Collateral Damage in the War on Protesters: Neighbors of the NATO3 Cuffed, Held at Gunpoint

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http://www.alternet.org/story/155591/collateral_damage_in_the_war_on_protesters%3A_neighbors_of_the_nato3_cuffed%2C_held_at_gunpoint/

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Whether or not they are guilty of illegal activity, the original three activists facing terrorism charges in Chicago and their six apartment-mates are not the only people who were raided and harassed the night of Wednesday, May 16, in the days leading up to the NATO protests. In this exclusive, three neighbors of the accused activists give their stories of aggressive, politically reactionary, seemingly incompetent and extralegal harassment by the Chicago Police Department.

In the apartment across the hall from the arrested activists, around 11:30 that night, Ben (not his real name) was coming out of his bathroom when his door crashed in and 25 to 30 armed police burst into his living room. One of them approached him, pointing a gun at his face and yelling at him to get down. When he didn’t get down quickly enough, the man shoved him to the ground and cuffed him.

“I thought I was being robbed,” Ben said. “They were wearing dark clothes, and I thought if they weren’t police, I was being robbed, and if they were, I didn’t know why this was happening.”

His apartment mate Olli woke up to two guns in his face, and was, he said, “rolled over and cuffed immediately” while other officers started going through the belongings in his room. They brought him into the living room and sat him on the ground next to Ben.

“That’s when the interrogation and harassment started,” Olli said. “It went on for a while, at least an hour and a half of them hurling insults and questions, really leading questions. The whole experience was really terrifying but it was also kind of hilarious, just the notions they have about whoever they were after.”

[think]

1. K&R Fascinating and horrifying read on the actions by these police officers.

These officers really need to get out more and quit thinking everyone is the enemy. It's gotten to the point where their paranoid world view not only violates the rights of American citizens but makes them look pathetic and tools for the department heads they work for.

They were trained to act like they do and their superiors should be reprimanded for their lack of leadership and training skills.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Their superiors have very good training skills

you said it yourself:
"they were trained to act like they do".

Such training not limited to the cops in this article, it is happening all over the country.

[nolabels]

4. They are mostly all that way

Ten to twenty percent are just okay but just like any pride of lions or flock of birds they all lead each other into the paranoia Best thing to do is just to go around them, stay away and be prepared for any encounter with them. It's like the borg, they in calculate the ones they see worthy and f the rest of the world (politely when necessary, of course).

It's just who they are

[snot]

2. Great article!

[EFerrari]

5. I can't believe anyone could possibly defend this crap.

Uniformed thugs are terrorizing people in their own homes in the middle of the night without cause.

[zeemike]

6. And it seems that there is no one willing to take up this cause.

Everyone seems to just accept this behaviour...when lawyers should be all over this.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. I, for one, am proud that Rahm has the guts to fight terra

Those on the far left somehow think that "civil rights" and a "constitution" somehow trump the safety of of the state. Real leaders know that we do what's in our gut, or what's needed to keep Fox News from saying mean things, not what's in our laws and statutes.

These beer brewers are lucky they weren't jailed forever or executed on the spot as allowed for in the NDAA.

Terra! Terra! It's everywhere!

[pscot]

8. Christ, Manny! Put up the sarcasm thingy.

I've actually seen posts like yours on DU, and they weren't kidding.

[DCKit]

9. The opening scene of "Fifth Element"

Prophetic.