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 ...
LOL!
Looks like Medea Benjamin of Code Pink and her professional agitator dance troupe.
At least no dogs were shot
First, rules are rules.
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 and furthermore, were only manhandled after THEY physically resisted arrest.
They brought this upon themselves. The cops simply didn’t go in there and start throwing them down on the ground for no reason.
What caused a court or the U.S. Park Police to say you can’t dance at Federal monuments?
My question, also. The need for such a rule seems absurd. What did I miss?
Charlie Veitch and the Love Police should pay a visit.
Wonder if Disobey” T-shirts out sell Ass kicked T-shirts.
Shame on you, DH.
Per my tagline. :)
The guy who got ‘body slammed’ was Adam Kokesh.
Shouldn't the cops obtained a permit to protest protesting?
lol. The whole thing sounds like a Monty Python skit!
Why do I suspect that these “protesters” would also be in favor of the Gov’t arranging their housing and health care, defining the scope of their education, and telling us all what cars to drive or what we should eat?
I’ve met many such fools who believe that something as petty as dancing at the Jefferson Memorial is a “right” - while at the same time they will happily give away control over every other part of their lives.
Article with photos in the Daily Mail (UK)
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1392653/Police-officers-body-slammed-dancing-protesters-inside-Jefferson-Memorial-face-investigation.html
Something ironic about needing a permit to protest. What if you wanted to protest a law that requires permits to protest?
Not that I’m for what these idiot protesters are trying to accomplish, but I am somewhat troubled that dancing is not legal near a statue of Jefferson, yet cops body-slamming dancers is.
I was very disappointed by these arrests. NO ONE WAS TASERED. How disappointing.
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