A group of about thirty or forty peaceful protesters on the stairs of the Capitol were cut off when the riot police shoved the rest of the demonstrators back. The cordoned off protesters were then arrested and dragged away. Riot police literally trampled on the Great Seal of Virginia’s motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis” as they forced peaceful protesters off the plaza in front of the Capitol Thomas Jefferson designed as a temple to Democracy.
I can’t tell you how this sickens me. The protesters look like they are sitting on the steps waiting for a class picture. Then whoosh! The Powers That Be order them arrested. Peaceful protest is no longer legal? Were they threatening anyone?
Again, Moon, I refer you to Bearing Drift.
Some of the guys writing there are incredible.
Neat video. It wasn’t as bad as I had been led to believe. Pretty good restraint.
Were the protestors acting within their required permit?
Virginia is starting to look like Germany in the 1930s, with a bunch of fascist, jack-booted thugs beating up defenseless, unarmed citizens and hauling them off to the concentration camps!
@marin, have you shed off your libertarian skin? What if the issue were over gun rights rather than what females get to have shoved inside them? Would you feel differently?
I don’t know if they had a permit or not. I am surprised that you, Mr. Libertarian, would even think one needed a permit to sit on the steps of the State Capital Building.
I understand that we don’t live in the 19th century and don’t just get to wander in and out of public buildings. There are public safety risks. However, would it have been possible or sensible to have a plan for demonstrators, knowing that the most draconian cut back in reproductive rights in years was on the verge of being signed by the governor?
Wouldn’t you think that the governor who wants to be tapped for Vice President or some other national office might have thought this one through, even if he wanted to deny women rights that defy established law? Isn’t it easier to have a designated place for protestors rather than bring out storm troopers and swat teams to cart them off?
Real leaders would have anticipated demonstrations and would have created a plan with the Capital Police and the VSP. Real leaders would not have allowed such an adversarial situation to arise.
I am ashamed of my state government. I am proud of the people who cared enough to go to Richmond to let their voices be heard.
Governor McDonnell is the state leader. He allowed this legislation to get away from him and he has failed to show any leadership at all over protesters. He needed to be on top of things. He is done.
Let me make it clear….I do not fault the police for doing what they were ordered to do. They weren’t out there of their own volition. They took orders from someone. I saw no one acting unprofessional.
It is important to me that we make that distinction. The governor is responsible for them being there.
(did everyone see the dog on the leash? Nice touch.)
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/305795
TJ wouldn’t be happy.
Protesters expected to greet Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) and his wife, Maureen, when they voted for Romney on Tuesday morning at a historic train station in downtown Richmond. But the McDonnells moved up their voting time by nearly two hours, avoiding demonstrators who oppose legislation pending in the General Assembly that they say chips away at abortion rights. He said his schedule changed, and that the switch had nothing to do with the protesters.
McDonnell said he was “disappointed” by the low turnout in Virginia, where ex-senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) and former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) failed to qualify for the ballot. Virginia Republicans use primary voter lists to identity potential GOP voters for fall elections.
“If we had four candidates it would certainly be more competitive,’’ McDonnell said. But he said the Republican nominee would still be competitive in Virginia against President Obama, who won the state in 2008.
After the McDonnells left, about a dozen protesters gathered outside the building. They carried hand-made signs that said “Hi. I’m Bob McDonnell. I’m not a doctor but I play one in the Virginia State House.’’
Virginia has been in the national spotlight in recent weeks for some of its antiabortion legislation. Several bills have died during the 60-day session — including those that sought to define a fertilized egg as a person, deny state-funded abortions to poor women with grossly deformed fetuses and ban abortions after 20 weeks. But at least one — requiring women to get an ultrasound before an abortion — is on McDonnell’s desk after being amended to no longer mandate a transvaginal procedure. He has until the end of the week to sign the bill.
Frances Broaddus-Crutchfield of Powhatan said she was disappointed but not surprised that McDonnell voted earlier than expected. “I don’t think he wants to face us,’’ she said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/turnout-sparse-as-virginians-cast-gop-primary-ballots/2012/03/06/gIQAZBTjuR_blog.html?hpid=z2
McDonnell is a chicken by-product
“@marin, have you shed off your libertarian skin? What if the issue were over gun rights rather than what females get to have shoved inside them? Would you feel differently?”
The gun rights people that march on the GA always are respectful of law enforcement, obtain permits when required and meet the requirements of that permit.
“I don’t know if they had a permit or not. I am surprised that you, Mr. Libertarian, would even think one needed a permit to sit on the steps of the State Capital Building.”
The URL provided by Steve indicates that they did have a permit for their protest and they deviated from that permit by sitting on the capitol steps. When given a lawful order to disperse they did not. They broke the law. Now me personally I think they should only be given a civil fine and not a full arrest record but that’s just my opinion. If I were on a jury I’d push for that or outright nullify in support of the 1A.
“There are public safety risks. However, would it have been possible or sensible to have a plan for demonstrators, knowing that the most draconian cut back in reproductive rights in years was on the verge of being signed by the governor?”
There was a plan. The protestors violated their permit. The plan was for them not to be where they were arrested.
“Isn’t it easier to have a designated place for protestors rather than bring out storm troopers and swat teams to cart them off?”
I doubt the governor was even involved. It was all handled by law enforcement according to their playbook. They may have briefed him but I would guess the GA would’ve been briefed before the governor.
“Real leaders would not have allowed such an adversarial situation to arise.”
As a plan was filed and VSP knew about that plan they only reacted once the situation escalated because of the protestors. Mind you, I’m no major fan of law enforcement (unless they’re removing poor people from my yard) but in this case I see no fault on them.
I think if you look at this objectively you’ll see that some people wanted to be seen as martyrs on Maddow and wanted to be carted away. They made their point and no one was injured.
What’s with the guys sitting there? Are they looking to have things shoved inside them?
@SlowpokeRodriguez
I think the guys were either true believers or were looking for a ‘date’. 😉