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In reply to the discussion: How about this? POLICE CHANGE SIDES! [View all]reorg
(3,317 posts)25. Sorry to pee on your pudding but what you say is complete nonsense
Blockupy Frankfurt had been planned as a city-wide four-day event with an extensive program and many protest actions:
http://demonstrare.de/termine/16-19-05-action-days-blockupy-programm
organized by Attac, the Left Party, the teachers' union GEW and other groups.
ALL of these events were BANNED by the city government (CDU/Greens). The courts upheld the ban with one exception, the final protest march mentioned in the OP. Wednesday through Friday, subway and train stations adjacent to the banks were shut down and a large police presence all over the city prevented any spontaneous gatherings. 1400 people were arrested:
This beautiful and strong demonstration was the end of a very difficult series of action days. Thousands from all of Europe flocked to Frankfurt to take the squares and block the ECB and other major financial institutions. We were met with total repression. With the exception of the final demonstration, all of our countless planned rallies, demonstrations, assemblies, cultural and educational programs and festivities were banned by the city. We were denied the constitutional right to assemble. We were denied our democratic right to expression. We were denied space to sojourn in the city with the exception of autonomous student buildings, even the universities were shut down. Democracy was effectively prohibited. At the very least, we can ironically point to one consequence: if we were denied our protest, the police effectively blockaded the city for four days. The European capital of finance was shut down.
We called out to action days in Frankfurt against the austerity policies of the troika and governments. We called out to action and protest against the authoritarian politics implementing these policies. We were met with total repression by the German police. Over 1400* of us were taken into custody for attempting to assemble in the city.
http://17to19m.blogsport.eu/2012/05/20/a-brief-note-after-the-action-days/
We called out to action days in Frankfurt against the austerity policies of the troika and governments. We called out to action and protest against the authoritarian politics implementing these policies. We were met with total repression by the German police. Over 1400* of us were taken into custody for attempting to assemble in the city.
http://17to19m.blogsport.eu/2012/05/20/a-brief-note-after-the-action-days/
If you understand German, watch the video in the OP where the mingling of the police with the marchers is denounced as provocation. The organizers invite the police to just get lost, buy some ice cream and have a nice day because, sorry, you'll get no violence from us today.
The unprecedented wide-ranging ban of peaceful activities throughout last week was based on the pretext that "some" violent groups "might" participate and, like a few weeks before during the M31 protests might spray some graffiti or smash a window or two. There was never a danger of actual violence taking place, at least not on the part of the protesters. However, if anyone had showed up in the same absurd Ninja gear as the "riot" police, they would have been immediately detained.
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I would think that Germany would understand the dangers of a police state, better
Baitball Blogger
May 2012
#2
Rush and the rest of that garbage are banned in Europe. We must do the same here to win.
freshwest
May 2012
#17
Paid disinformation is freedom of speech for you? They don't allow pro-Nazi propaganda in Germany.
freshwest
May 2012
#52
Yeah, it only matters when stochastic terrorists act on it. Shooting 9 year old girls is okay.
freshwest
May 2012
#61
And it can happen when people know they are all in the same boat. That is it.
freshwest
May 2012
#62
Wow, that is fantastic. I read what that police chief said about the protests last week,
sabrina 1
May 2012
#29
In a very large anti-war march in L.A. in the seventies the police walked with us and brought us
freshwest
May 2012
#46
That might happen here once the police in this country realize they are being screwed.
Crowman1979
May 2012
#54
Notice the difference in the British Army in southern Iraq and the American Army
underpants
May 2012
#65
I would like to ask the white haired female officer about her handcuffs...
DainBramaged
May 2012
#68
Chris Hedges has said to look for police changing sides as key sign of change!
Lake Angel
May 2012
#72