Department of Homeland Security expecting election violence?

[cobb]

Why?
http://rt.com/usa/news/dhs-unrest-gear-283/

They should only need half that gear based on the 2008 convention violence. There was little or no violence at the Democratic convention in Colorado, some conservatives did protester, yes. All the violence was at the Republican convention in Minnesota caused by the, uhm,,, liberal Democrats!? !?

So I would think based on past history they should only have to gear up wherever the liberals will be protesting, at the Republican convention or anyplace that they will gather....

Always confused me as to why the Republican party is portrayed as the haters and promoter of violence.

[chunkstyle]

Why?
http://rt.com/usa/news/dhs-unrest-gear-283/

They should only need half that gear based on the 2008 convention violence. There was little or no violence at the Democratic convention in Colorado, some conservatives did protester, yes. All the violence was at the Republican convention in Minnesota caused by the, uhm,,, liberal Democrats!? !?

So I would think based on past history they should only have to gear up wherever the liberals will be protesting, at the Republican convention or anyplace that they will gather....

Always confused me as to why the Republican party is portrayed as the haters and promoter of violence.

Actually, most of the violence I saw at the RNC was caused by the police.

[jshuberg]

Your right, if it wasn't for all the corrupt cops getting it the way of all the good honest people exercising their right to riot, set fires, smash windows and attack delegates there would have been no violence at all!! Damn cops, they ruin all the fun!!!

[xd ED]

Yep. It's getting so a guy can't drop a boulder off a freeway overpass without the man putting him down. No just us, no pizza!!

[CarryCauseICan]

I'd be upset too, if you were throwing bottles of PISS at me!

[mattxd]

Actually, most of the violence I saw at the RNC was caused by the police.

Going to have to disagree with you.
I was at the RNC everyday and made trips between Excel and downtown Minneapolis several times a day and hung out down town in my down time (I wanted to see a hippie get tossed) The whole time I was amazed at how restrained the police were, they would warn the protesters to disperse for hours before finally arresting anyone. Even then they just corralled those who didn't disperse and loaded them on buses. If people were peaceful they could wander around the part of down town closed to traffic, hell the cops in the turtle suits would even pose with them if they weren't actively keeping opposing groups separated. The only time when I say anything approaching aggressive was when the police were trying to restore order after the windows were broken out on a few downtown stores.

This montage was edited to show the police in the worst light but really all they could get was the cops pushing a few people who wouldn't listen, some protesters walking (not running) away from a police line, and a few flash bangs and gas. All considered the police showed a very restrained response, and they did a great job balancing the free speech rights of the protesters against the rights of those who gathered for the RNC.

[dsm2nr]

All of the gear in that order was protective. If there was offensive gear in there, I might think of it differently.

But if ~150 police/guards want to protect themselves, go for it. My first thought was "Only 150?"

[tman]

There was only a handful of arrests in that video.

I can only speculate, but I imagine that a lot of those "gassed" people had plenty of time to disperse, but chose not to.

Here's my favorite cop video from the RNC..

[tazdevil]

There was only a handful of arrests in that video.

I can only speculate, but I imagine that a lot of those "gassed" people had plenty of time to disperse, but chose not to.

Here's my favorite cop video from the RNC..

Why is that your favorite? Looks to me like he was going after one specific person for a unknown reason (legit or not) and was attacked from behind by some protester. Hard to say who needed a azz whoopin, but at least one or two of the three involved did!

[tman]

Why is that your favorite?

I know the cop. (No, it's NOT me.)

[mnmike59]

Thermos size +P Bring it on Morons!

[tman]

Thermos size +P Bring it on Morons!

He put it in a shadow box with a press photo of the action.


Sent from my iPhone using that app which shall not be named.

[photogpat]

Thermos size +P Bring it on Morons!

Thasa lotta hot peppah!

[Collector1337420]

Actually, most of the violence I saw at the RNC was caused by the police.

Unfortunately, that's what I witnessed too. And I was there everyday.

One night, I was walking from where I parked my car to meet my buddy and girlfriend at a restaurant after I got off work. The cops had blockaded every intersection and I had to run and take alleys just to slip through their parameter before they mobilized enough guys to cover all the holes. When what should have been a short, leisurely 6 block walk, turned into an hour long 2 mile run; I finally got there, ate pizza and drank beer, watched the RNC Convention on TV, and discussed the military tactics the police were using.

It would take a lot to convince me we don't live in a Police State after that.

[jgalt]

It would take a lot to convince me we don't live in a Police State after that.

Try reading some literature - fiction or non-fiction examples abound - from 1930's Nazi Germany. Or the Soviet Union. Or Mao's China. Or ... you get the picture...

I'm firmly on the side that says our political class has gone well beyond the bounds set by the US and state constitutions in way too many areas, and that the police have allowed themselves (often enthusiastically) to become the instruments that allow it to be so. However, to make the claim that we live in a "police state" dilutes the notion of what a real police state is to the point where the concept becomes meaningless...