Part of the Pro-Palestine protests at UT,
Why did the DPS use violence on a Reporter in Austin Texas? pic.twitter.com/ooYHfxtThE— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) April 25, 2024
Because he lunged and hit a cop from behind which is bad manners and piss-poor strategy?
Was it on purpose or accidental? No idea. But shit happens in a mob situation and none of it is good.
And no, I do not believe that a journalist is immediately assumed to be neutral when they have now for decades kissed the asses of the political pundits they adore. They sure as hell do not mind about my life and I shall return the favor.
Just because you have on a vest, jacket, or plate carrier with “PRESS” on it doesn’t mean much. Several groups have members with PRESS labels and “credentials” who had the job of harassing outsiders, especially police/security and true independent reporters. Toss in the attack (hit me from behind? It is an attack), and welp, you get to Find Out.
Antifa routinely has their thugs wearing “PRESS” and “MEDIC” as a sympathy ploy.
Maybe it’s a good plan to give the cops working room?
I don’t think he was lunging. He was coming up from behind, breaking the line, and getting in the way — which necessitated him being removed. And the cops did it well. They used just enough force to make sure he was controlled and removed with minimum real violence, and used overwhelming force to minimize resistance. He was placing himself in a tactically dangerous position, and his removal was as much for his protection as anything else, I suspect. You really don’t want to be stumbling around with heavy camera in between two shield lines. The most he suffered was a bruised knee. Note that he didn’t really resist at all — I suspect he was surprised and disoriented once it started. It’s hard to be really aggressive with one of those cameras on your shoulder. I’ve unfortunately been in a similar position, where I was so focused on a task that I wandered into a very dangerous place. My subordinates grabbed me and moved me forcefully and *then* gave me an explanation. The thing I remember the most was that I wasn’t expecting it, so I was already hustled a ways before I knew what was happening. I suspect that he was so focused on getting a good shot that he didn’t really understand the tactical position he had put himself in.
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But I could be wrong. Everybody views things through the lens of their experience.
It looked like he did move forward very suddenly, such that his camera might have hit one of the cops in the back of the head. He didn’t appear to have anyone behind him shoving him forward, but it’s on the very edge of the frame so it’s hard to tell for sure.
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The cop who pulled him back and put him on the ground probably had a better view as to what really happened, and as a big, heavy camera like that would be a very dangerous weapon if the cameraman decided to use it as such, I’m inclined to give that cop the benefit of doubt until and unless a better video surfaces.
A member of a neutral press would be a non-combatant.
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When you participate in the “activities”, you make yourself a combatant. You are no longer “neutral press”; you are now a legitimate target.
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I’m actually impressed with how the cops handled him. Even with the high tensions, they completely controlled him while being downright gentle!
Meh. Hard to say since it seems to have happened off camera. Going based on prior movement and that hes holding a huge TV camera I’m skeptical he attempted any violence against the cop. Seems excessive like when protestors are sitting still and getting pepper sprayed or they walk up and drag people away just sitting some place.
Lenard, where to start here….hmmmm, forget it, I’m just going to hand you a Romeo y Julieta 1875 Connecticut Nicaragua toro.
Hahaha ty. I’m not going to lie I’m conflicted. Just like with protests during covid, I don’t agree with what they are protesting for and how they are doing it. Clearly there is a breaking point and something has got to give. But asking to be governed harder doesn’t seem like the winningest solution either. We have already gotten far too much of “getting what we asked for” and then some. I also do not trust the and media company he may or may not work for, I’m not that foolish either. I’m eternally just as concerned if not more about what happens after; power given is rarely, if ever returned.
LOL, Lenard let’s attempt a “Smoke In” on a highway, to promote a “Peace Smoke’m Big Stogie” movement, I’ll bring the cigars ?
Now that’s an idea I can easily agree to 🙂