Protest Security Personnel/ Counter-Protesters Clash in Washington

JohnnyPNews.com ^ | 10/25/2003 | by John S. Pappas

[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.

[Bob J]

Thanks for the comments. I assume I will become persona non grata soon on this thread. I've made my statements and now it it's probably best if a move on.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

I see. And what would be your response to a young lady who just got a bottle upside her head? Put some ice on it?

There you go again...

[Bob J]

No seriously, what would you say?

"Sorry. We knew it might get ugly and I guees your number came up."

[Jen]

Thanks for your report Pyro. I'm glad all the FReepers and ProtestWarriors are OK.

Let me guess, was it a big burly male who shoved the pregnant woman?

[At _War_With_Liberals]

I am just trying to enjoy the positive posts on the rally.

You are bringing me down with these 'what if you lost an eye' hypotheticals. Then you are telling people that were not there not to be martyrs.

There is nothing wrong with being aggressive to a point, especially when the opposition are communist thugs.

I got your point the 1st time around. Of course women and children should not take chances. But able bodied men? They should not plan their actions to appease the commies. Bring it on!

[Dog]

Bob is right .....you don't go wading into these animals and rattling their cage when they out number you 50 to 1.

[bvw]

To be fair, that wasn't a change in subject. I agree -- the action was provocative and better avoided, and a policy of not entering the oppossing side's rally in a group, especially with counter-demonstration signs is wise.

Yet without making clear that actual attack by ANSWER is THE major problem. it almost looks like you are blaming the Prtotest Warrior people for getting beat up.

[Jen]

Our side will always be outnumbered by the IAC-ANSWER crowd.

I sure hope not. Actually, I don't think we are outnumbered - we're just not as visible. (Stinkin' liberal news media's fault mostly.)

Having spent a lot of years in the military (albeit the Air Force...) I tend to agree with the tactics of the ProtestWarriors. Others don't. That's OK with me. To each his or her own.

[Little Bill]

Did you run across the ElectricStrawberry or any other Mass FReepers, this is our type of FReep, I was damned to spend my day in a power plant. The best FReep of the year and I miss it.

[EternalVigilance]

Pretty hard at an event like that to figure out who is who, without going up to everyone and asking their sn. ;-)

[EternalVigilance]

I did talk to one MA FReeper, but I'm sorry, I can't remember the nic.

[Bob J]

I am just trying to enjoy the positive posts on the rally.

Then someone should put up a thread about that. This thread was about possible injuries to participants.

You are bringing me down with these 'what if you lost an eye' hypotheticals.

A pregnant women was pushed to the ground.

Then you are telling people that were not there not to be martyrs.

Heck, I thought you were there. So you're telling people it's okay to butt heads with the insane and then you don't even show up yourself?

There is nothing wrong with being aggressive to a point, especially when the opposition are communist thugs.... But able bodied men? They should not plan their actions to appease the commies. Bring it on!

That's because you don't know who your enemy really is, nor a plan to achieve success in our battle with the left.

[Neets]

No, seriously, we are outnumbered.

I attending the counter-rally in DC in Apr 02...we were SEVERELY outnumbered.

Having spent 10.5 years in the Army, and I although I didn't say I disagreed with the PW's tactics, I can say it's not wise going into battle, not knowing how or if your opponent is armed, when you are outnumbered and the only ammunition you have are your words.

[Bob J]

We're talking about two different things. I agree with you that it's okay when people knowingly take on these risks. But, they should assume the risk themselves and not encourage innocent people to attend just to boost their crowd numbers. Nor should they put the entire movement (or FR) at risk. If a group of men made the decision to wade into them and get a little what fer, that's their decision, heck , I might even join them.

As far as Protest Warrior, I think they knew full well what was at stake, but I still got problem with that pregnant women. What was she doing there?

[gitmo]

I thought US Park Police stopped estimating crowd size several years ago. It was a lose-lose effort for them.

[Pyro7480]

No, it was a rail-thin white guy who looked like he was still in college, and had a bit of the sterotypical radical look to him.

[Little Bill]

Bob, you have to confront them, the closer you get with the most people you can get the better. This is political war, these people are standins for the rats.

We are now in the Revolution II, we either recover the Constitution or we are damned for ever. Five or six people against 5000 are even odds, in Revolutions people may get hurt, if you you have enough commitment to be among the 5, God Bless you, and come to Boston we need you.

It only take a third to make a revolution and I am willing to sacrifice my life, my fortune and my sacred honor to achieve it.

FReep on, Bill

[bvw]

Okay on all that. (But wading into a crowd expressly to fight is a bad move, no matter how big and tough one is.)

[EternalVigilance]

No, it was a rail-thin white guy who looked like he was still in college, and had a bit of the sterotypical radical look to him.

Well, if I'd been there, his looks would have radically changed even more.

Probably a good thing I wasn't, as it turned out.

[Jen]

I attending the counter-rally in DC in Apr 02...we were SEVERELY outnumbered.

I don't doubt that at all. But, I wasn't referring to numbers at rallies. I believe there are more people who think like FReepers (or ProtestWarriors) than ANSWER and assorted nutjobs. They are just more successful at rallying people and getting media coverage - because the liberal media is on their side, IMO.

...not wise going into battle, not knowing how or if your opponent is armed, when you are outnumbered and the only ammunition you have are your words.

From what I read on the PW site, I think they had very good intel about their eneny and ANSWER's tactics. They seem to understand the risks they take when they counter protest.

Thanks for your service in the Army. I don't mention the number of years I served due to my vanity! ;-)