I have to respectfully disagree. Even if this group did not have any required permits to assemble the bail set is outrageous. Remember how the RICO lawsand buffer zones have been used to silence anti-abortion protestors. Remember how speech codes are used to quell conservative opinions on campuses. Remember how peaceful protest helped this nation realize such things as the wrongs of racial segregation.
I have no argument with arresting these people if they were disobeying the law or ignored a peace officers order to disperse. If there were illegals in the crowd by all means INS should be contacted, with the view they should be deproted.
However the American citizens arrested should not be subject to a bail that is far in excess of that for assault, murder and other crimes against person and property. Our laws and courts should never be used as political weapons to stifle peaceful dissent or protest.
While I agree that the bail is certainly dispraportionate for said incident (basing this on a one-sided news story) still there has to be a serious penalty for blocking traffic.
The fact is that blocking traffic hinders emergency/law enforcement personnel from getting to their needed destinations. This may be seen by some as an excuse but the reality is that someone's life could be lost because these idiots didn't stay on the sidelines.
It's a rent-a-mob funded by the union. The bail is "union scale", lol! The union can afford it. Now, let's see if they put up or shut up.
Bail amounts aren't just set in accordance with the crime committed. Other factors considered include setting an amount sufficient to make the defendant show up. If they aren't members of the community and their identification and citizenship status are in question, the bail amount set is probably appropriate for the union to post. If they don't like it, they may think twice about staging the same dog-and-pony show again.
This is what it means to be an American! I could not have said it any better. Also, I'm just a little worried that it was 13 posts into this thread before this POV was expressed. This affront to basic civil liberties is an abomination and in direct disregard of the Constitution! (see 8th amendment)
Let's make a deal with the DA. These folks should be released on nominal bail, and if the out of towners, with no connections to the community, don't return to trial, you will serve their time.