Soon afterward, buses brought in additional officers in riot gear, and police scoured downtown deep into the night, making arrests and seizing at least five weapons, according to O’Toole. Later, officers in riot gear gathered alongside a city boulevard chanting “whose street, our street” — a common refrain used by the protesters — after clearing the street of demonstrators and onlookers.
“We’re in control. This is our city and we’re going to protect it,” O’Toole said.
So much wrong in this, the police held 250 protesters hostage in synagogue, violated designated safe places, and hey O’Toole tax payers pay and the for the streets.
The arrests came after demonstrators ignored orders to disperse, police said.
It’s always after “orders to disperse…”
“Unknown substance” = apple cider vinegar to relieve the effects of tear gas. But way to spin it, SLMPD.
One officer suffered a leg injury and was taken to a hospital. His condition wasn’t known.
However, the downed protester the officer was kicking when he sustained his injury was treated and released from the hospital after being charged with resisting arrest.
This sounds like Charlottesville all over again; the majority of protestors are peaceful, exercising their right to non-violence, while a minority chooses vandalism and confrontation. All of the protestors will now be deemed unlawful due to the actions of a few. This decision was tragic, as was the killing of yet another black man by police, but you can’t answer that violence with more of the same. Follow Gandhi and MLK, they had the right idea. Otherwise, you just give the other side an excuse to delegitimize your cause.
Are you saying that the trending twitter hashtag #GasTheSynogogue delegitimated the police side of the cause, or are you saying that the expectation for violence is one-sided?
Muther-Fuck! The cop planted a gun – and still gets off???
As a white man of 51 years, I am so saddened once again by the actions of some in law enforcement as well as the jury decision. Good fucking god, people. To my black and brown friends, neighbors and even distant relatives, I stand with you. I cry with you. I am angry, along with you. I live in the City of Charlottesville. I am numb once again.
And all this along with enduring Trump in the White House and the rabid right wing in control of Congress … all I can is, if you can, please register to vote. The larger the numbers on our side, the much more difficult it is for the GOP to cheat at the ballot box, to suppress the vote enough for them to “win.” We must take control of local and state governments before we have the chance to reverse the unfair suppression of votes, before we have the opportunity of shoring up the ACA and then reinforcing it or–better yet–take the steps toward a much easier to access and fund healthcare delivery system. I, myself, just secured the proper application for an absentee ballot. VA makes one jump through a couple hoops for the privilege of voting – but it’s worth it. VA is still purple but getting a little bluer with each passing election. Large numbers at the ballot box–for ALL elections–is duly noted by political parties. Again, if there is no legal reason you cannot vote then, by all means register to do so every single election. Seriously, there are many more of us than them, but showing up and voting Democratic straight down the ticket after a few election cycles will yield great results.
It’s always hard for me to know how to respond emotionally to things like this. I cry, always. But beyond that? I despise the random acts of violence that come with rioting. Yet, does our nation really expect its African-American citizenry to remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding while police hunt them like animals?
Riot police chant-shouting “Whose streets? Our streets” in unison should give anyone chills – regardless how one feels about the rest of it. Shades of Tulsa’s Greenwood.
80 is a good start. When will they be arresting the rest of the bad cops?
Absolutely correct. The militarization of our police forces and the encouragement given by a certain orange-faced occupant of the White House are terribly frightening. As always, there are no easy answers. I simply detest the fact that a small number of angry people will tarnish the reputations of those who really are searching for justice and do so in a non-violent manner. The bulk of the hatred, bigotry and violence does not emanate from the progressive side of things. When some do resort to rioting and looting, it only serves to give the other side an excuse to say “See, they do it too!” It’s sickening.
With the police chanting “our streets” and the interim police chief declaring that police “owned” the town, it’s hard to imagine things calming down in St. Louis. Adversarial language isn’t designed to reduce tension, it increases it - they’re reinforcing the protesters’ perception that the police department is their enemy.
Certainly explains why tensions stay high enough that they keep having protests like this.