G20 Cops Dressed In Camo ’Snatch’ Protester

[Orwellian_Ghost]

G20 cops dressed in camo ’snatch’ protester
By Muriel Kane
Friday, September 25th, 2009 -- 11:10 am

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:


“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.

...

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



See video here (34 seconds long):
http://www.opednews.com/populum/page.php?a=98046&show=votes#allcomments

[90-percent]

1. Identity

Does anybody know the name of the young man that was kidnapped?

Is he safe? Has he been released? I hope he hasn't been disappeared by our own government.

Or outright criminal kidnappers?

-90% Jimmy

[ixion]

2. The more we allow goons like this to violate our civil liberties,

the closer we move to actualizing the police state. It simply should not be tolerated.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

3. Here's a press release from The National Lawyers Guild

National Lawyers Guild: Cops Run Wild in Pittsburgh

By Press Release, Posted by Joan Brunwasser


For Immediate Release-September 25, 2009

Contact: Paige Cram, Communications Coordinator, communications@ nlg.org, 609-668-0645

Pittsburgh--National Lawyers Guild members witnessed first-hand yesterday the unwarranted display and use of force by police in residential neighborhoods, often far from any protest activity.

Police deployed chemical irritants, including CS gas, and long-range acoustic devices (LRAD) in residential neighborhoods on narrow streets where families and small children were exposed. Scores of riot police formed barricades at many intersections throughout neighborhoods miles away from the downtown area and the David Lawrence Convention Center. Outside the Courtyard Marriott in Shadyside, police deployed smoke bombs in the absence of protest activity, forcing bystanders and hotel residents to flee the area.

Later, while some protests were ending, riot-clad officers surrounded an area at the University of Pittsburgh, creating an ominous spectacle that some described as akin to Kent State. Guild legal observers witnessed police chasing and arresting many uninvolved students.

Among other questionable tactics, officers from dozens of law enforcement agencies lacked easily-identifiable badges, impeding citizens' ability to register complaints.

Heidi Boghosian, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild, said: "Accountability and chain of command is virtually impossible to establish given the lack of visible individual identifying badges on officers. The small, paper armband badges that law enforcement are wearing are difficult to read, and many wore black chest coverings with absolutely no identifying information. We've seen many law enforcement personnel, including Pittsburgh Police Department officers, deliberately covering up the arm IDs by rolling their shirt sleeves up over them."

...

http://markcrispinmiller.com/2009/09/cops-run-wild-throughout-pittsburgh/

[glitch]

20. Perhaps all the protesters should dress in camo with black vests.

Since the police aren't bothering to wear uniforms and identify themselves maybe the protesters should too.

They might not be so quick to gas and taze and lrad if they are reminded they are doing it to their own people.

[Echo In Light]

4. We're already there on many levels.

The ones preparing for worst case scenarios (police state infrastructures, including dealing w/civil unrest) in the likely event of social de-stabilization are the same vested interests behind that de-stabilization.

[nc4bo]

5. +++1. nt

[ixion]

7. so true

very well said. :applause:

[wuvuj]

10. The top 1-5% own the "cops"...actually the military...

...and they own you?

Are you starting to feel like an Iraqi...yet?

[paulsby]

26. i haven't seen any evidence

these "Goons" violated anybody's civil liberties... (referring to this specific arrest)

however...

i have a SERIOUS problem with "uniforms" like this. cops working in a uniform capacity, and that includes SWAT and other tactical team members (i have worked on a tactical team before fwiw) MUST have uniforms that CLEARLY identify them as POLICE.

that means - badges (cloth badges are ok), shoulder patch(es), etc. and if the uniforms aen't obviously police uniforms and look like fatigues, then they need even more , like POLICE scrolled across the back etc.

my agency has such requirements, and all agencies should require them.

uniformed cops FROM ANY UNIT, need to be clearly identifiable as POLICE.

when i participated in WTO, we had clearly marked uniforms identifying our agency, AND our names on our helmets.

[nc4bo]

6. People need to wake-up before it's too late. Not the future anymore. nt

[Countdown_3_2_1]

8. Why didn't we see this with the Tea Baggers?

I refer to the general brutal reaction to the G20 protests as well as the kidnapping.

[Echo In Light]

9. Strategies in perception management: one is encouraged, while the other made an example of.

[RB TexLa]

27. Protesting the G20. I'd say these are teabaggers.

[L0oniX]

11. Do ya still trust cops?

[cherokeeprogressive]

31. Implicitly. n/t

[L0oniX]

12. .

[Tashca]

13. I read right here...

I read on this site that this was a set up to make the law enforcement look bad. I think they do that well enough for themselves.
Anyone watching the video could tell it was real. You would have to be in some major denial to think it was not. I know most people don't want to believe this is happening in our country. I understand the fear.

I have to wonder if this will be linked to the supposed lone window smasher. Before this is over most on here will be blaming the kids.....blaming the window smasher....and of course saying this person in the video deserves what he gets.

[OregonBlue]

14. Multi-agency task force? I assume they mean Homeland Security. This has to stop.

[ljm2002]

15. "...from a multi-agency tactical response team"

What a bunch of horse hooey! Do they think that they can just spew complicated-sounding gobbledygook and we'll just say "Oh, okay then, that explains it." No. What we need to know is the names, ranks, and actual agency affiliations of the two men in camo. Then we can decide on the acceptability (or not) of their "uniforms", and the acceptability (or not) of their behavior.

Keep in mind, if you or I cannot identify the affiliation of some official who is ordering us to do something, then what compels us to obey their demands? Apart from the use of force -- but we know that criminals will often use force, and just because a criminal is wearing a uniform or looks like a military enlistee, does not mean any of us is obliged to do what the criminal wants.

[OregonBlue]

17. This is what came up when I googled Pittsburgh multi-agency task force.

From the FBI website:

In Pittsburgh, our major partnerships include:

* Formed in 1999, the Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is a cooperative effort of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that work to prevent acts of international and domestic terrorism through disruption, dismantlement, and prosecution; to maintain an effective intelligence network to identify terrorism subjects and activities; to foster interagency relations to protect the community; and to train JTTF members to identify and investigate global and domestic terrorism. Federal agency representatives include Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); the U.S. Secret Service; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Federal Air Marshals; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the FBI. State and local representatives include the Pennsylvania State Police, the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia Fire Marshall, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Erie Police Department, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the Pittsburgh Police Department, the Cory Police Department, the Wheeling Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff's Department, the Vienna Police Department, and the Parkersburg Police Department. Close coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office for Western Pennsylvania along with the U.S. Attorney Offices in the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia continues. In 2003, an annex of the Pittsburgh JTTF was formed in West Virginia. The following year, a second annex located in Erie, Pennsylvania was established to address border and waterway incidents involving terrorism.

Can anyone say police state!!

[Orwellian_Ghost]

18. Some pics and info

G-20 opponents, police clash on Pittsburgh streets



PITTSBURGH - Police fired canisters of pepper spray and smoke at marchers protesting the Group of 20 summit Thursday after anarchists responded to calls to disperse by rolling trash bins and throwing rocks.

The march turned chaotic at just about the time that President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived for a meeting with leaders of the world's major economies. The clashes began after hundreds of protesters, many advocating against capitalism, tried to march from an outlying neighborhood toward the convention center where the summit is being held.

The protesters banged on drums and chanted "Ain't no power like the power of the people, 'cause the power of the people don't stop." The marchers included small groups of self-described anarchists, some wearing dark clothes and bandanas and carrying black flags. Others wore helmets and safety goggles.

One banner read, "No borders, no thanks," another, "No hope in capitalism." A few minutes into the march, protesters unfurled a large banner reading "NO BAILOUT NO CAPITALISM" with an encircled "A," a recognized sign of anarchists.

...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-g20-protests25-2009sep25,0,5932864.story

The LRAD Acoustic Cannon has been used for the first time against US Citizens

BE WARNED the system is loud so turn down your speakers.

http://www.youtube.com/user/HorseofPaulRevere#play/all/uploads-all/1/zc2t-bvmBRA
http://www.youtube.com/user/HorseofPaulRevere#play/all/uploads-all/2/RtGQq6llad4



Video of CNN reporter hit with chemical agents and Police Issuing Dire Warning

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/24/brian-todd-cnn-reporter-t_n_299261.html

[maryf]

34. Top photo is so telling here...

Crazy, I feel sorry for the mom and pop businesses who must have lost big time...

[bvar22]

16. JFK

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable"—John F. Kennedy

[anonymous171]

19. The future is here! nt

[armyowalgreens]

21. That doesn't seem unreasonable to move a suspect away from that area as quickly as possible.

What seems odd is the fact that they were wearing old military fatigues.

That's just weird. Were they trying to intimidate?

[Robb]

22. Stranger still

...Different sets of fatigues. Some kind of patch visible, but I can't make it out.

[armyowalgreens]

23. Reminds me of contracted security forces like Blackwater.

They wear fatigues but usually older versions.

[MilesColtrane]

24. "Police snatch protestor..."

Or, were they extracting one of their agents, and just trying to make it look good?

I certainly wouldn't put it past law enforcement/military/homeland security putting some of their own undercover people into these crowds in an attempt to provoke violence.

[Junkdrawer]

25. I asked the same thing here: "agent provocateur being removed from the scene at G20?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6630298&mesg_id=6630298

[malaise]

28. Whatever happened to the right to protest

How come the tea baggers didn't suffer from tear gas and pepper spray?

[Echo In Light]

33. Tea Baggers aren't anti-war, anti-War Machine, anti-corporate rule

[MadMaddie]

29. So I have questions

Did these fatigue wearing thugs identify themselves as police officers?

What would have happend if the kidnapped man decided to protect himself and one of the police thugs were hurt or worse?

These kind of actions are treading very closely to a secret police state.

Who is paying for this? The taxpayer, us?

[IDemo]

30. "very closely to a secret police state"?

I would disagree with the closely and secret parts - we're there, and it's all quite public.

[Union Yes]

32. Obama now owns what was once Bushco's police state, and that fact saddens me.

I wanted to support Obama because he seems like a nice enough guy. But to see this type of police state behavior coming from our government.

Obama won't get my money, support, or vote in '12.

I canvassed for him. I donated to his campaign in '08. I made phone calls to support this guy only to see him carry out a 3rd Bush term.