With Ferguson decision looming, Holder issues new police guidance (Tells cops to use restraint)

St. Louis Post Dispatch ^ | November 21, 2014 | Chuck Raasch

[Zakeet]

With a grand jury decision on the Ferguson shooting death of Michael Brown expected soon, the Justice Department released new guidelines Friday to help "maintain public safety while safeguarding constitutional rights" of demonstrators who are preparing to gather in cities around the country after the decision is announced.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced the new guidelines in a video posted Friday morning on the Justice Department's Web site. In it, Holder also exhorts protesters and police to keep the peace — to "minimize needless confrontation" — an extraordinary plea for calm before a local judiciary event from the nation's attorney general.

[Zakeet]

Holder:

Protests seek to bring attention to real and significant underlying issues involving police practices, implicit bias, and pervasive community distrust ...
In most cases, these demonstrations have been both meaningful and responsible, and have brought vital issues to the attention of the public at large ...
I know, from first-hand experience, that demonstrations like these have the potential to spark a sustained and positive national dialogue, to provide momentum to a necessary conversation, and to bring about critical reform.

[Biggirl]

What will really bring restraint, something called WINTER.

[Old Yeller]

Christmas shoppin’ time.

[uncitizen]

We are living in a nightmare.

[Veto!]

OMG, Holder really said all that ****? What an invitation to loot and pillage in the name of “vital issues.”

[rfreedom4u]

And the local police should tell Holder to piss off.

[circlecity]

If there are any Feds on the scene they will be there to arrest police officers not rioters. Take it to the bank.

[Riley]

We are living in a nightmare.

You know what chills me? The youngest generation may someday look back at this as the 'good old days'.

[CatOwner]

Pisses me off that this administration (as far as I can tell) has never told the protestors that what they are doing when they loot the stores is against the law.

[Pollster1]

Local police should use restraint. With so many looters organizing for “free stuff”, it’s important for cops to spend some time at the range in the next few days. Then they can limit their shots while on duty to 2-3 per criminal, so they don’t run out of ammo before they run out of looters.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Now we know what Derrick meant by “a nation of cowards.”

[TheDon]

Rioters or a mob are more accurate descriptions. These are no demonstrators or protesters.

[Veto!]

Perhaps “this administration” doesn’t know that looting stores is against the law.

What a pack of clueless commies.

[SoFloFreeper]

Last time I looked at the Constitution, Eric the Red isn’t given authority over local law enforcement.

[V_TWIN]

Are you kidding? obama told ‘em to “stay the course” recently:

“And so Obama saw fit to meet with Ferguson protestors to let them know he hopes they will stay on course while throwing in a gratuitous expression of hope that they can keep the peace”.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/11/president_to_ferguson_protestors_stay_on_course.html

[Buckeye McFrog]

Police tactics are a state and local matter.
The Feds should have NO say over this.

[exit82]

You know what chills me? The youngest generation may someday look back at this as the 'good old days'.

Just had this same thought yesterday.

And it is not acceptable.

[windsorknot]

The same asshat who essentially compared the “Gentle Giant” to Emmett Till, wants LE to “use restraint”.

[tanknetter]

Thats why they’re called guidelines and not directives.

However, implicit in issuing those guidelines is the threat that the DoJ will subject any PD failing to follow them to an invasive and expensive “investigation” for doing so.

[Sasparilla]

The Feds under Obama have a compulsion to interject themselves into everything. This is what big government is all about.