Protestor with 'dead cop' sign angers Occupy Grand Rapids crowd

[UrbScotty]

Source: The Grand Rapids Press

he mood of a special Occupy Grand Rapids march to protest police brutality in other cities changed dramatically Wednesday when the protestors collectively became aware of a young woman quietly holding a sign in their midst that read “The Only Good Cop Is A Dead Cop.”

“Only in America can one malcontenter come into a group and nullify what the whole thing is about,” complained Yank Yankovich, an 85-year-old veteran who followed the late afternoon march through downtown on his scooter.

“We just had a good man die around here, killed by some crackpots,” he said in reference to the Oct. 13 death of Walker Police Officer Trevor Slot, who was killed trying to stop a pair of bank robbers in Ottawa County. “Why are we letting this happen?”

Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/11/protestor_with_dead_cop_sign_a.html

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I'm not one to rush to judgment, but I am well aware of the many attempts by conservatives to infiltrate Occupy rallies across the country... and this sure sounds like that's what happened in this case.

Here's another example of someone trying to infiltrate an Occupy rally - in New York, no less.

[quakerboy]

1. It would be interesting

hopefully there are some pictures, and someone can track this gal down. Be interesting to know if she is affiliated with any particular political influence group. Not much would surprise me. Some on our side are fully sick of the state of things, and might be willing to hold up this sign. On the other hand, it would be a typical RW move to send in a plant to try and bend the visuals of the movement to their preferred framing.

[Firebrand Gary]

2. These troublemakers that are attempting to ride our movement will not be tolerated.

We had some jerks in Oakland tonight attempt to do the same thing. There was a coordinated effort, their faces were all covered and were wearing all black. Those jerks are not doing us any favors, I hope we catch some of them soon. I'd love to see what they all have in common. Assholes.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Tricky Dick is laughing somewhere

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. Make huge signs that say

"THEY DON'T REPRESENT #OWS"
or some such message. Then surround them & follow them.

Yes the cops are acting like thugs in a lot of cases. However, this call for violence is wrong and will discredit #OWS.
It is wrong period, protestor not.

As the protest continues, some law enforcement members may join or at least become more sympathetic. The message that needs to be drilled into them is that they are also the 99%. #OWS supports their unions and ultimately objects to cuts to services to the public that includes the police. Getting them to realize this will be a huge step.

The unlawful methods the police used should be handled as a separate matter for the most part. That should be an effort to follow the problem up the chain of command. The protest has to be focused on the 99% and the unfairness of the economic system. If the focus shifts to primarily a protest of police tactics, then it's basic idea will be lost.

I am not advocating ignoring the police tactic. Document and upload as much as possible so the public sees the brutality. That says more than all the chants in the world. It will also contradict the spin put forward by the PTB.

[Scuba]

7. +1

[AsahinaKimi]

5. There are teams of right wingers who have

Written negative things in local papers, like Sfgate.com, it would not surprise me to learn there are paid instigators who have been told to do thuggish things, during a peaceful demonstation.

[Syrinx]

6. Yank Yankovich?

Any rw shock jocks involved?

[Elsewheres Grandson]

8. I think you're right Urb

Prbly a plant.

[Octafish]

9. False Flag

Trick of the trade...craft.

[Dover]

10. Yep, the same thing happens all the time here at DU

only without media hounds to draw unwarranted conclusions about the whole group. I think it's important to
disavow violent attitudes and behaviors wherever it occurs.

[ehrnst]

11. Didn't Scott Walker say that he had "considered" such tactics in Madison?

The movement has got to figure out a way to identify the agents provacateurs and out them.

[bobthedrummer]

12. Standard opposition operative tactics are in play everywhere-they don't "work" anymore.

RECALL SCOTT WALKER!

[gratuitous]

13. COINTELPRO lives

By the way, do you know offhand how many people were demonstrating yesterday in Oakland, and how many people were arrested or cited as being troublemakers? The numbers are "about 10,000" and "no more than 70." Who got the lion's share of the popular media coverage from Oakland?

The popular media is not a friend to the Occupiers.