Why Are Police Attacking Peaceful Protesters? How OWS Has Exposed the Militarization of US Law Enforcement

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As the number of Occupy Wall Street arrests nears 1,000, instances of police brutality continue to pile up. Felix Rivera-Pitre was punched in the face in New York during a march through the city’s financial district; Ryan Hadar was dragged out of the street by his thumbs at Occupy San Francisco; and at Occupy Boston, members of Veterans for Peace were shoved to the ground and dragged away for chanting and peacefully occupying a local park.

These efforts to intimidate the protesters are symptoms of three decades of policies that have militarized civilian law enforcement. Sgt. Shamar Thomas, a U.S. marine at the Occupy Wall Street protests, was so appalled by the behavior of the NYPD that he loudly confronted a group of 30 officers, shouting at them:

"This is not a war zone. These are unarmed people. It does not make you tough to hurt these people. If you want to go fight, go to Iraq or Afghanistan. Stop hurting these people, man, why y’all doing this to our people? Why are y’all gearing up like this is war? There are no bullets flying out here."

Police repression in America is hardly new. Low-income neighborhoods, communities of color and political activists have always had to deal with unnecessary shows of force by some police officers. Thanks to a populist uprising threatening a status quo that benefits the top tier of American society to the detriment of the bottom 99 percent, many Americans for the first time are witnessing the U.S. police state in action.

As Occupation Spreads, So Does the Police State

A clear pattern has emerged in the response to occupations throughout the country, from San Francisco to Denver, involving midnight raids by heavily armed paramilitary units of riot police deployed to enforce park curfews.

Protesters at Occupy San Francisco are familiar with the routine. They have endured multiple late-night police raids on their encampment in Justin Herman Plaza, the most brutal of which took place Sunday, Oct. 16. Minutes before midnight and with the approval of Mayor Ed Lee (who is currently running for reelection and claims to be supportive of the movement's overall message), 70 police officers decked out in full riot gear marched into the encampment to enforce a 10pm curfew. They dismantled tents, tarps, the medical station and the kitchen, along with some personal belongings, all of which were loaded onto Department of Public Works trucks.

Some 200 protesters resisted peacefully, locking arms to prevent the police invasion, which was met with a frighteningly violent response. According to the San Francisco Bay Guardian, one protester received a lengthy beat-down for duct-taping his body to a pole inside the camp. The police allegedly "ripped him off the pole, threw him to the ground and struck him in the head and ribs. When he left by ambulance a few hours later, he appeared to be convulsing or seizing," reported the Bay Guardian.

Protesters using their bodies to block the DPW trucks from leaving were dragged out of the street, some by their fingers and thumbs. Those who locked arms to form a human chain were pulled apart and thrown onto the sidewalk.

Ryan Hadar, 19, described his experience to the Guardian: “They bent back my thumbs, trying to pry me away from the people I was locking arms with. When I asked if they were trying to break my thumbs [one officer] replied, ‘Only if I have to.’ Then they dragged me to the sidewalk by my index finger. I asked if they were trying to break my finger, and this time they replied, ‘Yes.’"

After destroying the campsite, sending one activist to the hospital and arresting at least five protesters, the police departed from the scene around 1:40am.

Days earlier, an eerily similar situation unfolded at Occupy Denver. Just as Zuccotti Park was celebrating victory over Mayor Bloomberg's failed eviction attempt last Friday, Denver's occupation of Lincoln Park was being dismantled at the request of Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. With the combined efforts of the Colorado State Patrol and Denver Police, two dozen protesters were arrested and charged with unlawful conduct on public land.

Two weeks ago, protesters at Occupy Boston in Dewey Park faced police suppression in a late-night raid that led to 129 arrests and multiple injuries involving several members of Veterans for Peace. According to the Associated Press, nine protesters occupying Sacramento's Cesar Chavez Park were arrested late Wednesday night for failing to leave the park after closing, bringing the total of Occupy Sacramento arrests to 67.

The authorities justify these late-night raids as necessary to enforce park curfews. Yet, even during the day, the mere presence of heavily armed riot police inevitably results in some police action that baffles the mind. For example, Debra Lynn Peardon was arrested for opening her umbrella while seated, a violation of a new city ban on the use of umbrellas as makeshift structures regardless of the weather.

Peaceful Arrests In Chicago

With the blessing of Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago Police Department arrested 175 protesters last weekend for refusing to leave Grant Park, the site of Occupy Chicago, citing a violation of the park's curfew. As reported by Joe Macaré of In These Times, protesters showered praise on the Chicago Police Department for showing restraint by arresting them "One by one, and by all accounts as peacefully as possible," in stark contrast to the violent arrests experienced at other occupations.

But the jailing of peaceful protesters is wrong, even when carried out free of beatings and pepper spray. This was epitomized by the arrest of Princeton University professor and civil rights activist Cornel West on the steps outside the Supreme Court, where it is illegal to hold a political sign. A ban on political protest outside the halls of the highest court in the country is an ironic symbol of how little regard is given to the First Amendment of the constitution.

Inevitable Outcomes of Militarized Law Enforcement

Occupy Wall Street has revealed to the country and the world an American police state apparatus that rivals most standing armies in both weaponry and magnitude.

Nowhere is this more clear than in New York City, where a perimeter of metal barricades surrounds and even follows protesters from Zuccotti Square on their daily marches. Nick Turse recently documented the extent of the NYPD's mini-police state for AlterNet:

I counted seven squad cars, two full-size police vans, one police minivan and one, to lapse into political incorrectness, “paddy wagon.”

Later in the morning, the total count had increased to 16 police vehicles, in addition to a number of unmarked cars, most of which proved to belong to police officers, too.

Across Broadway and up Liberty Street, the security forces maintained a reserve contingent of 11 police cars, five police vans, and one paddy wagon from precincts all over the city: the 1st, 5th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 20th, 83rd, 94th (Brooklyn!), as well as the Fleet Services Division which oversees the NYPD’s inventory of cars.

This level of overwhelming police presence, along with the disproportionate and combative force directed at peaceful, unarmed protesters, alarms Americans previously unaware of the increasingly militaristic nature of American law enforcement.

http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/152812

[Guinness 3]

All these cities have democrats in Office right ?

Run by unions so I guess it's the brutality of the left

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All these cities have democrats in Office right ?

Run by unions so I guess it's the brutality of the left

The most highly militarized police forces in the country are all in big cities. It transcends partisan politics. In NYC both Democratic and Republican mayors have played a huge role in this.

[Guinness 3]

The most highly militarized police forces in the country are all in big cities. It transcends partisan politics. In NYC both Democratic and Republican mayors have played a huge role in this.

I can agree with this. But have seen first hand how protesters spit in the police officer face and worse just to provoke a response from the police. Then act like some innocent victim . Many protesters get trained in such tactics just for the print @/ TV reporters

[nylonmac 10]

Exactly, whilst it isn't professional behaviour on the side of the Police, as a human (which people forget that all police are behind the blue), they will get to a certain point of abuse and fight back.

The white shirt who pepper sprayed those protestors was a) wrong and b) should never have been on the street. Don't white shirts in the NYPD indicate high ranking officers? He should've been shining his ####### behind a desk rather than out in a situation like that.

[Guinness 3]

Didn't see that video , video and pics can be very deceiving

Not that this excuses unprofessional behavior

You also need the white shirts on site or they will be accused of losing control of there officers and heads will roll

Exactly, whilst it isn't professional behaviour on the side of the Police, as a human (which people forget that all police are behind the blue), they will get to a certain point of abuse and fight back.

The white shirt who pepper sprayed those protestors was a) wrong and b) should never have been on the street. Don't white shirts in the NYPD indicate high ranking officers? He should've been shining his ####### behind a desk rather than out in a situation like that.

[slim 1,530]

I love the police (yes, that was sarcasm)... and in this case, I have to take their side.

When dealing with a crowd, decisive action must be taken swiftly and with overwhelming force or the situation will get out of hand very quickly. Once the order to disperse is given, those who don't comply are subject to arrest. If they don't disperse, what do they expect?

Police follow a pretty simple set of rules -

1. Ask nicely.

2. Order.

3. Make them comply.

As long as you keep that in mind, your interactions with the police should be peaceful and of no consequence. If you forget that, they'll jump to step 3 without hesitation.

What these protesters ought to be doing is moving on to step 2 themselves. They've asked nicely.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I watched what happened in Oakland yesterday in almost real time. The whining punks deserved what they got, and more. You can't squat on public property, you can't throw urine and feces at law enforcement, and you can't say anything you want anytime you want at anyplace you want, despite how much these selfish spoiled brats want to believe that was true.

This is what happens when you overindulge your children, instead of taking them to the woodshed when they throw a tantrum.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Police fire tear gas at US anti-Wall Street protest

Police fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse hundreds of anti-Wall Street protesters in Oakland, near San Francisco, an AFP photographer said.

Columns of white smoke filled the streets and sound grenades echoed off the buildings as the demonstrators scattered before riot police, who had earlier arrested scores of protesters and had repeatedly warned them to disperse.

At least one protester fell to the ground, bleeding from the head and unconscious, after being struck by a tear gas canister. He was later dragged off by fellow protesters, the photographer said.

The protesters later regrouped and started hurling eggs at the riot police, who responded by firing paint-balls at them.

Riot police had arrested 85 people early Tuesday morning as they cleared the Occupy Oakland tent encampment from a square in front of City Hall, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

A police spokeswoman had earlier confirmed the number arrested without providing further details. Police could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night.

The protesters had sought to return to the encampment they had occupied for two weeks as part of the growing nationwide demonstrations against alleged corporate greed and government dysfunction.

Scuffles broke out around 6:00 pm (0100 GMT) when riot police who had blocked the protesters moved to arrest one of them, the Chronicle reported.

Protesters threw turquoise and red paint at the riot police, chanting: "This is why we call you pigs," the newspaper said.

It said other protesters attempted to calm the situation and spoke out against the violence.

"They didn't have to force police into that situation," it quoted Helen Walker, a 46-year-old nurse, as saying. "It was totally provoked, and if I could have, I would have stopped those idiots from throwing paint."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.2328fa2e793efc62a98070b6a67a9cc3.2a1&show_article=1

I was barely old enough to remember, but I do, and saw first hand the race riots in Little Rock, and later in Watts. Most everybody here should remember the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. This has to potential to get much worse, and it probably will.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Crusty Old Perv

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I watched what happened in Oakland yesterday in almost real time. The whining punks deserved what they got, and more. You can't squat on public property, you can't throw urine and feces at law enforcement, and you can't say anything you want anytime you want at anyplace you want, despite how much these selfish spoiled brats want to believe that was true.

This is what happens when you overindulge your children, instead of taking them to the woodshed when they throw a tantrum.

when PIGS act like sheep, then they deserve ####### thrown at them.

The G20 summits and the actions of police against PEACEFUL protesters are proof enough of that.

Arrest the jerk offs who are being stupid just to be stupid, but you have every right to "squat" on a PUBLIC street and protest peacefully.

[SMOKE 1,426]

when PIGS act like sheep, then they deserve ####### thrown at them.

The G20 summits and the actions of police against PEACEFUL protesters are proof enough of that.

Arrest the jerk offs who are being stupid just to be stupid, but you have every right to "squat" on a PUBLIC street and protest peacefully.

and when a dumbass is being a dumbass...they deserve to be pepper sprayed & have a night stick shoved up their #######.

no you do NOT have the right to block traffic, impede people from patrinizing businesses, or sh!t in the park.

they've allowed it long enough...time to clean it up for other residents of the community.

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and when a dumbass is being a dumbass...they deserve to be pepper sprayed & have a night stick shoved up their #######.

no you do NOT have the right to block traffic, impede people from patrinizing businesses, or sh!t in the park.

they've allowed it long enough...time to clean it up for other residents of the community.

I don't disagree that the right of people to protest needs to be balanced against the right of locals to live their lives.

But I do disagree that anyone deserves to be sodomized with a night stick.

Maybe you were being a tad rhetorical with that but the NYPD has actually done that to people (not in these protests, but in the past).

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

But I do disagree that anyone deserves to be sodomized with a night stick.

But what if it happens between two consenting adults?

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But what if it happens between two consenting adults?

Then by all means lynch them.

[SMOKE 1,426]

I don't disagree that the right of people to protest needs to be balanced against the right of locals to live their lives.

But I do disagree that anyone deserves to be sodomized with a night stick.

Maybe you were being a tad rhetorical with that but the NYPD has actually done that to people (not in these protests, but in the past).

i do remember reading about that. yes, i was being rhetorical. receiving an 'attitude adjustment' or 'compliance assistance' may have been a better phrases to use.