Officials Admit to Kidnapping Protester

[Joanne98]

G20 cops dressed in camo ’snatch’ protester

G20 security officials took responsibility Friday afternoon for a video that seemed to depict US troops ‘kidnapping’ a protester.

The military was not involved in the incident, but G20 security did acknowledge that “law enforcement officers from a multi-agency tactical response team” had detained a protester they said was believed to be vandalizing a store.

Video posted at YouTube shows onlookers calling out “what the fuck” and “what the fuck is wrong with you?” as people in camo uniforms haul a protester along by his collar, shove him into the back seat of a car, and rapidly drive off.

Officials with G20 security released the following statement to Raw Story and other media outlets:

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“Military members supporting the G20 Summit work with local law enforcement authorities but do not have the authority to make arrests. The individuals involved in the 9/24/09 arrest which has appeared online are law enforcement officers from a multi-agency tactical response team assigned to the security operations for the G20. It is not unusual for tactical team members to wear camouflaged fatigues. The type of fatigues the officers wear designates their unit affiliation.

Prior to the arrest, the officers observed this subject vandalizing a local business. Due to the hostile nature of the crowd, officer safety and the safety of the person under arrest, the subject was immediately removed from the area.”

The video was featured this morning at the Drudge Report under the heading, “SEE U.S. MILITARY SNATCH PROTESTER… .”

At the liberal website Democratic Underground, one commenter asserted, “This is staged” and then claimed, “Those were not the uniforms National Guard/military were wearing yesterday. Neither was that the vehicles they were driving. This was just a bunch of idiots trying to make some point.”

According to news reports, “U.S. authorities assembled a security force of nearly 5,000 people to safeguard the event, including 2,500 National Guard troops, 1,200 state troopers, 875 Pittsburgh city police and small groups of officers from other agencies.”

Police and National Guard troops headed off an unauthorized march by some 1000 protesters on Thursday and eventually forced the crowd to scatter.

The police reaction to the protests has been marked by what antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan calls “profound overkill.”

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http://rawstory.com/2009/09/video-appears-to-show-us-troops-kidnapping-protester/

[Chulanowa]

1. Echoes of Pinochet

By the same players, even.

Oh and congratulations for getting DU some airtime, guys. Once again the "We don't know the whole story!" trolling pans out.

[Bonobo]

2. The video might be the only thing that saves that boy's life.

If not for the video, there is every chance that he could wind up rendered somewhere. For those who would scoff, look at the precedences that have been created in the last 8 years for such behavior. They have done and continue to render people with no accountability.

[Echo In Light]

3. Thanks for the heads up

[sakabatou]

4. What. The. Fuck?!

[nashville_brook]

5. there's been a lot of denial here recently.

[galileoreloaded]

6. Whoa whoa there bud. You need to "moderate" those views there.

Get in line there bub, or four guys wearing camo (???) might toss you in the back of an unmarked cruiser CIA style for a little ride.

Why do you hate America??

:sarcasm:

[nashville_brook]

9. :)

ah, I needed that.

[Eyerish]

7. K&R

[blindpig]

8. Ok, I'll say it first...

[PM Martin]

10. k/r