BREAKING: Police REFUSE to arrest protesters! #OccupyWallSt

[kpete]

MON OCT 24, 2011 AT 01:20 PM PDT
BREAKING: Police REFUSE to arrest protesters! #OccupyWallSt
byOllieGarkeyFollowforOccupy Wall Street

In Albany, last night, Governor Cuomo and Mayor Jennings ordered state and local police to enforce a curfew, and remove the Occupy Albany protesters.

The police defied those orders.

With protesters acting peacefully, local and state police agreed that low level arrests could cause a riot, so they decided instead to defy Cuomo and Jennings.

“We don’t have those resources, and these people were not causing trouble,” a state official said. “The bottom line is the police know policing, not the governor and not the mayor.”

MORE: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/24/1029620/-BREAKING:-Police-REFUSE-to-arrest-protesters!-OccupyWallSt?
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/24/new-york-cops-defy-order-to-arrest-hundreds-of-occupy-protesters/

[dogknob]

1. Saw this earlier... Albany DA refuses to prosecute n/t

[vets74]

60. You have to go to the Timers Union to get the facts and suck-up mendacity of I-Wanna-Be-Prez Cuomo.

Here is the delightful pen of Jay Jochnowitz, the TU's editorial page editor:

"...adult citizens exercising their right to assemble and petition government for a redress of grievances. And really, what better place to do that than a public park within view, even shouting distance, of the offices or both the mayor and the governor? Apparently for Mr. Cuomo, it was too close for comfort. He ordered State Police to oust the protesters from the state-owned portion of the site, called Lafayette Park, the first chance they got, which came at 11 p.m. on Friday when a park curfew went into effect. The protesters saved the troopers the trouble of making arrests, moving to the city’s side of the park. The Cuomo administration was prepared for that contingency; the governor’s secretary, Larry Schwartz, had pressed Mr. Jennings to use city police to enforce the curfew on their side, too.

Credit Albany Police Chief Steven Krokoff, perhaps emboldened by a hiring process that now allows Albany chiefs to be independent of the mayor, for not being so rash. Credit, too, Albany County District Attorney David Soares for refusing to prosecute peaceful protesters. Maybe they recall their oath of office better than the governor and the mayor do theirs. First and foremost, they swore to uphold the Constitution — a reminder to not abuse their power.

Mr. Cuomo seemed all too ready to do so by using armed officers to silence people critical of, among other things, his own policies. Among the issues at the heart of the Occupy Wall Street protest and its offshoots around the country is higher taxation of the rich, a matter on which Mr. Cuomo may be rather sensitive. While most New Yorkers favor such taxes, Mr. Cuomo contends that continuing an income tax surcharge on millionaire earners would drive them out of New York. Critics chide the governor for cutting school aid to give the rich a tax break.

http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/occupy-albany%e2%80%99s-right-to-protest/15546/

The rich and their employees are what make a man president. Simple fact.

That is a fact, folks. Not worth complaining much about. We need work-arounds to get anything. And there's not going to be any "revolution." Get serious. This is the core of what OWS is pressing -- there's no bomb-throwing on this agenda.



Occupy Wall Street is fundamentally an anti-crime movement. The $7-trillion in mortgage and AAA-crapola bond theft -- that's what tanked the economy -- Capitalism falling yet again into the pit of greed-driven organized crime.

And btw: this new/simple/borrowed_from_Socialists Rick Perry idea of a 20% flat tax with a $12,500-deductible -- eliminate the "optional" silliness -- is an amazingly good idea. The rich are going to hate that. Really hate it.

Once something like that goes in, the Federal income tax deductible gets to be the # 1 issue in each and every congressional election.

D'oh !!

[Ohio Joe]

2. Sweet!

Nice to see the police on the right side! Cheers to the Albany police :toast:

[nadinbrzezinski]

This is highly significant

[rhett o rick]

21. Yes, I agree. It's one thing to beatup on some werdo hippies but quite another

to take on a movement. The non-violence is the key.

[MadMaddie]

45. I think the other key is that the people out at the protests are

middle class Americans....the so called hippies may not do anything but the middle class folks will....

[rhett o rick]

49. I think the police are getting that message. If they arent careful they will be beating up their

friends and family.

[Rex]

27. Yes a milestone.

They are part of the 99% and don't want to be good corporate police, they didn't sign up for that.

[glowing]

44. Yes it is. I was just saying that a smaller city/ town will have a police

force that will defy the order to arrest the peaceful protestors. It will give others in other areas the idea of their own policing power to run the police department as they see fit in order to serve and protect the community. The protestors are NOT breaking the law. One will give rise to others defying the orders of the Mayors, etc to say NO, we will not dress in riot gear and march on peaceful protestors to arrest them for using their constitutional rights to assemble. Its awesome that this is the capital of NY. Its a significant victory for the 99%/ Occupation. AND its a great move in the right direction of moving this country in a positive, sane manner that works for all citizens, rather than the richest people and corporations.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Excellent, kicked and recommended for New York's Finest.

:thumbsup: :patriot:

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[provis99]

6. Albany cops, not NYC cops.

the NYC cops are causing all the problems.

[Uncle Joe]

8. Thanks for the correction, provis, kicked and recommended for Albany's Finest.

:patriot:

[quakerboy]

42. That would still make them New Yorks finest.

Unless Albany swapped states when I wasn't looking.

[DLnyc]

53. Yes. Next step NYPD rank and file push back

against the insane, unconstitutional policy of trying to force demonstrations into 'pens'.

[fascisthunter]

4. welcome to the 99%!!!!

[JuniperLea]

5. This is really something!

I'm getting all choked up!

[Poll_Blind]

7. WIN!

PB

[xchrom]

9. Er - rather - +1. nt

[originalpckelly]

10. Wow.

I shit brix.

[RKP5637]

11. K&R !!! n/t

[monmouth]

12. I hope Cuomo enjoys his governership, it's about as high as he's

going to go IMO. Not that very long ago I was thinking he'd be a great candidate on the Dem ticket for President in 2016. Wow, toasty Cuomo is all I see...

[mod mom]

31. Good, because we don't need any more corporate Dems:

TUESDAY, JUL 5, 2011 11:01 AM EDT
Cuomo’s no liberal lion

-snip

Unlike Dean, who gradually renounced the New England Republicanism that often marked his Vermont governorship, and unlike Mario Cuomo, who rarely ever backed away from progressive economics, Andrew has championed a cookie-cutter economic conservatism that’s almost indistinguishable from Northeast Republican governors like Chris Christie of New Jersey.

Take just a few recent headlines about Cuomo’s economic agenda:

“Cuomo Vows Offensive Against Labor Unions” — New York Times, 10/24/10

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo: ‘No new taxes, period’” — Associated Press, 1/1/11

“Cuomo Taps Wall Street” — Institutional Investor, 2/28/11

“Cuomo Will Seek to Lift Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing” — New York Times, 6/30/11

“Cuomo’s Budget Proposed New York Budget Would Make Deep Cuts in School Aid, State Agency Budgets” — Syracuse Post-Standard, 2/1/11

“Cuomo budget would limit drug choices for poor, raise costs for elderly” — Buffalo News, 3/4/11

-snip
http://www.salon.com/2011/07/05/cuomo_not_liberal_lion/

[RoccoR5955]

37. Cuomo knows who butters his bread.

Don't kid yourself.

Cheers to the Albany DA, and Albany Police. They understand that this is a government of, for and by WE THE PEOPLE, not them, the corporations.

[DLnyc]

54. A singularly underwhelming governor.

[stillwaiting]

62. For us: Devastating. For the 1%: Spectacular. nt

[ejpoeta]

57. i was never happy about him. mostly because we didn't get a choice.

they just decided he was the candidate and then when it's a choice between him or crazy carl who am i supposed to vote for!!! at least the crazy right wing nuts forced a primary so they got to choose who they wanted to run on their side. And they picked carl paladino. uggh. I think people thought andrew would be like his dad or something and people liked his dad. guess they know better now.

[Fire Walk With Me]

13. I LOVE TRENDS! :D

[FarCenter]

14. Thursday night, rain/snow likely, low of 31

[Pirate Smile]

15. Reminds me of what the Marine was saying to the cops. Perhaps they were listening.

:)

[harun]

69. You may be right.

[glowing]

16. And we have a first. Police saying NO! More will follow. Yes.

I was just saying this. A smaller area police will say no to the order. More will follow their lead. Then the jig is up. The 1% don't have their protection anymore. The emperor has no clothes.

[anamandujano]

48. They may envision their neighbors, friends and family in the crowd.

Plus they've had opportunity to learn the issues and know what group they are in, the citizens of the US, the 99% getting screwed by the second by the 1% that rules the planet.

[Amonester]

52. Yep. The fact that the 1% "gamble" with their pensions is starting...

to "break" in.

And not only that.

k&r

[WillyT]

17. WOW... HUGE K & R !!!

:bounce::woohoo::bounce:

:toast:

:hi:

:kick:

[shanti]

18. here's more positivity for OWS

but in sacramento:

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/24/4002988/occupy-sacramento-threatens-to.html

[Cirque du So-What]

19. I apologize for being so dismissive in the following thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2173344&mesg_id=2173344

As I said, 'actions speak louder than words,' and I am impressed with the actions of the Albany PD.

[Fire Walk With Me]

22. ...

:hug:

[War Horse]

20. Sounds promising /nt

[druidity33]

23. WOW, i love it!

May it happen OVER and OVER again!

:)

K&R

[Agony]

24. OUTSTANDING!

[redqueen]

25. K&R

Fantastic news... this bodes very well for the movement.

[Rex]

26. The blue shirts are part of the 99% and they know it.

YOU ROCK! :yourock:

[MoonRiver]

28. WOOHOO!

Cops know OWS is on THEIR side too! :woohoo:

[deafskeptic]

29. yay!

I'm tipping my hat off to the guys in blue!

[Starry Messenger]

30. k&r

[dixiegrrrrl]

32. OMG!! It's happening. It is really happening!!!!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

And Chris Hedges predicted this!!!

[wakemewhenitsover]

33. Awesome. n/t

[chill_wind]

34. Excellent turn of events. K & R!

[lsewpershad]

35. K&R

The revolution is here.

[katty]

36. K&R

[Exilednight]

38. I'm surprised Cuomo would order such a move. Guess I'm not voting for him again. n/t

[hue]

39. BEAUTIFUL!!! n/t

[woo me with science]

40. Outstanding news. K&R nt

[malaise]

41. Oh Happy Day

:applause:

[lindysalsagal]

43. THIS is my America!

:patriot:

[Ilsa]

46. Brilliant!!! I love it! nt

[whyzayker]

47. Fuck you, sheriff Andy!

92k from the Koch brothers. Time to change that "D" to an "R" - you back the wrong people and you no longer have the support of labor. At least not this one.

[donheld]

50. I hope this snow balls

[cui bono]

51. Well it does show balls.

Even if it doesn't snow balls.

[Tanelorn]

55. Yeh. Woot Woot

[Enthusiast]

56. That's the end of any Cuomo

presidential aspirations.

[spicegal]

58. Good for them. They're starting to realize they are just

as much the victims as the protestors with thousands of policemen losing jobs all over the country, AND the GOP still unwilling to even consider passing any part of The American Jobs Act. How far will rethugs go to hurt Americans? It appears quite far.

[brooklynite]

59. Not what the article said...

Every article I 've said said they were afraid of the reaction from the crowd and possible rioting. I've seen nothing that saying this is due to sympathy with the protestors.

[LWolf]

61. I love that.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I could extend it to say teachers know teaching...not politicians.

[Douglas Carpenter]

63. fantastic knr

[sandyj999]

64. Cuomo trying to bait the protesters.

And then if anything happens they will say "See we told you those hippie protesters were troublemakers."

[MissDeeds]

65. Welcome to the revolution!

K&R

[caseymoz]

66. Not so much open defiance but just pointing out budgets have been cut . . .

. . . to the point where the police can't be oppressive. A message to the wealthy that maybe they should have paid a little more in taxes. Ironic.

There's probably sympathy behind it, but law enforcement hasn't tipped its hand.

[russspeakeasy]

67. and they will continue to refuse, until a bonus is offered.

[Jester Messiah]

68. That's gonna make some rich people nervous.

Good. :evilgrin:

[Fantastic Anarchist]

70. This is a very big deal ...

Against All Authority!!! ... and the police definitely defied authority here. I think this is how it begins. ;)

[katty]

71. great, need to refuse the every growing police state of USA

[a2liberal]

72. K&R (n/t)

[Dont call me Shirley]

73. Police of Albany and NY State, you are awesome! Other police, follow their lead!