People are crazy over here.

[LinkHero]

The judiciary over here has convicted a "godman" (i.e. his followers believe that he is an incarnation of God) of  rape, in a 15 year old court case (Don't ask). The same day, 31 people are dead and over 400 injured as the followers start rioting in the city. Now, people from abroad are coming here to support this guy. Like, how much blind belief can you have

[PZ]

The world is crazy

[Art Blade]

We had that on our news, too. So.. worldwide coverage.

Yes, the world really lacks common sense and respect.

[mandru]

This type of occurrence will always attract a sizable percentage of rioters who not only have no "vested interested" in the reason for the protest but are being drawn to the conflict for the excitement of destruction.  More so recently than ever before.  A strictly local protest has pretty much become a thing of the past.

Rage Rioting is this millennium's new preferred contact sport.  Allowing the rioters and their supporters to define the rules of engagement is a straight out stupid concept. 

Personally I believe in right of protest.  Turn out in numbers for a show of solidarity and loudly voice related grievances.  But the moment it turns ugly from the side of the protesters and rioting, destruction of property, and implementation of deadly force (that includes thrown rocks too) from the rioters breaks out it stops being a protest and becomes an open declaration of war.

***I'm not one sided on this.  The law should be applied evenly to all and that includes police, soldiers, and politicians.  A police officer who initiates unwarranted violence (or any crime) must be held accountable as criminal to the full degree of their offense and exposed to charges by lawful fellow officers.  All officers should be lawful or charged, tried, convicted, and imprisoned (if it fits the punishment of their crime) but either way they would no longer be officers.  Period!

Policeman having the full knowledge that they will not be protected by the front office and that they will be dumped into the same prison community they have committed atrocities against quickly becomes a self-correcting solution to the root of that age old problem.***

We've all seen in old western movies when two gunslingers had it out at high noon the uninvolved locals had enough sense to scramble for cover.  A riot is no different.

When violence breaks out that's the point where authentic peaceful protestors need to get out of the way, expel, and expose the violent from among them.

The police have a responsibility to accurately, and efficiently match force in the confrontation towards towards the goal of restoring a semblance of peace to any given situation.  Everyone who insists on acting as a living shield for the violent element among them then they take that risk purely upon themselves.  That conscious decision to throw cover for the violent makes them the same as the most outwardly violent among their number.  Rioter or police officer.

At least here in the U.S. Aiding and abetting carries the same legal consequences as being the criminal who has broken the law.

[PZ]

I'm totally with you mandru