Video of EPD Taser Incident
Local activist and videographer Tim Lewis has posted video and stills of Eugene police tasering a protester at a May 30 rally downtown against pesticides.
Citizens have organized two gatherings in support of the “Kesey Three” arrested at the rally in front of the author’s statue.
The first is planned for Thursday, June 5 from 12-3 pm at the UO’s EMU Amphitheater.
The second is a “silent” event planned for Saturday, June 7 in Kesey Square at Willamette and Broadway at 12 noon. “Many will have an ‘X’ painted over their mouths or will be wearing tape over their mouths as a statement of how the police are trying to silence free speech with their violence,” an email announcement states.
The events are organized by Crazy People for Wild Places , a UO student group. The group is gathering photos and media links about the taser incident here .
Good piece.
But ... earlier the woman in the video acknowledges that the tasered kid threatened, jokingly, of course to spray the undercover officer with poison. And they are surprised that police then showed up and arrested him using all non-lethal means at their disposal? Talk about being oblivious to reality.
Rules of promoting a non-violent protest, rally or other drive:
1. Do not question officers.
2. Do not resist.
3. Do not mock officers.
4. Do not instigate.
Basically, drop and do what you are asked to do (within the limits of the law). Anything other than that and you're doing more harm than good. The only exception is if you feel that police action and the press reaction would give your cause more notice than the original action. Which may be true here. Maybe the canister guy felt that some more notice was warranted and therefore instigated a confrontation.
Either way, these demonstrators didn't follow "the rules" and, in my opinion, got what they deserved. Yes, in hindsight the offers overreacted. But a simple class in non-violence in the community would have gotten these folks much further in their goals.
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Submitted by Jef (not verified) on Tue, 06/03/2008 - 18:52.yet another example of the absurdity of militarization in the police. i mean, i dont entirely BLAME police for jumping on top of a possible poison situation (haha), i mean that is their job, but still, i think this is more an example of them attempting to discourage protests and demonstrations of any sort, peaceful or otherwise.
stumbled @ http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/blogs.eugeneweekly.com/node/593
get the eyes open.
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Submitted by Mneten (not verified) on Wed, 06/04/2008 - 14:55.Does anyone know of a link to a full length video, the above video doesn't really show anything. It's a promo vid, why not show what led up to the kid being tasered.
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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/14/2008 - 13:44.Post new comment