In Tenn. and NY, locals thwart protesters' removal

[cory777]

Source: Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's governor and his administration have twice sent state troopers to handcuff and haul away Occupy Nashville protesters camped out just steps away from the Capitol. And twice, a relatively obscure local official refused to throw them in jail.

In New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly asked Albany's mayor last weekend to begin enforcing the 11 p.m. curfew at a park where the protesters have set up camp. Mayor Jerry Jennings declined.

Demonstrators are camping out in public parks in cities across the country, protesting against what they see as corporate greed and inequities in the American economy. Cities are dealing with the differently, some trying to work with protesters to leave peacefully, while others have sent in police to arrest them.

Under Tennessee state law, a judicial commissioner determines if there is probable cause that a crime has been committed. That official in this case has set the demonstrators free, despite Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's efforts.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/tenn-ny-locals-thwart-protesters-removal-203632931.html

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Breaking Activist News http://activistnews.blogspot.com/

[pacalo]

1. Of particular interest is this statement from Albany's mayor:

"Some of the governor's people were pretty firm about our not doing this, letting them stay in the park, but basically, we had allowed this before," Jennings told the New York Post. "My counsel said we'd be opening ourselves up to civil liability if we forced them out."

[certainot]

2. local RW radio is applying pressure all over the country and

they need to be included in protests, for attacking the protestors, lying, distorting, and pushing local politicians and cops.

those officials who aren't going along with it are going to get attacked from those stations- all the blowhards have to do is give a name a few times and the dittohead teabaggers will make the screaming calls and send the screaming emails.

as long as RW radio stations get a free speech free pass from protests and boycotts for attacking OWS they will continue to slow progress and give republcan politicians cover for obstructing any major reform.

[Eric J in MN]

3. In TN, no one goes to jail without a magistrate's signature?

If so, that's great. A lot of protesters arrested in NYC on bogus charges of "blocking pedestrian traffic" and "disturbing the peace" wouldn't have gone behind bars if there were impartial review first.

[PatrynXX]

4. last place on earth I'd expect free speech upheld is TN

that's not been a great state for free speech. and frankly holding them for another 5 hours after the night court magistrate told them they had to be freed probably pissed him off that they refused a judges order.

[Eric J in MN]

7. The magistrate ordered the protesters released and then...

...the cops held the protesters in a van for five hours?

[hootinholler]

16. Where did the report of the additional time come from?

:shrug:

I didn't see it in the linked article.

[RoccoR5955]

5. Here's a podcast from WAMC,

Albany, NY's Public Radio affiliate. It's their independently created show, "Capitol Connection."
In this episode, host Alan Chartok speaks to Ron Deutsch, the Executive Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness and coordinator of Growing Together NY, a statewide coalition of over 100 organizations fighting for fair and equitable tax policy. They discuss the millionaire tax in New York and the ongoing Occupy protests.

There are some choice remarks about Cuomo in it. Well worth the 25 minutes of your time, especially if you are interested in the goings on in Albany.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1868247

There are other quite interesting episodes as well. WAMC continues to be a bright beam of light in the darkness of all radio.

[jwirr]

6. What is up with Cuomo? What does he care? I thought he was a

good Democrat.

[Jester Messiah]

10. Likely he knows upon which side his bread is buttered.

You probably can't get any position of real authority in New York without the blessing of the Wall Street oligarchs.

[jwirr]

12. Yeah, that makes sense.

[RoccoR5955]

14. Cuomo is a NEO Democrat.

Just as is Obama.

[eilen]

15. He's neoliberal/third way. I wouldn't vote for him

He is certainly not like his father.

[idahoblue]

8. Remember ACORN?

They registered voters, some cards had names they knew were false but federal law did not allow them to discard the suspect cards. That is the job of the registrar of voters. The asshats who threw away cards broke the law. Keep us posted on what happens.

[idahoblue]

9. Whoops

Posted on the wrong discussion.

[orbitalman]

11. Beautiful

[CrackersMcGee]

13. Will people really camp in tents...in a snowstorm? Why not just let them stay?

Instead of siding with corporations and showing exactly how corrupt you are?

Seems like a no brainer, at least PRETEND to be with them.
Good Lord, these numbskulls must not have read 'The Art of War' or 'The Prince', I guess.

[Uncle Joe]

17. This is good, the curfew was a blatant violation of the First Amendment and Tennessee's Constitution

It's too bad the Republican controlled legislature didn't bother to read those documents.

http://news.yahoo.com/tenn-ny-locals-thwart-protesters-removal-203632931.html

In Nashville, a 10 p.m. curfew on the Legislative Plaza was only instituted on Thursday, after protesters had already camped there for about three weeks.

For two nights, state troopers rounded up and handcuffed demonstrators, only to see them released.

The heavy-handedness may have backfired as protesters said they were galvanized by what they saw as an attack on their First Amendment right to assembly. New people showed up to protest. And even conservative bloggers who disagreed with the protesters' goals of ending corporate personhood and removing money from politics were defending their right to demonstrate.

On Saturday night, protesters prepared for a third night of arrests but were greeted by only a single trooper on patrol who made no move against them.

I'm also happy to see that at least now the Governor has sent a State Trooper to provide some measure of security.

Thanks for the thread, cory.