errantgeek
Posts: 156
Joined: 6/20/2011
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DarqueMirror
Not when you're being ordered back you don't. Too many people with unknown skill sets and intentions in an emergency situation can do more harm than good. It's the police officer's job to secure the scene and make it safe to render aid to the injured. If no EMTs or other medical professionals are present, the officer can use his first-aid training to attempt to stabilize the victim. He can't do that, however, until the scene is secured and the danger (from unknown individuals advancing on a police barricade) has been minimized.
Except for the fact that...
Most occupy groups have organized and self-identified (visually and verbally) volunteer medic corps, who are generally trained first responders at least.
Telling enough, in that video there were no visible, attending medical professionals in the event a protester or officer was injured. Also telling enough, despite the fact there was a clearly-wounded person on the ground absolutely no attempt was made by the police to secure the immediate area or the injured person, temporarily extend the barricade to secure the injured person nor even a warning given to stay back so the injured person could be secured.
Moreover, the demonstrators were clearly by body language and by actual movement not advancing on the barricade and had no hostile intentions towards the police. To wit, they were moving slowly and intentionally towards the injured person clearly indicating their intent to help the injured person through voice and body language. Moreover, officers were actively monitoring the situation, including the one who intentionally waited until the protesters had gathered around the wounded person to throw the flashbang.
The officer's position would be sympathetic, and his actions justifiable, had the crowd actually advanced on the barricade, moved quickly or with anything but clearly non-hostile intent, hadn't been screaming for help and they were helping the injured person, had he not been actively monitoring the situation, had he and his fellow officers actually made a move to secure the injured person opposed to hold the barricade, had he not waited until the crowd had gathered to use a dispersal technique, or had the demonstrators not had identified and visible medics on-site. As it happens, none of those circumstances were the case, rendering the officer's actions completely indefensible; it's pretty clear cut, if you would break away from partisan bias and actually watch the video for what it is.
With that said, I cannot help but notice you have yet to respond to the clear credibility gap that exists between protesters and the Oakland PD in this matter. The Oakland PD and its representatives have already either indicated ignorance or confusion as to what occurred, or intentionally told mistruths regarding police conduct during, Tuesday morning and evening. In other words, they're either stupid or lying. This is demonstrably the case, with a great deal of photo and video evidence as support. That casts serious doubts on the Oakland PD's side of the story and makes their statements highly suspect, which means "what the police say" in no way acceptable on face value opposed to what you claim.
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RE: Current raid on Atlanta...another in Oakland - 
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