G20 Riot police attack Pittsburgh Students

[brooksh]

Am I wrong, or has Hannity completely said nothing about this? It's a big deal, that innocent students viewing a demonstration were tear gassed, and the media isn't covering it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZT3O5m0EIs

[VCaddy05]

hope they were steelers fans!!!

[LouC]

Boo freaking Hoo.

Should have vacated the area when the crowd on the street started drawing attention of the police instead of hanging out in an area the police would make a point of securing "high ground" of the causeway over the street.

Of course they would secure that area you educated idiot students.

It was a threat area to the police you fools.

No sympathy given, none deserved.

[bbt630]

Yes excessive force was used.

Yes, the protesters were idiots as usual.

sorry about their luck.

[chip]

Tough ****.

[Sinister Rouge]

Yes excessive force was used.

Yes, the protesters were idiots as usual.

sorry about their luck.


Except that many of the people on which the force was used weren't protesters. So you are OK with cops gassing innocent bystanders?

[LouC]

...So you are OK with cops gassing innocent bystanders?

If the "innocent bystander" gets their "innocent bystander ass" in the way of crowd dispersal actions then the onus is all on the "innocent bystander", and I am fine with it if they catch a little gas or pepper spray.

The police were clearing an area that was a potential threat to the forces on the street, the idiots put themselves in their path by wanting a birds eye view of the action, how could the police know they were "innocent bystanders" until they secured and nullified the potential threat area?

I am willing to bet the police had told people to clear the area, but since they considered themselves "innocent bystanders" they decided the requests to leave violated their "rights" so they stayed.

[Dragon1963]

Except that many of the people on which the force was used weren't protesters. So you are OK with cops gassing innocent bystanders?

You mingle with the protesters. You get treated like the protesters.

Remember: "Stupidity is its own reward."

[brooksh]

Let me ask you this question. Where they were gassed is in the same building where they live. Are you telling me if you were a college student, you wouldn't watch way above from the same building you live in? Or would you see protesters outside of your home, and go somewhere far away.

[DougBH]

Let me ask you this question. Where they were gassed is in the same building where they live. Are you telling me if you were a college student, you wouldn't watch way above from the same building you live in? Or would you see protesters outside of your home, and go somewhere far away.

I would figure that if I mingled with a mob, I would be treated like a member thereof. I would figure that I would be safer in the library studying than standing a few yards from a police/mob confrontation. I would figure that if I decided to take the risk, and got a bloody nose out of it, I wouldn't whine like it was another holocaust.
If you decide to stand outside to watch the tornado instead of heading for the basement, don't whine about the wind.

But that's just me.

[wwrwtw]

There were a lot of peaceful protests at the G20 but people only saw what the media wanted them to see. Those peaceful protesters were intimdated and bullied by the police. For God's sake they were using the LRAD against American citizens that were not even close to violence. They have the right to peaceably assemble and a right to free speech whether you agree with their position or not. Their rights were violated.
Yes..the violence was wrong but it wasn't as violent as the media made it out to be.

[LouC]

Let me ask you this question. Where they were gassed is in the same building where they live. Are you telling me if you were a college student, you wouldn't watch way above from the same building you live in? Or would you see protesters outside of your home, and go somewhere far away.

I would stay in my rooms or leave the area, I would not place myself in a position that would appear threatening to the officers, which is exactly what they did, they moved into public areas (the causeway) above and closer to the scene but also an area from which the officers would be vulnerable.

Why is this simple reality so hard to see and understand?

[badkarma]

There were a lot of peaceful protests at the G20 but people only saw what the media wanted them to see. Those peaceful protesters were intimdated and bullied by the police. For God's sake they were using the LRAD against American citizens that were not even close to violence. They have the right to peaceably assemble and a right to free speech whether you agree with their position or not. Their rights were violated.
Yes..the violence was wrong but it wasn't as violent as the media made it out to be.
You do not have the right to assemble in the middle of a busy street. It requires permits to shut down streets, which were not appropriated for this protest. Just because you want to rally against world capitalism, think the Chinese are bad people or don't like Christian Bale as batman, it does not give you the right to completely disrupt the lives of everyone else.

Also, when the police tell a crowd to disperse, they are not just talking to the bad people in the crowd, but to everyone. These crowds were filled with people who had stated as a goal destruction, rioting and mayhem. They wanted to target the police for attack. If you are standing around those people, even just to watch, don't be shocked when the police can not tell that you are not one of them and treat you accordingly. Nor should you be surprised when they act as if you are a physical threat, because from the perspective of the police, you ARE a threat, so they will act in a manner to keep themselves safe.

If you want to minimize the odds of getting yourself into this situation, then don't go stand next to black bloc members during the G20 again.