Car Rams Protestors at OccupyDC

[RamboLiberal]

Reports are very sketchy. But something pretty dramatic seems to have happened in DC tonight with the ‘Occupy’ protestors. I’m piecing together what happened from the Twitter feed of Washington Post reporter Tim Craig.

From what I can make out, Occupy protestors tried to blockade the Koch Brothers backed conference (Americans for Prosperity) put on today in DC — blockade in the sense of keep people from leaving the convention hall. Then someone drove a car into protestors acting as this sort of human blockade.

Precisely whether this was intentional or just what happened is hard to be certain of. But the incident was at least interpreted by the protestors as hostile and intentional. And things apparently escalated from there. Craig has a short item up on the Post’s breaking news blog. But more details and flavor are contained in Craig’s twitter feed from the scene.

Late Update: The Fox local affiliate has a bit more detail here. The Fox report cites police saying that the car hit one group, then kept driving and hit another group. That would at least suggest that it may not have been an accident. “A FOX 5 photographer on the scene says protesters have surrounded the car and are shouting “shame!’”

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/car_rams_protestors_at_occupydc.php?ref=fpblg


WASHINGTON - At least three Occupy D.C. protesters have been hit by a car at 7th and K Streets in northwest around 9:50 on Friday night.

Police say the car hit the first group, then kept driving, and hit a third person before it was stopped. Two people have been taken to the hospital.

A FOX 5 photographer on the scene says protesters have surrounded the car and are shouting "shame!"

One person is in custody.



Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/car-plows-into-crowd-of-occupy-dc-protesters-in-northwest-110411?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz1coSi7DI4

[CC]

1. The driver should be held

for hit & run at the minimum. But who knows.

I will say this, not a good idea to use your body to try to block a car. Many of those that listen to Fox run in right wing circles and believe the hate and fear they spew so are probably terrified people from Occupy will drag them from their cars and hurt them at the minimum. Makes for a dangerous situation and bodies break too easy when hit with 2 tons of metal.

[Amonester]

2. Tragic. Until a motive is given, I will refrain commenting.

For now, let's spread the word to ALL 99% occupiers:

IF IN ANY BAD CIRCUMSTANCE YOU HAPPEN TO SEE A BIG THING COMING YOUR WAY FAST: JUMP HIGH AND AS OUT OF ITS WAY AS YOU CAN (FIRST)

[minavasht]

3. At least in my part of the woods

Preventing somebody to leave is considered false imprisonment.

[sabrina 1]

6. ??? Detaining a criminal is considered 'false imprisonment'?

I always thought it was the duty of a citizen who witnesses a crime in progress to try to stop it. In this case and in the other case in Oakland, both drivers were continuing their rampage after seriously injuring two people, in each case. Had the people not stopped them, more might have been injured or killed. I call that heroic.

[Puzzledtraveller]

8. in many states its limited to felonys

committed in their presence

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Very limited authority and those who do places themselves in criminal and civil legal peril

let alone physical injury. Very situational call. Citizens arrest or even invoking Shopkeepers Privilege (not applicable here obviously) is not without its risks.

While opinion here is running pretty strongly for a murder conviction, be a good thing to understand intent and circumstances before we get a rope. Moreover the drivers are clearly identified and the both the civil and criminal process can proceed presuming they are warranted.

[sabrina 1]

25. Who is asking for a murder conviction? That was not the issue

The issue was if you see someone engaged in committing a crime and have the ability to stop it, it is the right thing to do to at least try. That is what decent people do. This has been an issue for a long time. In this case, the people WERE able to stop the Oakland driver before he mowed anyone else down. Good for them. If they had just let him go, it's possible people might have died.

[randome]

21. 'False Imprisonment', I think...

...applies equally to the protesters who were preventing people from leaving. I can understand protesters trying to prevent people from entering or crossing a picket line or something.

But trying to keep people from leaving?

It is a tragic situation and the details have yet to be revealed but it was a dumb situation to have set up in the first place.

[minavasht]

22. I was commenting on the information

that the protesters were trying to prevent people from leaving. I'd think that constitutes false imprisonment.
Now I see that they stood in front of the vehicle and jumped on the hood.

Stopping the vehicle after that is an entirely different issue and that was good if there was a chance of the vehicle leaving. On the other hand standing in front of a vehicle that had just ran over somebody else does not seem very safe.

[sibelian]

19. Enlighten us further, wisdom incarnate.

How do you feel about a hit and run?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. It a matter of authority etc and it can get sticky depending on the circumstances

In these cases both cars were stopped and the people identified without having to pull those kind of shenanigans.

A poster in another forum and unrelated issue was advocating that civilians detain those carrying concealed weapons and demand their paperwork and hold them until police arrived since there was clearly suspicious behavior. That was plain crazy.

Yes you can detain someone but be prepared to some serious fallout unless the circumstances justify it.

[minavasht]

23. I was talking

about preventing the people from leaving the conference.
I guess the police saw it the same way, i.e. the protesters were in the wrong being in the roadway and jumping on the hood.

Stopping the vehicle after that was a separate issue.

[Anatos]

24. If it weren't

illegal, it wouldn't be civil disobedience.

[RamboLiberal]

4. Car Strikes 3 At Occupy D.C. Rally, Driver Not Cited

Washington, D.C., police said early Saturday that a driver will not be charged for striking three people taking part in an Occupy D.C. protest in downtown Washington.

Lt. Christopher Micciche of the D.C. police said the driver was not cited because he had a green light when his vehicle struck the three on Friday night.

He said witnesses told police that the three pedestrians "either ran toward or jumped in front of the moving vehicle." He said one pedestrian jumped on the hood of the car. One of them was cited for being in the roadway.

"The protesters were apparently trying to block the roadway," Micciche said. "It was essentially an accident where three individuals were injured but they were in violation by being in the roadway."

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/05/142046176/car-strikes-3-at-occupy-d-c-rally?ps=cprs#WTF

[Amonester]

5. Since it was not a stroke, now I can comment.

Disgusting.

So the criminal couldn't have just 'moved forward' VERY SLOWLY??? :wtf:

[RamboLiberal]

7. How? Moving slow will still hit them

Earlier, however, near the rear of the convention center, another group of protesters stood in front of a chartered bus for more than a half-hour as it tried to leave from the area. The bus kept honking its horn and tried to advance forward, but was repelled by the protesters who refused to yield.

In other areas around the building, some drivers got out of their cars and confronted protesters who refused to move. Other motorists stuck in traffic were more receptive, honking their horns in support of the group.

In addition, it appeared that small fights were breaking between protesters and other people, possibly neighborhood residents.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/occupy-dc-protesters-block-streets-near-convention-center/2011/11/04/gIQA05vunM_blog.html

I am not defending the driver - but let him/her and OWS protestors who were hit have day in court. Be prepared for more of this especially with a hot-head driver or even outraged protestors.

[provis99]

10. so you can ram a jaywalker if you feel like it?

How is this legal?

[RamboLiberal]

12. It does not mean the driver will not be charged later

But here the jury has already convicted him.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Matariki]

11. We've now officially reached our Tale of Two Cities moment

Monseigneur, a great lord in the royal court, holds a reception in Paris. He surrounds himself with the greatest pomp and luxury. For example, he has four serving men help him drink his chocolate. The narrator tells us that Monseigneur’s money corrupts everyone who touches it. Monseigneur parades around his guests briefly and then returns to his sanctuary. Miffed at Monseigneur’s haughtiness, one guest, the Marquis Evrémonde, condemns Monseigneur as he leaves. The Marquis orders his carriage to be raced through the city streets, delighting to see the commoners nearly run down by his horses. Suddenly the carriage jolts to a stop. A child lies dead under its wheels. The Marquis tosses a few coins to the boy’s father, a man named Gaspard, and to the wine shop owner Defarge, who tries to comfort Gaspard. As the Marquis drives away, a coin comes flying back into the carriage, thrown in bitterness. He curses the commoners, saying that he would willingly ride over any of them. Madame Defarge watches the scene, knitting the entire time.

[jimlup]

13. My guess is some right-wing nut got made and decided to take matters into his own hands

ANd yes it should be prosecuted - but watch - it won't be.

[RamboLiberal]

14. driver did not look like a T-partier

[jimlup]

15. Maybe he was a Kock Hired "gun"?

Did they arrest him?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. In both cases the drivers have been identified and hopefull there are videos

Criminal and civil procedures can move forward as warranted.

Presuming this was an intentional act of intimidation is a bit premature but I would certainly not preclude it either.

[fascisthunter]

16. sick