S.W.A.T. stalks protesters outside Capitol

[Repeater]

Delegate Delores McQuinn wonders about Cops and gun rights protesters

Delegate Delores McQuinn questions the alleged double-standard. As I've pointed out, we are well-behaved and well-mannered; those protesters who were arrested were not:

At 2:17 p.m., Capitol Police officers declared that the demonstration was unlawful because many of the protesters were on the Capitol steps without a permit. Other demonstrators gathered at the bottom of the steps. The permit allowed them to assemble at the Bell Tower at the southwest corner of Capitol Square.

Police with shields held back protesters while unshielded officers performed the arrests. Those arrested were taken to the Richmond City Jail.

“It’s nice up here,” one protester on the stairs shouted to the rest of the assembly before the arrests. “The Constitution is our permit.” Yes -- Constitutional Carry!

More than 1,000 men and women of various ages had gathered at Capitol Square for the protest, which was organized largely through Facebook and other social media. The demonstrators chanted, “When women’s rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up and fight back!”

...

Abby Guskind, a 49-year-old self-described “domestic engineer,” was one of the 33 arrested.

“It’s my body, my choice,” Guskind said. “I want Gov. McDonnell to stay out of my vagina … There’s better things to do like fix our economy and leave women’s choice to them.”

...

On Saturday night, Delegate Delores McQuinn, a Democrat who represents part of Richmond, issued a statement supporting the protesters and criticizing police.

“Today’s arrests at the Capitol are just the latest example of government overreach that we’ve seen in recent weeks. The men and women who marched on Capitol Square have a right to peacefully protest without the threat that they will be arrested for exercising that right,” McQuinn said.

She said there has been an “overabundance of police presence” at demonstrations by women’s rights advocates.

“I have never seen a similar police presence when guns rights advocates assemble on Capitol Square on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday,” McQuinn said. “We must ask the question: What are they so afraid of?”

Uh, violence?

 

[Sangre]

I wonder where the snipers were perched?

Hopefully next time they'll be better prepared for this sort of obviously violent attempt to storm the Capital by force and they'll have some armored trucks with gunners mounted on top, or perhaps some tanks.

 

[Citizen]

I wonder where the snipers were perched?

Too easy. The snipers were in the Bell Tower, of course.

 

[marshaul]

Delegate Delores McQuinn questions the alleged double-standard. As I've pointed out, we are well-behaved and well-mannered; those protesters who were arrested were not:


Uh, violence?

I missed the part where there was any violence not perpetrated by the police.

The closest thing I read to anything "wrong" on the part of the protestors was moving a few feet away from their designated protest area. The horror! Send in SWAT!!!!

 

[peter nap]

I missed the part where there was any violence not perpetrated by the police.

The closest thing I read to anything "wrong" on the part of the protestors was moving a few feet away from their designated protest area. The horror! Send in SWAT!!!!

The Peoples House my Hiney!

 

[mk4]

interesting discussion on the protest and the response going on in the house right now.

 

[Repeater]

Too easy. The snipers were in the Bell Tower, of course.

So this is Texas now?

 

[Repeater]

interesting discussion on the protest and the response going on in the house right now.

Screw that -- check out the Senate:

Democratic senators denounce arrests of abortion-rights protesters

Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax, referenced police presence during a Feb. 27 nighttime protest held behind the Executive Mansion, taking note of the presence of capitol police and state police, some in SWAT gear and accompanied by dogs.

In addition to the "disturbing" legislation regarding women's rights passing through the General Assembly, she said, now "our state Capitol is becoming an armed garrison."

"Not since the Massive Resistance days of the 1960s have I seen such a disgraceful display of police presence."

So Janet is Howelling about the "Police Presence" -- as if she cared when applied to anyone else.

Meanwhile, as alluded to, over in the House:

House Minority Leader David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, said the arrests have "raised some questions about how we police our Capitol -- the people's Capitol."

Toscano has written a letter to Capitol Police Chief, Col. Anthony "Steve" Pike asking for detailed answers on how decisions are made with regard to police response to protests.

Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, thanked Capitol Police and state police for "upholding the rule of law."

"The protesters knew what the rules were. They violated them," he said.

Gilbert said that some Republicans have received threats related to the abortion bills and that there have been acts of vandalism at the Capitol.

Del. Kathy J. Byron, R-Campbell, who introduced the ultrasound abortion bill in the House, said last week that she and others had received death threats.

Across the hall in the Capitol, Sen. Louise L. Lucas, D-Portsmouth, remarked that Virginia's reputation for being reasonable has been lost.

"Now we are the transvaginal ultrasound state," she said, referencing the passage of an Byron's bill, which, in its original state would have mandated that many women seeking an abortion be subjected to the invasive imaging procedure.

Well hey Lucas, at least we are no longer known as the One Gun a Month state!

 

[mk4]

dang it! i couldn't get on-line early enough to watch the senate. by the time i was on, they were in the process of adjourning.

 

[Repeater]

More Pix at Style Weekly

Here:

Arrests at State Capitol Women's Rights Protest - March 3, 2012

My caption below:

[size=+1]Okay you people -- put your guns away now![/size]

 

[Sheriff]

I'm sorry, but there's no excuse for this intimidation factor on this particular crowd.

 

[peter nap]

 

[Repeater]

Okay, I admit, yours is better.

Besides, my reply brought your caption out of advertising captivity into its full glory.

Pick another photo from the Style Gallery and give us another snarky caption.

 

[Marco]

Oh, let me hide my face so my mother doesn't know what I really do for aliving...



This is an escalation of force to intimadate us citizens.
They'll use this to justify their over inflated budgets for new toys and tacticool training.

On, let me hide my face so my mother doesn't know what I really do for aliving...
They wouldn't dare try this at OUR peaceful demonstrations as they know at some point someone (on there side) would do something stupid and get them all :shocker:.

 

[peter nap]

 

[mk4]

They wouldn't dare try this at OUR peaceful demonstrations as they know at some point someone[I] (on there side) [/I]would do something stupid and get them all :shocker:.[/QUOTE]

yep... 2a defends and guarantees 1a. those framers... pretty smart folks, no?

 

[peter nap]

 

[crazydude6030]

I'm sorry, but there's no excuse for this intimidation factor on this particular crowd.

OT: but the abortion topic has sparked bombings and violence in the past. I agree this might be over kill but maybe those past events sparked this response.

During the VCDL event this year i saw a bunch of troopers mostly hang back watching our moves. I saw a bunch leave the grounds after we dismissed for the day.

 

[Repeater]

Peter is the Caption Maestro

I concede. The "Don't be telling me ..." is especially good.

Maybe you should share with Style Weekly!

 

[ManInBlack]

"And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free..."