What are the chances that DC police will use pepper spray or tear gas

[RagingInMiami]

on protesters this weekend?

[movonne]

1. 99%

[buddysmellgood]

2. Only after they run our of rubber bullets and they can't swing their clubs

anymore.

[AX10]

3. They never use such force against the right wing fundies though.

:argh:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

5. After WACO

who were as right ring as you can get, I don't trust them. PERIOD

I do worry they will use too much force. Hopefully not: the country is very skittish right now and won't put up with another Kent State.

[AX10]

6. I will call for action if another Kent State occurs...

first of all I would like to see the police unions busted, just to start.

[Matariki]

4. what are the chances they're going to use their new sound toys?

[intheflow]

7. I've been to 3 protests in DC under this administration:

1st so-called "inauguration;"
2nd stolen "inauguration;"
3rd time was the repro-rights rally.

The repro rights rally was totally mellow.

But the inaugurations were much more tense. I was more scared during the first inauguration than the second, the cops seemed a lot more tense the first time around. Then again, they were mostly inside the 12-foot high fences surrounding the WH on the second, so perhaps they felt more comfortable with a fence between them and us.

Over all, I think most of the DC cops are pretty cool about demonstrations--it comes with the job. I think the few incidents I've heard about between cops and protesters in DC are literally that: just a few people on either side making it seem worse than it really is. I don't think you'll see mass tear-gassing of protesters, no.

Having said that... it only takes one trigger happy cop or one totally bullshit angry anarchist to erupt into something truly ugly.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. All the DC

protests I attended in the late 60's and early 70's were tear gassed. And I'm not really sure why, as they were peaceful.

I agree that Washington is used to this. Kent State, after all, was at a small college and tensions were very high and law enforcement panicked.

[intheflow]

17. I think just as we on the left have learned

from Vietnam not to disparage the soldiers, so too have the police learned that gassing protesters (or sicking dogs on them, or hitting them with billy clubs while on horseback) does nothing to create/enhance societal order.

[RagingInMiami]

18. Unfortunately, the cops in Miami never got that memo

They are notorious for using physical force, pepper spray and tear gas on protesters.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/11/20/miami.protests/&h=242&w=220&sz=12&tbnid=1div9kThuqQJ:&tbnh=105&tbnw=95&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmiami%2Bpolice%2Bprotesters%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26hs%3DfLv%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG



http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=721

[intheflow]

21. I was only talking about DC cops.

They didn't get the memo in Colorado Springs, either:


Photo by Joel Tagert
http://www.mscd.edu/~themet/TheMetropolitan/02_03/Vol25_issue20/index.html

[In Truth We Trust]

8. Are you trying to scare people away from going? Just asking

[intheflow]

9. Considering he's attending,

I don't think so.

[RagingInMiami]

10. Yeah, I'm a freeper

[intheflow]

12. I think you're just sniffing out

something to shoot for the next photo contest! :P

[RagingInMiami]

16. That might work

But my real intentions is to sell photos to the Associated Press or any other news agency. Of course, I need to make sure I get that one photo that none of the other staff photographers get.

[In Truth We Trust]

14. I don't mean any offense; sincerely. I've just noticed a lot of dubious

posts that are subtle but could possibly lead one to believe that there are ulterior motives.

Good luck in DC. My heart and soul will be with you all. Unfortunately my body is required to be helping the family in NC.

[latebloomer]

13. Last DC demo I went to

was in October 2002, in the runoff to the war.

I found the police surprisingly mellow-- much more so than the NYC cops.

[LynneSin]

19. I have to agree!! DC cops are excellent at handling protests

If they attack, it's probably because someone went after them first. Normally they are laid back and standing down away from the crowd. The only time you see them look real serious is the points on the march route where we cross paths with the pro-war/religious nut jobs

So seriously, if you're going to the protest don't be a dumbass and attack the police. They are not the enemy

[danostuporstar]

22. Yeah. DC cops are pretty cool about protests

Who knows what kinda rent-a-cops Rove is gonna stick out there tho.

[longship]

15. No, tanks!

er,.... I mean, No thanks.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

20. LOL n/t