Melbourne Tent Monsters, violently stripped to bra and panties

[Fire Walk With Me]

Run time: 10:06 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtwuGAOR9a4   Posted on YouTube: December 06, 2011 By YouTube Member: seanbedlam Views on YouTube: 306   Posted on DU: December 06, 2011 By DU Member: Fire Walk With Me Views on DU: 9923

 
https://www.facebook.com/occupymelb

Liberty Victoria Condemns Police Action
At Occupy Melbourne Protest

6 December 2011

Liberty Victoria today condemned police interference with Occupy Melbourne demonstrators in the Flagstaff Gardens this morning, 6 December 2011.

At approximately 8.30 am, several police officers approached a female demonstrator who was wearing a small tent.

This appeared to be the demonstrator’s way of protesting against an instruction by Melbourne City Council that no tents should be permitted in the Gardens.

The police action, which was captured on a cell phone and posted on Youtube, shows a Council officer demanding that the demonstrator remove the tent. She refused, saying that the tent was her clothing.

Upon this refusal five police officers began cutting the tent away from the demonstrator. This action involved the use of considerable force and continued despite the demonstrator’s refusal to consent to the forcible disrobing.

Finally, the tent was removed, leaving the demonstrator in only her underwear
and in full public view.

Liberty President, Professor Spencer Zifcak, said that “if this bodily violation weren’t so serious, it would be ridiculous”.

“It is serious because it is unlawful, it is ridiculous because it is so unnecessary”.

“The police action is in clear violation of the right to freedom of speech and assembly as protected in Victoria’s Charter of Rights and Responsibilities”.

“It is unconstitutional as it is in breach of the Australian Constitution’s protection of the freedom of public and political communication”.

“The use of excessive force by several police to disrobe a person plainly engaged in political protest is also deeply to be regretted, quite apart from being profoundly embarrassing to the person concerned”.

Liberty requests that the Melbourne City Council and the Chief Commissioner of Police launch an immediate inquiry into the matter, the findings of which should be made publicly available.


For further comment please contact:

Professor Spencer Zifcak
President, Liberty Victoria

Ph. 0417 490110

Please note that Professor Zifcak will be unavailable for comment on the morning of December 7. In his absence please contact:

Ms Anne O’Rourke
Vice-President, Liberty Victoria

0409 334581

http://www.libertyvictoria.org/

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Occupy Melbourne
Comment on Police Victoria page. Be respectful, don't stoop to their level.

Ask for them to stop listening to Dictator Doyle before they get in more trouble.

Click share if you care.

https://www.facebook.com/victoriapolice/posts/230518127020331?notif_t=feed_comment

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Thank you to DUer Matilda for the heads up on this in GD.

[Generic Other]

1. They really lack a sense of humor

Really.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. That, and much worse, must be a job requirement. I am utterly livid about this.

[The Doctor.]

52. No, they lack any sense at all.

Seriously, fascist have no imagination.

The footsoldiers have no sense.

The world has gone Spaceballs.

[wundermaus]

3. I do believe a precedent of police action has been established.

Time to test the legality of police assaulting and stripping citizens while conducting peaceful protest in court with a thousand tent dress cases.

[zeemike]

22. Absolutly...this must be pursued vigorously in cort.

If they can get by with this then there is nothing that they can't get buy with.
And I saw that someone in another thread say that one should not mess with Aussie women...they are free spirited and tough...this proves it.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

36. They should have declared the cops' clothing as unacceptable ...

... and proceeded to strip them of the offending clothing.

[napoleon_in_rags]

4. "How would you feel if it were your mother in there?" Man I respect Australians.

Courage, beauty boldness. You guys inspire us all, rock on Occupy Australia. :yourock:

[citizen blues]

26. How would you feel if it were you daughter in there?

May have been a more accurate question given the age of the young woman and the ages of the cops.

Like other Americans on here, I immediately noticed the cops weren't in full riot gear too. Perhaps the Australian police haven't been militarized as heavily as the American ones have. Still, I've always considered Australia to be more civilized than the US in many ways. For this to happen anywhere, but especially to have come out of Australia, is deeply disturbing.

[edgineered]

5. The horror captured is beyond words - however, in the land of the free the footage would be taken

and used against those recording the poliSSe assault in court. No doubt this will be on Faux as a triumph. Who can now boast we are truly the freest country?

Every one of those bastards should face multiple charges - after clearly and repeatedly stating her condition of undress, her statements were shown to be true at the onset of the attack. It is despicable and criminal.

[drm604]

6. K&R

This is totally fucking unacceptable. It was a funny, silly stunt. What harm was she doing? How does she deserve this type of treatment? In what kind of world does this happen? :grr:

[DeSwiss]

7. I hate it when I'm right.....

...about http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=640297&mesg_id=640353">things like this.

- K&R

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. Yep.

[edgineered]

9. Total understanding by you DeSwiss - nt

[zeemike]

24. you sure were.

I guess you do understand the authoritarian mindset.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

10. Disgusting behavior by the police!

I guess the whole free world is finding out it's not really free after all.

[drm604]

11. The Victorian Police are certainly getting an earful on their FB page.

http://www.facebook.com/victoriapolice?sk=wall&filter=1

[edgineered]

12. Just visited FB and gleaned this gem:

A few minutes ago this comment was made:

Ashley Walters
Congratulations on joining the USA in their path to full police-statehood. Congratulations on bringing more attention to the Occupy movement and to the widespread police brutality now occurring on a daily basis.

Would a prison designed in the shape of Ellis Island and its statue help the general population to understand our freedoms? Oh, forget it, I give up (don't).

[defendandprotect]

41. That's what we need -- Facebook pages for our police/Mayor/Kelly, etal --- !!

Great idea!!

We all need to see what we are actually saying to those pushing protesters around --

and much, much worse --

Immense brutality towards protesters here in states!!

[L. Coyote]

45. I posted three YouTubes, and they deleted two already

this one is still there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=XSq6tPXJHZ4

the others:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtwuGAOR9a4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cMgTBme9Yg&feature=endscreen&NR=1

[Magoo48]

13. What would they do if 1000 people were dressed in tents?

[SkyDaddy7]

14. This would NEVER happen in America!

In America, The tent, the girl's clothes if you will, would have been removed but the similarities end there...The girl would have been charged with numerous crimes to include indecent exposure...The guy screaming "SHAME!" would have been beat to the ground, pepper sprayed &/or tazzed then arrested! Those close & especially filming would have been pepper sprayed, tazzed & arrested as well. Clearly Australia's law enforcement is more passive than America's by leaps & bounds!!

[The Wizard]

15. This is the new world order,

the wet dream of the Bush cartel. When people are assaulted and stripped of their rights and clothing for protesting corporate corruption supported by corrupt political leaders by those protecting the most corrupt among us they have created a powder keg looking for a fuse. At least the police weren't dressed like the Gestapo as in the United States, but that's probably coming to Australia too.
Where are the teabaggers with their assault rifles now?

[unionworks]

16. Well said k&r

Leave it to the cops to turn something fun and zany into something horrible and ugly. It is the NWO alright.

[Plucketeer]

20. LOL!! You got that right!

Where ARE the teabaggers with their assault rifles and their DON'T TREAD ON ME! flags????????? :crazy: Oh! That's Right - the police carry weapons - they must be the smart ones! :crazy:

[freshwest]

43. +1,000. But the teabaggers are there, abusing the protestors. No other way around it.

[unionworks]

17. sometimes

I start to feel like change is no longer possible. I would advise anyone who is young enough and has the means to do it to get the hell out of the United States. I hear Canada is still sane. It is extremely disturbing to see this in Australia. It supports the NWO theory. I also find that it brings back horrible memories of the Vietnam era to see America acting out violently against her best, brightest and most idealistic young people. I've seen it before. The phrase "pearls before swine" comes to mind. The song "Wooden Ships" by Crosby Stills and Nash still rings true - "We are leaving, you don't need us"

[UnrepentantLiberal]

18. So they fumed because they were made fun of in the last video

and came back to teach this girl a lesson. The OWS protests are making me come to the conclusion that cops are criminals with badges.

[defendandprotect]

42. Exactly -- !! Public will remember the wonderful Jumping Tents and the spirit of OWS .....

as they will also remember this petty and very aggressive response from

the police!

Disgusting!


What's that old expression .... "Nailing a butterfly to the wall" -- ???

[Le Taz Hot]

19. Outrage aside,

the tent-is-clothing idea is brilliant!

[Roy Rolling]

21. Respect the police

When the police decide to be the tools of the 1% who are criminals they are just as guilty as the 1% criminals who steal trillions. Until the police stand up individually and refuse to follow unlawful orders given to them to enforce political goals they are not brave but they are cowards.

It's your choice, police. Stand up for principle or be a tool for those who use you to commit unlawful acts. When the political overlords know they can get the police to commit crimes on their behalf they will not stop until civilized society is a dictatorship led by those who make up the rules as they go along.

[quakerboy]

27. +1. the police are no longer "respectable"

Their financial situation may make them part of the 99%. But it rapidly becomes clear that police forces are not full of respectable, well intentioned people, occasionally spoiled by the unavoidable "bad apple", making them look bad.

There are those bad apples to be sure. But what you can clearly see in video after video, account after account, is every other rank and file policeman 1: not preventing violence and assault by their piers before it happens. 2: not stopping violence and assualts as they happen 3: not removing bad apples from the situation after the assaults happen 4: not arresting those who commit assaults and violence after witnessing it.

Not in a single one of the instances has any one of those things happened. Which tells me that the police are fully complicit with ANY action, no matter how wrong, that another officer may undertake. And that is flat wrong, as well as not at all respectable. You don't have to be a mob enforcer to be in the mob, but being there you do support every illegal action they may take, up to and including murder. Being a police person has become the same thing.

[unionworks]

28. The cops in WI

were protecting the protesters. Sweeping generalizations are usually wrong, though I can understand the outrage after seeing this, as I feel it myself.

[quakerboy]

33. Its less to do with this video

than all the others. Berkley, Davis, Oakland, Portland, Boston, DC, Seattle, and the list grows from there.

Wi seems to be the rare exception.

I do not trust the police anymore. I have begun to believe that the whole institution is corrupt. They appear to me to be far more physically dangerous to the general public than any other gang or organization in our country.

[HopeHoops]

23. Welcome to WW III

It isn't a war between countries. It is a war OF countries against their own oligarchies. Welcome.

[pam4water]

25. That is so wrong.

[ooglymoogly]

29. If this does not make it abundantly clear of a new world order

who's junk yard dogs are the police...for some it is just not gettable.

[ZombieHorde]

30. Forcibly stripping people in pubic is sexual assault in my opinion. nt

[L. Coyote]

31. FIRE them all and relieve them of their pensions, and

let them keep their shorts :rofl:

[freshwest]

44. I saw what you did there...LOL.

[W T F]

32. It wasn't being used as a tent. It was being used as a clothing but regardless.........

If they thought she was breaking the law, Why didn't they just arrest her and charge her with erecting a tent in the park and let the courts decide? The police now think they are Judge, Jury and Executioner.

[tblue37]

37. It was not different than many Halloween costumes--clearly an "outfit." n

[defendandprotect]

46. Great idea for Halloween -- !!! That and Police Officer SPRAYING Pepper Spray -- !!

[lb rox]

34. Totally inappropriate!!

I'll bet every one of their teeny tiny little phalluses were engorged and throbbing as they group-ravaged that gorgeous redhead.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

35. When those in authority perceive that you are not sufficiently servile ...

... then they get even more authoritarian.

Fucking bastards. I hope they rot in jail and are convicted for sexual assault. I am inspired, though, by how the protester's stood in those fascists' faces.

[defendandprotect]

47. It's the elite spirit of domination which shines thru -- a sign of where we're going !!

[Fantastic Anarchist]

49. It really is amazing when the more they flex their muscle ...

... the stronger we get!

:D

[tblue37]

38. Interesting post exchange on one world news site I read:

Kath-2789825
Police earlier told the Sun Herald that they warned protesters that if they chose not to wear clothes under the tents, they would be given time to dress before the costumes were seized.

Three of four protesters cooperated, police said.

van-1120261
The police in China told people not to step out in front of a tank when they are marching. 1,999,999,999 billions complied, only 1 dude didn't.

[defendandprotect]

48. +1 -- And we know who the world remembered ... !! Tent idea was brilliant -- !!!

[Fantastic Anarchist]

50. Holy snap ...

Superb rejoinder!

:toast: to van

[tblue37]

51. Yeah--I thought so , too! nt

[DaveJ]

39. I noticed a "professor" objects. Why do thug criminal brute cops always trump intellect?

Oh yeah, because we're in a fucked up world, where we are servile and complacent enough to brush away what is right, and intelligent, while the lowest vile scum are our masters and strip us of everything including clothes. Who orders them, the 1% as well as some other sick minds who know no better.

[Huey P. Long]

40. kr!

[stockholmer]

53. ACAB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARgORjA8RQI

[Uncle Joe]

54. That incident is begging for a lawsuit, they had no right to strip her costume off.

Thanks for the thread, Fire Walk With Me.