In a pre-dawn SWAT raid, police surrounded Capitol Hill’s 10th and Union area and stormed a building to flush out a group inside. Earlier Friday night, members of Occupy Seattle had entered the slated-for-demolition building and said they intended to use the space as a new headquarters.
Organizers said there had been at least 20 arrests. The arrested were being booked on charges of criminal trespass and included men and women, according to police. A police spokesperson said he could not yet confirm how many people were arrested but that a report would be available later Saturday. UPDATE: King County Jail records indicate 13 people booked this morning for criminal trespass with a handful also booked for obstruction. UPDATEx2: SPD reports 16 arrested. Details below.
The building will be demolished to make way for a 79-unit apartment building. CHS reported Friday morning that the developer plans to begin demolition this week but members of the group said they had heard a rumor that the demolition permit had expired. City records show that the permit is valid through November 2012. Developer Seawest has said it plans to begin construction of the new project in January.
The Friday night takeover came as Seattle’s Occupy group learned that a Thurston County judge had upheld the Seattle Community College system’s right to invoke an emergency rule to ban camping on the Seattle Central campus. It follows a takeover in the Central District of an empty home at 23rd and Alder across the street from Garfield High School. We do not have any reports of a raid at that location but our sister site Central District News reported Friday on efforts being prepared to remove the group squatting in the duplex. Friday night, some of the group taking over the 10th and Union building told CHS they would simply find another building if they were removed. Up Union two blocks, the Undre Arms Apartments sit empty awaiting demolition and another new apartment project.
Early Saturday morning, a large contingent of police were at 10th and Union when CHS arrived following the raid. We were told police began entering the building just before 4am entering through doors and the roof of the building. A Seattle Fire ladder truck was at the scene to provide roof access.
We have not heard reports of injuries at this time.
(Image: @occupyseattle)
Looks like SPD 70 OS 0…..
CH Wins!
Thank U Boys in Blue!
What a Burk…
Of course tresspassing IS NOT a right… Here or anywhere…
Fat high and stupid is no way to go through life boy….
Friends;
Greetings from Loudmouth Karaoke Brad. I am a 64 year old non-camping seattleoccupier. I was at the 10th and Union site much of the time from 6:45 PM until I got too tired about 1:00 AM. We had a nice party, with a live band and dancing, and we cleaned up the place a bit. We spray painted a few significant messages on some of the inner and outer walls. We did not know that the building was scheduled for imminent demolition. Everthing we did was geared toward improving the world economically and politically; or just plain having fun on a beautiful, moonlit Friday night on beautiful Capitol Hill in our wonderful city of Seattle.
I personally do not blame SPD police chief Diaz for calling the SWAT team. I doubt very much if he was doing anything other than following orders from Mayor McGinn. Quite probably, wealthy people behind the scenes who are involved in the real estate project at 10th and Union; and possibly politicians higher up in State or Federal government; were the real ones calling the shots. Face it, folks, the 1% super-wealthy in this country (and other countries worldwide) are clearly trying to crush the OCCUPY movement, BECAUSE THEY KNOW, DEEP DOWN IN THEIR HEARTS, that THEY ARE GREATLY RESPONSIBLE for the SEVERE ECONOMIC and POLITICAL mess that the whole world is in, but they would rather not be reminded of it every day. They are afraid of losing some of their billions and trillions of dollars, because THEY KNOW WE ARE RIGHT!!! They also know that fixing things is going to cost a lot of money!! And many of them have their hearts in the right place, and want to help out, with their time, ideas, and money. But too many folks, rich and poor alike, are not really aware, (or are in denial of) the severe problems we face. Often, in my opinion, it is because people are rather easily influenced…(should I say “brainwashed”??), by the major media, which has been lying to us for many, many decades. I am sure many people actually believe that FOX NEWS, for instance, is really “Fair and Balanced”. If you say it repeatedly thousands of times, most people eventually succumb to the brainwashing of that propaganda. BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT TRUE, and CLEARLY, IT IS NOT TRUE, in MY (not so humble…LOL) OPINION!!!
A couple examples, before I go to visit my jailed friends.
1) were we “looking for weapons of mass destruction” when we invaded IRAQ in 2003??? Answer is: NO, that was a lie and cover story to build political support, through the propagandistic use of fear, for A WAR FOR PROFITS for BIG OIL!! ( And possibly to help keep Israel safer, but I think OIL is the main reason. Read Greg Palast’s “Armed Madhouse” for a more detailed analysis).
2)Did we mainly invade Afghanistan to get revenge and reduce the power of Al Quaeda?? Answer is NO. Google “U.S. House of Representatives Feb 12th, 1998 subcommittee hearing on Asian affairs”. You will find that a conglomerate headed by Union Oil of California recommended, 3 years and 7 months BEFORE 9-11-2001, that the U.S. use its “influence” to get the Taliban government out, because they were not pro-western enough or considered stable enough to make it comfortable for Big Oil and Gas to build TWO pipelines through Afganistan to get the oil and gas bonanza of Central Asia out to a port in Pakistan, for later shipment to growing economies in Asia. To me, “influence” means “use military if necessary”. And that is the REAL REASON why we invaded Afghanistan. Once again… OIL and GAS PROFITS!!!
Gotta go now
Thanks for listening
Peace and Love
Loudmouth Karaoke Brad
Because it’s clear they again disgraced themselves this morning.
I guess they couldn’t find any octogenarians to pepper spray so they had some time on their hands.
Jesus “Street”…
I was actually on your side when you were talking about banks….
Now you are mad at my lunch meat and grocery stores????
As my great aunt used to say… Rave on shitbird, rave on…
Yeah, pepper spraying that 85 year old woman and the priest were real high quality, professional operations.
HA!
Friends;
Many people in this country, rich and poor alike, have very negative opinions of the “OCCUPY” movement. Us “occupiers” know this; we also know that a lot of the people are being influenced by very slanted media coverage. Face it, people, the vast majority of the major media in this country is owned by the upper class. When it is owned publicly, with average income people able to buy shares in the corporations who run the major media, it still is the case that those corporations cowtow to Big Business, because that is where a majoity of their advertising revenue comes from. (For example, Chase Bank often advertises in The New York Times, and many other newspapers). It does not take a genius to figure out that coverage of a demonstration against Chase Bank may be very slanted in favor of Chase and against “OCCUPY” groups. Based on the old dictum “you don’t bite the hand that feeds you”, there is inevitably an influence in that direction.
Here is another interesting example of slanted media coverage.
Accusations have been made that there is a “rodent” problem at the encampment at SCCC. I have spent about 3-5 hours a day there since Oct. 29th. I have never seen any rodents. I have not spoken to anyone who has acknowledged seeing any rodents. On the other hand, rodents are aggressive and tricky, having “OCCUPIED” planet earth for millions of years before humans came on the scene. So let’s say, that there ARE some rodents in the campground at SCCC. Rodents are ubiquitous throughout the world, in every large city, and in many many other areas. So the correct approach, it seems to me, IF THERE REALLY IS A BIG RODENT “PROBLEM” at SCCC,(which I doubt very much), CALL ANIMAL CONTROL!!…And also, GET THE YARD WASTE and RECYCLING containers installed at the campsite!! The large green ones with the lids that make it near impossible for rodents to gnaw through and eat from. Like almost everyone else in Seattle is legally required to do!!… But no, that’s not being done. The media are just blowing a story out of proportion for the sake of sensationalism and to try to discredit the “occupy” movement. I would be willing to bet, that if the right cameras were set up on Mayor McGinn’s yard, a few rodents would be found at some point. For some reason, however, there is no push for the Mayor to be evicted. And I am sure that if he did have a rodent problem, there would be no call to evict HIM!!
The 1% rich folks, at least the ones who are not trying to help, the ones who are just barricading themselves behind triple layers of security gates and doors and listening to Fox News, had better just realize that us “OCCUPIERS” are NOT GOING HOME and GIVING UP!! NOT on YOUR LIFE!!…So, PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE, at least CONSIDER, giving us a hand, instead of just ruthlessly trying to crush us with your superior firepower and your biased media propaganda. BECAUSE IT AIN’T GONNA WORK! NO WAY, BABY, NO WAY!!!
Thanks for Listening
Peace and Love
Loudmouth Karaoke Brad
BRING BACK THE DIE YUPPIE SCUM CAMPAIGN FROM THE 90’s !!!
They are still developing and inundating this previously colorful, independent, diverse, liberal, and creative HILL!
So, as a 23 year+ Capitol Hill resident, worker and creative community member – I support these and MANY more Tactical Civil Disobediences to come.
Stay tuned™
So I have a right to your property? Great, let me know where you live. Leave the door open, I’ll take your stuff quickly. Will give it to the first hobo I see.
Try a little focus in your rants.
“I have never seen any rodents.”
What about the one video video taped pooping on the sidewalk:
youtu.be/hN_qPu6EuXw
Those were from the 80s and the yuppies are now in their 30s and 40s, so no long ‘Young’.
Why don’t you move to Skyway where the rent is cheaper?
Fucking hilarious. Thanks for the laugh. Software for soda fountains lol.
So you’re camping illegally outside a community college that doesn’t want you, on a lawn that isn’t equiped to house 100 people, and you expect the college to provide you with adequate services? Their only responsiblity is to accomodate the students that are PAYING tuition. Are you paying your way? No? Then why should a school thhat has faced multiple 15-30% budget cuts (which you argue against-as do I) go above and beyond and use their already stretched resources to facilitate your squatting? Get real.
The whole point of the media is that it is not owned publicly, if by “publicly” you mean the publicly funded government. I’d leave the talking points to some of your brethren.
Oh still harping on that ol’ story? That’s long been forgotten – ‘cept by you clearly. You’ve had a hard day of it at the keyboard. Go get some fresh air.
I’ve seen people camping in the doorways of that building with shopping carts nearby. Wayyyyyy before Occupy Seattle was on the hill I’ve seen needles around that building. For what it’s worth, I think there is a needle exchange or methadone clinic about a block toward Ihop.
It’s not really as simple as you state. I’m not even a cop or government employee so it’s not my job to know where homeless people squat or sleep due to potential liability suits against the city **BUT** even I knew this place has been a spot for people to sleep for over two years. Even way back when the high-end Ferrari/Lambo/BMW/Benz/Maseratti used sports car store was across the street homeless people have been sleeping on or around the property of this building.
So unless the SPD and mayor’s office are totally out of the know, they’ve known homeless people squat here way before Occupy existed.
You guys really support a police state?
Move to Russia
I was there last night and the police behaved far better than usual. Despite the guns, at least I wasn’t pepper sprayed while standing on the sidewalk. They simply followed standard procedure. Cheers to them, honestly. There are a lot of problems with occupy, but finding shelter for homeless people is not one of them. Protection from the elements, building community, and peaceful protesting are not the things the police should be going after. The police should be helping us deal with the problems at the SCCC encampment such as drugs, violence, vandalism, and theft. They should be here to serve us and the community. If resources are limited, dangerous crime should take precedence over peaceful crime. While the police were preventing people from getting a good nights sleep, pushers were selling meth and heroin at SCCC. We would love to work with the police to help make our encampment safer and help make the surrounding community safer. We don’t have the resources to deal with the drugs and crime that flooded SCCC and we would really love to work cooperatively with the police to address these problems. From those I’ve talked to, the rank and file cops understand most of us occupiers would like to work cooperatively with them to address the problems at SCCC. No one becomes a cop to protect property before people, but under threat of arrest they have to follow orders. Unfortunately the occupy movement threatens the power of those making the orders, and thus property comes before people and enforcing the crime of occupying comes before any other crimes. Every activity we do could potentially be seen as criminal, but those in charge of the police need to get their priorities straight regarding what crimes they should respond to.
The occupation is far from perfect, but we are willing to grow and learn. The police should likewise acknowledge their faults and then grow and learn as well. Nobody is perfect, but that doesn’t mean shouldn’t keep trying to be.
Welcome to the movement we may not be educated in the way of brown nosing our way up I speak for myself I just want to work the chance to provide for my kids and not to have millions capitalist make me sick more for me more for me less for them and is this not the greed that we all tire of how is it that you can speak bad about these ppl from me I don’t care how hard you worked to get where you are because someone had to give you the oppurtunity to work well everywhere I go now either they have their family working for them or they got hundreds of applications for one position we only want a fair oppurtunity to live and not worry about the gas tank the nilk use cause we can’t get more milk can’t afford more gas prices going up pay going down and yet you feel comfortable in your warm house with the lights on getting your family not only what they need but also what they want while I can’t even spare five dollars for a christmas gift for my two sons not that I don’t want to work or can’t I work hard I learn fast and do as I am told why is it that I have to go without the ability to provide for my family was I born to the wrong parents or do I just not kiss the right persons ass
Very intrespective, let me recap:
Your folks last night SPIT ALL OVER the cops you want to dialogue with!
You people are out of your minds!
Do you actually see dragons and rainbows when you are camping on these 35 degree nights?
When the idiot Trotsky brigade has come right home here!
Icepicks for everyone.
And facist clampdowns in response.
Oh yes, achievement in college is just sucking up to the rich. Why wasn’t I smart enough to drop out and make babies first I can’t afford, then demand everyone else help pay for them? Stupid me. I wish I were smart like the Occupy people, who attacked someone who disagreed with them last night, or who spit on cops after they trespassed, or who think breaking laws is fine because society owes you.
Hey Thomas, If you want people to not fall asleep or skip over your diatribes, I would suggest punctuation. Just a little.
Philly: ROFL! Well said!
upd: Punctuation is not part of the new world order. Only hand twinkles.
When they have been clearing the Occupy squatter sites, who have left tons of garbage, dirty needles, human waste, etc they have also been leaving behind cameras, video cameras, cellphones, televisions, you name it. Along with all this, these Occupiers are being given tents, sleeping bags, food, and money.. the amount of money in their corporate bank accounts in Wells Fargo has exceeded $490,000. due to donations. These people are not the poor people so many think they are and are certainly not the representatives of the 99% their whining rants claim them to be. So all this crap about how they represent the poor and abandoned in society is just that, a bunch of crap. They are self-entitled losers who should have their parents held responsible for their excesses, thefts, breaking the law with drug use, muggings and more.
Protests and the constitutional right to protest and voice our opinions are one thing. The Occupiers are not protesting, they are living tax-free off the 99% of us who have to keep working while watching our tax-money which is already dwindling for city and state budgets go to putting up with their stopping us from getting to work, being with our families, going about our business of living as best we can and thinking they are living in a police state all because cities have finally had it with their juvenile drum-beating, screaming, destroying property, whining and being losers in society when it’s hard enough just living and getting by these days.
I say arrest them and then demand they pay back the cities for every cent they caused us to have to pay out because of their crap they have caused the real 99% of us.
Why move to Russia:
What you wrote has to be one of the scariest things I’ve read in this thread. I’m very worried how bad this will get before they really have to crack down on these people. The nation wide “occupy a foreclosure” starts 12/6 and the “block a port” for 12/12 is just the beginning.
What is your goal? I’ve noticed several of your methods ( breaking and entering, squatting, holdin up traffic, smoking pot and drinking alcohol, etc…) yet i don’t see how these things are helping me. More importantly i don’t see how this will help Americans as a whole. I get the impression there’s not a lot of financial support for occupy, so why arent you busy in your camps making shirts, literature, petitions, etc… so that you can spread your cause more effectively to the masses? Americans are ignorant unfortunately, they need you to educate them not disrupt their lives, cause when u do one without the other theyre just gonna get upset and turn on you. I was once a strong supporter, but im getting close to defecting. :(
@SU “We would love to work with the police to solve the problems at the SCCC encampment.”
Really?
It might be helpful for you to look through numerous GA minutes when the GA adamantly took the stance that *no one* in OS would ever call police for anything happening in the camp because a) the police were presumed to be the enemy, b) solidarity was the highest calling, and c) the movement would take care of itself, mostly just by talking to offenders and reasoning with them.
I don’t know who you are speaking for, but the GA has taken exactly the opposite stance. Over and Over.
Agreed, Gus. Great coverage by the CHS blog. Best Occupy coverage in the city. Good work!
Did the 1% take all the full stops too?
Nevermind rodents can transmit all sorts of nasty diseases and parasites to humans, especially dirty overcrowded human “settlements”. Gross. Or is this just more government propaganda?
http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/
Uh, no. 80’s yuppies are now well into their 50’s…
Society owes you nothing. If you can’t afford your kids is it my fault you stuck your pecker where it didn’t belong? Did you not know where babies came from? Is this too my fault? I didn’t get to partake in the making of the baby, why should I pay for the consequences?
There are farms all over the west coast where food dies on the vine simply because they can’t find workers to pick. Is this job beneath you? Instead of sitting on your ass drinking a 40 in a tent, why not volunteer somewhere? You could cook in a soup kitchen, you could volunteer down at the mission. Hell, there’s a lot of things that you can do to improve your situation. If all else fails, go to the military, not my first choice, but you probably made some bad turns on the road of life and this can limit your options.
the reason why they demolish buildings?
it’s a waste. they want to increase consumer spending, etc. so people will have to occupy every use-able building and they will have come around like bullies and knock them all over.
Once again another window broken out at The Chase Branch on Broadway n Thomas.
to the people against, we’ve heard your arguments – more than you have. it’s not difficult to see why you oppose. aside from your reasons – you are a class that owns land, businesses, and you are “struggling” to survive the structural change from a never-ending boom/bust cycle. i am afraid for my life if there is another “boom” cycle. what will be left on earth for them to exploit but ourselves. you are angry at people who do not own land, homes, and to you it is our fault. but we are always in business – for ourselves. even your own jobs are scarce, yet, you denounce us as the ones to blame for the lack of these “jobs”. it is not our fault. no more than slaves were to blame for the civil war.
why am i typing this message. the only people who get this are people who already know this. there is only one language you seem to be capable of “understanding” – actions.
That photo of the stunned grandmotherly 85-year-old right after Seattle cops pepper sprayed her in the face ain’t going nowhere. It’s already achieved “iconic” status, as they say. An instant classic of police brutality.
SPD’s uh, “professionalism” then put Seattle at the top of the news, all around the world — not in a good way. Personally, I’d be quite happy if that were the end of it, but I’m afraid it won’t be. There’s just too much SPD idiocy itching to get out. Like this morning’s roof entry into the warehouse. You gotta be shitting me! Can’t you just picture those clowns dressed up like Spaceballs stormtroopers, rappelling into a warehouse full of kids?
The hits just keep on coming.
Proudhon – have you really truly ‘labored’ ever in this life? Typical mindset…Take take take, Gimme Gimme Gimme…What is mine is not yours, it’s mine. period. I will fight to the death protecting that freedom.
yep, I see it daily and thank GOD for SPD for the shit they have to deal with every, single day.
payback lol
Cry me a river. That senior woman and the priest were breaking the law and not following reasonable police direction. They deserved what they got.
I’m sick of the protestors using the image of an old woman pepper sprayed to claim police brutality. You break the law, then you get the consequences.
Everyone here seems to be assuming that the police action Friday night cost extra money for the taxpayers….maybe, maybe not. Isn’t it possible that the officers involved were just working their normal shift? Does deployment of a SWAT team actually mean more costs in overtime? And, if there are additional costs, doesn’t the City have am emergency fund in the budget for things like this?
That said, if this action actually did cost us taxpayers more money, I will gladly pay it. Thanks again, SPD!!
Yes, thanks again SPD!
(I just read the thread and it appears the SCCC tent that has the generator and the 10 year old powerbook must have blown a fuse last night!)
And the Police department will complain that their budget is running out. Gee, I wonder why? At this point I am supporting occupations everywhere, not because of illegal activity, but the focus of the message that the occupiers want to have made public. The police, by showing up with that much armor, fire power, a small army, really, to handle 25 UNARMED nonviolent KIDS??? WTF. It’s the message that is dangerous to the monied interests that the police are trying to stamp out for the 1%. Sorry kiddos, the cat is out of the bag, and Occupation is moving into the neighborhoods. We’re bringing the banks down. Game over.
If I have copied this photo right, you can see the silencer on the end of the barrel of the rifle this officer is carrying. Shame on the SPD for bringing lethal weaponry. You guys know we are carrying no weapons other than our minds and the desire to be free of the banks and predatory lending and other practices that make us economic slaves.
It is as simple as I state. Common knowledge must be proven in court, and you aren’t going to prove SPD knew – they would never admit it.
Anyway, your point doesn’t matter due to the state’s observation of joint and several liability. If someone was to get hurt, the land owner, the insurance company, and the SPD gets sued, and everyone pays up to the point of making the injured whole – with the insurance company and SPD likely taking the brunt of the financial load.
There is no way the SPD turns a blind eye to a large group of squatters taking over a building in this manner – especially when it’s documented in the Seattle times. If they did overlook it, and someone got hurt, the SPD would be D.O.A. in court. If somebody died in a fire, etc, the Chief’s job would be in jeopardy due to the cost of the settlement alone. He’s not going to let that happen.
How do they ‘know’ this without a doubt? Should they just take you and the anarchists word for it after you spit at them and taunt them? Yah, no.
Bob, in this case, you don’t know what you are talking about. I was there, across the street, watching. Most, if not all, of the people against whom the Seattle police used their chemical weapons at the corner of 5th and Pine had already moved out of the street. They were just standing on the sidewalk watching. If I remember correctly, Dorli was never in the street with the jaywalking demonstrators. Please don’t continue to spread misinformation.
Your mind is your weapon? Maybe you should load it.
Additionally, Bob, don’t you suppose that the correct response to alleged violation of the law is arrest and prosecution, not assault and battery? Those officers were not in danger. Dousing peaceful demonstrators with chemical agents was completely inappropriate.
Hey Guy! You use your imagination a lot don’t you? I’ll bet your favorite movie, is hmmm, let’s see… V for Vendetta? (Do you picture yourself as “V” or Evie?) At any rate do you ever think your a character in that movie? Wow you must have a lot of fun with your rich and colorful imagination…. Tweedle-dee!
The remarkable effect of Occupy on the American political conversation was demonstrated again this evening when 60 Minutes devoted about 45 of those minutes to “Prosecuting Wall Street,” their expose on unpunished investment banking fraud on Wall Street.
From the 60 Minutes introduction:
“Two whistleblowers offer a rare window into the root causes of the subprime mortgage meltdown. Eileen Foster, a former senior executive at Countrywide Financial, and Richard Bowen, a former vice president at Citigroup, tell Steve Kroft the companies ignored their repeated warnings about defective, even fraudulent mortgages. The result, experts say, was a cascading wave of mortgage defaults for which virtually no high-ranking Wall Street executives have been prosecuted.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57336042/prosecuting-w
The anti-Occupy douchebags can say what they want about Occupy’s supposed ineffectivness, but this 60 Minutes story puts the lie to that. In less than three months, Occupy has pushed the crimes of the 1% into the spotlight. That in itself is a extraordinary accomplishment. The American people cannot take action to right Wall Street abuses until they know about them. Because of Occupy, Americans are becoming aware of Wall Street’s criminality and its undue influence over US government policy.
Congratulations, Occupy! Well done. Again.
I know right? And locally – it’s gaining even more coverage!
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Occupy-Seattle-faces-a-cr
The 60 Minutes story was about Wall Street bankers committing fraud and walking away. Because 60 Minutes is so widely viewed, it’s a huge win for Occupy. But as that KOMO story shows, people are interested in Occupy itself.
From the perspective of this blog, that interest is evinced by the high hit counts and comment numbers for CHS coverage of Occupy Seattle.
Even as the anti-Occupy whiners moan and groan, they’re still contributing their tiresome efforts — I mean, tireLESS efforts — to the buzz about the movement. Similarly, each police attack, like the one in this story, serves to keep Occupy visible and spread its message.
There’s no such thing as bad publicity. As OW put it, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”
Seriously. Those patrol cars don’t have toilets. Yikes.
Good riddance to bad trash – now only anarchists and other freeloaders
“We’re bringing the banks down. Game over.”
You’re delusional.
I carefully watched the video, Phil. Several warnings were issued to move to the sidewalk, and they were ignored by some in the intersection. Finally, pepper spray was used on those ignoring the police order. Those who were on the sidewalk then were not intentionally pepper-sprayed….but probably they were affected, because they were still very close to those still in the intersection.
Yes, you were there, but sometimes video shows more accurately what actually happened. You see what you wanted to see.
Well, at least he admits to being a “loudmouth.”
There is no way a camp like that, with a significant number of illegal drug users (that’s why the dealers are there…duh!), could be made safe, whether you work with the police or not. Besides, it is now a moot point, because the camp will be gone within days.
“Street” is the one. I imagine that most every protestor is like this one. Did you every think that you are accessing the internet through a business, sending your message on a device made by a business, and posting some insane rant on a website hosted by one business and run by another. If you hate corporations so much, stay off the internet and take your rant to the soapbox where they belong. The soapbox was also made by a company though.
Breaking and entering is an actual crime. It’s a felony.
Instead of posting something on the internet in defense of criminal activity, think of all the things you could be doing instead: working on that great but evasive granola combination, buying a tapestry with a picture of Bob Marley and/or an arabesque design, letting a dog run amok being it’s “smarter than normal dogs”, or fashioning a Guy Fawkes mask out of the back of a cereal box (like Fawkes’ gunpowder plot, OS will fail. Way to brand yourself with the winning team).
Your delusions of grandeur are cute, but I doubt it took a “call from higher up” to get SWAT out there. SPD was likely very aware that this was an anarchist event, and given how past confrontations with you people have played out, they dressed appropriately.
You asked for the SWAT response with your history. Quit acting surprosed.
Cops dressed up like stormtroopers from Spaceballs are the winning team?? Yikes.
But you know which team scored a big win last night? Occupy, with the lengthy segment on 60 Minutes about widespread Wall Street banking fraud and the shocking absence of prosecution following whistleblowers’ revelations.
That story would not have run without Occupy shifting the focus of the national conversation to Wall Street criminality and how the 1% routinely escape justice. Kids get busted for being in an abandoned warehouse slated for demolition, but greedy bankers can ruin 401(k)s, pension plans, and the US economy without fear of prosecution. Hell, they were rewarded with bonuses in the $millions, after their bad bets were covered by Uncle Sam. Meanwhile, regular Americans are losing their homes.
Instead of posting something on the internet in defense of SPD idiocy, think of all the things you could be doing, like cleaning and re-inflating your Ann Coulter blow up doll. You really had some hot fun last night, didn’t you, Johnny Blazay?
Right, Calhoun, the cops were great that night. Total professionals. That’s why the mayor apologized the next day.
“My Seattle, you are becoming like some place in Mississippi or Alabama. Sad.”
Seattle’s history has in it: running out the natives that lived here, Redling and other housing discrimination against African Americans, Jew’s, Japanese and some other folks, white only schools, placing Japanese Americans in interment camps and then stealing their homes and things, office space for the KKK and a handful of pro-Nazi groups prior to WWII, union members getting shot at and clubbed by police, more neo-nazi skinheads than you can shake a swastika at, gay men being beaten up for being gay, developmentally disabled children being barred from public schools….
It sounds to me like Seattle was just being Seattle.
Oops, I forgot to mention the blacklisting that went on in the 50’s and the Teen Dance Ordinance in the 80’s and the kids that got hit with billy clubs who were, I guess, guilty of the crime of being new-wave and being out late at night. Or the class warfare where the liberal elite looked down on ( and tried to price and zone them out of neighborhoods) the working class left that worked on fishing boats, in the ship yards, and at Boeing (solidarity my ass).
See, Seattle’s niceness and it’s vaulted liberalism is at best only skin deep.
To be clear, the Mayor apologized because he is spineless and was forced too politically, not because it reflects the opinion of the majority of contributing Seattle citizens. Your world is absolute fascinating to me.
Puh-leeze, upd, how do YOU know how the majority of “contributing” Seattle citizens feel about that lady getting pepper sprayed? I’d wager that most of them were outraged by it, and rightfully so. We don’t need bullies in police uniforms.
Anyway, police professionalism is never going to require an apology, whether the mayor is a member of the Chordate phylum or not.
My world is absolutely fascinating to you? Wonderful. It’s called “reality.” Feel free to inhabit it whenever you want. You can start right now!
“Yes, you were there, but sometimes video shows more accurately what actually happened. You see what you wanted to see.”
What I want to see is police reacting to suspected unlawful behavior by arresting people and putting them in front of a judge, not deploying chemical weapons on the suspects, then walking away.
You suggest that people on the sidewalk who were assaulted by police received this treatment because they were near people who were still jaywalking. 1) Do you really believe that’s acceptable? 2) Doesn’t this suggest that contrary to your former statement, Dorli may have been standing by, going about her lawful business, when the police assaulted her?
“The police didn’t intend to shoot those people on the sidewalk; they just happened to be nearby when the police were shooting at the people