General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Today in Chicago I saw the effects of police brutality against peace activists with my own eyes [View all]elleng
(129,800 posts)I have said, threatening people with weapons is NOT violence; it may be 'assault,' it is not 'battery.' 'Threatening' is a deterrent to violence.
Assault is an act that creates an apprehension in another of an imminent, harmful, or offensive contact. The act consists of a threat of harm accompanied by an apparent, present ability to carry out the threat. Battery is a harmful or offensive touching of another.
The main distinction between the two offenses is the existence or nonexistence of a touching or contact. While contact is an essential element of battery, there must be an absence of contact for assault.
In an ideal world people should be able to speak their minds without being threatened.
It is their choice whether they go on to speak and possibly subject themselves to battery, actually being physically assaulted.
People interested in public matters have rights to speak in their behalf, AND authorities are entitled to protect the public against violence.
I was in Chicago at the Democratic Convention in 1968. Friends and acquaintances were assaulted and injured, and I helped get people out of Cook County Jail. Chicago cops knew how to make a public mess of things then.
I do NOT support anyone 'bashing in the heads of people at a non-violent protest.'