NYPD Commander Anthony Bologna Pepper Sprays Citizens

[Carol]

In Raleigh, North Carolina, I was part of the annual Right to Life March (as part of the Knights of Columbus) every year. Held in downtown Raleigh, we marched around the capital building. The newspaper is headquartered across the street. There are 20,000 of us out there every year. 20,000. DUDE, 20,000!!!

20,000 is a bit of an exaggeration, eh? They do get a consistent turnout, I'm not even a resident and I know that :lol:

If Raleigh had nearly 10 percent of its population marching from Nash Square to the capitol building, the required police presence and traffic snags alone for that volume of people would get plenty of ink in the News and Observer.

The organizers themselves say it was about 1500 in 2003
http://www.worldnewspaperpublishing.com/news/FullStory.asp?loc=TCW&ID=202

The organizers themselves say it was about 1500 in 2011
http://www.nrlc.org/news_and_views/Jan2011/nv011711part2.html

I do agree with, pro-life rallies alone do not get a lot of coverage (and there are plenty that get bigger than 1500) unless a politician speaks at them. Then its huge news.

 

[Monroe]

I do agree with, pro-life rallies alone do not get a lot of coverage (and there are plenty that get bigger than 1500) unless a politician speaks at them. Then its huge news.

American politicians show up to Pro-Life rallies? If a Canadian allowed any association with a prolife movement they would be dooming their chances of being elected/re-elected.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

To tell the truth, I ignore anything that's about Pro-Lifer's. I took time to examine the opinion, I disagreed with it and moved on. As long as there are no laws restraining abortion in Canada, I'm content. Maybe there are a lot of other people that aren't interested in that debate?

I didn't see anything in the news about the NY protestors. It was only on here that I saw anything about them.

I think you hit on an interesting point. If people are not interested in 'having that debate anymore' and it's not news, then there is no reason to report it. Perhaps people are not particularly interested in 200 people in a park protesting against Wall Street?

 

[Carol]

American politicians show up to Pro-Life rallies? If a Canadian allowed any association with a prolife movement they would be dooming their chances of being elected/re-elected.

Yes they do. New Jersey governor Chris Christie (some say he could be a Presidential contender) attended one in January, here is the local coverage at the time:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/anti-abortion_rally_marks_roe.html

His attendance of that rally made was mentioned in a national story about him today:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44719797/ns/politics/#.ToZMu9SH0ao

 

[Monroe]

I think you hit on an interesting point. If people are not interested in 'having that debate anymore' and it's not news, then there is no reason to report it. Perhaps people are not particularly interested in 200 people in a park protesting against Wall Street?

The 200 people protesting on Wall Street weren't news here. A lot of people are pissed off with Wall Street.

 

[Monroe]

Yes they do. New Jersey governor Chris Christie (some say he could be a Presidential contender) attended one in January, here is the local coverage at the time:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/anti-abortion_rally_marks_roe.html

His attendance of that rally made was mentioned in a national story about him today:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44719797/ns/politics/#.ToZMu9SH0ao

I guess it's the same thing as American politicians having to prove they are Christians. Canadian Politicians distance themselves from religion. It's not a selling point here.

 

[Flea]

I don't think it should be a selling point here either. Any marriage of politics and religion cheapens both parties.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

This scumbag looks to have a history of brutality

A 2001 report recovered by intelligence blog Cyptome claims Bologna is "notorious for his previous treatment of protesters," and described an allegation by the People's Law Collective that said Bologna shoved two protesters before later returning to arrest them.
At the 2004 Republican Convention, Bologna was again cited for unnecessary force, and stands accused of false arrest and civil rights violations in a claim filed in 2007.
Alan Levine, a civil rights lawyer representing a protester allegedly held in a special detention facility for hours during the 2004 Convention, heard about the pepper spray incident and immediately thought of Bologna. "A bunch of were wondering," he said, according to The Guardian, "if any of the same guys were involved."

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/222251/20110929/anthony-bologna-nypd.htm

The expected response to his multiple attacks will be, based on previous NYPD actions, a transfer and a promotion with pay hike.

Now, given that NYC has over 2,000 police controled cameras deployed, some must be pointed at the protest area. I'm sure that there exists police footage of the events, however I doubt that will ever be shown. The NYPD is focusing much of their attention on people with cameras it seems, and the 'explanations' for the rights violations keep sounding rather strained.

http://themoderatevoice.com/123804/pepper-spray-continued/