Nov 9 Westwood LA, antiwar protest

[loseyourname]

Since when does the LAPD have tanks? If they had PD on horses or foot or something on standby that's one thing, but what does having tanks accomplish? What are they going to do? Shoot at the protestors?
I think that's what was overkill. Police presence is fine, but tanks are a bit much.

The LAPD has had tanks for quite a while, though I don't know that these were PD tanks or National Guard tanks. PD on horseback and foot have done little in the past to quell rioters, so why not err on the side of caution? I don't see a reason to complain as long as the peace was kept and no one was hurt or violated. What's the big deal?

[Siggie]

I don't know what the situation was, but here's what Moore has on his site. If the demonstration was in fact peaceful and it was at the end, does it make make sense to bring in tanks?

November 10th, 2004 10:31 pm
Peaceful Demonsration, Military Tanks

In what is looking more and more like a bizarre coincidence, activists protesting U.S. militarism and attacks on Fallujah came face to face with military tanks in Los Angeles, California.

As the demonstration was winding up, the two large U.S. military tanks drove past the protestors on Wilshire Boulevard two times. The second time, the tanks stopped directly in front of a group of about 50 protestors for nearly five minutes.

[ckBejug]

An anti-Bush demonstrator broke into the Mexican consulate several days ago and kidnapped a woman at gunpoint. I'm sure they're just covering all bases. Why complain if there wasn't even an altercation?

I too think the tanks were a bit much. As for the hostage at the Mexican consulate, how do you know it was an anti-Bush protestor? He had a sign on that said 'I think, therefore I am' and so far they haven't been able to speak with him, obviously, because he was shot in the head and is in critical condition...

[GSTracer05]

Well for starters. An APC is not a tank. That is a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.



And the police department and national guard do have them just in case they need to be deployed in a situation in which there is a threat from large caliber weaponry. Just an overexaggeration of the media as they compared them to the full platoon of tanks used by the Chinese Govt.

All it is, is a show of force to keep the protestors in check. You didnt expect them to send two patrol cars with 4 officers to greet all those angry people did you?

[angelik22]

yea unfortunately i was stuck ion traffic there for like a hour.... stupid poop

[loseyourname]

I too think the tanks were a bit much. As for the hostage at the Mexican consulate, how do you know it was an anti-Bush protestor? He had a sign on that said 'I think, therefore I am' and so far they haven't been able to speak with him, obviously, because he was shot in the head and is in critical condition...

His sign said "I lie, therefore I am - GOP and all Bush supporters."

[Thai-Samurai]

The point is Tanks are overkill. And if people riot it's their fault in the first place, so it's not like you need a police prescence first. Because they know if they start rioting then tanks will show up. The hypocricy of the situation was they pullled up tanks and then had nothing to do. They actually yelled at people to stay out of the street. Talk about limited enforcment options. Then they left in 5 minutes cuz they felt stupid. There's a demand for tanks in Iraq, troops talking about not having enough tanks and armor. Their wasting good tanks for no reason.

[loseyourname]

I still think you guys are being a little whiney. Why would you advocate that they wait until a riot begins and then bring out the machinery? If having it there in the first place ensures that nothing bad happens, and they aren't hurting anyone, seriously what's the big deal? Saying we need those tanks in Iraq is just stupid. We can't remove every piece of artillery we have from the homeland.

Aren't there any real issues to bring up?

[gevo]

no the current form of neo (meaning new) republicans...

although i dont think any pd is on any ones side, so i guess i would like to know what happened in NY when RNC was happeneing??? i was listening to kpfk 90.7 and people were being rounded up and taken to "holding places" and being kept there without any outside contacts for 48 hrs, and the only reason we knew about it was because some people had cell phones and they called the radio stations and they passed the phones around... the holding places had signs of toxic material and a lot people because affected and started getting rashes, and many others were tourists and they missed their flights... some were not even involved with the protests but, they were also gathered up...

but do you remember the protestors at the inauguration in 2000? well the protestors were mostly peaceful, just holding up signs and then came in some hired republicans, they came in pepper sprayed on people, kicked, hit and spit on people, so a lot of anger errupted and it looked like the protest was violent, when it wasnt...

I am sorry if this may in any way offend you, but this is a very ignorent thing to believe. I am sure you heard this from supreme liberals who not only hate bush but despise every personthat is a republican.. This is somethign you would only read in stupid tabloids.. the same ones that claim an F-14 tomcat shot down an angel.. please...

I do not understand where you are getting this from.. where do republicans come in a police force for beaking up a protest. There are any protests during the year, and anyone that goes bad is because the republicans? I am not defending republicans.. i am not one myself, nor am i a democrat.. but that is not the point here. I hear this and can only think it to be an ignorent statement, unless there is some real facts behind it...

If i were the PD i would bring thos tanks out more often.. all the tanks do is provide cover for the officers, and some have water cannons... they dont shoot 208mm grenade rounds.. thats rediculous... I am sure you know westwood, and the many places near by to drink and get drunk there.. it may have been a reason for the cops to be as pre-empt as they were.. Plus, the government is not against protests.. its against protests that have a potential of going bad.

[gevo]

The point is Tanks are overkill. And if people riot it's their fault in the first place, so it's not like you need a police prescence first. Because they know if they start rioting then tanks will show up. The hypocricy of the situation was they pullled up tanks and then had nothing to do. They actually yelled at people to stay out of the street. Talk about limited enforcment options. Then they left in 5 minutes cuz they felt stupid. There's a demand for tanks in Iraq, troops talking about not having enough tanks and armor. Their wasting good tanks for no reason.

This is a big load of nonsense... lol. infact rather funny nonsense at that
HAHAHA... Thos who would like you to believe out troops are in need of armor and tanks are those who appose the current administration and not only that.. but hate it.

And, if you knew anything.. you would know that these tanks only have c1 rated armor.. the tans if peac keeping missions which expect no resistance have c2, and tanks in battle, such as the Abrams M1A1, as i believe a different rating above the C.. i forgot at the moment.. the point is.. your point about tanks needed in Iraq is completely stupid and rediculous.