You use psychology (via Radley). Â Other PDs need to observe & learn.
All of the cops who weren’t busy transporting and processing the voluntary arrestees lined up, blocking the stairs down into the plaza. They stood shoulder to shoulder. They kept calm and silent. They positioned the weapons on their belts out of sight. They crossed their hands low in front of them, in exactly the least provocative posture known to man. And they peacefully, silently, respectfully occupied the plaza, using exactly the same non-violent resistance techniques that the protesters themselves had been trained in.
It may be viscerally satisfying to see the little Marxist freaks getting waffle stomped, but it only adds fuel to the fire and gins up more support in certain circles, while making the cops look all Jack Booted. Â This approach ends the situation peacefully, the protesters get no more fuel, and the police score a major positive PR victory.
This only works if both sides are willing to be peaceful, unlike what happened at UCD, where the protesters chased and trapped the police.
Not only what Dag said, but if/when this becomes the norm, you will only have black bloc types staying behind. The left will have its violence one way or the other. And no matter who “starts it” it will be blamed on the constabulary.
dagamore – When did the protesters chase & trap police? I missed that bit?
Phil – Then the police should change tactics. Never let the protesters govern how the situation will develop. It takes a mob a lot longer to adapt to changing tactics than it takes a military or para-military force with electronic communication equipment & centralized command.
Police are constantly telling us how smart & professional they are, but they constantly fall back on violence at the first blush of trouble.
here you, nsfw video, the ‘protesters’ have same interesting choices, and keep forcing an escalation/confrontation thinking this is just a game, they follow(chase might be to harsh of a word) to police, surround them and then try to bargain, threaten, and force the police to do what they want. Because they think its a game. It is Not A GAME.
on the other hand, the police very very slowly worked up the force ladder until they are forced to use pepper spray to stop the illegal actions by the OWS “special little snowflakes.”
And after the SLS get sprayed hey now, they will allow the police to leave. I still think most of the SLS think this is a game, and that they ‘won’.
yeah before i forget the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hhPdH3wE0_Y