[Does anything about this post strike anyone as being strange?]
Convention protesters regroup after clashes with police, arrests
Philadelphia police commissioner injured in protests
By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON, Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (August 2, 2000 9:07 a.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - After a day marked by angry brawls with police, protesters licked their wounds and began drawing up plans to disrupt traffic during the last two days of the Republican National Convention.
Police Commissioner John Timoney was slightly injured Tuesday in clashes between police and protesters.
Some protesters acknowledged that they baited police into fighting and will continue to do so. Police said 280 people were arrested throughout the city Tuesday, most for misdemeanors, but 10 were charged for assaulting police.
"We will continue to put our bodies on the line to show how police resort to violence even when they do not need to," said 17-year-old activist Jesse Wilson, as hundreds of protesters regrouped Tuesday night after dozens of police chased them through the streets.
"They could arrest people peacefully for painting on cop cars, but this is an authoritarian state, so they feel the need to beat us," he said. "This is what we want to show the American people."
The clashes came after three days of mostly peaceful protests. Protesters had promised a day of disruptions Tuesday over such causes as opposition to the death penalty and police brutality.
Fights broke out and the commissioner was slightly injured when nearly 100 protesters dressed in black clothes and wearing masks began defacing police vehicles.
Timoney noted that many of the troublemakers matched the appearance of masked anarchists who wear black and were blamed for extensive property damage in Seattle during the World Trade Organization meeting last fall. Several of Tuesday's protesters identified themselves as "black bloc" anarchists, who have had a large presence in Internet discussion groups planning for the convention.
"These people were here to cause problems, not protest or talk about issues," Timoney said, referring to a group of self-proclaimed anarchists. "We will be watching for them the rest of the week. They are here to endanger property and assault officers and that is what they did."
Also Tuesday, a bus full of thousands of caged lizards and small animals was pulled over in what police say may have been part of an elaborate plan to release animals during a protest. Two men were arrested and are to be charged with cruelty to animals.
Philadelphia Zoo officials accepted the animals, which included about 2,000 iguanas, a dead skunk, white mice, about 20 exotic snakes, crickets, desert toads and lizards.
Some protesters were upset about the masked group's behavior.
"If it gets like this again, I'm going home," said Patricia Maxey, a 16-year-old member of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty. "I don't want to be beaten up because some idiot in a mask wants to get on television. I came here to talk about injustice."
The protests seemed to cause only minor problems for convention-goers. A number of state delegations were late, but the program began as scheduled. Most protests were far from the First Union Center arena where the gathering is being held.
At least six officers were treated and released from area hospitals, medical and police officials said.
Protesters slashed tires on police vehicles, dumped orange paint on some and spray-painted obscenities on others. Graffiti denouncing the death penalty and police also was sprayed on City Hall.
Police responded with batons after being hit by protesters.
Several protesters were left bleeding after being struck in the head and chest with batons. Police could not immediately confirm whether any of those in custody were injured.
Eventually, about 100 police officers on bicycles stormed into the area with the most violent activity and herded protesters back into a small grassy area.
The violence prompted police to re-evaluate their tactics.
"I wonder if our trying to be patient and calm may have been interpreted as a sign of weakness," said Robert Mitchell, the deputy police commissioner. "We didn't intend it to be taken that way, we honestly thought violence could be avoided. But apparently that was never the intention of some people out here today."
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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!
Convention protesters regroup after clashes with police, arrests
Philadelphia police commissioner injured in protests
By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON, Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (August 2, 2000 9:07 a.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - After a day marked by angry brawls with police, protesters licked their wounds and began drawing up plans to disrupt traffic during the last two days of the Republican National Convention.
Police Commissioner John Timoney was slightly injured Tuesday in clashes between police and protesters.
Some protesters acknowledged that they baited police into fighting and will continue to do so. Police said 280 people were arrested throughout the city Tuesday, most for misdemeanors, but 10 were charged for assaulting police.
"We will continue to put our bodies on the line to show how police resort to violence even when they do not need to," said 17-year-old activist Jesse Wilson, as hundreds of protesters regrouped Tuesday night after dozens of police chased them through the streets.
"They could arrest people peacefully for painting on cop cars, but this is an authoritarian state, so they feel the need to beat us," he said. "This is what we want to show the American people."
The clashes came after three days of mostly peaceful protests. Protesters had promised a day of disruptions Tuesday over such causes as opposition to the death penalty and police brutality.
Fights broke out and the commissioner was slightly injured when nearly 100 protesters dressed in black clothes and wearing masks began defacing police vehicles.
Timoney noted that many of the troublemakers matched the appearance of masked anarchists who wear black and were blamed for extensive property damage in Seattle during the World Trade Organization meeting last fall. Several of Tuesday's protesters identified themselves as "black bloc" anarchists, who have had a large presence in Internet discussion groups planning for the convention.
"These people were here to cause problems, not protest or talk about issues," Timoney said, referring to a group of self-proclaimed anarchists. "We will be watching for them the rest of the week. They are here to endanger property and assault officers and that is what they did."
Also Tuesday, a bus full of thousands of caged lizards and small animals was pulled over in what police say may have been part of an elaborate plan to release animals during a protest. Two men were arrested and are to be charged with cruelty to animals.
Philadelphia Zoo officials accepted the animals, which included about 2,000 iguanas, a dead skunk, white mice, about 20 exotic snakes, crickets, desert toads and lizards.
Some protesters were upset about the masked group's behavior.
"If it gets like this again, I'm going home," said Patricia Maxey, a 16-year-old member of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty. "I don't want to be beaten up because some idiot in a mask wants to get on television. I came here to talk about injustice."
The protests seemed to cause only minor problems for convention-goers. A number of state delegations were late, but the program began as scheduled. Most protests were far from the First Union Center arena where the gathering is being held.
At least six officers were treated and released from area hospitals, medical and police officials said.
Protesters slashed tires on police vehicles, dumped orange paint on some and spray-painted obscenities on others. Graffiti denouncing the death penalty and police also was sprayed on City Hall.
Police responded with batons after being hit by protesters.
Several protesters were left bleeding after being struck in the head and chest with batons. Police could not immediately confirm whether any of those in custody were injured.
Eventually, about 100 police officers on bicycles stormed into the area with the most violent activity and herded protesters back into a small grassy area.
The violence prompted police to re-evaluate their tactics.
"I wonder if our trying to be patient and calm may have been interpreted as a sign of weakness," said Robert Mitchell, the deputy police commissioner. "We didn't intend it to be taken that way, we honestly thought violence could be avoided. But apparently that was never the intention of some people out here today."
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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!
