Protesters wary of new tactic by feds

SFGate.com ^ | 12/30/03 | Joe Garofoli - SF Chronicle

[NormsRevenge]

Bay Area nonprofits and anti-war leaders are fuming about what they see as an attempt by the Justice Department to clamp down on peaceful dissent by filing criminal charges against a group for the nonviolent actions of its followers.

Local activists are closely watching a case winding through the federal courts in Miami. There, a federal prosecutor has dusted off a 19th century law designed to prevent bar owners from luring sailors ashore with booze and prostitutes to file charges against Greenpeace in connection with an April 2002 case in which two activists tried to hang an anti-President Bush banner on a container ship headed into port.

[GSWarrior]

What a one-sided article! Of course it's from the SF Koranicle.

[Ingtar]

How many variations of this will be posted? This has come up multiple times.

[stylin_geek]

"Still, this is scary," Reinsborough said, "because if the federal government is willing to go after Greenpeace, they're willing to go after anybody."

When will these idiots realize when they try to board a ship, protest or not, they are trespassing on private property? Plus, since when does the lunatic fringe such as these people constitute "anybody?" Or, are they referring only to themselves as "anybody?"

[Riley]

When you board a ship that's underway against the wishes of her master, isn't that a component of piracy?

I guess that the end always justifies the means, but only if you're a Leftoid.

[laotzu]

Isn't illegally boarding a ship piracy....or being a stowaway at the very least?

[rface]

1s time I've seen this article:

If convicted of conspiring to illegally board a ship, Greenpeace could be sentenced to five years' probation and a $10,000 fine, and be required to allow federal probation officers to oversee certain parts of its organization.

[2banana]

I love when liberals whine when the same tactics they used against conservative organizations are finally used against them. Hey Greenpeace, where were you when the NRA has IRS audits year after year? If there is any justice, the State AG's will file lawsuits against every abortion clinic (just like against "big" tobacco)- maybe they will agree to "voluntary constraints" and fund anti-abortion commercials...

[CaptRon]

Richard Becker of San Francisco, whose International ANSWER was at the forefront of coordinating peace demonstrations over the past 18 months, called the Miami prosecution "part of the crackdown on dissent that's been going on after Sept. 11."

Whatever Richard Becker and ANSWER are doing, it isn't coordinating "peace demonstrations".

[Riley]

"Arrggghh, save the whales and socialised medicine for all, matey!"

Liberal pirates. Good grief.

[bobjam]

"The problem is the Bush Administration is responding to political criticism with criminal prosecution"

These libs' problem is that they are resorting to criminal behavior to promote their agenda. Use of a 131 year old law is nothing. Scott Peterson is facing a 3000+ year old law.

[Steel Wolf]

They're particularly puzzled that prosecutors invoked an 1872 "sailor mongering" law from an era when whorehouse and tavern owners would jump aboard ships illegally to lure sailors onto shore with promises of women and booze. Until the Greenpeace case, the statute had been used only twice, the last time in 1890.

Well done, laddies, well done. We don't need no stinking Patriot Act, we've got obscure 230 year old laws that do the trick just fine.

Seriously, Greenpeace is over the line. Illegally boarding private ships to stage events and interfere with the crew is not piracy, but its beyond trespassing. They can have all the speech they want, but there are some places they can't have it for free.

[Steel Wolf]

130 year old laws, that is. (Curse you, higher math!)

[boris]

Just keep sinking any ship you happen to find... named "Rainbow Warrior."

[talleyman]

Holding left-wing loonies accountable for their actions? Prosecuting criminals? The next thing you know, they'll be arresting eco-terrorists - where will it end?

[Riley]

Just keep sinking any ship you happen to find... named "Rainbow Warrior."

Ironic how that one turned out, N'est ce pas?

[Salgak]

"Terrorist is as Terrorist Does"

'nuff said. . .

[axxmann]

"If the federal government is going to do that, it has a chilling effect, as people are going to wonder what obscure law they're going to dust off next."

How about repealing some of them?
How about requiring lawmakers to read bills before they vote on them?
There are so many laws on the books that people cannot even know about them all. The government can go after whoever they want.
I want a political party (Repeal party?) to have the platform that we have too many laws and we need to repeal a lot of them.