Police brutality at Occupy Berkeley 1:10am 12.22.11

[mineputzer]

I don't see anything wrong with the occupy movement, but the protesters I have a huge problem with. This wasn't police brutality. The protesters how got hit with batons refused to back up and I personally feel they deserved it. All of the tents that were in the park were filled with homeless people who couldn't know less about occupy. This was an excuse for them to put out their tents in the park and get the business of selling drugs to the Berkeley high students. Your video should be renamed.

[rezdog187]

Why don't we nuke Berkley the hippies are worse than terrorist s, I hope they all die of aids!

[aosterholdable]

This is "police brutality?" Wow.

[NowIsOurTime]

wtf? are the cops hopped up on coke? holy god! THIS HAS TO STOP!!! In Atlanta, the FTP (Fight The Power, etc) is trying to decentralize the police force via referendum by making them live in the neighborhoods they police. We should ALL be doing that - make it a nationwide movement! Also, OWS (Occupy Wall Street) is trying to push Stop Stop-And-Frisk campaigns in the most affected cities. WE MUST STOP THE AUTHORITARIAN POLICE SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION - LEARN FROM THE STANFORD EXPERIMENT AND ACT!!!

[secretbubba3]

Cop got carried away and looked like he enjoyed it at 14 sec mark. They love beating people who are nonviolent.

[orbitaimpuls]

Америка сегодня

[gammazuma]

I'm amazed some people are saying that the cops' brutality wasn't that bad. Why are they being aggressive at all? These people are protesting against a system that is completely biased against them. And that's all they are doing: protesting. No violence is necessary. These cops aren't working for the "common good". They're beating up people who want our world to be more fair.

[J450]

Okay, first off, you guys aren't looking at both sides. It's 1AM and these cops obviously don't want to be there. You are asked to back up, in which you don't. So a cop sees a bunch of young adults and teenagers who are yelling and not listening. Ofcourse he's going to beat you down. Ever though that maybe you guys are the cunts and not the cops?

[akenower]

@J450 They are denying citizens their right to peacefully assemble in the form of stealing their tents. What they are essentially saying is that we don't have the right to redress of grievances 24 hours a day. Honorable police disobey unconstitutional orders. I would argue that the state this country and planet is in requires a commitment to this struggle to change our relations as a species. Are you a cop?

[J450]

@akenower Not the point I was getting at. They're human too. They can get stressed and nervous and react in different ways. This is an example, although it was a little over the edge, you can't blame em.

[rza1m]

@J450 The cops don't need to be there at all. What the people are doing is completely normal.

Maybe it's you whose the cunt for thinking that people cannot speak their mind when their basic rights are being undermined in back alley deals by 'representative' government' whose job it is to protect all people.

Just the simple fact that people are desensitized to this. Today it's 'O, it's was just a little pepper spray or baton to the face'. Then tomorrow it's 'We only broke one of their legs'.

[Death2Evil]

@J450: That's because there is only one right side. It's 1AM and the pigs shouldn't fucking be there wasting taxpayer time and money. We are asked to back up, and don't have to.

So a cop sees a mass of people not respecting his "authority," and they shouldn't, and he turns to violence LIKE A PIG.

Ever thought that maybe sheep like yourself, who allow pigs to control people without question are part of the problem?

[VelveteenSaint]

@J450 "You are asked to back up, which you don't."

No, these protesters were *told* to back up because they had been exercising their First Amendment rights for too long. Deprivation of rights under color of law is a crime. The answer to that is "No, officer, I won't back down, because this is the USA and I know my rights."

You're right with the "of course he's going to beat you down" statement, though.

[TheElTigres]

go get a job you stupid fucks

[akenower]

@TheElTigres "Forty-six percent work full time, 20% part time, and 12.5% are unemployed (compared with 9% of the general population). That adds up to a labor force participation rate of about 79% (the unemployed "participate" because they're supposed to be seeking work), compared with the general rate of 65%."

[TheXakkii]

Рано говорить, что отбились! Униформа полиции говорит, что это только предвестник проблем, которые надвигаются на этот лагерь!

[Rostam786]

"Brutality" in the title is a strong word which I find generally misleading; the use of force is not always brutality. However, the strike at about 14 seconds in my estimation would constitute excessive use of force, or "police brutality"; it was manufactured to inflict pain and delirium, and it appears to be well aimed: right to the jugular.

[akenower]

@Rostam786 I never suggested that the use of force is always brutality. I also pointed to 0:14 in the description because it does seem to be the most egregious and excessive use of force in this clip. I don't think it's misleading to have it in the title because it's important to have some context. There is a lot of stuff I didn't capture that other photographers did in this instance. Check out some of the other vids posted for more evidence. Thanks for posting.

[Superorchestra]

PIGS!

[dirtypunker86]

i could go either way with this occupy crap, standing up for your rights, fuck yeah, hassling cops? bad idea. if you're all so upset about the rich, run for office. local government is a good place to start, mobbing municipal buildings and parks shouting stupid slogans, yeah that's really working. how many of you have been to a county or city commission meeting? about 1% of the 99% i bet.

[akenower]

@dirtypunker86 Occupy Oakland, for one, has been actively involved at city council meetings. Look at the members of the senate and house, almost all of them are quite rich. Access to power in this country comes with the tacit understanding that preservation of the status quo is king. How much time have you spent at your local occupation? Listen to more punk rock by anarchists imo.

[dirtypunker86]

@akenower "occupying" bumfuck Gainesville really isn't going to change anything, i find it pretty funny that the majority of these protests are in college towns, by kids tweeting anti-corporate sentiment from their iphones, then heading down to starbucks and talking about their next move or how cops are assholes. that's the extent of my firsthand occupy experience.



[VelveteenSaint]

@dirtypunker86 I'm guessing that you showed up with preconceived notions and didn't hang around long enough to see a real conversation start. At any rate, do you really find it more necessary to criticize hypocrisy (which is impossible to avoid in a completely immoral society) than corporate greed?

[dirtypunker86]

@VelveteenSaint yeah, i do. corporate greed doesn't really bother me. that's capitalism. All of the money that corporations have, was given to them by consumers for goods and services. standing in a street screaming "that's not fair!" is just childish. if you want something, fuckin earn it, because this is the USA and nothing is free

[VelveteenSaint]

@dirtypunker86 Tell it to the folks who got their riches by inheritance or force... or a landlord who charges people to live in a house that would otherwise go empty. Fact is, we got a lot of people working their asses off for very little, and a lot of people sitting around on big piles of assets and getting the silver spoon.

[dirtypunker86]

@VelveteenSaint i'm a carpenter, you don't have to tell me about busting my ass for little to no pay, i built a house that is still empty due to this shitty market, and no, i'm not going to let someone just squat in it. there are a lot of rich dipshits taking advantage of people, however, there are just as many people if not more, exploiting our welfare system that was put in place to help those in need, not give out a free living. at least the rich have something to contribute

[VelveteenSaint]

@dirtypunker86 I'm pretty sure that everybody I know on welfare is working their asses off and would much rather be breaking $13K/year than hanging out on the dole. Yeah, there are people exploiting the system and scamming the gov't, but that's got nothing on the billions of bailouts we're printing to give away to banks...

[dirtypunker86]

@VelveteenSaint the people i know on foodstamps and welfare just keep going along like they're getting what they're entitled to, going to shady bodegas to buy cigarettes with it, trading food for drugs or cash. a major problem is that these programs go basically unregulated. as far as the occupy movement is concerned, i can't get behind the idea of over regulating corporations, nobody is making them keep their businesses in the U.S, raising taxes is just going to kill more jobs

[VelveteenSaint]

@dirtypunker86 Now wait a minute, we should regulate welfare scumbaggery more and corporate scumbaggery less? If it's wrong to pay an employee pennies an hour here to make American goods, it should be wrong to pay an employee pennies an hour anywhere to make American goods...

This crisis began on mortgage fraud - rich people preying on poor people because they had enough money to get away with it. That's what Occupy is about, and now the rich are hiring cops to crush dissent.

[RockDoctorLV]

It's Another POLICE Riot Where The Perpetrators Show Up With Batons And Other Dangerous Weapons.

[shaorin321]

I would have taken that freakin baton out of dudes hands he if he had come at me like that. All he is, is a guy with a suit nothing more people need to stop fearing these pigs and put them in their place. You give a man too much control and thats what they act like.

[eamonsean]

Sadistic cops who know their legitimacy is crumbling, who know they are working against liberty but for the 1%, are very angry and dangerous people. Protect whom? Serve whom?

[Peterbj]

Communist scum.



[akenower]

@Peterbj Dehumanize what you don't understand.

[1988scottcarey]

I have to go to international news just to see what is really happening inside americas occupy protests, total blackout by american news channels for about a week now, they don't even report on it anymore..

[ryanunknown]

This isn't new. Welcome to America.

[basilahamd11]

Policeman is either the noblest or the worst person on the earth . here is an example on the latter option .

[genrebender23]

All you pricks bleating about welfare and entitlement syndrome need to wake the fuck up. Working hard no longer means you can make a living. Take your self-righteous elitist sadism for the lion's share of people in this country and shove it. (There is plenty of data to back that up if you bother to look, but it won't let me post links here.)

Even the people that think they are doing well are often one illness, accident, or catastrophe away from total financial ruin. The game is rigged.

[SpankMeNasty]

@genrebender23

Awww, does someone need a hug? I'm sure there are plenty of crusty hippies out there for you, enjoy!

[j95lee]

@genrebender23

You actually have to "work hard" to see if it actually bears fruit. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. These "occupiers" certainly aren't working hard.

Have you experienced a typical American working environment? inefficiency, bad chemistry, and poor work ethics aren't uncommon. 1 of 5 white collar types would like waste time with email, facebook or chit chat until the clock hits 5 PM.

[1900belle]

Doesn't exactly look like "police brutality." No pepper spray, no tasers, just batons and radios. Compared to SF, LA and Oakland, they seem to have shown restraint.

[akenower]

@1900belle Why did the cop need to take a running start and cross check the photographer in the neck? Was he trying to arrest him? What law was he breaking and why is that response appropriate?

[RockDoctorLV]

It's Just Another POLICE RIOT!

[dannyscottburr]

@SpankMeNasty I think you should also educate yourself on what it takes to get into UC Berkeley. Although it sounds like educating yourself on anything is a major challenge...

[SpankMeNasty]

@dannyscottburr

If you got in how hard can it be?

[bassmasterginger]

ppl need to see this this is bullshit!

[grizzlygrimace]

@Spankmenasty really? This dudes name is Spankmenasty? And why are people responding to this douche? Get out of the cyber world buddy and let's get to spanking your little bitch ass!

[SpankMeNasty]

@grizzlygrimace

Sounds like someone wants to be a naughty little S&M boy. Sorry there sweetness I don't swing that way. But don't let me stop you from enjoying yourself.

[richmays]

If being pushed back like that is your idea of brutality then you are a real wimp. Nothing in that video seemed excessive. That's the problem with you occupy people, you howl and whine over nothing.

[wiseoldsnail]

@richmays by law, police using any physical force beyond that being used against them (which, btw, was none) is a violation of their own code of conduct. read up. brutality is striking any person ... which they did repeatedly here on camera.

[akenower]

@richmays Tell that to Scott Olsen - the two tour Iraq war veteran - who has brain damage from a tear gas canister or Kayvan Sabeghi, another Iraq war veteran, who had his spleen ruptured from a severe beating by Oakland police.

[rza1m]

@richmays What do people like you not understand. What you just wrote sends a message of acceptance and compliance that the acts of the officer where not in any way excessive. If people like throw around such blind acknowledgement then this will become normal police behaviour. What if your mother, brother, sister was struck by an officer. I would dare say your reaction would be different.

Don't accept this behaviour because when you're the victim noone will listen.

[secretbubba3]

@richmays If someone touches a cop with an index finger they get charge with assaulting a police officer. Now why aren't they wimps then?

[sleeve318]

@richmays dont be an ignorant hippocrate. if a cop came up to you and told you that you couldnt do something that you had the right to do, then started hitting you. would you seriously not care and be the cops bitch?

[FunKills1969]

Dear Police State: we- the homeless, the working poor, the underemployed, the unemployed, the students, the disenfranchised, the foreclosed upon- are like weeds: for every one of us you silence with police violence and propaganda, thousands more rise up. And you're almost out of RoundUp. Get out of the way. You are gasping for air as we evolve.We are FEARLESS & bigger than you are willing to admit. I'd rather be a "filthy commie hippie" in the streets than an armchair critic on Twitter... VIVA!

[1rebelblood]

"And im proud to be an american, where at least i know im freeeeee, and i wont forget the me who dieddd who gave that right to me" some bullshit song i was forced to learn in school as a kid...............yeah i lived a sad life back in ameriKKKa in my days.

[urasmore]

dirty, filthy swine

[ReallyRick]

I watched this live on OakFoSho's live stream. These cops were clearly so fucking juiced I am surprised to see it didn't get worse than this. Shameful and disgusting!

[FunKills1969]

@ReallyRick supporting OakFoSho's funding was the best ten bucks I've spent this year. If I had it, would have given Spencer ten years salary for his work. Is there an award for "best livestreamer on UStream"? There should be!

[tehnutjobbery]

This is what fear looks like. Cops were losing the game- and knew it. You can almost count up the millions in settlements from this scant minute of out-of-control police thuggery.

[NatDoliber]

@spankmenasty, I hope your children don't have the same living standards as you do.

[SpankMeNasty]

@NatDoliber

If I had kids I'd teach them not to be a slacker, stoner, hippie, welfare leech, entitiled University student and other various lefty scum. You know, like you.

[clockworkscott]

@SpankMeNasty well, i must say that i'm at least glad you don't have any kids.

[SpankMeNasty]

@clockworkscott

I aim to please.

[dannyscottburr]

@SpankMeNasty Did you go to college? (muffled smirk)

[SpankMeNasty]

@dannyscottburr

Yes I did. I call University. Remember, it's more than three syllables. I wouldn't want you to get lost now.

[johnmoyer99]

looking more like a police state every day, Amerika ... is this what democracy is supposed to look like?

[SpankMeNasty]

@johnmoyer99

If it means beating hippie scum, then sign me up!

[dannyscottburr]

@SpankMeNasty It would do you some good to do research on what those red crosses on their backs mean. These are hardly hippies. And hardly anyone you'd wanna fuck with...

[Boudica2012]

Victory. Occupy 2012.

[SpankMeNasty]

It was a good start, but the police needed to hammer these hippie scum some more and not let up until there was cracked skulls and flowing blood. I give the police five out of ten but with the future possibilty of a seven if they keep up the good work.

[MrTVintro]

@SpankMeNasty Republican trolls... what in God's name drives them....

[SpankMeNasty]

@MrTVintro

Welfare entitlement syndrome just like Europe. To many slackers and welfare leeches.

[MrTVintro]

@SpankMeNasty I congratulate you on having roughly 40 million "slackers" most of whom work 2 jobs in the hope they can make it to the end of the month without getting evicted.

[SpankMeNasty]

@MrTVintro

May I suggest attaching a violin audio file to your comment, It will give your bleating that extra "woe is me" feeling.

[FunKills1969]

@SpankMeNasty Namecalling and protection of the Police State will not protect you when they come down on your beliefs- and they will. Police are not there to serve you; they are there to protect forces much bigger than you. Id rather be a hippie scum- while working 2 jobs, writing, feeding my family, making art & giving free workshops in my community- than be an armchair critic with a blaring teevee and idle time on their hands.How many ppl have u saved from foreclosure this week w/ur violence?

[SpankMeNasty]

@FunKills1969

Good grief, sounds like we have comrade chairman FunKills1969 to lead us to the "Workers Paradise". "Forward unto victory comrades, the glorious revolution awaits". (insert the "Internationale" here).

[shaorin321]

@SpankMeNasty You are the type of scumbag that goes into the military just to hurt people. People like you should be put away for life all you want to do is hurt and hate. I feel sorry for you. You must really feel horrible about yourself or be a brainwashed fed. Either way I feel horrible for you.

[SpankMeNasty]

@shaorin321

No, I'd go into the military to kill people. You see the rifle you are issued with is not an optional extra. You don't sit around a camp fire to discuss your feelings. You are trained to hunt down, target and then eliminate the enemy. One shot, one kill. It's always thrilling in that moment when you line up the target in the crosshairs just before you pull the trigger. Ahh, good times.

[shaorin321]

@SpankMeNasty you realize that you just agreed with me right.... fucking moron

[SpankMeNasty]

@shaorin321

In regards to the military aspect of your previous entry then yes. My apologies, I had assumed you had sufficient intellect to recognise my nuanced comment. Rest assured I will take your level of intelligence into consideration when communicating in the future. As for the rest of your entry I had dismissed it as it seemed overly emotional which I attributed it to the vagaries of your gender.