this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2025
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People are upset at the contrast to other protests. Had they been protesting for minority rights, the cops would fucking find a reason to arrest them. And probably beat a few asses along the way.
So they are upset that the cops arrested people in this instance for breaking the law? If people were attacking them & damaging their property because they didn't like their free speech, then that is a crime.
No, they're upset that the cops themselves flagrantly violate the law to beat and arrest protesters without sufficient cause when they're leftwing protests, but when it's a bunch of literal Nazis, everything is handled politely, and suddenly, protester rights are a priority again.
For example, take kettling. The cops make the protesters move in a given direction. Again. Again. Until they've pushed the protesters into a dead end or another wall or two of cops. Typically, they keep moving in, tightening the space until there's no more. When the crowd has no choice to push back, they call it assaulting an officer, say it's turning violent and label it an illegal protest, and arrest everyone.
Of course, this is illegal as shit, which is why most protesters arrested this way get the charges dropped. The judge knows there's no case, and neither judge nor cop wants the tactics more widely publicized. But they've already broken up the protest. They've given these citizens arrest records. They've won. That protest, at least, is over, and they'll just do it again if another starts.
And that's not even counting the violence. Look at some of the footage from the 2020 George Floyd protests. If you don't agree with the protests, put aside your differences and just look at what was done to protesters and what they were doing when it was done to them. Some of those protesters that got kettled didn't just get arrested, some were attacked with less lethal options like rubber bullets. For all their reduced lethality, a couple dozen American citizens still died at the hands of their own police force. More were maimed for life with injuries including lost eyes.
I personally saw dozens and dozens of videos of police ruthlessly abusing those protesters. Things like a man laying face down on the ground when the cop standing over him shot him in the back point black with a bean bag round. An old man shoved over and cracking his head on the ground, only for the cop to just step over him and leave him there. That shit doesn't happen at Nazi protests. The cops play nice and remember how to do their fucking job for the Nazis, but try to get the cops to stop hurting people unnecessarily and see what they do.
So what are you arguing for exactly then. That since the cops have committed injustices, that they should commit more? When someone gets arrested & charges get dropped due to insufficient evidence, then that is the perfect opportunity for someone to file a lawsuit for violating their civil rights. I'm not pretending that injustices don't happen, but the solution in my eyes isn't for more injustice.
Do you believe that future injustice won't happen? No? So then yes, I desire consistent injustice, because it's explainable. With inconsistent injustice, we need to search for motive and judge that.
Are you not bothered by the inconsistency? Do you not wonder why the inconsistency exists? Does THAT not bother you? Nazis in the police force bothers me a lot. That's what we are seeing. That's why people are mad.
The problem is not the actions in the individual situation. Obviously. The problem is the actions within context. Context is what around 50% of this country sucks at understanding. Context is important. Context is the difference between self defense and murder charges. That's how important it is.