By now, it is clear that the San Diego Police Department is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in efforts to deal with dozens of peaceful Occupy San Diego protesters. Many of the police actions in response to these protests are virtual “over-kill” because the numbers of officers used way outweigh the numbers of occupiers. Time and time again, this has happened.
This morning, for example, a hundred cops were used to roust and remove about four dozen protesters sleeping out on the grassy area next to the Civic Theater. With the Chief watching, these officers clearly outnumbered the protesters and any threats that they created.
San Diego taxpayers should be outraged at the spending by the Police Department – thousands that it does not have – it is believed.
San Diego media ought to be pressing the Mayor’s Office for an accounting on these figures.
What does the City spend to sent one hundred officers out in the middle of the night to deal with less than 50 people – all of whom have been non-violent since their encampment at and around the Civic Center Plaza for 5 weeks?
The City is wasting public money and should stop harrassing Americans exercising their first amendment rights! The wasteful spending is bad enough, but taking action in the dark of night is horrifying. That is NOT what democracy is supposed to look like.
Protesters’ First Amendment rights don’t entitle them to camp out indefinitely in the plaza, ruled New York City Supreme Court Justice Michael Stallman
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/OWS_111511.pdf
It still doesnt justify the gross misappropriation of tax funds to enforce this.
Dead-of-night raids by San Diego police clad in riot gear with masks and batons to clear Occupy people from the Civic Center Plaza are way over the top and unnecessary. Such tactics worrisomely echo the practices of totalitarian regimes. Police Chief Lansdowne needs to rethink this unfortunate strategy. Even post- 9/11, this is still the US of A.
RB. I hate to break it to you, but, a judge in NewYork has absolutely no jurisdiction in California. Much less in San Diego.If you are so pro-new york maybe you should e-mail you concerns eastward.
Gee, sorry, I did not know our ‘First Amendment Rights’ were different in New York and California. Maybe a lawyer could site case law on our right to camp in California?
Gee, sorry RB but 1st amendment rights are evidently interpreted differently even within the state of New Work, even in NYC itself. As you know, of course, a judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order the very morning of the raid which permitted entry back into Liberty Park with tents etc. Billionaire Mayor Bloomberg blew off THAT judge, ignored the RTO and shopped around until he could buy himself the judge he wanted. Such is the power of the 1%.
RB.My appologies for the last sentence of the previous post. mr.rick
I started taking pictures of the officers at the plaza when they were standing around in groups of 8 or more and chatting. Informed them that I had no ill intent planned for the photos…just wanted a picture to send to my councilmember showing what a waste our tax dollars are going to. The police were simply standing around in groups talking and texting. There did not appear to be an imminent threat or any reason for so many of them to be there. I told them that they could at least pair up in groups of two and make it look like they are guarding something! (Yeah…that was a moronic thing to say, but I’m a taxpayer and I was indignant!)
City Majors and police are taking there cues from Obama justice dept and home land security. Major Quan on Oakland informed the media there that she has been on conference calls with other majors to get instructions on how to conduct these raids. Hence, they happened all over the country this week, in just the same manner. Middle of the nite, no time given to pack up belongings, massive show of force in riot gear, keep press and photogs out. Write and call White House, Justice, and federal reps and ask for support.