NYPD Threatens to Arrest All Mask-Wearers

First of all the WEF was not moved "as a favor to the white house". Klaus Schwab made this decision to show support for New York in the wake of the terrorist attacks-- it's his conference.

Secondly, the police are meant to enforce the law. I find it rather responsible for them to clarify in advance of the protest what the law is, and also what the result of breaking that law will be--- ie if 3 or more people are wearing masks, we will enforce NY law, and arrest them.

So, no-- NY's finest won't start the violence, as much as you'd want them to. It's in no one's interest. In fact, Mr. Schwab's organization is aware that many attending and speaking at the conference will also be participating in the protests... and many anti-globalization/protest organizations will be leading discussions within the WEF venue...their is no movement to lable protestors as terrorists.

The problem is that those few people who want to cause violence and mayhem will be made to look very, very bad by the media in the wake of NY's experience over Sept 11th. I don't see anything wrong with that!

We cannot expect the media to give an accurate rendition of the situation. As in the past, demonstrators and protestors will be painted as violent. The police violence will go basically unreported. To wear a mask is a symbol of solidarity with those oppressed by the hosts of the WEF. To wear a mask as a symbol is a constitutional right guaranteed under the US constitution as a way to make a statement. Statements are protected free speech.

All that the police are doing by their announcement regarding the mask ban is to create a chilling effect on free speech and to set the the stage for somehow justifying their behaviour when it becomes violent and out of control.

Should we expect one more police riot? Seems as though they are preparing us for that.

Here is an essay by Geov Parrish, some version of anarchist. Lots of people are intimidated from going. But it is time to get angry sometime.
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=12684

The NYPD is entirely justified in arresting groups of protestors wearing masks. Peaceful demonstrators have no need for masks. Demonstrators who smash windows, loot, commit arson, attack the police, throw urine and excrement, etc. revel in the anonymnity conferred by masks. History proves this. Masked thugs allowed to act out their infantile rage are quite dangerous -- especially to lawful protestors or anyone in the immediate vicinity. NYPD is behaving honorably in making the rules known in advance. You're lucky to live in a nation that doesn't machine-gun violent masked thugs.

You and that town's sorry media are just apologists for STATE TERRORISM!!!!

The only "victims" I can find were caught in the act of committing a crime.

And, I know several NYPD employees and officers, and they are not corrupt liars. They are hark working family men and women who want to make a difference in the world.

So, I guess that's 2-0.

Maybe you're an exception to the rule-- you must have been a real A*hole to get beaten by the cops in any case.

Bad things happen in life, and yes, Nessie, there ARE bad people out there. In a city of 10 million people, shit is gonna happen, and innocent people are gonna die. And police officers can be bad too. And guess what? The city will end up paying millions of dollars for the Amadou mistake.

This is a very good example. You got me. You win. But you've picked a bad needle out of a haystack which doens't come close to proving anything. It's like saying carrots are bad for you because someone in Idaho choked on one.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A99151-1999Mar16

ah yes, the "few bad apples" theory rears its ugly head yet again. kim, think systemically for a moment. here's an overview, in case you forget what systemic means:

the US was founded on a platform of white racism, rule of the few over the many, and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a relatively tiny minority, while the rest of the population is encouraged to fight for the scraps. the police are a big-ass barrier set up to quell popular insurrection, under the guise of "enforcing agreed-upon laws." umm, who exactly agreed up on them? that's right, the folks who controlled the country's wealth, political system, and printing press.

this several- sentence-long summary of US history is important here. why? because the general rule has most definitely not left us. systemically speaking, not much has changed at all. sure, the "standard of living" is better, most people live longer (as if that in itself would be a justified measure to use), and more "wealth" exists, but the overarching rules and regulations have done nothing but stay the same.

wealth, political power, and the press are still in the hands of the relative minority, laws are still made with only a modicum of "public input" and still largely benefit a small minority, and the police are still around to enforce those laws.

so the deck has been stacked for centuries. the NYPD will continue to selectively enforce laws against people it doesn't like, or rather that its bosses don't like, and the struggle for liberation will go on.

I am black, a woman, and I have lived in NYC for almost 15 years. I am certainly not wealthy by New York standards, but my husband and I make a good living. Not only have I myself never been harrassed by the police, no one I know has ever experienced difficulty with our police force.

Isn't that strange? I've lived and worked here for well over a DECADE, and NEVER had a gripe with the police. Now, why could this be?

Maybe it's because I'm a law abiding citizen with a respect for the RULE OF LAW. And, I happen to be politically active, and I DO believe that the people are running this country in the end-game.

The only thing that's systemic is the "cult of victimization" and the refusal to concede that individuals are responsible for their own behavior and lack of motivation/discipline. This is what leads to poverty, crime, and the deterioration of our society.

No, it's not the police keeping down the black folks...that went away a long time ago in NY. As an aside, there are probably more black and Latino officers patrolling my current block than white. Earlier it was mostly white, but that didn't mean their performance was anything less than fair and even heroic at times. I'm not blind to my surroundings.

Kim, ever been raped by a plunger? Or is that just more "victim whining"? Don't try to come on here and anonymously claim to be some black person who thinks such and such. Facts of the matter are, when the police fuck up in NYC, there are mother fucking RIOTS. And if you think it is all the fault of black people, then maybe you need to think of your own motivations for thinking something so absurd.

When were the last riots in NY? I guess the police don't fuck up as much as you might claim. A dog bit my neighbors son-- does that mean all dogs are bad?

That's the logic you apply to the Diallo case. Diallo gets raped by bad cops, and the conclusion of the former poster is that the NYPD is therefore corrupt and evil and a tool of the state to oppress black people. Sorry, but that's just stupid thinking, and those of us that live and work in NY know very well that it just ain't that way.

Bad things happen every day in NY-- and cops can be bad too. But the NYPD as a group deserve a ton of credit for the service they do for our city for little pay and reward.

And, not once did I claim that police brutality was the fault of black people-- take a reading comprehension class, and quit your moaning.

Once again, the ecoterrorist is going to have yet another display of its childish tantrums. Too dumb to create, they just destroy and loot.

Without a Woodstock or a Lallopalooza to give their vapid lives any meaning, these slob cling to the mindless conformity of rioting against anything useful and popular.

I'll bet that you have the stars and stripes tatooed to your ass. Yes, I see those masked thugs at Haloween. We know that they are up to no good. They beg-an unamerian activity. Then there are those masked people in New Orleans right now.
Should the police obey the courts? The courts have already ruled that the NYC mask law is unconstitutional. So perhaps the cop who spoke of arrest is just a stupid cop. Or he could be an arrogant facist. You may have to have someone explain that to you.
What about a permit to march? Should the police obey the permit or should they set the rule of law? You see the police denied a permited right in New York.
Are you a billionaire or just a damned fool?