Occupy: Facing Off With the Stormtroopers of Wall Street & the 1% - FDL

[WillyT]

Occupy: Facing Off With the Stormtroopers of Wall Street & the 1%
By: Kevin Gosztola - FDL
Monday March 26, 2012 1:26 pm

<snip>

Occupy Wall Street engaged in a protest on Saturday that called for the resignation of New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly. It also included an anti-police brutality march that explicitly challenged the NYPD’s handling of the Occupy movement over the past months.

More than ten protesters were arrested in the action. NYPD’s handling of the march appeared to validate the message of the day’s action. Mesiah Hameed, a young African-American woman who protesters were saying is only 16-years-old, was arrested. A New York Times videographer claims she was ordered to disperse and engaged in civil disobedience to block the movement of police scooters. No Occupy Wall Street protester suggested civil disobedience against police scooters had led to the arrest.


16-year-old girl is arrested by NYPD during Occupy Wall Street's action on Saturday


Hameed’s arrest prompted cries of sexual harassment. For no apparent reason, Hameed’s shirt was lifted exposing her bra. She then had multiple officers grab her by her arms and legs and, handcuffed, she was carried down the middle of the street for two blocks before finally arriving at a police vehicle that would take her away to be processed and jailed. The website for Occupy Wall Street reacted, “One 16 year-old grabbed by 5 police while alone on the sidewalk, thrown around and some clothes ripped off before being placed in handcuffs. She was carried off by shoulders and legs while crying. This is unacceptable!”

NYCLU legal observers reported they were shoved. About an hour after Hameed had been arrested, a “random person,” according to Occupy Wall Street, was thrown to the ground for “no reason.” It seemed they were “just grabbing anyone” they could.

The New York Times reported the arrest of a man that they were not allowed to view as the police closed off the area and prevented the press from doing their job. “Lying face down on the ground, the man began shouting that the plastic flex-cuffs were cutting circulation to his hands. He shouted, ‘I am in excruciating pain!’ He laid there until a truck arrived and police hauled him into the back with other detainees.”

<snip>

Much More: http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/03/26/occupy-facing-off-with-the-stormtroopers-of-wall-street-the-1/

[Zorra]

1. The cops are seriously out of control, and not just in NYC. nt

[StarsInHerHair]

2. ya they don't see people they see everyone as criminals

that sucks & is self destructive

[DLevine]

3. We're drifting towards a police state. Absolutely disgusting. n/t

[dogknob]

4. Drifting?

We're way past the drifting part.

Will you declare the US to be a police state only when something happens to yourself, a family member or a friend?

The police state is here.

[DLevine]

5. The police have already destroyed my life.

I have no sympathy for the police whatsoever. I don't believe it has totally become a police state, but it is a very bad situation, and I don't see it getting better anytime soon.