Professor sues Pittsburgh for using sonic device at G-20 protest

[Eric J in MN]

Source: Raw Story

A bystander who suffered permanent hearing loss after Pittsburgh police deployed a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) against protestors during the 2009 G-20 Summit has filed a federal lawsuit against the city. The device emits pain-inducing sounds to disperse crowds and is also deployed on American warships.

Karen Piper, then a visiting professor at Carnegie Mellon University, tried to observe the G-20 protests in Pittsburgh as research for her book on globalization.

The G-20 represents the leaders of the world's most powerful economies and the group's summits attract a large crowds of anti-globalisation activists and others opposed to what they see as an undemocratic group promoting harmful free market policies.

While Piper was trying to leave the protest, without warning the police activated a LRAD a short distance away from her. She immediately became nauseous and dizzy, and felt fluid flowing from her ear.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/22/professor-sues-pittsburgh-for-using-sonic-device-at-g-20-protest/

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Police don't need to use weapons to disperse protesters.

If protesters are sitting on the road, then they can be arrested.

If protesters are on the sidewalk, then they should be allowed to stay there.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. k and r

[Demeter]

2. JHC! Is it facism yet?

I would insist on triple damages, and the stock of the firm that manufactured it, so I could shut that fucker down forever, after buying back every last one of those foul devices.

[Rabblevox]

3. They are doing weapons testing on Americans. /nt

[midnight]

4. K&R.

[valerief]

5. They had to use it, because there were too many people to tase.

:sarcasm: sort of. So many cops (or Blackwaters posing as cops) seem to be tase-crazy.

[pasto76]

9. dude pittsburgh cops are mean. Notoriously mean.

Like seriously. Dad _always_ warned us growing up never to do anything to give them a reason to beat you down. Im white, middle class run of the mill, they dont seems to care.

[I Have A Dream]

18. I agree.

I was at a peace march in Pittsburgh several years ago, and you could just sense that they really wanted to try out their "fun", new high-tech equipment. They were champing at the bit to be let loose.

Thank goodness nobody did even the smallest thing to give them an excuse to go into action.

:(

[my2sense]

6. k & r

Why on earth would police dept.'s need this type of technology? Since when are WE the enemies? I hope she sues them into oblivion.

[SavWriter]

10. Nope, even if the Police lose, the city will just pay and raise taxes

The Police won't even lose so much as a single patrol car.

[Heywood J]

7. She needs to sue for an amount large enough to get their attention.

I'm thinking at least $250M and it should be taken from the police budget first. Use of an uncontrolled weapon of mass destruction on citizens exercising their democratic Constitutional rights should amount to criminal charges for those who turned the device on, those who issued the order to do so, those who authorized its purchase, and those who authorized it to be brought to the protest that day.

[liam_laddie]

14. K and R!!!!

[chill_wind]

15. +1. Pretty sick. We have names for the kinds of governments who would

use this kind of police tactic on their own citizens in other parts of the world.

[Crowman1979]

8. It hurt my ears just listening to that damn thing on YouTube.

[annm4peace]

11. I hope she wins

[wxgeek7]

17. Yeah!

I hope she wins so much money from the city, that they couldn't afford to operate those "police state" devices anymore.

[lovuian]

12. what about children?

nearby

[defendandprotect]

13. Good that the Professor is doing this and hope she'll succeed in getting it stopped ...

there is no right to protest if it can be attacked by authorities --

[reggie the dog]

16. G20 coming to cannes in November

is there any way to use ear plugs to stop this? i will have water, vinegar and cloths to breath through


I cant wait, cannes full of international anti globalists, i hope the kids from the ghettos, penned up in the hills, come down and join the festivities....

[pam4water]

19. Or instead they could have listen to the protesters and started fixing the mess the WTO

and IMF made.

[Canuckistanian]

20. It's a form of Collective Punishment

A pre-emptive subjugation of the right to a fair trial before inflicting punishment.

Sue their asses off.