Fireside: Militarization of the Police

We reported to you all week on clashes between protesters at the Occupy Oakland movement, and the police in the area. On Monday night, or more accurately very early Tuesday morning, hundreds of police from 10 different agencies came out. They came to clear out the Occupiers and did so with force, with flash grenades and tear gas and rubber bullets. The second night, it resulted in an Iraq war veteran Scott Olson, being hit in the head with a tear gas canister at close range. And on the third day, when thousands came out to take the plaza in front of Oakland's city hall back, united by Olson's tragedy and the police backed off. But it's hard to tell if that victory was just a battle won that day, or whether it represents a significant shift.

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[usergently]

" If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face...forever." -George Orwell.

[MrZash313]

Wallstreet has corrupted all branches of government, and the American people are too uneducated and misinformed to really do anything about it. It's going to take more than just a protest to shake things up.. I hope it won't have to come to a revolution like the one in Libya, but I'm expecting it.

[yogini34]

@rlosim There is no more time. Wake up, my friend. Who do you think runs the "respective governments"? Those with the money. And would that be, eh?

[drlontime]

I'm glad to see the Cops are getting tough, why did it take so long?

[rlyosim]

@helmethead72

i dunno i think the governments of our respective nations have alot more to do with the current/future situation of our economies' than "the elite".

as someone not caught up in the ows movement it just seems like the idea of the 1% being this evil force is more vagueness coming out of a movement that really doesnt seem to know what its up, what it wants, or how to achieve it.

thats just my 2cents, either way time will indeed tell. peace.

[helmethead72]

@rlyosim Indeed it will,time for the economies of the world to stagger along the edge of a deep depression. Time for more bail outs which means more austerity for those who had nothing to do with power politics or had no say in the Euro project.Time which will result in more poverty,foreclosures and job losses while the Elite laugh at us.Time for the EU to increase its dictatorial behaviour towards its people.The Elite will go down. Many of us have nothing else to lose anyhow.Peace.

[rlyosim]

@helmethead72

i doubt it. time will tell i guess

[helmethead72]

@rlyosim Tough luck,mate.We're not going away,we'll get stronger,the winter won't stop us.The protests will expand as more hear the message of hope versus corruption,greed and despair.If one of us is killed by the militarised corporate police force the fall out will be immense,immediate and irreversible.A new paradigm has already begun.The cork is out of the bottle and the genie will not be going back in.Get used to it.

[DarkArtistKaiser]

@avideogameplayer

They were fighting a invading army.

This is not the situation, the situation is that the government is oppressing the will of hte people.

If we start shooting at government officials and such, we will only justify police action. It may even go as far as result in Martial Law. Than what good is your gun rights?

There is a reason the Confederates lost. It is better to use passive resistance and protest.

[ruzzzler]

people are finally understanding bush, obama, republicans and demarcates, nearly everyone with steep pockets are enemy of the people, they only care about theyer money and not the peoples well being.

[avideogameplayer]

@DarkArtistKaiser I don't think that stopped the Founding Fathers or the revolutionary forces...