I have been working on other blogs about the police procedures being used in the Capitol Rotunda by the Capitol Police. But those are getting put aside for the moment to present these two videos from today. Now certainly these weren’t the only arrests made today…but I wonder if they would have gone down exactly the same way if they were arresting ME?
20 thoughts on “Would These Arrests Have Gone The Same Way If These Men Were White?”
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I only watched the first video.
Yes. Anyone who puts their hands on an officer can expect to be subdued. They frown on that, universally.
Then he begins screaming while two officers carry him out by the arms, feet dangling beneath him. All for some video.
Ben,
Watch the man tackled to the ground because he backed away slowly saying “no” and is tackled to the ground by three hefty officers and subdued rather brutally for the crime of taking pictures. Watch another man grabbed by the neck and carried away by screaming police, and then forced through pain compliance measures to move so he can get a ticket. I don’t see either of these men threatening or attacking police. I see police brutality way beyond the measure of the crime. These people are not a threat to public safety and if an officer got hurt it was because he was being a melodramatic asshole trying to tackle a peaceful protester. According to the Journal Sentinel they are recommending felony charges against the victims in this altercation, and it is well past time the actual villains in the piece were held accountable.
I respect your thoughts, Paul.
All parties have the right to legal representation. If these men were treated unreasonably or in surprising fashion, I imagine they’ll be rich before long.
Let’s see what the Judge(s) say?
Ben,
In a world where justice was free I’d agree with you, but let’s get real. The state, at the behest of our highly partisan elected officials, will spend unreasonable amounts of your money and mine to pursue the Walker agenda and to support Erwin’s orders and actions. Will the protesters have the same resources to pursue legal recourse? Or is it more likely they will end up with either massively overwhelmed public defense attorneys when they face felony charges after being assaulted by the police?
Paul,
The state will mount a vigorous prosecution if the defendant opts for trial. Agreed. But I’d be shocked if this went to trial. Plea bargain for lesser charges seems more likely, wouldn’t you say?
As for the resources: Presumably he has the same resources available to him that you and I have available to us? The possible exception being that the ACLU is on site today. Might they be observing as a pretext to eventual aid? Maybe.
Ben,
The point is should the protester ever have been held under the threat of felony charges to begin with? A plea bargain by an innocent man because he can’t afford a lawyer is a tragedy for our legal system. Again, if there is video or evidence of a crime that warrants the charges, I am open to seeing it but frankly for now I remain disgusted.
Should not Walker must be held personally responsible for this racism and police violence against the innocent in the people’s house?
What law can be applied charging a sitting Wisconsin governor for unwarranted and excessive force and violation of the Wisconsin Constitution by his agents?
And is Van Hollen complicit or just a coward by his silence?
Are these actions by Walker, Huebsch, and Erwin tantamount to “crimes against humanity?”
As usual, Benny Bagger is full of crap. If those protestors looked like me, there is NO WAY it goes down like that.
The excuse-making for these authoritarian scumbags is beyond tiresome. But typical of the weakling who would stick with a loser like Scott Walker.
The video was posted on youtube by Segway Jeremy Ryan. He and Terrell are old hands at this sort of thing. This is, in my view, the latest in their long running battle with capitol police. Ryan has been skewered on this blog previously for doing more harm than good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZTUW0Mbuxk
Who wants to be a part of this revolution?
http://bloggingblue.com/2011/11/02/have-some-protesters-worn-out-their-welcome/
http://bloggingblue.com/2012/04/30/what-is-the-defending-wisconsin-pac-spending-its-money-on/
Carlson is right. Segway Jeremy and CJ are well known, long-running provocateurs (sp?). Even the page staff considers them douchebags. These are not the faces you want of the protests. They do not make those of us opposed to Walker look good.
AnonyBob
We’re going to seriously play “Attack the messenger” on VIDEO FOOTAGE?
Look, I think Segway Jeremy is an obnoxious no-lifer as well, but that doesn’t mean the video is invalid. I dare Walker’s guards to file felony charges and defend this in court.
Steve, your act is growing stale and incorrect. Time to change the tune and deal with this abuse of power as it is.
Oh, so all of this is just some consensual sadomasochism? It’s okay then since both got off? Just asking.
AnonyBob,
I don’t know who you are but I really appreciate it when you show up here at BB.
Divide and conquer. Ben and SC and AnonyBob appear to have forgotten why the SSA began, so punching hippies is a good thing, right people?
Perhaps Barry needs to take some of the Federallies away from busting Medical Marijuana dispensaries in states which have overwhelmingly approved them in elections,
http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/04/25/obama-lies-about-federal-marijuana-law-to-rolling-stone/
and step in to restore our right to free speech guaranteed under the State and under the US Constitutions.
Oh, wait, look at the hour, I must have been dreaming.
Look, here’s the problem. The SSA had recently been getting better press, spurred by the heavy-handed arrests. Handcuffing grannies, 14 year-old girls and mere observers finally had editorials questioning what was going on at the Capitol. The calm, good-natured arrestees had an almost Gandhi-like appeal to them. This sympathy is thrown out the window by screaming, struggling boobs like the Damon brothers.
I agree with AnonyBob. The SSA was getting better press. I would argue that this looks premeditated by the police in order to get the press off of the Chief Erwin Ghost Job position. I think the felony charge is total B.S. but this is a public perception game. Walker, Huebsch, and Erwin are targeting the Damon brothers and Segway Jeremy’s of the world because they know they will look good every time. Plus this makes the SSA look like a violent organization in the press.
You may be “right” in that these two were an incident or accident looking for a place to happen. If so, the Turd Reich troops of Walker, Huebsch, and Erwin looked only too willing and pleased to make their day.
Or to say it another way, the brutal over reaction by the Capitol Police will sooner or later cause a serious injury a la Rodney King or worse. At the least there may be use of excessive force lawsuits. It’s just a matter of time.
Let ’em sing. It’s only harmful to one’s health resulting from over reaction and the brutality shown of late by stupid, undisciplined officers. The irony is the Capitol police will be the losers when they are found guilty by a jury of their peers while those who directed them will get off “scott” free. Remember Russell et al?
Peace, Brother Dubey
Nobody, including myself fails to understand the point you are trying to make and nobody is going to be fooled into thinking (at this point of our collective experience with current Republican fascist oppression in the state, on so many levels) that the solidarity singers will be branded as dangerous radicals.
Thanks for those people showing up, if I was there I would have been sorely tempted to throw a body block into an officer instead of standing there with a camera. That’s one reason I am at my desk right now.
Yep. You’re rational.
AJ and AnonBob couldn’t be more correct.