Violence anticipated from protestors during the GOP Convention

[Comrade]

FBI Expects Violence at GOP Convention
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...p/20040818/ap_on_re_us/gop_convention_protest

WASHINGTON - The FBI (news - web sites) anticipates violent protests at the upcoming Republican National Convention in New York but does not have enough evidence to move against any group or person, the bureau's top terrorism official said Wednesday.


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New York officials have said they expect hundreds of thousands of people to stage demonstrations around the convention, which begins Aug. 30.


Concern over the convention comes amid heightened security across New York over fears that foreign terrorists might strike the city again. New York remains on a "high" terrorism alert level, while most of the country is on elevated alert.


Federal investigators have infiltrated some organizations and are monitoring plans for protests being published on the Internet. The FBI also interviewed some protesters around the country before last month's Democratic convention in Boston and in anticipation of the GOP convention.


"We don't have any specific plot where we have all the variables we need to go out and take pre-emptive and judicial action," said Gary Bald, assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division.


The FBI has noted that some activist Web sites critical of Republicans and the convention include links to a site that lists Molotov cocktails, slingshots and bolt cutters as appropriate "offensive weapons" to carry during protests.


Three Democratic lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee (news - web sites) have criticized the FBI's interviews of protesters around the country. They asked the Justice Department (news - web sites)'s inspector general to investigate what they called "possible violations of First Amendment free speech and assembly rights."


The committee's ranking Democrat, Michigan's John Conyers, along with Reps. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott of Virginia and Jerrold Nadler of New York, said in a letter that the FBI "appears to be engaged in systematic political harassment and intimidation of legitimate anti-war protesters."


Bald, speaking with about 20 reporters at the bureau's headquarters, said FBI agents have interviewed only protesters they believed were plotting to firebomb media vehicles at the conventions or might have known about such plots. All these investigations are being treated as terrorism cases, Bald said.


"I've got more than enough to keep my people busy than to worry about if a protester is pro or con on some issue," Bald said. He called it "critically important that citizens have the ability to exercise their First Amendment rights."


Bald added, "We don't monitor rallies; we don't monitor people at rallies." But the FBI will open an investigation if it learns from tips, informants or other methods that protesters are planning to commit violent acts, Bald said.


The warning of a possible attack against media trucks, disclosed days before the Democratic convention, was based on claims by an informant who described an alleged plot by self-described anarchists in the Midwest to throw Molotov cocktails at television vans, a senior U.S. law enforcement official said.


Mark Silverstein, the Colorado legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites), said he was "very skeptical of the FBI's claim." The ACLU, which was contacted by some of the protesters who were interviewed by the FBI, said agents never asked directly about such an alleged plot.


Meanwhile, in New York, an anti-war group planning a massive demonstration the day before the GOP convention asked a judge Wednesday to overrule city officials and let protesters gather in Central Park. Lawyers for United for Peace and Justice argued that the city's denial violates the state constitution.


City officials had said the expected crowd at the Aug. 29 rally, which could exceed 250,000 people, would damage the grass.

Democrats had a caged off area on a back street for this same venue. Nobody really cared or complained out that.


But see now there are pre-emptive complaints against the FBI who "appears to be engaged in systematic political harassment and intimidation of legitimate anti-war protesters."

Some of these groups were already trying to set up their members to test positive for bomb residue, to disrupt security. So NO DUH, harrass the fuck out of these types, I care little.


And a judge who may now rule to allow all of Central Park open to all protestor. Charge him for any damages. It doesn't matter what he rules, we know they'll still gather march up to the convention center and intentionally cooridinate that violence WILL break out.

Is any else sick of this double standard?

 

[Annie]

FBI Expects Violence at GOP Convention
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...p/20040818/ap_on_re_us/gop_convention_protest




Democrats had a caged off area on a back street for this same venue. Nobody really cared or complained out that.


But see now there are pre-emptive complaints against the FBI who "appears to be engaged in systematic political harassment and intimidation of legitimate anti-war protesters."

Some of these groups were already trying to set up their members to test positive for bomb residue, to disrupt security. So NO DUH, harrass the fuck out of these types, I care little.


And a judge who may now rule to allow all of Central Park open to all protestor. Charge him for any damages. It doesn't matter what he rules, we know they'll still gather march up to the convention center and intentionally cooridinate that violence WILL break out.

Is any else sick of this double standard?

Here's another site for these sweet peaceniks!

http://www.rncnotwelcome.org/fighttheman.html

 

[Avatar4321]

The real danger in this is distracting the police from doing their jobs and thereby allowing the terrorists to actually attack.

Regardless dem protesters are stupid. yeah you really want to bring attention to what Bush and Cheney are saying. thats so going to help your cause.

 

[Comrade]

The real danger in this is distracting the police from doing their jobs and thereby allowing the terrorists to actually attack.

Yeah, that's what angers me the most about this planned protest.

 

[west2004]

Why do liberals have to be so violent in their protests, when in principle they are supposed to be so anti violence??

 

[Annie]

Why do liberals have to be so violent in their protests, when in principle they are supposed to be so anti violence??

They are delusional or they lie. Take your pick.

 

[Psychoblues]

Amercans by nature and training are "peaceniks". War is for the ignorant and the suckers. I've been both.

Psychoblues

God Bless America

 

[Annie]

Amercans by nature and training are "peaceniks". War is for the ignorant and the suckers. I've been both.

Psychoblues

God Bless America

I do not think I'm either, not ignorant or a sucker. I would like to be a 'peacenik' but it's not meant to be, at least not in 2004.

 

[Comrade]

Why do liberals have to be so violent in their protests, when in principle they are supposed to be so anti violence??

Extremist Liberals, one sect for example, the Communists, are every bit as violent and inhumane about enforcing their will as extremist conservative groups like Fox News and the Boy Scouts. Haha. But really, the Nazi regime was a mirror image of Stalinist rule in the USSR. That's what I mean in fact.


A massive, violent show of force to protest the opposing regime, is always a leftist party mandate. As long as I rememer that's what I've seen (and also up close while in Seattle).

Ruling leftist regimes have starved, executed, and inflicted pain upon far more people than any other style of regime in the last century of all societies on earth. They are killers seeking total power, in the grand scheme.

And they, the Communists, have been far more effective than the Nazi party ever was in racking up a body count in this last century to fulfill their ideological mandate.

 

[Psychoblues]

I can only suppose the fiasco in Florida escaped you, pretty much like the Pinkerton thing did? Am I correct?

Bullying is not a trait of Democrats. It is quite verifiable amongst the more traditional, Republican Party. History defies you, doesn't it?

Psychoblues

God Bless America

 

[insein]

This will be great. Not for the people that live there but the news will be covering every minute of their anarchy. The people will see who the real democratic party supports.

 

[Annie]

I can only suppose the fiasco in Florida escaped you, pretty much like the Pinkerton thing did? Am I correct?

Bullying is not a trait of Democrats. It is quite verifiable amongst the more traditional, Republican Party. History defies you, doesn't it?

Psychoblues

God Bless America

Lol, you are sitting out this election Psycho? Not noticing what the dems are doing in NYC? If that isn't inciting ala bullying what is???

What is your take of what happened in FL? 2000 is my assumption of your referral? Bush won every recount. Gore took to court and lost. Your point?

 

[Psychoblues]

I've explained this before. Gore did not, you liar, take this to court. Bush did. Gore was willing for the state to handle the recount. Bush sought Federal intervention to STOP it. The table was set for the dictator and the dictator won, so to speak. Recount it any way you like but facts are facts. BUSH V GORE, not the other way around despite all your argument to the contrary.

Psychoblues

God Bless America

 

[insein]

times must be getting desperate. Psycho has a sixer of pabst blue ribbon and he's rollin out the one liners in style tonight.

 

[Hobbit]

I've explained this before. Gore did not, you liar, take this to court. Bush did. Gore was willing for the state to handle the recount. Bush sought Federal intervention to STOP it. The table was set for the dictator and the dictator won, so to speak. Recount it any way you like but facts are facts. BUSH V GORE, not the other way around despite all your argument to the contrary.

Psychoblues

God Bless America

Get over yourself. That was 4 years ago and everybody from NPR to the NYT has done their own recounts and Bush won EVERY SINGLE TIME. Gore was just being a baby.

 

[Psychoblues]

Gore was being prudent and refrained from being a bully. Bush filed and pursued the lawsuit. All your bullshit in the world can't change that fact. In any event, Gore still won the popular vote and Bush is still looked upon as somewhat a loser in world opinion. Try as you may, you can't change that. 'Tis true that our media embellishes the credibility of Bush, but there is no credibility in a questioned election. And you can take that to the bank.

Psychoblues

God Bless America

 

[Annie]

I've explained this before. Gore did not, you liar, take this to court. Bush did. Gore was willing for the state to handle the recount. Bush sought Federal intervention to STOP it. The table was set for the dictator and the dictator won, so to speak. Recount it any way you like but facts are facts. BUSH V GORE, not the other way around despite all your argument to the contrary.

Psychoblues

God Bless America

I am not a liar, wouldn't try that one again either, word to the wise. The most I'll say about you is that you are mistaken:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/election/magtimeline.htm

The postelection events day by day

SUNDAY, NOV. 12


2 a.m. Chaos. A sample recount turns up 19 more votes for Gore. The Palm Beach County Canvassing Board votes 2 to 1 for a full recount of all 460,000 ballots. A manual recount of all ballots, says County Commissioner Carol Roberts, “clearly would affect the results of the national election.”

10:06 a.m. Volusia County officials begin a manual recount of all 184,018 ballots. County lawyers move quickly to fight a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

MONDAY, NOV. 13


9 a.m. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris orders all counties to finish their recounts by the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

10 a.m. Volusia County sues to extend certification deadline. Lawyers for Palm Beach County, Gore campaign join suit. Bush lawyers join Florida to block extension. NOTE PSYCHO, WHICH CAME FIRST!

1 p.m. U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks in Miami rejects Bush’s attempt to stop manual recounts in Florida.

2-3 p.m. Harris issues legal opinion on Palm Beach recount conflicting with one Tuesday by Attorney General Butterworth.

4 p.m. Gore appears on television, says it’s important to “spend the days necessary” to determine the winner.

7-8 p.m. A hand recount of 4,000 ballots in Broward County finds no big problems. County rejects full recount. Dem ocrats vow to appeal.

TUESDAY, NOV. 14


8:15 a.m. Palm Beach County votes 2 to 1 to suspend its hand recount of all ballots after conflicting legal opinions.

11 a.m. James Baker proposes that Democrats drop their lawsuits and accept the state tally as of 5 p.m., including any hand counts in by then, and await the overseas absentee ballots. Warren Christopher declines: “That’s like offering you the sleeves from your vest.”

11:30 a.m. Miami election officials decide to hand count a sample of precincts, later deciding against a full recount.

1 p.m. In Tallahassee, Judge Terry Lewis says the 5 p.m. deadline for certifying vote totals should stand but says counties can file supplemental or corrected totals later. Harris can ignore these, Lewis orders, only if she uses “proper exercise of discretion.” Officials in Volusia Countyjoined later by Broward and Palm Beach counties move to appeal Lewis’s ruling.

3:30 p.m. Broward Circuit Judge John Miller allows the county to go ahead with a manual recount of all ballots cast throughout the county.

4:30 p.m. Palm Beach decides to submit its machine-counted results to the state and to proceed with a manual recount of all ballots Wednesday.

5 p.m. The deadline arrives for counties to certify and report their election returns to the secretary of state’s office.

7:37 p.m. Harris issues vote totals as of 5 p.m. Bush holds a 300-vote margin, which is considerably less than the 1,784-vote margin he had immediately after the election. Harris says she will comply with Judge Lewis’s order to consider late returns. She gives two heavily Democratic counties until 2 p.m. Wednesday to explain, in writing, why they want to add hand recounts after the 5 p.m. deadline.