Police intimidation of Troy Davis supporters

This was 8:50 pm, outside the Diagnostic Prison in Jackson, Georgia, during the temporary delay in Troy Davis's execution. There had been a large number of SWAT and police all day. The size of our crowd had not changed. This was the second wave of additional riot police brought in (18 cars in this case), with lights on and sirens blaring. They then marched in military formations and stood opposite us. This was clearly not designed to protect; it was designed to intimidate. And peaceful, peace-loving people were scared.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• troy davis
• too much doubt
• death penalty
• execution
• police
• paramilitary
• police state

[nicspic2011]

No physical harm came to you however. There were some arrests for trespassing on state property or blocking the roadway. However, a set number of people for and against the execution were allowed into the demonstration zones inside the perimeter fence. No one was arrested for their opinion on the matter, no one was beaten with clubs, arrests were only for trespassing on state property if they entered unlawfully.

[BEchoreographer]

@nicspic2011 No physical harm would have come to me if I had stayed home, either. And we shouldn't even be talking as if physical harm is an option, like we're lucky if we avoided it. If you have a large number of peaceful demonstrators on the outside - across the street from the prison - on public property - actually making the decision that they were afraid for their physical safety and needed to move away from that area, reducing the level of protest ...

[BEchoreographer]

@BEchoreographer ... , that's a serious problem for free speech in America. And that's what happened.

[BEchoreographer]

@BEchoreographer ... , that's a serious problem for free speech in America. And that's what happened.

[nicspic2011]

Everyone went home from the protests unhurt. That is certainly a positive.

[BEchoreographer]

@nicspic2011 Everyone went home from the protests unhurt except Troy Davis. And the fear that the out-of-proportion and heavily armed police presence would use any excuse to go after the crowd caused a good number of people to leave the protest area. That is not a good situation for our nation to be in: for peaceful, unarmed demonstrators to fear physical harm from police.

[heus199]

@BEchoreographer that gas station isnt public property fuck stick. btw its a good rule of thumb is if you have to wonder if its a good idea to be there.... dont be there

[CARTER4526]

Sorry folks but I do support the DP in certain cases but even I believe along with my pro DP friends that this is an unneccessary response following the mostly peaceful (yet vocal) protests. The cops should of been out on the streets. People have a right to protests without intimidation.

[Mongeeselady]

Thanks for posting this video. I was there at the protest, this was an unneeded amount of police for a peaceful protest.

[Mongeeselady]

@nicspic2011 Not everyone did come home unhurt though, one poor man was tazered for stepping out onto the road. He didn't attack the police, said nothing, etc, merely stepped out onto the road and was tazered. Were you even at the event?