New York Cops Defy Order to Arrest Hundreds of ‘Occupy Albany’ Protesters

[Hissyspit]

Source: Times Union / Raw Story

New York cops defy order to arrest hundreds of ‘Occupy Albany’ protesters

By Andrew Jones
Monday, October 24, 2011

Occupy Albany protesters in New York’s capital city received an unexpected ally over the week: The state and local authorities.

According to the Albany Times Union, New York state troopers and Albany police did not adhere to a curfew crackdown on protesters urged by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and Albany mayor Gerald Jennings.

Mass arrests seemed to be in the cards once Jennings directed officers to enforce the curfew on roughly 700 protesters occupying the city owned park. But as state police joined the local cops, moved past the property line dividing city and state land.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/24/new-york-cops-defy-order-to-arrest-hundreds-of-occupy-protesters/

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http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Under-pressure-to-make-arrests-police-and-2232934.php#photo-1694293

Under pressure to make arrests, police and troopers push back

Governor's office urged mayor to press police to make arrests at protest

By BRENDAN J. LYONS Senior writer
Updated 09:17 a.m., Monday, October 24, 2011

ALBANY -- In a tense battle of wills, state troopers and Albany police held off making arrests of dozens of protesters near the Capitol over the weekend even as Albany's mayor, under pressure from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration, had urged his police chief to enforce a city curfew.

The situation intensified late Friday evening when Jennings, who has cultivated a strong relationship with Cuomo, directed his department to arrest protesters who refused to leave the city-owned portion of a large park that's across Washington Avenue from the Capitol and City Hall.

At the Capitol, in anticipation of possibly dozens of arrests, a State Police civil disturbance unit was quietly activated, according to officials briefed on the matter but not authorized to comment publicly. But as the curfew neared, the group of protesters estimated at several hundred moved across an invisible line in the park from state land onto city property.

"We were ready to make arrests if needed, but these people complied with our orders," a State Police official said. However, he added that State Police supported the defiant posture of Albany police leaders to hold off making arrests for the low-level offense of trespassing, in part because of concern it could incite a riot or draw thousands of protesters in a backlash that could endanger police and the public.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

1. Oh Hell yeah! KR

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. I think the cops are realizing that they are us! This will get interesting.

[DallasNE]

14. Yes, This Is A Good Sign

The police are part of the 99% and they seem now to be realizing this. My hats off to them.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

25. Hey! It's not going to start big. Cops are going to do what they are told.

Untill they figure out that they are us and we are them. It will not happen overnight but, since it is the truth, it will happen. It willo take time, just like the Marines.

[tcaudilllg]

28. Our finest are taught to respect discipline... but what does discipline respect?

[PatrynXX]

44. sometimes it just happens

happened in Madison, because the cops joined the protesters. Scott Walker had little choice but to use his troopers and palace guards to protect his ass.

[ChiciB1]

3. WOW! And Time Marches On!! Does This Mean Something Good?

Are they getting the message? Sorry, just clicked in and really didn't read the whole story as I'm about to fix dinner! Will come back and read the rest later. I'll be happy while I'm cooking if this is a GOOD sign for "we the people!"

Don't want to read any bad stuff right now, but regardless of WHAT excuse the officers gave, it MUST mean something. I think??

[Ship of Fools]

4. Wouldn't it be nice if ...

this movement is able to leap past that second step -- you know, the one where the cops get crazy/violent and the prisons fill up -- and go directly to the cops moving to the side of the people? On a NATIONAL SCALE??? A lot of time/money would be saved, let alone some lives along the way.

[RoccoR5955]

13. Oh it's headed that way.

We've learned a lot over the course of time, and the kids who are really taking charge take the knowledge of previous generations with them. The rich have over-reached their bounds. They are trying to screw everyone, and paying off those in power. The military know it, the police know it, we all know it. It's just a matter of time until their house of cards collapses.

[Bennyboy]

18. Pretty fast I think

Seems almost too good to be true..

[seacaves]

5. Wonderful to hear. A big Thank you to the protesters.

[elleng]

6. KNEW it would happen (somewheres!!!)

:thumbsup:

[No Elephants]

7. Great! (Mayors of Albany, Boston, Oakand and Cincinnati-all Democrats.)

[UnrepentantLiberal]

17. Don't forget that union busting mayor of Chicago.

This is the very reason that Americans are in the streets. Voting is getting us nowhere.

[tcaudilllg]

27. Yeah I think I'm gonna have to change my mind about Rahm unless he comes down to earth fast.

[Luciferous]

8. Good for them!

[Blue Owl]

9. When they actually break a law

maybe then they'll be arrested.

In the meantime -- I'm gonna have another cup of GOOD MORNING AMERICA!!!

[KansDem]

10. This is it, folks! This is where it turns...

This, along with Marine vets showing support; the 1%-ters showing support for the 99%-ters; and "hard hat" construction workers showing up in solidarity with the OWS demonstrators!

There's no going back now! :woohoo:
:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

[MissDeeds]

29. Yes!

The revolution has begun! And it's a beautiful thing!!!!!


:bounce: :toast: :patriot:

[Remember Me]

32. an d it's been lightning fast, comparatively speaking

I wouldn't have thought these things would occur for months -- and they've happened in WEEKS. Miraculous.

[RoccoR5955]

11. Andrew Cuomo knows who butters his bread

He is against NY putting forth a transaction tax on Wall St. He is for hydrofracking. He's a corporatist just like the rest of them.

[defendandprotect]

30. Gov. Andrews Cuomo is also taking money from Koch Bros ..... !!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1398690&mesg_id=1398748

[crunch60]

55. I wish Anonymous would go after the Kock

brothers as they have a lot of very dirty dealings in their closet, both her and abroad.

[crunch60]

56. well that was a type, but the name suits them, or you

could call them Dick's. :hippie:

[hedgehog]

45. I'd love to be a fly on the wall the next time Andrew and Mario sit down together

How can he look his father in the eye?

[vets74]

47. Cuomo was New York State Attorney General. Didn't prosecute Wall Street.

Got to be governor.

Then we'll talk about Florence Cioffi....

[RoccoR5955]

59. Flo Cioffi was a hit. n/t

[vets74]

60. No-no-no. George Anderson was drunk. Typical Rangers fan....

Flo was trying to hail a cab.

And George didn't corrupt the Manhattan prosecutors office. Not by two decades.

Btw: how much overseas money goes/went/will keep going to pay off the top people there ???

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Fantastic. Perhaps the cops realize they're the 99%, too nt

[madrchsod]

15. to bad the cops in chicago would`t stand up to rahm...

[Marnie]

16. Looks like at least a few cops realize who is going to stand with

them when their union contracts are challenged, or their ranks are cut so heavily that businesses and neighborhoods, like the ones their own families live in, cannot be protected.

And it ain't big bidness, or city hall, or the governor or the Congress.

That leaves their neighbors and their fellow working stiffs,as their only real friends.

If they make enemies of the public their jobs become vastly more stressful.

[Devil_Fish]

26. Spot on. In the article is says that the police have a good relationship with the public.

It has taken years to build, and they were not about to risk that over people peacefully protesting. There were elderly, as well as children. if they move in and start arresting people, what would they do with the children? and could you imagine the back-lash? These cops are the 99%. Thank you sirs, and madams. Thank you for being a part of the community.

[Yon_Yonson]

19. Great news ... lets hope the cops are getting the message

[UnrepentantLiberal]

20. Three cheers for Albany law enforcement!

[Historic NY]

21. Reason prevails with "Ny's Elite the NYSP"....kudos to both depts.

[workinclasszero]

22. When will the police everywhere realize

that they are also the 99%?

How long can they go on attacking peaceful people protesting the system that is also destroying their own families?

[tcaudilllg]

24. They are.

It begins with the realization that the law serves justice, not the other way around!

[tcaudilllg]

23. Finally, Justice is taking hold!

[riverbendviewgal]

31. Awesome.

but not a peep from CNN.

[lsewpershad]

33. The revolution

is gather steam. K&R

[Dash Riprock]

34. Slideshow of the OWS

http://vimeo.com/30997253

[Bozita]

35. I'm betting this is KO's lead story tonight!

[lovuian]

36. Awesome and when the elite figure out that Police

and military are not going to protect them

that is the ball game folks

[EvolveOrConvolve]

37. Message to Cuomo

You're either with us or against us. If you can't support the movement, then get the fuck out of the way.

[plumbob]

38. Or he could just get fucked.

Tired of being pissed on by "our" politicians while telling us it's rain!

[EvolveOrConvolve]

41. That too...

[Matilda]

39. Your NY cops are better than our cops.

In both Melbourne and Sydney, cops disbanded the Occupy protests and took away belongings to be dumped.

Both groups are planning to reform somewhere else, though.

[Plucketeer]

40. Fingers crossed! nt

[Tripod]

42. K&r. N/t

[Sarah Ibarruri]

43. Cops are the 99%!! nt

[vets74]

46. And their kids are in the park.

[1620rock]

50. Woot

Come senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway

Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outside

And it is ragin'

It'll soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin'.

[bengalherder]

67. At Occupy Seattle when I last went was a young man who

was singing snatches of folk songs in a lovely Irish tenor. That verse was one of them.

:goosebumps:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

62. Yup! I LOVE the OWS!! nt

[L0oniX]

48. We'll see how long this goes on.

[lonestarnot]

49. Excefucklent!

:applause:

[Sportsguy]

51. Exactly!

I concur.:)

[Dutchmaster]

52. This must scare TPTB shitless.

When they lose the cops and the military it is all but over for the elite. And honestly, after the last 10 years I have a hard time imagining many grunts following orders to turn on their fellow citizens.

[Enthusiast]

57. Mostly TPTB fear we will learn the level of

their criminality. That is why they spent decades buying up nearly the entire media including public radio -so they could hide the truth. But their is a crack in their armor and they know it.

[malthaussen]

53. A Good thing, But...

Yeah, there is a but. The article says the refusal to obey orders was based on pragmatic reasons, not on principle. Now, the question is, how much of a twinkle was in the eye of the police spokesman when he gave that excuse?

-- Mal

[Laelth]

58. Perhaps there was no twinkle at all.

The D.A. announced he wouldn't prosecute. It would have been useless to arrest any of the occupiers. Credit, here, really goes to the Albany D.A.

-Laelth

[TBF]

63. Albany County DA - P. David Soares

About the DA

On October 26, 1969, P. David Soares was born in Brava, Cape Verde, an island off the coast of West Africa. He is the youngest of five children born to Lucas and Lidia Soares. When David was six years old, his family moved to the United States and settled in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where his father found a vocation as a carpenter, and his mother worked at the local mill.

At an early age, David's parents instilled in him the value of family, education, hard work, and active participation within a strong community. Although David grew up in a rough neighborhood, loving friends and a strong community surrounded him. Neighbors kept an eye on one another's children and were quick to lend a hand. This upbringing encouraged David to believe in the goodness and potential of all people if given the proper guidance. His parents' emphasis on education provided a solid motivation for David's future goals in life...

More here: http://www.davidsoares.com/about.php

[99th_Monkey]

54. WOOT! This is the stuff of real revolution, of the peaceful kind... love it ~nt

[Kingofalldems]

61. Kick and Rec for the 'mock and undermine' crowd

[myrna minx]

64. K&R n/t

[goforit]

65. Govenor/Mayor loosing power? tisk tisk

[Zorra]

66. Solidarity. nt

[a2liberal]

68. K&R (n/t)

[tama]

69. Recommend