This is how the smallest public expression of political dissent is now treated in Russia.
UPDATE: This was just a group of people who went to the police station on the Arbat in Moscow on May 5, 2007 to ask what had happened to friends who were detained for taking part in a completely peaceful march for drug legalization. When you ask in a completely peaceful way what has happened to your friends who were detained for peacefully expressing their opinions, this is what happens to you. The hearts of all liberal-minded people bleed for Russia, a great country, a great civilization, a great people.
It’s OK. They were clearly violating McCain-Feingold.
Alan, come on. That comment is the libertarian equivalent of left-wing loons saying “well Bush’s Amerika is worse” any time anybody mentions some horrible civil-rights abuse or evil dictator somewhere. There’s a time and a place for everything, and you can be against McCain-Feingold without trivializing the far worse abuses against free speech taking place in Russia and elsewhere.
Sorry, Kim, it didn’t occur to me that I was minimizing what happened here. Not my intent.
My point is that we’re not too far from Putin’s Russia. With McCain-Feingold, it is just a matter of degree.
It appears American police are known to use force against (what appear to be) peaceful protestors as well:
In the video linked below, LAPD officers appear to attack pro-immigration supporters. It’s not clear from the tape whether the police were provoked or not. But their tactics, no matter, appear heavy-handed. Shooting unarmed people who fall to the ground with rubber bullets and also beating them police batons? Unnecessary.
http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=99815
I admit American is much, much freer than Russia, McCain-Feingold or not. Nevertheless this video seems ominous.