Austin Police Whip Out The Ol' Pepper Spray Again Last Night

[Intelsucks]

There's only one thing more dangerous than bare breasted women during Mardi Gras celebrations... And that's a band that takes their act to the streets.:eyes:

http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=1722310&nav=0s3cLdjp

[Supormom]

1. This line says it all:

"According to the band's website, activism is a key part of the Los Angeles-based group."

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. I like what I've heard from Ozomatli so far.

I have one of their songs on a Starbucks compilation, and will now excitedly check out more to help with bail money.

[NoPasaran]

3. Playing music in the street?

That could lead to... dancing if we're not careful!

When police say they asked the band memebrs to stop playing their instruments on the street, "most of the band members complied," said assistant chief Cathy Ellison with the Austin Police Department, "except for one person who just did not do what the officer asked him to do. Again, the officer asked him to go back inside, and he refused and continued to play his instrument. That's when the officer went ahead and tried to make the arrest."

[pfitz59]

4. SXSW?

I'm jealous.

[GOPisEvil]

5. When do we issue the brown shirts for these assholes?

We HAVE to have the most pepper-spray-trigger-happy and GUN-trigger-happy (if you're black) police force in the country. Fucking fire Stan Knee YESTERDAY!!!

[XNASA]

6. When I was down there last month, I was a little taken aback...

..by the number of police and mounted police that were on 6th Street.

I know it was during Mardi Gras, but people were going out of their way to antagonize the police. If the police hadn't been there, or at least been not so evident, I'm sure that the crowd would have been less rowdy.

Oh well, at least you can take solace in the fact that you live in the most liberal city in Texas, for what that's worth.

[GOPisEvil]

7. Mardi Gras got WAY out of hand one year.

It turned into a full-blown riot. In a sense, I understand the police presence, but they go for the pepper spray WAY too quickly. They are just poorly trained in crowd control.

Once more, for the record, I was nowhere near the scene! It wasn't me! :7

[VelmaD]

8. Sometimes I wonder...

if the APD officers have to go through what our correctional officers do. Before they are certified to use pepper spray they have to go through having it sprayed on them. So they'll know what it's like and maybe be a little less trigger-happy in using it on someone else.

[GOPisEvil]

9. I think it's about time for an aggressive campaign to get Knee fired.

His officers show poor training and poor judgement.

[VelmaD]

10. He shoulda been fired ages ago...

after the horse trampling incident.