Off-Topic III: The Revengening!

[40kGamer]

even the (reasonable) right-wing elements are now saying "hmm, maybe giving the police tons and tons of military gear isn't a good idea". I'm hoping that the nation might actually do something useful this time, but I'm not going to bet spending money on it.

I'm not going to risk a wager on anything positive coming out of this debacle either! Whoever thought giving the police military gear was a good idea deserves to wear a dunce cap and set in the corner. That's why we have the national guard and let's not forget the actual armed forces!

[Wildeybeast]

Don't forget we had our rioting that went national because of the killing of one youth in london.

But the two are rather different. That was a lawful killing of an armed man in pre-planned police operation. The riots that followed were not really anything to do with that, it was just yobs nicking stuff.

[Kirsten]

yeah and whats worst, TWICE in the HEAD.

It's things like that which make me glad here in the UK most of our police ARE unarmed....

yeah, absolutely. when Lee Rigby was killed an american friend of mine was saying that the british army needed to be deployed in cities on a permanent basis, and all police armed. because clearly that will stop a nutter running you over and killing you...

Ferguson news:

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/police-protesters-collide-again-ferguson-071214374.html[/url]

This quote really stood out: "Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, who is in charge of security in Ferguson, said bottles and Molotov cocktails were thrown from the crowd and that some officers had come under heavy gunfire. At least two people were shot and 31 were arrested, he said. He did not have condition updates on those who were shot. Johnson said four officers were injured by rocks or bottles."

Is it just me or does a statement saying that officers came under heavy gunfire but their only injuries were from rocks sound like a blatant lie?

yeah highly suspect. it is absolutely astonishing how badly the police have handled this, you really wouldn't think they could be so stupid. as if they can get away with simply cracking down harder and harder on protesters. they don't like us using riot gear and beating them up, I know, rubber and wooden bullets, more threats, and more arrests, that will stop it...

apparently at one point some journalists were rounded up and put in a pen, then tear gassed.

you know things are getting ridiculous when the national guard are brought in and they might be a better option.

and you can always count on The Onion 'Battleship awkwardly propped up against Ferguson Police Department
[url]http://www.theonion.com/articles/battleship-awkwardly-propped-up-against-ferguson-p,36719/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm _campaign=Pic:1efault[/url]

[40kGamer]

And the comedy of errors continues.... Seriously, is no one trained to defuse a volatile situation...

"With City on Edge, St. Louis Police Shoot and Kill Another Man"

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/city-edge-st-louis-police-shoot-kill-another-191548306.html[/url]

[Wolfshade]

But the two are rather different. That was a lawful killing of an armed man in pre-planned police operation. The riots that followed were not really anything to do with that, it was just yobs nicking stuff.

No you are quite right in that respect

[Wildeybeast]

And the comedy of errors continues.... Seriously, is no one trained to defuse a volatile situation...

"With City on Edge, St. Louis Police Shoot and Kill Another Man"

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/city-edge-st-louis-police-shoot-kill-another-191548306.html[/url]

If we believe the police accounts, he was waving a knife at officers and refused their instructions to drop it. They only shot him when he got dangerously close to them. Some news reports were saying he was screaming 'kill me' at them. The problem is, a lot of people won't believe them given their recent behaviour.

This is another example of the difference in our policing styles. Over here, police are trained to disarm people wielding knives (mostly it consists is hitting them with big sticks) and all wear stab vests. If they felt the need to call armed support, it most likely would have been a taser unit that arrived. If the reports about him shouting 'kill me' are true, they would mostly likely have guessed mental health issues and done their utmost to talk him down. Is this common behaviour for police in America 'shoot first, worry about consequences later' or are they just super on edge at the moment?

[Psychosplodge]

They tend not to bother with the sticks now and just tazer knife wielders these days, at least thats what reality tv has taught me.

[Gotthammer]

Is this common behaviour for police in America 'shoot first, worry about consequences later' or are they just super on edge at the moment?

When you [URL="http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/17/4123183/behind-bars-a-brutal-and-unexplained.html"]don't normally have to worry about consequences[/URL] you just shoot first:

But nearly two years after Rainey’s death on June 23, 2012, the Miami-Dade medical examiner has yet to complete an autopsy and Miami-Dade police have not charged anyone. The Florida Department of Corrections halted its probe into the matter, saying it could be restarted if the autopsy and police investigation unearth new information.

“They told people that he had a heart attack,’’ said a source close to the prison system with knowledge of the case.

EDIT:

Rubber bullets:

[Mr Mystery]

Look like tracker balls out of olden days mice. And having had one of those stegged at my head, let me tell you they hurt a lot, let alone when shot out of a gun.

And Wildey, allow me to FTY....

'If they're black, shoot first and worry about the consequence never, and if they're white, shoot a black person and say they did it all allong'

[Psychosplodge]

Remember this picture from previous offtopics?


well today I saw it with this caption!

i love this photo because at first you think that she was going to get married but instead her husband to be left her, or something like that. but actually its quite the opposite. i clicked on the source and it brought me to an article explaining the story behind this photo, and shes not crying, shes hungover. her and her husband went to a football game on their wedding day, and got extremely drunk and partied all night. they took the subway home because they couldn’t drive. so no, its not a sad heartbreaking story, its a crazy joyful one. which in my opinion makes the picture even more amazing