Posted on 01/28/2007 4:09:17 PM PST by RDTF
Anti-war protesters were allowed to spray paint on part of thewest front steps of the United States Capitol building after police wereordered to break their security line by their leadership, two sources toldThe Hill.
According to the sources, police officers were livid when theywere told to fall back by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Chief Phillip Morse andDeputy Chief Daniel Nichols. "They were the commanders on the scene," one source said,who requested anonymity. "It was disgusting."
After police ceded the stairs, located on the lower west frontof the Capitol, the building was locked down, the source added.
A second source who witnessed the incident said that the policehad the crowd stopped at Third Street, but were told to bring the policeline in front of the Capitol.
Approximately 300 protesters were allowed to take the steps andbegan to spray paint "anarchist symbols" and phrase such as "Ourcapitol building" and "you can’t stop us" around the area, thesource said.
Morse responded to these claims in an e-mail Sunday afternoon,explaining that the protesters were seeking confrontation with the police.
"While there were minor instances of spray painting ofpavement by a splinter group of Anarchists who were seeking a confrontationwith the police, their attempts to breach into secure areas and rush thedoors of the Capitol were thwarted," Morse said. "The graffiti waseasily removed by the dedicated [Architect of the Capitol] staff, some of whom responded on their day off to quickly clean the area."
He added, "It is the USCP's duty and responsibility to protectthe Capitol complex, staff and public while allowing the public to exercisetheir First Amendment rights … at the end of the day, both occurredwithout injury to protestors or officers."
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Section 5104. Unlawful activities
a) Definitions. - In this section - (1) Act of physical violence. - The term "act of physical violence" means any act involving -
B) damage to, or destruction of, real or personal property.
(d) Injuries to Property. - A person may not step or climb on, remove, or in any way injure any statue, seat, wall, fountain, or other erection or architectural feature, or any tree, shrub, plant, or turf, in the Grounds.
Section 5106. Suspension of prohibitions
(a) Authority To Suspend. - To allow the observance in the United States Capitol Grounds of occasions of national interest becoming the cognizance and entertainment of Congress, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives concurrently may suspend any of the prohibitions contained in sections 5103 and 5104 of this title that would prevent the use of the roads and walks within the Grounds by processions or assemblages, and the use in the Grounds of suitable decorations, music, addresses, and ceremonies, if responsible officers have been appointed and the President and the Speaker determine that adequate arrangements have been made to maintain suitable order and decorum in the proceedings and to guard the United States Capitol and its grounds from injury.
(b) Power To Suspend Prohibitions in Absence of President or Speaker. - If either the President or Speaker is absent from the District of Columbia, the authority to suspend devolves on the other officer. If both officers are absent, the authority devolves on the Capitol Police Board.
Section 5109. Penalties
(b) Other Offenses. - A person violating section 5103 or 5104(b), (c), (d), (e)(2), or (f) of this title, or attempting to commit a violation, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
Some such counter-protest needs to be made asap, if only to demonstrate the hypocrisy.
In the meantime, the Chief should get charged with dereliction of duty.
Question. What happens when the radical islamists do likewise? And seeing what the protestors did yesterday, why should they not do likewise?
Well the dhimmmicrats really are in charge. Guess they are redecorating now as well.
Two men affiliated with the website FreeRepublic.com protest against anti-war protesters in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007.
A sign showing Osama bin Laden pierced with bullet holes was brought by a group of people affiliated with FreeRepublic.com, to protest against anti-war protesters in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007.
http://www.worldpicturenews.com/web/index.aspx?category=news
Our entire Justice System is broken when LEFTIST PUNKS can spray paint in front of COPS and NOTHING IS DONE!
I hear you and I am guilty of not being there with you guys too. It's just a bit hard to drop all and drive to DC. to yell against the circus freak show.
That said, a big thanks for all you do!
[Need someone to go spraypaint/mace these morons.]
Yup- and call it 'freedom of speech' but I doubt they'll appreciate the irony
The following link does not relate to this thread http://sacredscoop.com
Sorry, I missed this for all the pings I got last night and answered it partially over there on the other thread.
The pro-beat-up-flag-burners thing was humor.
I was not bitching about the counterprotest, I was bitching about the bitching about it.
I agree 189%!!!
They did not have enough police on duty it looks like to me so they fell back to protect the interior of the capitol -- read the bold and forget everything else. These people tried to rush the doors of the Capitol and the Capitol police protected the interior. I believe they didn't have the manpower to stop these people at the steps and had to protect the secure areas at all costs. This is what having a DemocRAT Senate and House can do. All of you need to think very carefully when bashing one of the leaders of the Republican candidates because if you think this is bad, just think what they will be doing across the Nation if Ms. Clinton is in the WH. Our issues we hold dear will not stand a chance and our military will be treated like they were in Vietnam. Now you know why some of us Conservatives are putting national security as our #1 issue in 2008 and we need someone who can whip Ms. Clinton not just make a showing. She cannot get near the WH nor can Obama or Edwards.
Too angry to write anything useful, just wanted to chime in with my disgust.
What are they doing to his nose?
For cryinoutloud. What a couple of morons from the Capital Police echelon to permit this to happen. This is an outrage.
This past summer we were in Washington and security police guided crowds here and yon. Nobody was allowed to go close to some stautes etc much less spray paint them. Wait we were all law-abiding tourists. We were not important liberals with something to "say"
BTW in 1992 my daughter (13) decided she wanted to sing the National Anthem at the Vietnam Memorial Wall to honor our fallen. She has a lovely voice and delighted onlookers filmed her and took photos. The security police threatened to arrest her if she didnt stop singing.
To paraphsed Rick Blaine in Casablance, "They stick their neck out for nobody."
If the Capitol Police were to be agressive they'd be up on charges.
Forget about it Jake it's just the Capitol.
~LOL~ Thanks, Dave. of course, I knew that and have no clue why my subconscious made me write the name of a commentator I cannot stand and never watch vs one I like a whole lot. Appreciate your correction.
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