Be careful out there
From the arrest of ABC producer Asa Eslocker to this video of activists and police clashing at the DNC, it appears that the “Miami model” of police reaction to protests is in force. I expect the activity at the RNC will be even wilder.
In 2003, Miami hosted the FTAA free-trade conference, which drew thousands of protestors ranging from fringe anarchists to mainstream middle-America union groups. At a time when globalization protests across the world had gotten out of hand, the Miami police chief decided to get tough, and the police response to all protests was to surround from all sides, use overwhelming force, and arrest everyone within a cordon, whether they were part of the protest or not. Despite successful ACLU lawsuits and widespread criticism of police violence, the police tactics used in Miami have become standard response.
Many of our credentialed photographers at the Miami protests were gassed and hit with pepper shot. A number of legitimate media crews were injured by police “non-lethal” weapons in the chaos. Carl Kesser, an Emmy-winning filmmaker, was shot and severely injured when a police beanbag hit him beside his right eye.
This week at the DNC, It appears the Denver police removed credentialled press from within the cordon — but If you get trapped inside a cordon with protestors, things can go bad. Be careful.
