----Original Message Follows---- From: "Michael C. Libby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> That the protestors and police seemed to have learned to get along is encouraging to me. Yes, there was obviously some tension, but I think protests trying to stay out of bike and bus lanes and police keeping everyone safe from traffic incidents is progress.
(JM) I have a different take on this. First off, the over reaction o fthe police to Critical Mass (at least the one that was widely covered by the media and on this list) took place last March under Rybak's watch. Rybak responded by meeting with CMers and ordering the police to back off later rides and later (briefly) joining a ride himself. Perhaps just a clarification of your message since the result is the same. Rybak did work to tone down police efforts.
As to the police laying off the anti-war demos - whereas I agree that they could be over reacting and Rybak may deserve some credit I'd say it has as much to do with the (entirely peaceful) tactics of the demonstrators then anything else. Historically, Minneapolis anti-war demonstrations have had more of a radical edge than what I see presently. In 1987, for example, a March opposing a US deployment of troops to Honduras (Reagan had sent them after some Nicaraguan troops had chased Contras back across the Honduran border. He announced that this was to prevent a Nicaraguan "invasion" of Honduras) there were a number of rallys including one where a bowling ball was thrown the the window of the Armed Forces recruiting center on Lake St.
In San Francisico this year, which you mentioned, the demonstrators are deliberately blocking intersections to stop traffic. Nothing like that is happening here. Nor are there large organized radical groups to support actions like the bowling ball one. At least they're not as visible as they were in '87 (Coalition partners then included the Progressive Student Organization from the U of M and the Revolutionary Anarchist Bowling League (RABL) There was also an anarchist bookstore in town)
I need to note, that the peace movement in '87 fractured over the bowling ball action. It certainly wasn't anything everyone agreed should happen. Women Against Military Madness left the coalition and later coalition marches went on after reaching consensus that they wouldn't support destruction of property. The police, perhaps understandably, were less restrained then they have been recently.
To sum it up - I think the police are restrained because the demonstrators have been peaceful. A prolonged war or future armed conflicts initiated by the present administration may change that as people get more angry. I'm making no predictions.
Jim McGuire Como
_________________________________________________________________
Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.
________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
