i saw that second photo this morning. all commentary on the situation aside, that is one compelling piece of photojournalism.
6 Likes
I saw that and that was my immediate thought. Anyone trained to the level of the Police in firearms should know better that try that in a draw your weapon situation. Especially since a large percentage of cops are Former Military.
I would guess trouble maker rather then cop. Whoâs to say.
As for how that way of holing it evolved Iâm not really sure, but I believe it was first seen in Rap videos. Since many artists in that genre started out on the streets I would imagine that was the actual origin.
To the second question. There are no positive benefits to holding a firearm in that position. First of all as you mentioned it makes the sight unusable and therefore will negatively affect accuracy to the point that if the trigger actually is pulled you would have no idea where that bullet is going. Secondly since a semi-automatic pistol of the type he is holding is designed to work in the barrel on top position firing it with it at the side can cause the firearm to malfunction and jam. This has happened several times and was actually the basis of a lawsuit against Beretta.
4 Likes
Infiltrate:
- to gain intelligence on the organization & leadership
- to gain intelligence on future plans and activities
- to gain intelligence on civil disobedience affinity groups
- to document and provocateur for minor crimes unrelated to the demonstrations under which the leadership can be prosecuted
- to foment paranoia and distrust within and among the organizations
Provocateur:
- to draw individuals into property destruction so they can be prosecuted
- to cast a shadow of violence on the whole event which will turn the press, families of protesters, and those who were considering getting involved against the demonstrators
- to justify a harsh law enforcement response in the short term
- to justify law enforcement budgets, department sizes and new high tech arsenals in the long term
- through a combination of fear of prosecution, paranoia over who to trust, and revulsion to the violence, to cause the nonviolent demand for justice to fizzle out
15 Likes
It is hard to discredit a peaceful protest with right on its side. It is easy to discredit a protest that includes property damage or violence. If the protest is peaceful, send in the agent provocateurs.
19 Likes
The casing is ejected directly into the shooterâs face rather than down to the side.
Recoil causes a gun to âriseâ. If the gun is held sidewise the net effect is that the second bullet misses the target to the left and hits something unintended.
A handgun is designed to be held upright. People are trained to shoot a handgun in an upright position. No one in their right mind would do something contrary to design and training in a high stress situation where mistakes are more likely and outcomes are permanent.
Are there any positive ones?
Yes. It makes identifying the idiots much simpler.
12 Likes
A few minutes into this video in Berkeley, a cop frightens a protester with a lunge with his baton and then laughs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVmyMKtmwU4 Bay Area PD are basically overgrown playground bullies that weâve given weapons to.
Itâs disappointing that the feds decided against taking over and firing everyone.
6 Likes
At least he has his finger off the trigger but, yeah, whatâs with that?
2 Likes
Nope, itâs so easy. The authorities (along with the media) just look at whatever the protests are doing and call that ânot peacefulâ, then they decide what theyâd prefer protesters to do, and call that âpeacefulâ. Examples:
âSmashing and burning buildings is violence. Peaceful protesters donât damage property.â
âDeliberately shutting down highways and shopping malls is not peaceful. Peaceful protesters stick to marches and rallies.â
âHaving a march is fine, but if you march in the street and block traffic, thatâs not peaceful.â
âIf your candlelight vigil is a peaceful protest, then you should disperse when the police order you to. Peaceful protesters cooperate with lawful police orders.â
The authorities (and media) donât discredit protests because theyâre âviolentâ, they discredit them because they threaten power. They just use whatever value system is available to do the discrediting. By creating this âpeaceful/violentâ dichotomy ourselves, weâve given them the perfect rhetorical tool to use against us, to divide our efforts.
16 Likes
I have a friend who is a long time, hard core political activist in NYC. She has spent a lot of time in the Tombs. Hi Jessica!
She says that itâs usually pretty easy to identify the undercover cops, and they are always there at every protest. I remember these two timely tips, as passed to me last August:
If someone is loudly and repeatedly advocating violence or destruction of property, but is not doing any such acts themselves, the odds are very high itâs a cop. Thatâs not to say they wonât perform such acts in order to create a cause for intervention, itâs just less likely.
Cops donât always have any non-combat, non-office footwear. So on a march you can sometimes spot them by their government issue cop boots (the better for stomping with, I guess).
17 Likes
I have taken some firearms courses where they teach you to cant the weapon up to 45 degrees if shooting one handed, particularly with your âoff hand.â But no, never 90 degrees.
1 Like
I would see the deployment of agent provocateurs as a force looking very very hard for a justification/rationalization to be triggered. When it is the state, it is the height of irresponsibility.
2 Likes
Black shiny FBI shoes!
2 Likes
Iâll defer to to the self-appointed experts but there is one advantage â though not for the yahoo involved in this event.
When robbing the local 7-Eleven or suchlike, itâs easier to reach over and fire at someone cowering behind a counter with a sideways grip. Just like a standard grip is easier to point around a corner without exposing the rest of your body.
Not very accurate, but serviceable for supressive fire and thuggery.
2 Likes
Iâd be hard pressed to find any reason to lie to people in keeping the peace. If the cops are thereally under false pretense, theyâre looking for illegal behavior. Since it was a police shooting being protested, the cops are looking in the wrong place.
4 Likes
If theyâre training undeco er cops to behave like teenage bullies, yknow, to blend in- then it makes sense for a startled undercover cop to not give away their academy training, otherwise itâd be easy to rat out the rats, just startle them into showing their piece.
Not like this particular narc is going under cover ever againâŚ
2 Likes
He thinks heâs in a movie. His movie.
4 Likes
Next fall on Fox: the season premiere of Undercover CHiPsâŚinfiltrating terrorist pedestrian groups and kicking ass to protect the free flow of freeway traffic.
3 Likes
Obvious followup question: What is the âother agencyâ that Oakland PD was responding to? Not their arrest? Then whose?
The conspicuous lack of information makes me suspect Homeland Security. Which is terrifying if true.
5 Likes
Supressing protest often involves several different departments and agencies.
1 Like
