Chief Smolka doing his thing
UPDATE/FOLLOW UP: When I posted my April 30 story, "political police thuggery in New York," I wrote that I was unable to find the dramatic photograph which acccompanied the print edition of the NYTimes article. I've now located it on New York indymedia, thanks to the photographer, Antrim Caskey.
I've also changed my post's link for the Times news story to this indymedia site, reducing the chances that it will disappear very soon. There are some additional comments about the incident on this site, including a call for photographs and video from anyone who witnessed it.
[image by Antrim Caskey from nyc.indymedia]
Howdy!
If you use this:
http://nytimes.blogspace.com/genlink
New York Times links will not expire.
I know about the magic (I believe all thanks to you) and I can usually get it to work. This time however, while I kept trying, it just didn't show up. I'm very I tripped over the indymedia link.
I've been meaning to post a comment under the prior thread on this subject, but have been busy in a new job.
You mentioned that Chief Smolka was in charge during the anti-war demonstration on 2/15/03 in NYC. Along with his superiors, the Chief should have lost his job on 2/15/03. I was one of the unfortunates who got stuck on 49 and 2nd Avenue, and got to witness the police riot first hand.
It was very uncool, and it is not hyperbole to call it fascist police behavior. Every time I see a demonstration going off without a hitch in Lebanon or Kiev or wherever, I'm reminded how little freedom we really have here. Like so much else, we get the sh*t end of the stick, or shtick, the shtick of course being the empty words, the myths, the hollowness, the lies of our Republic.
I witnessed NYPD cops push a 60 year old woman to the ground. I bet the mother of those cops that pushed the kindly citizen who was exercising her constitutional right to assemble did not raise their sons to be complete and utter fucks.
On February 15, 2003, the police put the protestors lives at risks. They pushed us back with horses to keep us off the street. I did not want to be in the street, where we were not permitted to assemble. The problem was that the crowd kept swelling, as the police blocked entry to 1st Avenue. Claustrophobia reigned on the packed sidewalk.
The police horses are trained using same techniques that was used for millennia in the military. In other words, we peaceful people had war horses brought to bear on us because the police barricade created an overflow situation on the sidewalk.
With regard to critical mass, Id remind the powers to be that in some places around this globe it is not bike riding the cops are concerned about.
I find if hard to rally behind this country right now. It has failed me. I have not failed it.
Finally, I come from a law enforcement family. Thankfully, none are with the unprofessional NYPD.
If anyone has had the misfortune to see the FX series The Shield then this picture is far too indicative of just that kinda 'law above the law' behavior. I know that there must be someone breathing down these police officers' necks to get the job done, but they seem to forget that when they're doing their 'job' it comes with a price of the freedom of the citizens that haven't broken any laws. (just maybe pee'd in their cheerios)