Posted on 03/17/2008 9:57:35 PM PDT by Drango
Facing criticism over their handling of recent demonstrations, Berkeley police are bracing for a flood of protesters Wednesday marking the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war.
Police plan to have 50 or 60 extra officers on duty to keep crowds from getting out of control, Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said. ~snip
CodePink will have its usual protest in front of the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting center on Shattuck Avenue. Word Can't Wait -- Drive Out the Bush Regime plans a protest at the corner of Shattuck Avenue and Center Street, just a block and a half from the CodePink protest. And a group called the Answer Coalition plans an event with speakers and a hip hop group in Civic Center Park.
Kusmiss said the department's crowd control team has been used more in the past 21/2 months keeping anti-war demonstrators in line than it has in the past 17 years. The team was called out the day of the Feb. 12 City Council meeting when up to 2,000 people converged on Civic Center Park while the council debated whether to retract a statement telling the Marines they are unwelcome intruders in the city.
`snip
"We're going to have extra officers working in overtime capacity that day, much like the day of the protests during the big City Council meeting in February," Kusmiss said. "Not preparing or anticipating crowds would potentially be very problematic. (During recent protests), we have had vandalism and criminal behavior, which has an impact on business and traffic flow."
During the Feb. 12 City Council meeting, the department spent $93,000 on officer overtime. On Feb. 15 and Feb. 20, the department spent $20,000 each day in overtime controlling anti-war protesters downtown, said city spokeswoman Mary Kay Clunies-Ross.
~snip
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
I truly wonder if there’s anyone there trying to raise a family who isn’t thinking about how good it would be to escape from that dump.
Put up two or three security cameras, give the recruiters the day off, provide the protesters beforehand with plenty of “beverages,” then hold all subsequent trials in berkeley at berkeley’s expense.
Brace for it?
Or march with the protestors?
Free beer, and no public toilets.
Communists are such a waste of skin. Especially, Berkeley Communists.
I doubt it. No American would be living in Berkeley without running the risk of being burned out.
Any families there are Leftists, raising good little Young Pioneers.
Where’s a nice cluster bomb when you need one?
They did pretty well during the last protest. Go check the photos and write-up at zombietime.com.
Three brands of communists on hand. How special!
What’s crazy is that my hubby & I were looking for a home in Berkeley for ourselves (and our baby on the way) several years ago. We were die-hard conservatives, but thought the location was good for our purposes. It seemed like most everyone there was a lesbian.
Thankfully, we didn’t purchase there, we moved instead (up to Seattle— not a whole lot better, but at least I could go to Mommy & Me classes, not Mommy & Mommy & Me). We would have gone completely crazy there.
I also hope the city bankrupts itself over this BS.
If someone even remotely like Ronald Reagan was governor, instead of the Governator, there'd be CA National Guard troops in the City of Saint Frances.
But instead of cracked heads, we'll likely get burning flags and bags of ... digestive byproducts thrown at the recruiters and anyone else daring to wear the uniform of the United States.
I would love to live in "fly over" country, and plan on doing so in the future.
Damn, I really wanted to reply to this thread, but you posted the most obvious comment.
Suggested role model, Chicago Police of ’68. Not tellin’ them how to do their jobs — just sayin’.
Yes, let’s squash their right to free speech just because we don’t agree with their message.
Living in Berkeley and not knowing the politics of its denizens would be like sitting in Obama’s pew for 20 years and not knowing what “Pastor” Wright was preaching. People live there by choice, the same way people continue to be member’s of Wright’s church.
What really bugs me about these anti-war Berkeley jerks (other than being wrong) is that they are doing all this crap under the flag that men fought and died for so they could be free. And they use that privilege to trash our country and our way of life...our values. They run down our culture and tell us how great other cultures are. If they love other cultures so much, let them go live in them. Put these peace-nics in Iran or China and let's see how well their protests go. The height of arrogance is in Berkeley. Absolutely no grasp on reality in their bubble.
And would ye be sleepin with with Cindy and Lew this St. Patrick’s Day?
Just kidding!
World Can't Wait at the corner of Shattuck Avenue and Center Street, just a block and a half from the CodePink protest.
The Answer Coalition in Civic Center Park.
##
"With any luck...the continued protest will bankrupt Berkeley."
Feb 12 cost them $93K... Wednesday will cost them more than the projected $20K. Kissmuss does seem concerned about Police overtime costs... that's a good sign they're feeling a pinch.
The Council holds the responsibility for the massive protest expenditures. Let's just watch and see what changes Berkeley voters make in Nov.
Eventually the businesses and citizens will have to take their city back from both the Council and Code Pink. Until that happens:
That's precisely what Code Pink, WCW, ANSWER, and all the anti-America groups try to do to Patriotic Americans at every encounter.
Are you suggesting Patriots shouldn't have the same Right to Free Speech?
I've thought that SO many times.....
Loyalty to the cause of, or agitating for the success of the enemy during a time of war has NEVER been about a difference of opinion.
It is betrayal. Has always been betrayal. And someday, the betrayers will be made to pay for their perfidy.
And after that let's put the traitors up against a wall and shoot them along with their sympathizers.
I would love to see them go to Tieneman Square and burn a Chinee Flag, or an efige or their president.
I like the new Ray Gun Crowd Buster, also known as the Active Denial System (ADS). It's non-lethal and very effective with no side effects.
I second that. I saw the demonstration of it, and it looked glorious.
On another note, there’s going to be a protest in San Francisco’s Civic Center that same day at 1700 Hours. If you’re interested in dropping in on them and disrupting their tantrum, drop me a line. Or, better yet, we can heckle them all the way from Berkeley to San Francisco. Just drop me a line if you’re interested.
ping
Hello LukeL, you sound like someone that should be in SC or GA...I can’t even imagine what the Campus is like today, I know it was pretty tough place for Conservatives in the early 70’s...hope you take a look at SC.
I remember it well. Had returned from Nam and was sent to a USAF school in Washington just as this mele started.
1968 Democratic Convention:
The had the city police, National Guard, Reserves and even about 800 Secret Service Agents battling the Hippie-Moonbats
The Mercury News is still being published in English? I thought by now the hammer and sickle over a Mexican flag would be in its masthead.
Really? Let me throw a bag of feces in your face, break your windows, and chain myself to your front door. That's my version of free speech. Don't agree with it? Tough.
There’s a difference between “free speach”, treason, sedition and perfidy.
Right on, right on! I guess vandalism and destruction of property is now free speech? Free speech has become too broad. As Ann Coulter said: ‘If the Second Amendment were treated like the First Amendment, we’d all be carrying around nukes.’
I don’t watch Comedy Central because I gather it has a leftish slant but their take on Berkeley is highly commendable ... and funny.
http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/player.jhtml?ml_video=163653&is_large=tru
Ah, the Law Of Unintended Consequences. Giving Code Pink a reserved parking slot and a daily noise permit and you have...civic disturbance and cops on overtime! Who would ever a'thunk it?
Seconded. If no one’s done it yet, that rates posting as an article.
" There’s a difference between “free speach”, treason, sedition and perfidy. " - garyhope, post 39
18 USC CHAPTER 115 - TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES
Crimes and Criminal Procedure - 18 USC Section 2388
Sec. 2388. Activities affecting armed forces during war
(a) Whoever, when the United States is at war, willfully makes or conveys false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies; or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, WILLFULLY OBSTRUCTS THE RECRUITING OR ENLISTMENT SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES, TO THE INJURY OF THE SERVICE OR THE UNITED STATES, OR ATTEMPTS TO DO SO - Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years or both.
(b) If two or more persons conspire to violate subsection (a) of this section and one or more such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each of the parties to such conspiracy shall be punished as provided in said subsection (a).
(c) Whoever harbors or conceals any person who he knows, or has REASONABLE grounds to believe or suspect, has committed, or is about to commit, an offense under this section, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(d) This section shall apply within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, and on the high seas, as well as within the United States.
##
To: m3d1um and other militants lurking...
Anti-war efforts are costing American and innocent Iraqi lives! Pay Attention. The insurgents are emboldened by your anarcy and they increase thier use of suicide bombers. Be alert to the true cost of your protests... i.e. read the news. Anti-war and anti-military groups are on the same side with Al-Quaida.
What the protest groups are doing is TREASON while we have boots on the ground. Do NOT think that just because the Feds have not enforced 18USC115 Sec 2388 that they never will. We have other laws to prosecute your anti-war efforts, also.
No one likes WAR, everyone wants the war to end ASAP, including our Troops! That will happen only when the Mission is complete.
"Free Speech is used in many manners. But the one manner in which it should never be used in, is in a seditious manner. One can question the Government or support the Government with their Free Speech. There is nothing wrong with that. But when one uses their free speech to break the resolve of the people while we are at war, that is sedition and should be treated as such. We debated the war before we went. We will have plenty of time to debate it when it is over. While we have boots on the ground, I would hope that we ALL would stand with our Troops and their efforts." - du the dhue, quoted with permission
Bump Big Time
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