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Park Police Investigate Arrests for Dancing at Jefferson Memorial
ABC News ^ | May 30, 2011 | RUSSELL GOLDMAN

Posted on 05/31/2011 4:09:56 AM PDT by tellw

Park Police Investigate Arrests for Dancing at Jefferson Memorial By RUSSELL GOLDMAN

May 30, 2011—

The U.S. Park Police are investigating whether excessive force was used in the arrest of five protesters Saturday, who silently danced in the interior of the Jefferson Memorial to protest a recent ruling against dancing at federal monuments.

Videos posted to YouTube over the weekend show park police officers in light blue polo shirts handcuffing dancers. It looked as if one protester, who was wearing a "Disobey" T-shirt, had been body-slammed by an officer, and choked.

In a YouTube video of Saturday's incident, when a police officer asked the protestors which one of them was the leader, a member of the group pointed toward the statue of Thomas Jefferson inside the rotunda.

"I'll give you a warning," the officer said calmly. "If you come out here and you demonstrate by dancing, you will be placed under arrest. ... Does everybody understand that?"

Groups looking to protest at federal monuments are required to obtain permits.

Park Police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser told the Associated Press Monday that the Park Police chief had directed the Office of Professional Responsibility to conduct an investigation into the officers' conduct.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adamkokesh; codepink; constitution; dancingfreespeech; jefferson; medeabenjamin; memorial
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To: Tainan

Rights are rights, even for liberals and loonies. When people need permits to protest, something’s very wrong.


21 posted on 05/31/2011 5:35:55 AM PDT by 668 - Neighbor of the Beast (Please sir...permission to protest?)
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To: 668 - Neighbor of the Beast

The problem is that leftist protesters tend to be violent.


22 posted on 05/31/2011 5:40:05 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: AppyPappy

By the time our side is violent it’ll be too late. :(


23 posted on 05/31/2011 5:44:47 AM PDT by 668 - Neighbor of the Beast (Please sir...permission to protest?)
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To: 668 - Neighbor of the Beast
I hear what you're saying...and agree to an extent. However, this is Federal property.
I'm sure that all the recent events, featured here on Free Republic, which occurred on the Mall required, and obtained, permits.

Can't pick & choose which law ya like. Have a problem...get the law changed through the system. I guess thats how it works...hell, I'm not sure what works anymore.
Stay safe.
24 posted on 05/31/2011 5:50:41 AM PDT by Tainan (Cogito Ergo Conservitus.)
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To: Tainan

One of the quicker ways to change a law...when legislators become too sluggish or corrupt to do their job...is to break it and confront it in court.
Sometimes, you go on trial, and the law stands trial as well.


25 posted on 05/31/2011 5:57:32 AM PDT by 668 - Neighbor of the Beast (Please sir...permission to protest?)
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To: tellw
.... protest a recent ruling against dancing at federal monuments.
I was in DC a few years ago and was appalled to see runners going up the steps at the Lincoln Memorial.
They'd run to the top, walk back down, then run back up again.
I find this much more offensive than dancing ... and I'm a runner.
26 posted on 05/31/2011 5:58:55 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: DH
First, rules are rules.

Really? what about this "rule?"

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Forgot about that one did you? Or do you just don't think it applies anymore as long as the GOVERNMENT is making rules.

BTW if you have to have a PERMIT then you're asking permission. If you have to ask permission and be granted permissionto do something, then you have not RIGHT to do that, you only have a PRIVILEGE. You might not like the protesters, but violating their rights is just as bad for the country as violating yours.

27 posted on 05/31/2011 6:03:30 AM PDT by from occupied ga
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To: vladimir998
NO ONE WAS TASERED

Well maybe they shot a dog later.

28 posted on 05/31/2011 6:04:53 AM PDT by from occupied ga
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To: Tainan
Is it against the law to dance at the Jefferson? So what if we don't agree at all with Kokesh or Code Pink? Big deal. They have a right to be loony just as we have a right to say "disappointed they weren't tasered." Yuck yuck.

What's the harm in them dancing? Why were they taken away and the Memorial closed, and no more videotaping? Could it be perhaps the Park Police were wrong? The body slam on Kokesh was just wrong. If they were vandalizing or destroying, it's one thing. But they were dancing, folks.
29 posted on 05/31/2011 6:08:01 AM PDT by tenger (It's a good thing we don't get all the government we pay for. -Will Rogers)
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To: tellw
Inappropriate behavior has now become illegal behavior.

I wonder if picking your nose or scratching your crotch will get you body-slammed at the memorial? Maybe you have to do it repeatedly to get arrested?

I'm gonna guess the park police are there for security reasons, not to enforce Miss Manners rules of etiquette. So, how are you spotting the guy with the gun/bomb as you are arresting a group of inconsiderate, irreverent fools?

Let's see. If I were a fat, lazy, overpaid, gay, transgendered, foppish, park policeman, who would I rather deal with: A gunman, a bomber, or a group of fools?

I am not excusing the perps behavior in any way. Extremely disrespectful! But, these people do it for the attention, like children. Ignore them & they will go away. But if they persistent, get on your phone to your patriot friends & have an flash patriotic moment at the Mall. The morons will get the message quickly surrounded by 100 patriots.

But don't sing or dance. That might get you arrested.

(I must say that had I been at the Jefferson Memorial when I heard OBL was killed, I might have been arrested for dancing.)

30 posted on 05/31/2011 6:14:19 AM PDT by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: DH
I watched the video and these “wonderful, gentle, vocal and non-law abiding” punks were only man-handled after they refused to do what the cops said

I guess I'm one of those folks who is getting tired of having soldiers in a standing army ordering citizens around. Maybe you missed the part where one of those you call a punk asked this soldier to state under what authority he was acting? The soldier was clueless. I guess he was just following orders.

ML/NJ

31 posted on 05/31/2011 6:18:33 AM PDT by ml/nj
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To: from occupied ga

Was the dog dancing?

Leftists need tasering.


32 posted on 05/31/2011 6:24:25 AM PDT by vladimir998 (When anti-Catholics can't debate they just make stuff up.)
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To: tellw
I just want to know when we can legally start beating down flash mobs. (Maybe I'm kidding....maybe not)
33 posted on 05/31/2011 6:40:41 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (Jared Lee Loughner - Disciple of Michael Moore)
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To: tellw
How do you tell a Tea Party from a "Flash Mob"?

Well, maybe by observing the faces of those who'll have to deal with the mess up close and personal if the Shyte "Dances" into the fan:



Odd, I didn't see a single individual get "Body Slammed" on 9-12-09...

A Republic is a system, of governance characterized by the RULE OF LAW.
38 posted on 06/02/2011 12:48:48 AM PDT by LomanBill (Animals! The DemocRats blew up the windmill with an Acorn!)
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To: tenger

>>Is it against the law to dance at the Jefferson?

I’d suspect that Individuals who happen to groove to their iPod wouldn’t be arrested.

The underlying problem in this instance is the coordinated provocative assembly - which was evidently manifested in order to garner a response from the police.

Meanwhile, other Individuals who were trying to experience the memorial were deprived of the ability to do so by this “Flash” MOB.

When Mobs deprive Individuals of their rights - then “IN ORDER TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS, governments are instituted among men”.


39 posted on 06/02/2011 1:00:55 AM PDT by LomanBill (Animals! The DemocRats blew up the windmill with an Acorn!)
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To: ml/nj

[I guess I’m one of those folks who is getting tired of having soldiers in a standing army ordering citizens around.]

What would you rather have govern - the Republic, or The Mob?


40 posted on 06/02/2011 1:04:36 AM PDT by LomanBill (Animals! The DemocRats blew up the windmill with an Acorn!)
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