the police round up media covering an event, they are blindfolding the public. They are allowing the police to operate in a vacuum.
It's most disturbing if the media was actually targeted.
That's why the reporter's arrest was significant.
Maria
You make a good point.
I understand that at least 10 journalists were mistreated by police. Two or three Pitt News journalists were arrested -- and the Pitt News did as good a job of covering this as any news organization, better than anyone else with the possible exception of the Post-Gazette. Several reporters were gassed. Some had equipment seized or smashed by police. I see no reason to single out Sadie Gurman for unique concern. If anything, the Pitt News reporters deserve particular concern because they don't have the P-G's resources supporting them.
If the overarching argument is that silencing a journalist is a special problem, I see a worthy point there. Thank you for identifying it.
(By the way, I have been told at last one observer was arrested, and that others were targeted by the police for attention short of arrest. Plus, hundreds of officers obscured their identification tags, with no attempt by the command staff to correct that unlawful conduct.)
To see what really happened on the Pitt Campus during the G-20 check out the below hyperlinks. The video of the Pitt students being trapped on the Forbes skywalk/stairs and then being gassed from both sides is especially disturbing
http://blog.puppetgov.com/2009/09/25/video-from-g20-the-corporate-media-will-never-show-you/
http://www.pittsburghpolicebrutality.com/
Without question, after this somebody is going to propose an ordinance making it illegal to film police officers from within a certain distance. I don't see how such a law could be workable or constitutional, but without question the hordes of camera operators climbing on top of last night's march and the policing of it showed we add a weird element that cops don't like and emboldens activists perhaps beyond good reason.
Now on to my "coming around" -- if I'm coming around to anything it's only a slightly more moderate position.
I'd still like to learn what was the most serious injury or serious few injuries sustained by protesters/students on Friday night. I'd still like to see UNEDITED video of what was occurring before police moved in. I'd still like to know an accurate head-count of those originally assembled.
And to tell you the truth, no matter the legitimate issues some protesters have against the poor law-enforcement decisions made on that night, I'm still suspicious about how the chanting on Sat. was 100% "Fuck the police", "Fuck the pigs" and so forth. There was no talk or explanation of the victims of the previous days' events. No one was bemoaning what had happened to their friends, holding pictures, telling stories. It was just 100% "Fuck them all" from the get-go.
Even when they screw up (I think they did screw up on some occasions operationally) I simply think there ought to be more respect for what public safety *attempts* to do all the time. When cops approach an unannounced gathering of 500 or more and ask them to disperse (especially if "they're not protesters, they're just watching what's happenning)", a little respect and deference is usually in order, even if you'd rather avoid blind obedience.
Finally, I'm suspicious that to a fault, all last night's protesters said, "There are no organizers of this event, this was just kind of sent around!" Well, someone sent out the press release, and everyone was way too disciplined at every juncture (the march was a surprise) to have all just met each other. This was no random group of college students speaking out against the previous night's shenanigans by the police, this was a group excited to seize on the previous night's shenanigans to de-legitimatize police in general.
That said, I think there was some poor decision-making up through the police ranks that needs to be looked at.
Bram is still scratching his head wondering about the most serious injury or serious few injuries sustained by protesters/students on Friday night.
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Where to begin? ....
The constitution got its ass kicked.
The oath of office taken by the police bullies got its eyes smoked.
The trust in the mayor, county executive and chief got toasted.
My rights and their rights as well as your rights are intimately linked.
The loss of rights of a single student is a serious loss to us all.
I wasn't there. But I care. Those rights are my rights too.
Windows can be replaced. Property has cash values that can be measured. But there is a different kind of damage done by the police then, there, that holds no price tag. That damage cut very deeply.
We all lost plenty. As this unfolds, we may never be the same again.
Capital issue-framing Mark R. Well said.
Bram, might as well tie your shoes while you're bending so far backwards.
Bram Reichbaum said...
"Being arrested isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person."
Sure, Bram there are worse things that can happen to a person. But, have you ever been arrested before, whether or not you were actually doing anything wrong? Did you get the "beat down"? beat-down= psychotic screams of "on the ground!!", "stop resisting!!", "relax your arms or I'll break them!" with 800 pounds of steroid infused, 60 to 70 IQ driven man-flesh pressing down hard on you, making sure they leave with with some nice injuries, both physical and mental.
If this has not happened to you, even if it was not as bad as described above, then your comment comes across as glib.
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