Understandably, it is usually (though not always) folks on the lower end of the economic spectrum who have the most grievance with the government. Being able to petition our government for redress is a basic civil right. It is democracy in action. Who's afraid of a little democracy?
Personally, I would prefer that cops stay away from the rallies and demos that I organize or participate in. Mostly they are there just to spy on us anyway and their presence raises the danger level of the event. Thanks, anyway, but I'd rather not have to pay for their presence.
All of us pay tax money for services from the government. If police feel a need to be at a rally or demonstration, then I feel that our tax dollars already paid for that "service" and no further payment is necessary.
I find the suggestion that police "arrest enough people" to pay for any costs associated with their presence at an event appalling and offensive. What would the basis for these arrests be? If people break the law, they get arrested. Sometimes they get arrested even if they don't. But for cops to arbitrarily decide to arrest a certain number of people in hopes of collecting a certain amount in fines--that is just plain ludicrous. What's the probable cause that would justify the arrests?
If the city is worried about the cost of policing (and I know they are), I would have a number of suggestions. Let's start with two:
1) Do something about the over $13 million this city has paid out in the last five years in liability claims and lawsuits related to poor police practices including brutality and misconduct.
2) Do something about the number of arrests on discretionary violations (in which the cops have to decide if the violation actually occurred) like loitering. Huge numbers of people of color are arrested for these violations each year but are not prosecuted. Of the small percentage of those prosecuted, an even tinier percentage are found guilty. Basically, gobs of black and brown folks are arrested, we pay for them to spend the night at Chez ADC (and they pay the price in possible lost wages, inconvenience, humiliation, etc.) only to be turned loose for lack of evidence. That's a huge waste of money on bad arrests--money that could be used to catch real criminals.
Michelle Gross Bryn Mawr
At 01:40 PM 3/27/03 -0600, you wrote:
I agree with the snippet below. Demonstrators (on both sides) should pay for any extraordinary policing and/or clean up needs. All demonstrations should have permits. The same goes for rioters, looters, etc. Restitution is a venerable practice.
Does anyone know what fines for demonstrations have been in the past, or even if there have been any fines for Minneapolis demonstrations? And, if charges have been brought, have they come from the City, County, or Feds in relation to actual fines levied?
Barbara Nelson Burnsville Once and future Minneapolitan
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