Street protests

[mrswdk]

How to deal with protestors such as those in all the anti-police protests in America, who block up roads, attack the authorities and loot shops?

Should mass protests in public places be allowed in the first place? Even unorganized ones which pose a clear threat to civil peace?

You can pick your favorite 2 options.

[notyou2]

This aint China. We don't shoot first and ask questions later.

[nietzsche]

how is it done in china?

because this is like a trap right?

[muy_thaiguy]

how is it done in china?

because this is like a trap right?

[AndyDufresne]

Is this related to the May 4th Movement or whatever it is called?


--Andy

[DaGip]

How to deal with protestors such as those in all the anti-police protests in America, who block up roads, attack the authorities and loot shops?

Should mass protests in public places be allowed in the first place? Even unorganized ones which pose a clear threat to civil peace?

You can pick your favorite 2 options.

Truly, protests largely are made up of two types of people. People that have no jobs and are poor, and people that have no jobs and are spoiled offspring of rich people. Both of which think they are truly making a difference in the world.

Protests should be allowed, but they shouldn't interfere with infrastructure and pose violent threats to people's businesses and lives.

I work for a living, I don't have time for protesting.

[tzor]

Real protesters spend all of their time "protesting" not destroying things or abusing things or any other thing that isn't a direct statement of being against something. Good protesters actually clean up after themselves. Great protesters make the police happy they are on duty.

[mrswdk]

This aint China. We don't shoot first and ask questions later.

Are you referring to Tiananmen 1989? Because that was allowed to continue for about a month and a half before the government finally lost patience.

[mrswdk]

No trap. Just wondering if people think mass assembly in public places should be allowed, especially when it is not in a pre-arranged place. And either way, how should police respond?

[notyou2]

This aint China. We don't shoot first and ask questions later.

Are you referring to Tiananmen 1989? Because that was allowed to continue for about a month and a half before the government finally lost patience.

They lost their patience 26 years ago and never got it back.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/07/2000-police-used-to-quell-pollution-protest-in-china-which-left-one-dead

[mrswdk]

That's a pretty poor article. No information about what form the protests took, how many people were there, what happened, how long it went on for, why the police resorted to force... nothing. Just 'a witness' being quoted by a New York-based organization as saying that the police used force in response to the protests and that one whole person died.

Kudos to the Guardian for their detailed, balanced coverage and stringent fact-checking.

[notyou2]

I wonder why it is so difficult to get details out of China and territories controlled by China?

OK Mrs. WDK, here are other protests quelled by the People's Republic

http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/china-used-force-to-quell-2008-tibet-protests-rights-group-114082300253_1.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-admits-sending-in-troops-to-quell-tibetan-monk-demos-795738.html

http://www.refworld.org/docid/4e142b3f9.html

[mrswdk]

What's your point?

[muy_thaiguy]

What's your point?

Probably something to do with the People's Republic of China frequently attacking protests that don't tow the party line.

[tzor]

No trap. Just wondering if people think mass assembly in public places should be allowed, especially when it is not in a pre-arranged place. And either way, how should police respond?

It all depends on the people. I'm really neutral on "flash mob" protests if they are done with due respect. I see it a lot in politics, someone has a speaking engagement at a location and outside that location across from the street in a public area a group gathers to present their signs of protest. If everyone is respectful, peaceful, and generally considerate of property, this should be a perfectly fine expression of the people.

As opposed to the occupy movement, where people generally tended to trash the place where they were protesting.

Or where the protest is designed to shut something down like in the middle of an important bridge into and out of the city.

Or where any of the protest involves assaulting people with either melted cheese, glitter or shoes.

Note, "Lady Godiva" Protests should definitely be allowed. The last thing the world needs is pepper spray on a crowd of topless ladies. (And directing a water canon on ladies with body paint is still in very poor taste. No matter how much fun it would be.)