Posted on 08/30/2004 10:11:41 PM PDT by whatexit
A protest outside the convention hall at Madison Square Garden got rough Monday night. Eyewitness News' Jim Dolan has more on what happened and why.
They came here, a couple of thousand strong, to protest GOP policies. It started at the United Nations and ended on Eighth avenue. It was quiet for the most part, until the marchers wanted to go past the garden and the convention, and the police couldn't let that happen. The protestors were stopped at 30th Street and one block south of that the trouble started.
A plain clothes policeman was kicked and beaten by protestors. But there were hundreds of uniformed police officers who moved in quickly and in force to make arrests and get the police officer out to safety and calm things down.
It didn't end there, though. There were other scuffles at 30th Street when marchers were denied access to roads leading past the garden. No one knew exactly what they were hoping to get from the police.
Officer: "What do you want to do?" Protestor: "I don't know where I want to go."
Most of the protest was peaceful. It was a march that started at the United Nations, protesting GOP policies that protestors say affect the nation's poor. It ended in a sit down on Eighth Avenue just a couple of blocks from the garden.
Jim Dolan: "What do you really hope happens out there?" Protestor: "I don't really know. I don't think we can stop the convention. But I think it is great so many people are getting together to express outrage at this.. regime."
We still don't have a final number of arrests. But there were definitely some in the crowd who knew how to diffuse tension. Just as things started to heat up, some in the crowd started chanting, "The police deserve a pay raise, the police deserve a pay raise.." More people joined in, and pretty soon things started to quiet down. I'm pretty sure no one from that group got arrested.
They plan to completely surround the MSG on Thursday and start a fight with the police. Sounds like it could get very bad to me.
What amazes me, though it really shouldn't, is that the most consistent answer given when the protesters are asked what Kerry will do that will be better is, "um....."
Peace Gruops War Plans
http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=14856
(peace group?? Its a front for the Revolutionary Communist Party that advocates violent overthrow of the US government!!)
I didn't actually see the cop but I saw the young buck in the two-tone ball cap that was doing the kicking and flailing and want to know why the cop who took him off the action didn't throw a good beating his way.
Thanks for the link. It was really funny. These people are morons. They don't even know why they are there.
That one with the bullhorn, Bush is responsible for the suffering of the disabled, children etc etc....
Totally 60's.
No doubt. The first couple of days will give them an idea of what to expect from the police and MSG security. President Bush is undoubtedly the main target for their disruptions. They'd like nothing better than to upstage him.
I'll be immensely surprised if the week ends with nothing more than a few elbows thrown.
Yeah, it was really mean of W to disable those people, wasn't it? Sheesh
Are we sure these weren't just Titans fans outraged at having been beat by 40-year old Vinny Testaverde on national television?
Hmmm. Sounds like Moore found the protestors after leaving McCain's speech.
I'd really like to see an investigation into "rent a protestor". Most of these kids have no idea about why they are even there. Somebody (from the Pickle Foundation?) must be paying them to be there.
I think the RNC should declare tomorrow "bat day" and hand out Louisville Sluggers to all the delegates.
The cop's on the ground. I think the cops are doing their best to keep bad situations from getting MUCH worse. My hat's off to them.
NY Cops need to borrow some gear from Seattle Cops.
Great idea! Bat Day for the RNC will turn the protesters in to Bobble-heads!
No, didn't work. I really want to see this. Oh well, I am sure it is telling of what type of people make up the Hard Core Kerry Crowd.
They should not have been allowed so close. These pieces of garbage...
When, oh when, oh WHEN are we ever going to start looking at these damned scummy enemies as ENEMIES and treating them as enemies?
Just what the hell is so damned sacred about those who want to tear our society down, be they the seventh-century savages of Islam or these filthy modern scumbags?
I want them exterminated!
The cop is on the ground, invisible under the frenzied kicking thugs.
Note the crowd of black shirts looking down - that's where the cop is.
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