'Militaristic and intimidating': St Louis police criticized as protests stretch on

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

'Militaristic and intimidating': St Louis police criticized as protests stretch on

Chris Campbell in St Louis, Missouri
Tuesday 19 September 2017 02.31 BST

s protests over the acquittal of the former St Louis police officer Jason Stockley moved into their fourth night, some observers said the response from law enforcement had grown heavy-handed, and that local and state authorities had learned little from their actions during the Ferguson protests.

Stockley, who is white, was accused by prosecutors of murdering Anthony Lamar Smith, who was black, following a high-speed car chase.

During intense demonstrations on Sunday night in downtown St Louis, police were accused of co-opting and chanting the popular protest slogan “whose streets? Our streets”. The interim police chief, Lawrence O’Toole, whose department made more than 120 arrests, said at a press conference that St Louis police “owned the night”.

Cara Spencer, alderman for the city’s 20th ward, said she was “deeply disappointed” by the rhetoric.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/18/militaristic-and-intimidating-st-louis-police-criticized-as-protests-stretch-on

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

1. Yet their brothers in blue let the Nazis march unmolested.

As well as the Bundy gang. So utterly fucked up.

[Solly Mack]

2. ...

“It was militaristic, coordinated, antagonistic and intimidating,” he said. “They were chanting and hitting the ground and their shin guards in unison with sticks.”

Misner said there was a disconnect between the behavior of the crowd and the response of the police officers.

“I saw no bottle-throwing, spitting or anything else,” he said. “Everyone was hanging out, talking, taking photos and video. Only two people were loudly vocalizing their frustration.”

To protect and serve...conditionally.

[beam me up scottie]

3. This explains a lot:

Protest leaders, encouraging use of the chant “you kill our kids, we kill your economy”, have vowed to sustain large public demonstrations in an effort to disrupt the city’s economy. While protests after the teenager Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson were largely confined to a few blocks within that small St Louis suburb, these demonstrations have targeted areas of the city with concentrated wealth and business activity.

No wonder the cops have been even more heavy handed than usual.

[pwb]

4. Someone must have threatened the cops with a jackknife for them to wear all that gear.

They look like a bunch of wusses in all their military gear. Toughen up fellas or find another job.

[Lee-Lee]

5. I'm sure they are taking applications- sign up and show them how it's done

[pwb]

6. I signed up and served in the infantry in Nam

Wasn't as scared as these wussy cops today. And you?

[Lee-Lee]

8. 23 years between active, guard and reserve

10 years as a Sheriff's deputy.

I wasn't infantry since at the time my genitalia disqualified me.

So go sign up and be a cop too. You can do it part time and not give up whatever your current career is. Go show them how it's done since you know so much.

[pwb]

9. Why would I be a cop.

I already have 27 years federal service. Don't take it personal. These guys today are threatened by a sharp pencil. A guy around here was killed by cops on his front porch fifty feet away with a kitchen knife. He was probably carving a turkey. But you guys circle your wagons and come up with excuses and waik away. Cops are your own worst enemy covering up for incompetence in your ranks. Your making people angry with your intimidation tactics and feeling like you can do anything because you have a shiny badge. Your making your jobs more dangerous than they have to be. Cop motto today is protect yourselves and serve. Peace.

[bigtree]

7. k&r