you know, sometimes i forget to appreciate the ethics and principles of those who, entrusted with our authority, uphold that trust in the face of what is admittedly very difficult moments.
then, i run into those who do not and it reminds me to be more mindful and appreciative.
the following YouTube video, just posted, records the manner in which the New York Police Department’s “finest” actually worked at turning a peaceful ‘Free Tibet’ rally into an all out shove fest so they could justify making arrests.
it shows two officers of the NYPD committing assault upon people in crosswalks trying to taunt them into retaliation.
it shows those same two officers cornering and then ‘in your face’ screaming at people to try and work them up.
when one of them noticed they were being recorded screaming at a protester, “I’ll fucking kill you.” what did they do? they did what anyone would expect, they told the person holding the camera to turn it off.
as if.
they called in reinforcements for this peaceful rally. they drove a NYPD bus onto the sidewalk to try and force them into the street (where they might justify an arrest), but accidentally left enough room for people to single file through, which they did.
when they finally were able to provoke a few people into reaction, they proceeded to use clubs to beat them into the sidewalk prior to handcuffing them. why? no one resisted them. THESE ARE BUDDHISTS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
when they realized the person recording was still doing so, they actually harrassed him across the street from where the now clumped up mass of officers were attempting to continue to impede the peaceful protesters.
the video was placed at YouTube in protest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7NUNwq2MGc
if you’re as sickened by what you see as i am, please take a moment to tell the NYPD commissioner that you think so by going here and leaving a comment (you do not have to fill out the form if you choose to remain anonymous):
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mailnypd.html
if you’re one whose not much for words, feel free to use the statement i sent along:
Shame upon the NYPD for essentially inciting and then beating peaceful demonstrators of the recent “Free Tibet” rally. I am sickened to have witnessed this outrageous act perpetrated upon peaceful demonstrators.
You should be ashamed of your people. This is a pathetic thing to have happen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7NUNwq2MGc .
and feel free to copy this post or the youtube link to any place you think might find others who would be as disgusted by the callous and manipulative acts of the NYPD in relation to an entirely peaceful protest.