This is BIG reason mass protests/demonstrations rarely happen - OH march brutally attacked by police

[99th_Monkey]

This kind of brutal suppression of dissent my friends has become the norm rather than the exception. So called "Free Speech Zones"
(i.e. undersized barbed wire cages away from the public eye), tasings, arbitrary beatings and arrests, etc. apparently have been
doing what they are intended to do: suppress freedom of speech and lawful assembly & peaceful mass protest. Now those who do still
attempt to exercise their constitutional rights to speech & assembly are predictably and almost routinely tased and beaten down.

Can this trend ever be reversed?? ...hopefully under an Obama Administration, when -- ironically -- there will hopefully no longer
be a need for such mass protest against a criminal WH regime. Or has this become "just the way it is" now, Obama or no Obama?


**********************************************************
Longest Walk Violently Attacked by Columbus Police
OpEdNews.com
by Cathy Garger

COLUMBUS, OHIO- On Monday, June 2, 2008 after trekking over 2400 miles on foot, participants of the Northern Route of The Longest Walk 2, were violently attacked by Columbus Ohio police as men, women and children walked through the town carrying sacred prayer staffs and the message "All Life is Sacred". Without communicating with the Ohio Department of Transportation, who were notified of The Longest Walk passing through Columbus, Ohio, city police swiftly and forcefully arrived with squad cars and arrest wagons and began assaulting the peaceful walkers.

Eight police cars surrounded the walkers as the group walked into the parking lane and up onto the sidewalk of Main Street. A police officer approached a vehicle providing support to walkers, reached into the window and grabbed the steering wheel. The police officer yelled at the young woman driving a carload of young children and threatened to place the children in Child Protective Services.

As dozens of police hastily approached the walkers, Michael Lane (Menominee) was targeted by police with a taser, which was held three feet away from Lane's head in front of his wife and young daughter.

Taser Guns are supposed to be aimed away from the head and towards major muscle groups.

Luv the Mezenger, who acted as road safety for the walkers, was physically assaulted and thrown to the ground and handcuffed. Luv has been a peacekeeper on the walk since departing on February 11th and walked over a stretch of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on snowshoes.

Michael Lane, a veteran walker from the 1978 Longest walk arrived on the walk with his wife, Sharon Heta, Tuhoe (Maori Tribal Nation), and their children from New Zealand approximately two months ago.

Lane, who holds a law degree from the Arizona State University, stated the worst part of being targeted by a police officer with a taser was that it terrified his young daughter who was unaware that it was a taser gun being held to their father's head – she only knew that a gun was being pointed at her father's head. This violent action caused severe emotional distress for the women and children that were witness to these events.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Longest-Walk-2-Participant-by-Cathy-Garger-080611-277.html

[villager]

1. America's cops jumped the shark a long time ago...

And they wonder why they're not trusted or liked?

[texanwitch]

5. You are so right.

I was at a protest where everything was peacful until cops started beating up on people.

I do not like or trust cops, period.

[conspirator]

7. A cops main "duty" is to protect RICH people and their property n/y

[texanwitch]

8. I almost got killed at this protest.

I am only here because another protester pulled me out of the way just in time.

The cop on horseback tried to slam me into a wall with his horse.

I have a video tape of it.

[Carnea]

2. If this is accurate (and I fear this is) the Police need to be fired

Simply fired. Freedom to walk along a road should not be infringed. And tasering people and threatening their children with rape (Which is basically what you are saying when you threaten CPS ) cannot be tolerated in a free society.

I don't care if Columbus has democrats or republicans heads need to roll forthwith.

[ben_meyers]

3. has this become "just the way it is" now!!

It's Ohio!!

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

[libnnc]

4. who trains these chowder heads?

oh silly me

Blackwater of course...:banghead:

[blindpig]

6. more likely the army or marines

Those Blackwater dudes make big bucks, cops make a pittance. The government sends our people over there where they are schooled in brutality, intentionally and otherwise. They come home and are discharged, where's the work? Well, a budding police state always can use a few hands, it's almost like it was meant to be. No broadbrush here, but it works like that enough. I've seen it around here.

Though it's not like the police have ever been gentle with the anyone whom the establishment does not consider respectable, particularly the poor.

[libnnc]

9. I've heard that Blackwater has a hand in training local PDs now

but your point is correct too.

either way, these guys scare the hell out of me.

[lonestarnot]

10. Ohio! Where are all your people? Are they even bothered by this?

Or did Ken Blackwell fix that too?

[RazBerryBeret]

11. I'm embarrassed to say

that I live in a suburb of Columbus, and I didn't hear a word about this. I don't usually watch the local news....mainly CNN. but I DO read the Columbus paper. I'm searching it for info now....

[lonestarnot]

14. Just fucking pathetic isn't it?

:banghead:

[Swamp Rat]

12. Y'all haven't seen ANYTHING yet.

It is going to get much much much worse.... you'll see.

[Ghost in the Machine]

13. This is why I'm leery of participating in some of these actions...

I don't so much fear for *my* life, but for the lives of others.... I may have turned my back on my former life, but I still have some natural "instincts" or "reactions" burned into me... there'd be some dead motherfuckers on the ground if I was approached by one of these jackboots and they tried to manhandle me.

I'm not advocating for anyone else to do this, just stating what I know *my* reaction would be... and I wouldn't be any good to my kids if I was dead or in prison...