/ Xeni Jardin / 10:06 pm Sat Nov 12, 2011

Police to Occupy Cal protester, after cracking his rib with baton blow: "You have no rights"

From The Daily Californian: "For UC Berkeley graduate student Alex Barnard, the most disempowering moment of Wednesday night was not when he was repeatedly hit with a police baton, cracking one of his ribs. Instead, the most disturbing moment of his experience came afterward, when he says an officer told him he had 'no rights.'" (via @LucyKafanov)

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    1. Actually, it does.  They have the power, and the firepower.  Until people are willing to fight back, cops DO make the rules.

    2. Since the Pittsburgh G20 we’ve seen that the only place you “might” be able to assert your rights is in court.  There you can have all the rights you can afford.

  2. Maybe the police are trying to help the 99% by giving them lots and lots of free money through the legal system?

  3. The cop should be fired as he clearly has no understanding of the constitution or his purpose as a peace officer.

  5. so. . .  I’m not enough of a crazy conspiracy theorist to claim that this is a deliberate attempt to pull the focus away from the Occupy Protests themselves, but it’s certainly having that effect, for me at least.

    I’m starting to think of OWS less as a protest of the crazy financial gambles than nearly crashed the USA, and more as the event that exposed California law enforcement as being violently abusive and out of control. 

  6. Know your rights.

    … you have the right… to free speech…
    (as long as you’re not dumb enough to actually try it!)

  7. Alex Barnard is awfully naive if a lie from a cop hurt more than a cracked rib.  Time to grow up and learn how the Bill of Rights actually works in our favor.

    1. Stonewalker, it’s awful sad to blame victims. You’re not so naive as to feel tough after defending someone elses oppressors, are you?

      1. Oh man, I’m absolutely not defending police who lie to their suspects/victims.  I’m not defending the fact that we “normal people” must remember 10’s of thousands of laws, and that police are not held accountable for the same thing.  I’m not defending the fact that federal LEO can lie to us, but it is a federal crime for us to lie to federal LEO.

        I’m not trying to be an internet tough guy.  I’m really, honestly hoping that Alex Barnard (as well as ALL the OWS guys) learn what civil rights under the constitution are, and how to assert them.

        Here’s my little soapbox for this comment – one of the only constitutional amendments I would advocate for right now (and that would have a decent chance of passing) would be one that forces all Federal laws to expire after 10 years.  All of them.  This would force our Congress to actually get things done and would allow us to review bad laws all the time.

        1. Maybe. But I can imagine them having 15 days to reauthorize the Judiciary Act, when someone adds a rider forbidding the courts to take up First Amendment claims, or requiring everyone to buy insurance from organized crime in his district, or prohibiting the manufacture and sale of birth-control pills.

          1. Trial by fire.  The laws we like stay, the laws we don’t, go.  We the people need to not be lazy about things like the Judiciary Act.  I’m actually not educated about that one at all.  BRB gotta go read!

        2. Oh, right. We should totally, every ten years or so, reevaluate whether women and minorities should have the right to vote and own property.  And whether separate but equal is feasible and just. And whether freedom of assembly should be granted. And whether states should be allowed to define the parameters of acceptable bedroom antics between consenting adults. This seems like a fine way to “get things done.”

          1. Well, half of what you listed is on the constitution, and would not expire.  It would require a constitutional amendment to change those things.  But we would get to re-evaluate laws that Congress has passed that restrict these freedoms you speak of.

            You are thinking about this problem in the wrong way.

  9. In the meantime, Frank Miller (the graphic novel guy) is letting us know how much the 1% love us:

    http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/frank_miller_posts_idiotic_reactionary_rant_about_occupy_wall_street/

    Everybody’s been too damn polite about this nonsense:
     
    The “Occupy” movement, whether displaying itself on Wall Street or in the streets of Oakland (which has, with unspeakable cowardice, embraced it) is anything but an exercise of our blessed First Amendment. “Occupy” is nothing but a pack of louts, thieves, and rapists, an unruly mob, fed by Woodstock-era nostalgia and putrid false righteousness. These clowns can do nothing but harm America.
     
    “Occupy” is nothing short of a clumsy, poorly-expressed attempt at anarchy, to the extent that the “movement” – HAH! Some “movement”, except if the word “bowel” is attached – is anything more than an ugly fashion statement by a bunch of iPhone, iPad wielding spoiled brats who should stop getting in the way of working people and find jobs for themselves.
     
    This is no popular uprising. This is garbage. And goodness knows they’re spewing their garbage – both politically and physically – every which way they can find.
     
    Wake up, pond scum. America is at war against a ruthless enemy.
     
    Maybe, between bouts of self-pity and all the other tasty tidbits of narcissism you’ve been served up in your sheltered, comfy little worlds, you’ve heard terms like al-Qaeda and Islamicism.
     
    And this enemy of mine — not of yours, apparently – must be getting a dark chuckle, if not an outright horselaugh – out of your vain, childish, self-destructive spectacle.
     
    In the name of decency, go home to your parents, you losers. Go back to your mommas’ basements and play with your Lords Of Warcraft.
     
    Or better yet, enlist for the real thing. Maybe our military could whip some of you into shape.
     
    They might not let you babies keep your iPhones, though. Try to soldier on.
     
    Schmucks.
     
    FM

    – http://frankmillerink.com/2011/11/anarchy

    1. Christ, what an asshole.

      Although, reflecting upon some of his artistic work, it’s not surprising that Frank Miller would see the world in black-and-white.

  10. If nothing else these people are allowing people whom have lost houses jobs and struggle everyday to feed their kids a voice ..A chance that we can stop the greed and corruption.

  11. Inverted Totalitarianism is a state of society in which corporations determine the political and socioeconomic policies, political apathy of the population is desired and political activism is punished and where pretenses of a democracy are maintained as an illusion for the general populace.

  12. “We already knew that if an encampment got started on the campus we were going to have health and safety issues, we were going to have public safety issues (and) we were going to have an element on the campus that does not fit with the academic business that is conducted,” 
    Wow. So the protesters were arrested because of the crimes the Police already knew were going to happen, but had not even happened yet. When did they get a “Future Crime” division? Its all so very scifi.

    1. So the protesters were arrested because of the crimes the Police already knew were going to happen, but had not even happened yet.

      Which is why the charges will be dropped, as always. The cops are just pushing people around, nothing more.

  15. UC Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau uses UCPD to silence potests against increases in tuition. 

    University of California Berkeley hijack’s our kids’ futures. I love University of California (UC) having been student & lecturer. But today I am concerned that at times I do not recognize the UC I love. Like so many I am deeply disappointed by the pervasive failures of Regent Chairwoman Lansing, President Yudof, Chancellor Birgeneau from holding the line on rising costs & tuition increases. Paying more is not a better education.

    Californians are reeling from 19% unemployment (includes: those forced to work part time; those no longer searching), mortgage defaults, loss of unemployment benefits. And those who still have jobs are working longer for less. Faculty wages must reflect California’s ability to pay, not what others are paid.

    Current pay increases for generously paid University of California Faculty is arrogance. Instate tuition consumes 14% of Ca. Median Family Income!

    Paying more is not a better education. UC Berkeley(# 70 Forbes) tuition increases exceed the national average rate of increases. Chancellor Birgeneau has molded Cal. into the most expensive public university.

    UC President Yudof, Cal. Chancellor Birgeneau ($450,000 salary) dismissed many much needed cost-cutting options. They did not consider freezing vacant faculty positions, increasing class size, requiring faculty to teach more classes, doubling the time between sabbaticals, cutting & freezing pay & benefits for chancellors & reforming pensions & the health benefits.

    They said such faculty reforms “would not be healthy for UC”. Exodus of faculty, administrators? Who can afford them and where would they go?

    We agree it is far from the ideal situation, but it is in the best interests of the university
    system & the state to stop cost increases. UC cannot expect to do business as usual: raising tuition; granting pay raises & huge bonuses during a weak economy that has sapped state revenues & individual Californians’ income.

    There is no question the necessary realignments with economic reality are painful. Regent Chairwoman Lansing can bridge the public trust gap with reassurances that salaries & costs reflect California’s ability to pay. The sky above UC will not fall when Chancellor Birgeneau is ousted.

    Opinions? Email the UC Board of Regents  marsha.kelman@ucop.edu

  16. Anonymous should find out the identity of the cop that cracked this guy’s rib and strip him of his rights, such as the right to privacy and feeling safe.

  17. Ah yes, the cartoonist Frank Miller.  Which war did he serve in again?  (Offstage whispers.)  Oh, so he MUST have served during peace-time, right?  (Offstage whispers.)  Oh, so he’s just a cartoonist.  (Offstage whispers.)  AND HE DIRECTED ROBOCOP 3?  Who does this loser think he is?

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