While I agree with the sentiment:
But it doesn’t have the ring of, for example, “Stop the looting, and start prosecuting.”
Category: Protests
It Couldn’t Happen to a Nicer Guy
What part of “unprovoked assault” don’t you get?
It turns out that Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna, who achieved his 15 minutes of fame because of his going postal on protestors with pepper spray, is now facing disciplinary charges:
A New York police commander who pepper-sprayed protesters during the opening days of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations last month faces an internal disciplinary charge that could cost him 10 vacation days, the police said Tuesday.
The commander, Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna, has been given a so-called command discipline, according to a law enforcement official. Officials said investigators found that the inspector ran afoul of Police Department rules for the use of the spray. The department’s patrol guide, its policy manual, says pepper spray should be used primarily to arrest a suspect who is resisting arrest, or for protection; it does allow for its use in “disorder control,” but only by officers with special training.
The Internal Affairs Bureau reviewed the episode and found that Inspector Bologna “used pepper spray outside departmental guidelines,” said Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. He declined to elaborate.
The inspector can accept the charge and plead guilty, or he can opt for a departmental trial. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly is the ultimate arbiter of punishment in such matters and has wide leeway in his decisions.
This is a nice start, but this was assault and battery under color of his badge.
DA Vance should be bringing this before a grand jury.
Good Advice for Occupy Wall Street
It may seem silly, but if you are going to protest, it’s a good idea to smarten up.
If not a suit and tie, at least something with a collar.
Don’t look like a bum:
Deep Thought
OccupySesameStreet is da Bomb!
Occupy Wall Street Stays at Zuccotti Park
At least for now, but there were arrests, including, according to Olbermann, at least one arrest for being run over by a police vehicle. (Yep, you got that right)
He was arrested with enough force to require his hospitalization.
Here is the kicker:
The man on the ground has been identified as 32-year-old Ari Douglas, a legal observer at the Occupy Wall Street protests for the National Lawyer’s Guild. The video appears to show a police officer running over Mr. Douglas’ leg with a scooter.
First the viral video of the senior New York policeman (white shirt, lieutenant, at least) pepper spraying without provocation, and now we have this.
We also have two cases of what appears to be two unprovoked assaults on protesters, again by white shirt cops.
Seriously, these guys are going to make the Occupy Wall Street more popular than The Beatles:
If They Believe Mayor Bloomberg, They Are Idiots…
He’s claiming that the Occupy Wall Street people need to leave Zuccotti Park to allow for cleaning:
The small Manhattan square occupied by anti-Wall Street protestors for almost four weeks will be temporarily cleared for cleaning on Friday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg went to the protest site, where several hundred people are camped out, to explain the move, which would be the first time the demonstrators are asked to leave, the mayor’s office said.
Bloomberg said the owners of the plaza wanted to exercise their duty in cleaning it — and that this was their right, although protestors would be allowed back immediately.
My first question is why did they sell a public park to private owners?
It was not clear whether this signaled an attempt by the city to clear out the protest, which is being held in a privately owned plaza that the owners are obliged to make available to the public.
Holloway promised “protesters will be able to return to the areas that have been cleaned, provided they abide by the rules that Brookfield has established for the park.”
Among new rules posted at the park are a ban on sleeping bags and other camping paraphernalia.
Yeah, like this this isn’t an attempt to shut these folks down.
Expect cops to start seriously breaking heads in the next week.
(on edit)
The deadline given by Brookfield is 7:00am EDT (GMT-4) today.
Things I Never Thought That I Would Say, Number 249
I wish I could have gone to Wall Street today when I was in New York, but there was not enough time.*
*I wanted to go to Freedom Zuccotti Park and talk/offer moral support to the Occupy Wall Street protesters.
Occupy Wall Street Heats Up
First, we are now seeing support from unions and local civil society groups:
The “Occupy Wall Street” protests, now entering their third week, are poised to get a whole lot bigger than its core of 200 to 300 people, potentially even exceeding the protesters original goals of 20,000 demonstrators, thanks to recent pledges of support from some of New York City’s largest labor unions and community groups.
On Tuesday, over 700 uniformed pilots, members of the Air Line Pilots Association, took to the streets outside of Wall Street demanding better pay.
…………
The other eight organizations expected to join in the October 5 rally, based on its Facebook page, are United NY, Strong Economy for All Coalition, Working Families Party, VOCAL-NY, Community Voices Heard, Alliance for Quality Education, New York Communities for Change, Coalition for the Homeless, which have a collective membership of over 1 million.
Additionally, since the video of a New York City deputy inspector Anthony Bologna going crazy with pepper spray on protesters went viral, the protesters are actually getting some ink in the American press. (Google news shows more coverage overseas than in the US)
Additionally, they finally had a mass protest, and related mass arrests, on the Brooklyn Bridge.
If the protesters, or their new supporters, can manage to get their sh%$ together, and leverage their recent US media coverage, we might actually have a real a voice for stopping the looting and starting prosecuting.