News Log from AlterNet
Guantanmo on the HudsonWhile the police took a relaxed approach to Sunday's large protest against the Republican National Convention, during the week preemptive arrests became the norm. Almost 2,000 protestors have been arrested, compared to a total of six arrests during the Democratic National Convention. Even the The New York Press, a paper not known for its radical or progressive politics, puts it like this: "The message sent by all the security preparations prior to the convention was clear, but never so perfectly encapsulated as this makes it. What the NYPD and the GOP are saying to protestors of every stripe (and New Yorkers in general) is this: 'If you don't agree with us, we look at you as enemy combatants, security threats and would-be terrorists. And we're going to treat you like the diseased cattle you are.' ... It was interesting to note that in the weeks just before the convention, we stopped hearing about the "terrorist threat" altogether. Instead, we were bombarded with stories about the threats posed by protestors. A few words were switched around, but the stories were essentially the same. The most disturbing bit of information concerning the West Side holding pen, however, was buried in the Post's account. Just a brief mention: 'Cops fear some protesters might hang around after the convention to disrupt other events, like the U.S. Open, so the [police holding pen at Pier 57] will remain open indefinitely.' The U.S. Open? Other events? Like what, the 3rd Ave. Street Fair? The grand opening celebration at a new Payless Shoe Source in Queens?"