Putting the picture of the Chicago cop punching a protester in context

[frazzled]

11. I agree with you, wndy

I watched as the cops themselves were being punched by that (very) small bunch of front-line protesters who stayed after the end (granted, the cops were well protected, but the aggression and provocation were very real); as they had bottles, trash containers, and at one point a metal barricade thrown at them. This went on for nearly an hour and a half, in the broiling heat, and they essentially stood still and kept their cool. No tear gas or pepper spray was used, nor the feared sound machine. I was fascinated by their well-practiced tactical maneuvering as they inched the crowd toward the west. To me, the response was all in all very measured. And I was impressed that Supt. McCarthy was out on the front lines with them the whole time. Cops don't go rogue when their boss is out there directing the action in person and watching them.

I feel many of these still images are out of context, and that (for once--because I have no love for the Chicago police in general) the CPD is to be commended. I guess we have to commend McCarthy for this new discipline in the force. This was no 68.

In Montreal yesterday, 300 student protesters were arrested and 20 were injured. That's far more than the 45 arrested and 4 injured here yesterday. I know people are fixated on these images (some real, some fake) they are seeing ("citizen journalists" with cameras were among the most prevalent group in the front line of the conflict yesterday, waiting for a good shot to take viral), but it doesn't match the reality. The fact is, the people who came to protest legitimately--the nurses, the veterans, most of the Occupy groups--did so with dignity and good faith. A very few who were intent on creating a scene did it intentionally and are trying to profit from it. I choose to ignore their unrepresentative actions.