This is a playbook event. It isn't a rogue squad out there. To mobilize a copter and backup teams they need a commander and support staff. This isn't an organic or spontaneious collection of resources.
Someone is issuing these tactics and a lot of terror cells are picking them up. This is straight out of putins playbook. It's not hard to figure out where this is originating.
It was clear when they didn't knock the door down and toss stun grenades that they had no warrant. Police with an arrest warrant don't need a warrant to enter a building to make an arrest, even if the suspect doesn't usually visit there. They just need probable cause the target is inside and they can enter. You can argue that one till yu are blue in the face but it has been settled law for decades.
So if this is a playbook tactic, you will see it over and over, and there really is no way to protect against it since every officer in the cell will back up the play.
They think that if they cut the head off the movement and arrest organizers it will stop it. It plays well to the base. Maybe they are right, and maybe they are dealing with starfish. We don't know yet.
Is it chilling public participation in protests? You decide, but we are seeing massive police power in several arrests, people being charged in ways that could get them life in prison or fines beyond nyones means to pay, and beatings and even disapearances.
But unlike during the civil rights movement, it is being done in secret. There are few videos of most of it. The terror cells remain anonymous without even having to wear an identifying code that could be traced back to them by the departments themselves. Nameless. Faceless. No trail.
We aren't far from wondering where people went. Beware free helicopter rides.
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