As a rule, the police are tools of the state. If the state treats protest as treason, the police will treat protesters as traitors.
The reason I am concerned is that, over the past decade or so, protest has become routinely treated as treason. As someone who believes in the old saw — I may disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it, (no quotes, since I don't think I have it exactly right) — I get a lot more concerned when the police are breaking heads and protesters are kept in special "protest zones", than when a few dozen (or even a few hundred) "anarchists" are breaking windows.
It frightens me how quick people are to give up their liberties if they don't feel they are directly involved.
You Seem to Have Missed the Point
Date: 2008-09-05 07:34 pm (UTC)The reason I am concerned is that, over the past decade or so, protest has become routinely treated as treason. As someone who believes in the old saw — I may disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it, (no quotes, since I don't think I have it exactly right) — I get a lot more concerned when the police are breaking heads and protesters are kept in special "protest zones", than when a few dozen (or even a few hundred) "anarchists" are breaking windows.
It frightens me how quick people are to give up their liberties if they don't feel they are directly involved.