Where Is It That We Live? Nazi Germany? The KGB-infested USSR? No, wait, it's America!
cn | 29 December, 2005 11:30On December 22nd, the New York Times ran an article about NYC undercover police officers attending protests, rallies, and even vigils to gather information, videotape participants, and - as suggested by the article - inciting illegal actions by participants. From the article:
Beyond collecting information, some of the undercover officers or their associates are seen on the tape having influence on events. At a demonstration last year during the Republican National Convention, the sham arrest of a man secretly working with the police led to a bruising confrontation between officers in riot gear and bystanders.
Until Sept. 11, the secret monitoring of events where people expressed their opinions was among the most tightly limited of police powers.
Provided with images from the tape, the Police Department's chief spokesman, Paul J. Browne, did not dispute that they showed officers at work but said that disguised officers had always attended such gatherings - not to investigate political activities but to keep order and protect free speech. Activists, however, say that police officers masquerading as protesters and bicycle riders distort their messages and provoke trouble.
The article goes on to describe some of the tactics that lean toward incitement and has some video clips of the videos.
So, as in the title of this post I ask again - Where Do We Live?
(Original point to the story from the GuerillaScience Blog)
Posted in
Ethics, Politics .
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