Police meeting with Occupy Colorado Springs, Oct. 11, 2011

[Irishevans]

I hate Colorado Springs cops! They are shit. Its like they hire a bunch of dummies and send them out to the streets to be power happy.

[LordLargo37]

Not EVERYTHING you want to say and do in protest is protected by some provision of the constitution. If my protest involved breaking the speed limit, harassing people, assault, etc, it would not be a peaceable assembly. You are not exercising your constitutional rights by breaking the laws in the country in which that constitution was ratified.

It is not an exercise your rights to break these ordinances. It is civil disobediance which has consequences.

[sk8andgrind]

Spring police is a joke

[lonnybarrett]

I don't understand why you think your constitutional right to peacefully protest gives you the right to break other laws? If you break laws in the act of your protest, you are in fact NOT conducting a peaceful protest. That's common sense. I hear you saying that you are willing to "work" with the CSPD, yet I don't see you willing to concede anything. Up to and including, not breaking the local ordnances. The CSPD seemed very forgiving in allowing a 24hr assembly provided no one slept there.

[Mr8MrsKiefAir]

it is very difficult to argue with those who have all the power, even when you have the facts on your side. kudos to the protesters for their intelligent debate

[JasonLauve]

Where are the people who should be negotiating this issue? What is law enforcement doing negotiating, this is not a police state is it?

[JasonLauve]

“Wherever the title of streets and parks may rest, they have immemorially been held in trust for the use of the public and, time out of mind, have been used for purposes of assembly, communicating thoughts between citizens, and discussing public questions. Such use of the streets and public places has from ancient times, been a part of the privileges, immunities, rights, and liberties of citizens.”

[BruceFnLee]

10:25 Officer speaking is inferring that breaking laws means you are unpeaceful. This demonstrates his view of the law.

[squazzymoto]

The real problem here is that the city attorney handed down what he thinks is correct by the law to the officers. The officers are there to tall you what they understand for the city and state laws and they have BEEN TOLD how to act. It is not the police's job to interpret the law, just write tickets and make arrestees to convict people. The whole meeting was pointless with out the city attorney. It will need to be taken to court about how right to assemble trumps a city ordinance on park close

[Archangel72467]

Your energies at these protests is misdirected because you are channeling the same things that corporations do. Money is like energy. Your "worth" is expressed by the money that you make and move. You want a revolution? Volunteer. Use money? Yes. But redirect your labor toward your neighbors, your community, your state, and your nation. THAT is a revolution.

[yearout53]

If our city council would use their minds instead of muscle, they would tell bernie,to think before you talk. Heck I didn't even know about the event, until berni was whining about the protesters. Lets draw more attention to our city. Hente, Martin and yourself have already brought national headlines, and they were not good. JUst what we need more attention. Go read the consitution and tabor again since you abuse both.

[DeathofSpeech]

It would appear that the police have failed to think this all the way through.

[rriverstone1]

white hippy boy talked down to bald headed cop boy and that's the end of that. Only women of color should be allowed to run OWS. sigh. And thanks ever so much for further stigmatizing the homeless as trouble making alcoholics who just trash stuff. I'm mobile homeless. I'm sober, contribute to my community, do not participate in criminal activity, recycle ...... sell me out for this? damn

[jubbles23]

@rriverstone1 He said he had to run out a few drunken homeless people. He didn't say all of them were drunken.

[adolthitler]

Haven't the police opened themselves up to being sued? For violating citizens constitutional rights by enforcing laws they do not know to be in force? Would they not be required to get legal clarification of what the laws are in relation to the constitution so they get it right? A duty of care?

[MrKevin1a]

It's the same thing as youth breaking curfew to participate in a protest, something that has been upheld in various situations.

[101011b]

Seems to me the people in this video broke Rule #1, don't talk with police officers.

[lilgrrlfilms]

It's not that they are ignoring 1st amendment rights. They are saying if you want to protest this is how you do it. They were saying that, this is what we enforce, if you disagree then that has to be settled in court because we have been told how we are to handle it. I thought the police were being as fair as they could , and helping to try and work things out. This is just something that can't be decided in that room.

[bradyrose]

@lilgrrlfilms Of course it is because they are ignoring the 1st amendment. The right of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly is widely established and entirely clear... They can't pass laws that violate our consitutional rights, yet they routinely do, and enforce such. Its endemic structural corruption that is not only brazenly criminal in the face of the highest law of the land but also represents the greatest threat to the existence of a free humanity.

[bamboo4tameshigiri]

They are perfectly happy to use the Constitutional clause that makes Federal law trump state law when they jail pot heads in legal states, but when the Constitution work against them, they ignore it. FUCK THEM. I'm rather go to war with them.

[bamboo4tameshigiri]

The Constitution has been dead in this country for decades!

[YorEulogy]

OMG she just said "Constitution whatever" WTF!

[lolingattheism]

These policeturds do not have to face the consequences anyway, they can use taxpayers money to fight useless fight - for years in court. Sick!

[neglectoid]

no sleeping on site guys, thats how they are gonna get you.



[l3ft0v3rcr4ck]

Time to lawyer up!

[TheFrugalGamer]

Thanks for doing this. Very interesting to see this process first hand.

[phenixwryter]

Good job of standing your ground. While its good to see folks talking, one would think the Mayor would get involved and ask for a clarification of the city's position from the City Attorney so there is no confusion for the protesters or the police. Going to court to decide these issues will cost the city money, too. Money that comes from the tax paying citizens of your city. 

[krapptacular]

Cops think they are above the law and always right.

I hope they loose there jobs and families get thrown on the street.

[stonehartfloydfan]

Well done I am proud of you all for sticking up for your rights.

The rest of the world is watching

Peace

[Imgoing2LoveYou]

So let me get this strait. Just because local state police can't properly define the 1st amendment. They are going to over look this federal 1st amendment and go with the city law. Does the police officer think that Laws over-ride rights brought forth by the creators of the USA? It's clear that they had an agenda before the meeting took place. Carlin said it; We don't have rights... just temporary privileges... and rights aren't rights if they can be taken away. And that's what this video shows.

[integralmath]

@Imgoing2LoveYou false. What the police are saying is that they agree people have certain rights. Additionally, not all rights are absolute at all times and all places in all circumstances. There is nothing about 'speech' that implies 'camping'. There is nothing about a protest that implies taking naps. No one disagrees that there are certain rights. The disagreement is over what is entailed by a given right. If you can draw some nexus between sleeping and speaking, you'll have done magic.

[Imgoing2LoveYou]

@integralmath Yeah well... you know... thats like, your opinion man.

[integralmath]

@Imgoing2LoveYou one notes that your response is neither an indictment of, or refutation against what you attempt to impugn by attaching the useless label 'opinion'. What I say is clearly entailed by what the police themselves said. But sure.

Or, to adopt your acumen in all things intellectual, it's merely your opinion that it's my opinion. Yes, any moron can play that game, which precisely why it is never a fruitful approach to discourse. *pats you on the head* Keep trying though, pumpkin.

[Imgoing2LoveYou]

@integralmath You clearly haven't seen the movie, "The Big Labowski". I was joking with you man. damn you are serious cat :) :) :) :) Lighten up mate :) :)