4 ms·

I apologize for being off topic, but the last national convention I went to (many years ago), the cops rounded up the protestors, blocked off cross streets and

by nika 16y ago

I apologize for being off topic, but the last national convention I went to (many years ago), the cops rounded up the protestors, blocked off cross streets and then forced them into a line of cops with billy clubs who beat the hell out of them. Fortunately, I was elsewhere so I didn't get my "fair share of abuse" as the stones(?) put it. But a lot of friends did, and I decided that if this is what "democracy" was like in the USA, I was not interested in it. (Attempting to educate people about the political reality of their government is more effective than massing large number of people in one location to protest... just my choice.) Is this what kettling is? The article was vague.

danohuiginn 16y ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling It's become common in the UK over the past decade or so. I believe they borrowed the name, and the tactic, from the German police, who have been doing it much longer: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polizeikessel http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polizeikessel The main objection is not so much about police violence (though that certainly happens), but that the kettle is used to discourage legitimate protests. you have a right to protest -- but if you do, the police will probably keep you pressed together on the street for 10 hours or so, in freezing temperatures, without access to food or water or toilets.
anamax 16y ago
> but the last national convention I went to (many years ago), the cops rounded up the protestors, blocked off cross streets and then forced them into a line of cops with billy clubs who beat the hell out of them. FWIW, I try to ignore folks who engage in counter-protests. The reasonable alternative is to assume that their cause is wrong. Counter-protests are basically an attempt to stop someone from doing something that they have some right to do. If you're trying to persuade me, a third party, that said someone is wrong, counter-protests are, at best, completely useless. In practice, they're often an exercise in thuggery, either to make it more expensive for said folks to do what they have a right to do (have a convention, for example) or to intimidate them from doing so. I's sure that you felt that your cause was just and that those folks were wrong/evil/etc. The way to persuade me is to do your own events and make your own argument. No, you don't have a right to address an audience that someone else has attracted. You only have a right to address folks who have decided that they want to be addressed by you. In other words, pay for your microphone.

by nika 16y ago

danohuiginn 16y ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling It's become common in the UK over the past decade or so. I believe they borrowed the name, and the tactic, from the German police, who have been doing it much longer: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polizeikessel http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polizeikessel The main objection is not so much about police violence (though that certainly happens), but that the kettle is used to discourage legitimate protests. you have a right to protest -- but if you do, the police will probably keep you pressed together on the street for 10 hours or so, in freezing temperatures, without access to food or water or toilets.

anamax 16y ago

> but the last national convention I went to (many years ago), the cops rounded up the protestors, blocked off cross streets and then forced them into a line of cops with billy clubs who beat the hell out of them. FWIW, I try to ignore folks who engage in counter-protests. The reasonable alternative is to assume that their cause is wrong. Counter-protests are basically an attempt to stop someone from doing something that they have some right to do. If you're trying to persuade me, a third party, that said someone is wrong, counter-protests are, at best, completely useless. In practice, they're often an exercise in thuggery, either to make it more expensive for said folks to do what they have a right to do (have a convention, for example) or to intimidate them from doing so. I's sure that you felt that your cause was just and that those folks were wrong/evil/etc. The way to persuade me is to do your own events and make your own argument. No, you don't have a right to address an audience that someone else has attracted. You only have a right to address folks who have decided that they want to be addressed by you. In other words, pay for your microphone.