AP: "Oregon Police Fire on Crowd of Protesters"

[NEDem]

Oregon Police Fire on Crowd of Protesters

JEFF BARNARD

Associated Press


JACKSONVILLE, Ore. - Police in riot gear fired pepperballs Thursday night to disperse a crowd of protesters assembled in this historic gold mining town where President Bush was spending the night after a campaign appearance.

Witnesses said Bush supporters were on one side of California Street chanting "Four more years," and supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry were on the other chanting "Three more weeks." Police began moving the crowd away from the Jacksonville Inn, where the president was to arrive for dinner and to spend the night following a speech.

"We were here to protest Bush and show our support for Kerry," said Cerridewen Bunten, 24, a college student and retail clerk. "Nobody was being violent. We were out of the streets so cars could go by. We were being loud, but I never knew that was against the law."

Bunten said she was pushed by police as she held her 6-year-old daughter.


<snip>

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/9925128.htm

[Cha]

1. OUTRAGEOUS! FASCIST PIGS!

I'm glad they restrained themselves and didn't fire Bullets! :grr:

[Skip Intro]

3. That headline had my jaw on the floor

Freedom is under attack in America, that's for sure. The bushies and their pals hate free speech.

[Sugarbleus]

2. Did Bush protestors get fired upon also?

Report was vague.

[Beaverhausen]

4. these ARE Bush protesters

look at the first paragraph.

[zbdent]

7. I believe that sugarbleus meant

the Bush backers/supporters.

[Sugarbleus]

11. My mistake...I meant Bush supporters.... eom

[Beaverhausen]

13. It looks like they only fired on the protesters

Jacksonville City Administrator Paul Wyntergreen said the protest was peaceful until a few people started pushing police. Police reacted by firing pepperballs, which he described as projectiles like a paintball filled with cayenne pepper. Two people were arrested for failing to disperse. There were no reports of injuries.

Protester Richard Swaney, 65, of Central Point, said he was walking with the crowd away from the inn when he was hit in the back with three separate bursts, one of which knocked him down.

[tmooses]

5. When I heard this it brought to mind.....

Something from Huey Long about when fascism comes to America it will come as Americanism.

[agingdem]

14. I thought oh no not another...

Kent State.

[Eloriel]

15. Are you SURE that was Huey Long?

Or Bertram Gross, author of the book, "Friendly Fascism"?

I dunno for sure myself, I'm asking.

[NV Whino]

6. Dare I ask

What the hell a pepper ball is?

[nedbal]

10. he was hit in the back

filled with cayenne pepper. Two people were arrested for failing to disperse. There were no reports of injuries.

Protester Richard Swaney, 65, of Central Point, said he was walking with the crowd away from the inn when he was hit in the back with three separate bursts, one of which knocked him down

[newyawker99]

20. Hi nedbal!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[DrWeird]

8. Anti-bush protests in SE Oregon plus police abuse?

Scratch Or up for Kerry.

[realcountrymusic]

9. Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming.

Goddamn. Those. Fascist. Monsters.

RCM

Best. Anti-Bush. Song. Ever.
http://www.takinmycountryback.com/

[Berserker]

19. Great song

Thanks realcountrymusic.

[stevedeshazer]

12. Dupe, but a noteworthy story

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=906468

[goforit]

16. SUE the city!!!

[Democat]

17. If this happened at a Kerry event it would be top news for two weeks!

But it's Bush so we probably won't hear about it outside of local news.

Anyone remeber the Elian raid and the outrage and lawsuits against Clinton and everyone else by the right wing?

Where is the outrage now?

[FightingIrish]

18. I live in Medford and have heard a lot today about this.

The anti-* crowd was lined up along the street where the police had already agreed they could protest. The SS (I I think that still means Secret Service) decided that this was not something his excellency should see, so they had the local gestapo push the protesters to the next street away from where his eminence would be passing on his way to sleep it off. It got ugly when the crowd couldn't move as fast as it was being pushed. All in all *'s little foray into the red part of this very blue state was a ignominious defeat. He seemed to think he was adressing a bunch of his backward base. When the president of my country uses words like "cain't" I am more than a little offended at his phony bumpkin routine put on for my benefit.

[suegeo]

21. Sieg Heil

I love my glorious leader. Tomorrow belongs to me!

[snippy]

22. This is the republican vision for America.

It is illegal to peacefully protest in the presence of the Leader. Such a protest will be met with non-lethal force. If such protests continue to occur and irritate the Leader, the level of force used will be increased if necessary.

Every person who votes republican in any election for any office in any State empowers the people who believe that this sort of conduct by the government is not only appropriate but desirable.

There are many decent republican voters and some decent republican elected officials, but they are unwilling or unable to take the republican party back from the people that now control it.