In Tampa, Police deliver boxed lunches to Protestors

[cali]

TAMPA — It was a truce of sorts, delivered between two slices of bread.

Food: from Tampa police officers to hungry protesters camping out at Romneyville, the unofficial headquarters of the many activists who gathered to protest the Republican National Convention this week.

"I give them the most props of any police agency we've seen," said 28-year-old Brendan Hunt of Occupy Wall Street.

The boxed lunches — sandwiches, fruit and ice cold bottled water — came after police heard that protesters were getting low on provisions. It didn't help that the big blue school bus-turned-kitchen that had been parked at Romneyville all week left for New Orleans this morning, to help hungry people there.

So, in their telltale khaki, the Tampa officers who have had several tense moments with protesters during the week showed up to help.

<snip>

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/article1248823.ece

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. How cool!

A byproduct of it being a Dem city, I wonder?

[Angry Dragon]

2. ......

[deutsey]

3. Wow

[FSogol]

4. Look out! It's the jackbooted thugs.... with Lunchables!

Any truth to the rumor that the drones reported back that rations were low for the protesters?

[HooptieWagon]

8. There are no drones. Story was false.

And there have been no violent altercations between police and protestors. Kudos to both sides.

[Cleita]

5. Kudos to them. Cops are working class like the majority of us, something people

often forget. Reminds me of the time I was walking a picket line on strike at MaBell. It was also a hot day and the police, who were regularly patrolling to make sure there were no incidents between strikers and scabs, brought us cold sodas in a cooler.

[Fuddnik]

16. Also, the Chief of Police is an open lesbian.

She even talked about it at last year's State NOW convention.

[pinto]

6. Kick

[mopinko]

7. i think food fixes pretty much everything.

[NCTraveler]

9. I stated earlier this week that they would do their job well.

Overall they are a good force empowered to do what is expected of law enforcement. The protesters have also been great. There was a positive news report about them on a clear channel owned station yesterday. Stated that they were a very educated group and were each preaching a message and handing out literature to those who would listen. At that point in time there had only been three arrests. One of those arrests was protester on protester violence.

It also makes a big difference that the police were preparing for over 5000 protesters and the actual number was much lower due to the weather.

[barbtries]

10. that's really a feel good story.

in FL no less.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

11. So nice! Wonderful News! K&R

I Love seeing this! Thank You Tampa police officers!!!

[eyewall]

12. Brought a tear to my eye.

This sort of tolerance, compassion and mutual respect is what really defines "the American dream".

[ailsagirl]

13. Fantastic!!

Great to hear!

[steve2470]

14. k&r nt

[Raine1967]

15. Such a nice story with such a not nice headline.

"Police food donation has protesters eating their words"

Was that needed? This was a case of just niceness, and media has to pit on group against another, that was really unnecessary.

[Cha]

26. It's a stupid lie.. nobody was

eating their words. The "media" makes up shite as it goes along.

[starroute]

17. This photo came through livestreamer Tim Pool's Facebook account

It's Gatorade, not box lunches, but it's captioned "Police handing out Gatorade to protesters at Camp Romneyville," so I assume it's the same story:

[Cherchez la Femme]

18. What? No Pepper Spray?!

Heh, I bet they even left pepper packets out of the box lunches.

[malaise]

19. Truly lovely

Rec

[ZombieHorde]

20. I am pleasantly surprised, and I am trying hard to suppress cynical thoughts. nt

[pintobean]

21. Great story. Thanks.

Where are the cop haters?

[AsahinaKimi]

22. great story..

And for once, nice cops in the news.

[redqueen]

23. Aw.

[sibelian]

24. Good for them!

Sensible guys.

[glowing]

25. If true... Those box lunches are for the

security detail provided by RNC. I'm not sure who is paying republican party or tax payer? But many of the people who were being protected left early... Before Mittster's speech. We've had some security leave early because... So there may be some extra lunch boxes left... Why not hand it out? It's been rather docile week all in all.... The biggest fireworks are coming from within the convention with the Ron Paul people and the wealthy people throwing peanuts and cameras around.

[Care Acutely]

27. How genuinely nice to see.

[Callmecrazy]

28. Very gracious.

I'll bet a lot of the cops there are in agreement with many of the protests and are just hoping that no body jumps off and forces them to do things they don't want to do. They have to maintain order. But I don't think they are the enemy.

[datasuspect]

29. the touch, the feel, of a kinder, gentler police state

how touching!

i feel all warm and fuzzy.

thank you national media!

[progressoid]

30. What? I thought all cops were fascist thugs?

These must be under cover cops pretending to be nice.