Posted on 10/25/2003 3:07:18 PM PDT by Jen
Washington D.C. - 10/25/03
Counter-protesters were harassed, threatened, and some assaulted by security personnel of the anti-Iraq Occupation rally (International A.N.S.W.E.R.) before police appeared and relocated the counter-protesters in Washington D.C. today. No arrests were reported, but there was one unconfirmed report of a pregnant female counter-protester being injured in the fracas.
The counter-protesters, consisting of members of the web-based ProtestWarrior.com and FreeRepublic.com, arrived at the protest at approximately 1:30PM carry pro-America signs and positioned themselves just north of the stage area on Constitution Avenue, N.W. They had no permit to organize as a group.
The counter-protesters stood quietly holding their signs aloft. The signs, attempts at humor, had slogans such as; "Communism has only killed 100-million people, let's give it another chance, " and "Screw the Kurds, No war in Iraq."
Within 10 minutes of their arrival, security members from International A.N.S.W.E.R., organizers of today's Anti-U.S. policy protest, appeared and began to cordon-off the area occupied by the counter-protesters using yellow tape.
Within moments, members of the International A.N.S.W.E.R. security team began grabbing and destroying the counter-protester's signs, and aggressively shoving counter-protesters. A Johnny P News reporter was assaulted while trying to capture the event on camera. The reporter was struck in the head and his camera knocked to the ground and then kicked by a man standing with the International A.N.S.W.E.R. security personnel. The assailant refused to give his name or answer any questions.
All of the International A.N.S.W.E.R. personnel at the scene refused comment.
Police soon appeared and insisted all of the counter-protesters leave the immediate area.
Members of the counter-protest group began saying that a woman 5-months pregnant with the counter-protesters was injured in the scuffle. Police at the scene however, would not allow access to the area where she was reportedly receiving treatment.
Approximately 60 counter-protesters were on hand during the altercation. U.S. Park Police unofficially estimated the protesters attendance at 50,000.
Sure, there will be a short flurry of righteous indignation and it may embolden a few of our more aggressive fans to join up, but too many of our more tender existing activists are just going to silently take a back seat. Rodger, the MFJ was inspired by the attack on Don and Teri Adams, but we didn't go to Philly and confront the Teamsters. We made our opinions known through peaceful protests.
My concern is for the entire movement, not one individual rally.
BTW - The evolution of my standpoint were influenced by your historical opinions on this issue. Have they changed?
This has been discussed with an attorney. If there is an incident and people get hurt, hope to God they are invading our event, not the other way around.
Thank you, that's quite a compliment. No, they really haven't changed, and I'm not advocating organizations recommend or condone agressive behavior. I guess I just get frustrated with turning the other cheek with these a-holes. I've dealt with them all my life.
BTW, to show you how even the most seemingly harmless liberals will resort to violence, Eschoir said at another site that if the participants at the MFJ had called in the Park and DC police to have him removed, he would have smashed in some faces for trying to abridge his free speech - to paraphrase. It is to laugh... but indicative.
Agreed. But don't forget Fox News even if the tussle were started by the commies with us amongst their ranks. I completely concur with your position that we must change the media and other institutions the socialists have a stranglehold on. However, those are long term goals and I believe we should keep our faces and names in the media short term by countering on the streets, also. Not sure I buy into costumes, though.
As I. But from a long term point of view, what is the upside of getting in their face? How do we benefit?
Which is the major purpose and goal of the FRN and most chapters. We can accomplish that without putting people or the whole movement in danger.
It's just a fantasy since I don't get on the streets much anymore...:) Lighten up, you know I still believe in long term goals. Can you say VetsCoR?
At the officially permitted counter-protest that the DC Chapter held in Pershing Park, we had the following police departments present in large numbers:
1. US Park Police - on foot, on bicycle, motorcycle and on horseback, and very likely plainclothes as well;
2. Metropolitan Police Department - on foot, on bicycle, motorcycle, and likely plainclothes and undercover;
3. US Secret Service - due to the close proximity to the White House and other federal agencies and buildings.
There were no doubt large numbers of undercover LEOs within the cANSWER marchers - which has caused no end to the paranoia that has wrapped Brian Becker and Mara VerHeyden-Hilliard's testicles into knots these past two years, to the point that they have filed lawsuits to "unmask" the undercover LEOs who have infiltrated them. And I don't doubt one bit that it's not just local DC LEOs, but many and varied federal LEOs as well.
I'd have to say, without a moment's hesitation, that I am safer at a DC Chapter counter-protest in DC than I am on any other given day and location.
I fully trust the good judgement of Kristinn and Angelwood to never do anything or make any leadership decisions that would put me (and my kids) at undue risk of serious bodily harm. I do distrust the motives and sincerity of anyone who would insinuate otherwise.
From my darn-near three year-affiliation with the DC Chapter, these things I know, without a doubt:
1. The DC Chapter, its leaders and its members, are the most level-headed and sincere people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing;
2. The DC Chapter's leaders, Angelwood and Kristinn, are not ego-driven nor megalomaniacal leaders - and they would never make a decision that would put people's lives at risk. And anyone who would make such a disgusting insinuation is infinitely less than honest;
3. The DC Chapter members as well, are not ego-driven; their decisions to hold rallies, protests, counter-protests, vigils and other events are not made to gain them some level of celebrity status. They have lives and careers beyond the chapter.
4. The DC Chapter leaders and members are generous with their time, their money, their ideas, their homes, and their goodwill - and they are equally generous with their patience, sometimes to a fault, as regards those who wish them ill - on the left as well as the right.
5. We would like nothing better than to have some big and rich conservative organizations take point and organize rallies to support the troops. But they aren't. And I, for one, will not let any insincere, hand-wringing worry-wart stop me from doing whatever I can do to motivate other peole to show a little heart and soul, and tell our men and women in the military that cANSWER does not speak for America - any more than I will let some half-bald, near-sighted, dough-faced, commie pimp (hi Becker) and his ex-con thugs scare me into inaction.
That's my two-cents.
That is correct- we don't recognize who our enemy is - it's us or rather the infighting that goes on between conservatives. We have to stop it and start pulling together. Otherwise we are going to loose more ground than we have taken!
The descriptive phrase about conservatives "like herding cats" is no longer acceptable. It's time for us to grow up and take responsibility and behave like adult and make an honest attempt to succeed - the only alternative is poverty of heart, mind and body.
No worse that your imagining CAL and I are talking about you behind your back. At least I'm getting something from a live person and not an invisble friend.
If anyone told me they had contacted LI about a seminar, all I would have done is tell them to let me contact them and make sure they get the right seminar, right guy (Matt Lewis who did our seminars is gone now) and for the right price. Maybe you should contact this person and ask for the communication.
Perhaps you should contact this person and ask how you came across. Better yet, did it happen after you got "involved"? Was your intervention a plus or a minus?
Prove it (people=plural).
Wow, lawyer Bob. How cute.
The only person I talked to about your rally was JonAlvy and that's because he contacted me and asked if the FRN was promoting it. I told him what I've told you and others, the FRN doesn't recommend rallies that plan contact with ANSWER due to the potential for people getting injured. You don't have to like it or understand why we say that and I don't ask that you do.
Glad to know that you're not lording it over us that we're stupid and should just listen to you. But since you're so smart, I'll tell you what I don't understand Bob. As long as you are SO concerned about image and liability, let's have a policy that no FRN Board Member is to consume alochol while at a function for the duration of the function. Things such as CPAC, Freeper Conventions (Las Vegas NOT excluded), Freeper Cruises, or hell yes, even BBQs.
Seems to me that most of the projects that you support are chances to mingle with the "stars" and sip cocktails, followed by a report of "Guess who I had luch with?" as if this were a high school lunch room.
As far as the rest, who cares.
No dersire to "prove it". Funny how last time you made a statement that I jumped on you was because you "attacjed the tribe", yet then and now Kristinn is still further up on my shitlist that you (PS, we still work together and resolve differences). You didn't worry about proof when you said that, nor earlier when bringing up CAL.
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