Skip to content

Tag: Police

Advice For Bernie’s ‘Revolution’ & Other New Activists After DNC 2016
An activist in an "Anonymous" mask marches with a candle during a rally of Bernie Sanders supporters on July 27, 2016 in Philadelphia, near the Democratic National Convention. (Kit O'Connell)
August 1, 2016
Kit
One Comment

Advice For Bernie’s ‘Revolution’ & Other New Activists After DNC 2016

Posted in Creative Commons, Journalism, and Occupy Wall Street

I just got back from Philadelphia, where I was covering protests at the Democratic National Convention for MintPress News, so I spent a lot of time observing the activists taking the streets in America.

I’m impressed by the passion and righteous anger so many people are feeling right now, especially those of you who feel betrayed by the Democratic Party. Many of you may be taking the streets, attending nonviolent direct action trainings, and feeling the joy of holding a public space for a cause for the first time in your lives.

I don’t want the post that follows to sound like an “old man yelling at clouds,” but I’ve been an activist for a while now. I don’t claim to be the world’s greatest expert in street protest tactics, but I saw a few things that concerned me in Philly.

Read moreAdvice For Bernie’s ‘Revolution’ & Other New Activists After DNC 2016
In Dallas & Baton Rouge, Media Ignores That Veterans Pulled The Trigger
A patch on a leather jacket reads "A Marine Is Forever. Semper Fi." (Flickr / Patricia Montes Gregory)
July 19, 2016
Kit
Leave a Comment

In Dallas & Baton Rouge, Media Ignores That Veterans Pulled The Trigger

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

In the wake of shocking, deadly acts of violence, many in the media have been quick to tie the recent slayings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the Black Lives Matter movement, which advocates for the civil rights of those disproportionately affected by police violence.

Reporters even asked the family of Alton Sterling, the black man whose death at the hands of Baton Rouge police on July 5 ignited days of protests around the country, to condemn violence against police, a move widely criticized on social media.

But while the killers in Dallas and Baton Rouge were both black men who had expressed anger over police violence prior to their deaths, they had something else in common: Both were U.S. military veterans.

Read moreIn Dallas & Baton Rouge, Media Ignores That Veterans Pulled The Trigger
US Police Have Killed Nearly 9,000 Civilians Since 9/11
In this April 14, 2015 photograph, chalk in New York City's Union Square reads "Stop Murder by Police." (Flickr / The All-Nite Images)
July 14, 2016
Kit
Leave a Comment

US Police Have Killed Nearly 9,000 Civilians Since 9/11

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

Despite a number of high-profile attacks that have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Americans both in the United States and abroad, police continue to pose a far deadlier and more immediate threat to Americans than terrorists.

At least 8,882 civilians have been killed by police since 9/11. This figure is based on government data and civilian- and media-run databases of police killings, although experts agree that the true number could be far higher. By contrast, the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, still the deadliest act of terrorism committed on U.S. soil, claimed the lives of 2,996 people and injured over 6,000 others.

Even including the “Global War on Terror,” in which about 6,879 U.S. servicemembers were killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which were a direct result of 9/11, and more recent terrorist attacks like the San Bernardino shooting (14 deaths), the Orlando nightclub shooting (49 deaths), or even Thursday’s attack on Dallas police officers protecting a Black Lives Matter march (five deaths), those who receive public funds to “protect and serve” are proving to be deadlier than terrorists.

Read moreUS Police Have Killed Nearly 9,000 Civilians Since 9/11
Secretive Internet ‘Kill Switch’ And Apple Patent Could Stop You From Filming Police & Protests
A group of masked Japanese protesters film the police with a videocamera in this Dec. 21, 2008 photograph. (Flickr / David Shackelford)
July 13, 2016
Kit
Leave a Comment

Secretive Internet ‘Kill Switch’ And Apple Patent Could Stop You From Filming Police & Protests

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

As smartphones revolutionize how people interact with breaking news, internet freedom advocates are warning that “kill switch” technology could shut down this newfound form of expression during times of civil unrest.

Viral video footage of the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men recently fatally shot by police, triggered nationwide Black Lives Matter protests and renewed a nationwide discussion over the importance of easily accessible video and livestreaming to hold cops accountable.

However, police frequently target those caught filming them, even when courts have repeatedly upheld the right of citizens to do so. Police held Diamond Reynolds, Castille’s fiancee, at gunpoint while she filmed the aftermath of the shooting, and both witnesses to Sterling’s death, Chris LeDay and Abdullah Muflahi, were targeted by police after filming.

But perhaps even more worrisome than police targeting individuals for filming is the idea that the technology which allows witnesses to film and share incidents of brutality could be remotely disabled to stem dissent.

Read moreSecretive Internet ‘Kill Switch’ And Apple Patent Could Stop You From Filming Police & Protests
Law Enforcement Lobby Succeeds In Killing California Transparency Bill
November 5, 2010. An Oakland police officer, wearing a riot helmet with the visor up, looks at the photographer. (Flickr / Thomas Hawk)
June 7, 2016
Kit
Leave a Comment

Law Enforcement Lobby Succeeds In Killing California Transparency Bill

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

A California Senate committee killed a bill to increase transparency in police misconduct investigations, hampering victims’ efforts to obtain justice.

Chauncee Smith, legislative advocate at the ACLU of California, told MintPress News that the state Legislature “caved to the tremendous influence and power of the law enforcement lobby” and “failed to listen to the demands and concerns of everyday Californian people.”

California has some of the most secretive rules in the country when it comes to investigations into police misconduct and excessive use of force. Records are kept sealed, regardless of the outcome, as the ACLU of Northern California explains on its website:

Read moreLaw Enforcement Lobby Succeeds In Killing California Transparency Bill
Texas Grand Jury Won’t Indict Cop Who Shot Naked, Unarmed Black Teen
A Black Lives Matter march leaves from Austin City Hall on March 10, 2016. The lead marcher holds a "Justice for David Joseph" sign. (Kit O'Connell)
May 18, 2016
Kit
Leave a Comment

Texas Grand Jury Won’t Indict Cop Who Shot Naked, Unarmed Black Teen

Posted in Austin, Journalism, and MintPress News

On Tuesday, a grand jury declined to indict a police officer who shot a naked, unarmed black teen early this year.

Geoffrey Freeman, an Austin police officer, who is also black, shot David Joseph on the morning of Feb. 8 after police received calls about a neighborhood disturbance. Police say Joseph charged at Freeman as he exited his vehicle.

“In a matter of seconds, Freeman commanded Joseph to stop, then opened fire twice, hitting Joseph in the chest and leg, authorities have said,” the Austin American Statesman reported.

Read moreTexas Grand Jury Won’t Indict Cop Who Shot Naked, Unarmed Black Teen