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The reality of the recent Moscow protest: a lot boring standing around in the cold with periodic apathetic, nonsensical, pro-Navalny chants, then long silences.
...waiting for police to clear out the square...
...waiting for police to clear out the square...
...which they didn't attempt to do until well over 1.5 hr into it,, and which they did slowly, in the end taking until 2 hours after the protest officially started to fully clear the square.
Most dramatic was protesters being led away because the protest was deemed illegal.
Most dramatic was protesters being led away because the protest was deemed illegal.
In most Western countries we need permission to hold protests & aren't allowed off the protest route, are flanked by heavy police presence. That's if we are allowed to protest.
In France, Yellow Vest protesters were routinely met with police brutality, including the use of ...
In France, Yellow Vest protesters were routinely met with police brutality, including the use of ...
weapons whose use is prohibited for crowd-control operations, resulting in 10s of protesters losing an eye, others losing a hand, and many deaths.
In her February 2019 article on the Gilet Jaunes (Yellow Vests) protests, Vanessa Beeley wrote of
“..19 GJs who have lost an eye...
In her February 2019 article on the Gilet Jaunes (Yellow Vests) protests, Vanessa Beeley wrote of
“..19 GJs who have lost an eye...
o the “sub-lethal” LBD40 bullet launcher that is being liberally used by security forces during GJ protests across France.
The LBD40 is the evolution of the notorious “flashball bullet,” 10 x the velocity of a paintball. The modern LBD40 launcher is a very accurate instrument
The LBD40 is the evolution of the notorious “flashball bullet,” 10 x the velocity of a paintball. The modern LBD40 launcher is a very accurate instrument
with a “red-dot” laser pointer sight that ensures pinpoint targeting of civilians.” ...classified as a “sub-lethal” weapon, when used in violation of police regulations, at close range... it is lethal & capable of terrible damage to a human body — particularly the face...
which appears to be a favorite target of the national police in France."
https://www.mintpressnews.com/macron-lbd40-tactics-yellow-vests-public-safety-global-politics/254782/
https://www.mintpressnews.com/macron-lbd40-tactics-yellow-vests-public-safety-global-politics/254782/
In some localized incidents, police violence occurred--often, if not usually, with a back story:
-like the police man who apologized to a woman he had kicked, saying: https://twitter.com/ValLisitsa/status/1353382054050869253
-like the police man who apologized to a woman he had kicked, saying: https://twitter.com/ValLisitsa/status/1353382054050869253
-or the scene of Russian police beating protesters with batons, where, if you slow down the footage as I did you can see protesters (or provocateurs) attacking the police first: https://twitter.com/EvaKBartlett/status/1353622685964759040
What I've seen at 3 different protests in Moscow is considerable police restraint, & crowd control tactics NOT involving:
water canons, tear gas, pepper spray, stun grenades, or any of the violent methods employed by France and other Western countries
water canons, tear gas, pepper spray, stun grenades, or any of the violent methods employed by France and other Western countries
...not to overlook Israel systematic and violent repressions of protests by Palestinians, which I've seen up close and personal first hand on numerous occasions in the West Bank
https://opt2007.wordpress.com/2007/07/20/no-iof-love-for-bilin-non-violent-protesters/
https://opt2007.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/reflections-on-accountability/
https://opt2007.wordpress.com/2007/07/20/no-iof-love-for-bilin-non-violent-protesters/
https://opt2007.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/reflections-on-accountability/
and many many more in Gaza, where Israel usually starts with firing live ammunition into crowds. https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2010/04/24/what-threat-did-i-pose-the-israeli-soldiers-international-injured-by-israeli-gunfire-asks/
*Related Reading:
https://off-guardian.org/2021/01/22/russia-baiting-biden-brings-back-business-as-usual/ https://off-guardian.org/2020/09/25/the-false-flag-poisoning-of-alexei-navalny/
https://off-guardian.org/2021/01/22/russia-baiting-biden-brings-back-business-as-usual/ https://off-guardian.org/2020/09/25/the-false-flag-poisoning-of-alexei-navalny/
