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| Daily News photo |
Nothing says “rebel” quite like being saved from a pummeling by the men and women you’re protesting against.
The anti-cop group “Disarm NYPD” staged a pre-Fourth of July flag-burning Wednesday night in Fort Greene Park — but the protesters’ plans went up in smoke when a group of furious bikers moved in to teach them a lesson.
The activists had publicized the event as a response to “systemic racism” in NYPD policies. They originally intended to burn a Confederate flag to (somehow) make that point, then changed their minds, opting instead to light up Old Glory. “We maintain, unwaveringly, that both the Confederate flag and the American flag are symbols of oppression,” the group announced.
But when the handful of protesters arrived at the park, they were met by dozens of counter-protesters equipped with water guns.
Then members of the Hallowed Sons Motorcycle Club lit into the flag-burners — at which point New York’s Finest came to the rescue, sheltering the protesters and escorting them safely out of the park.
24 comments:
Very amusing.
So sad the cops couldn't let them get roughed up. They might have learned to appreciate the police more.
I hope they didn't arrest anyone. They could say they didn't want to profile the bikers as outlaws!
Reminds me of the saying 'A conservative is a liberal that has been mugged' or however that goes.
In one instance it's an Americans right to free speech to burn the flag but how American is it to actually do it ?
As usual less than accurate reporting from the Post. The anti-police group first burned a Confederate flag but when they threw Old Glory into their BBQ it was rescued by a Ridgewood (non biker) resident as the protesters ran away. Some protesters were detained by the police for their own safety as the pro flag people (including some bikers) were not exactly happy by their little stunt. Bottom line.. if the police were not there, the Disarm the NYPD group would have gotten their asses kicked by the crowd. Saved by the very group they were protesting against. Only in America.
P.S. As noted before in this Blog, hipsters do bounce.
Nothing like a bunch of dumb, over-liberal dopes....it was the cops that saved them from becoming chopped liver.
Now, the NYPD has a lot of problems....among them a burly attitude towards every race. That is what they are taught in the academy...come on strong. But whoever wanted a humble meak quarterback to carry the ball? Yeah, cops need to learn not to Glock around the clock...and quickly shoot at anything that moves. In some nabes and situations....the problem is they fell they're outgunned . They might be right.
Brownsville ain't no country club. Flag burning may be a great metaphor but in the end accomplishes little. Go back to the drawing board folks. Come up with a better plan.
Why the big deal about a flag burning? Because, all corrupt and dishonest politicians of New York State (as with everywhere else), have been desecrating the American flag for decades (and the symbolism for which it stands), ever since they took office, with impunity!
Hence, I'm so much more deeply offended over how they lie, cheat and steal---easier than they breathe, then sell out our nation's commerce and stability to cheap foreign labor---and all the while, that glorious flag is pinned to their lapels, as I become even more volcanic with anger, over what a bastion of hypocrisy these arrogant, evil cowards, and sadistic, deadbeat, hustling sociopaths that I've always known them to be!
But, a mere flag burning pales in comparison to the monstrous treason and mutiny that I see daily from all branches of purported leadership of epic fail!
You can be offended by more than one thing at a time, Richard, and many of us are offended by the burning of the flag, even if you're not.
And yes, you're becoming more volcanic. You think you come across as Patrick Henry, but you really sound a little frightening. You should calm down for your own good and probably the good of those around you.
The bikers should have tied those flags around the hipsters necks Then burned them,I'd have no problem with that.
Please reread my post, Anonymous, because it clearly stated that I am MUCH MORE offended by the daily treason that is brazenly inflicted on all citizens by derelict politicians---but, I never said that I WASN'T offended by the burning of the American flag!
And, please don't editorialize my post with stale diatribes and Patrick Henry nonsense, and worry instead about your own self-control. However, what truly frightens me about you is how cavalier and nonplussed you appear to be, as our country is in profound trouble because of hyper-corrupt politicians who continue to monstrously fail their constituents everywhere---but, according to you, it is I who must calm down and submit to more political pathology!
So, please feel free to continue sleepwalking, in a state of suspended animation with the rest of the 'Sheeple' masses, because that is your right. I obviously know what my rights are, then, and I certainly don't need any unsolicited directives or permission from you to talk all truth to purported power, as well as to always challenge authority, while never airbrushing reality.
As you've just abundantly proven, reality is not for everyone!
Also, Anonymous, a flag (any flag) is made from a piece of cloth, that is merely symbolic of one's country or state---where, the real treason, damage and savagery is always born of false, fake and failed political leadership itself.
And, since it would be unlawful (and consequential), to burn a rogue, dishonest, dishonorable, derelict and disloyal politician of choice (though, I don't doubt that many revel in the fantasy of such karmic action), and it's likewise a protected act of First Amendments rights to burn a flag, well, it's certainly the lesser of two controversial matters, then, to take to burning a piece of symbolic cloth, than the US representative who flagrantly betrays it with impunity!
No, Richard, he's right, you sound out of control. Often correct, but out of control. Stop frothing at the mouth.
The only one who is out of control is you, Anonymous. So, mind and police your own impulse control issues, and if you don't like to hear anyone else's truth and reality, then I suggest that you abstain from all blog sites altogether---starting with this one in particular!
RI:
"But, a mere flag burning pales in comparison to the monstrous treason and mutiny that I see daily from all branches of purported leadership of epic fail!"
You have a valid point.
But as a veteran, I would never call it a "mere" flag burning.
Far to many Americans died defending that flag to ever say that.
And yes, veterans understand how important the flag is as a symbol of our country.
After reading the "anarchists" plan to burn the confederate and american flags and the way that one "anarchist" used the cops as a shield, and viewing the counterpoints and aggression of the counter-protesters and biker gangs, I find it impossible to find anyone right in this. The anarchist group's motive was mostly to provoke anger than to raise awareness and the pro-flag group's conduct was irrational. Those people have a right to burn those flags, it's the first amendment. What I find most alarming is that they were given a permit to set a fire in a park that prohibits even barbequing.
There should be awareness of the exploitative jingoism when the flag is displayed, and has Richard pointed out eloquently, for it was that sort of thing that led to the trillion dollar quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan that are still going on. The sad thing is that the veterans of our unpopular wars are not only doing it in the name of the flag and our freedoms but mostly for the profits of corporate energy and construction and high equity financing firms
I personally didn't approve of this protest, because it look forced and desperate and those hipshits were spoiling for a fight. Which ain't hard when you are trying to piss off a group of ignorant people that aren't aware of how oppressive they are being.
There were way too many cops there, the NYPD always over-deploys whenever a protest occurs. It seems the cops outnumber the protesters. This is a bad use of civil services especially now that there are 1300 more being hired.
Richard can never convey in one sentence what he prefers to overload us with in three posts.
He is just verbose. He needs a good editor, that's all.
I agree with you, Anonymous, but why hasn't a single politician viewed the flag with the same regard as all veterans, when it is the veterans themselves who pay their vastly overpaid salaries? However, I should have expanded on why I chose to use the word 'mere' in the first place, as it was not intended to marginalize the act of anyone who would take such an adverse action to burn our nation's flag, but rather how politicians themselves desecrate both flag and country in far more insidious ways (not to mention the irreparable damage that they've inflicted on all citizens), with a continuous loop of American treason and betrayal, by torching our emotional, spiritual, physical and fiscal strengths by selling out its people to unstable foreign interests, and destroying formerly stable industries, that have progressively morphed into a subjugated, Caste system workforce, that is tethered by corporate greed, corporate wage slavery, corporate outsourcing (for 50 years, and counting), and corporate welfare.
Collectively, it is soul crushing to see a country like the USA succumb to the deepest wells of adversity, beggary, obscurity and quiet desperation, and all because of an incurable illness called greed.
Whereas, I meant no disrespect for a nation of veterans, too many of whom sacrificed their very lives for the purported freedoms that are still ours to enjoy (and those freedoms are slowly disappearing, while hardly anyone notices--except a handful of astute observers like me---for more proof, just take a look at the Neo-Fascism that's already underway at Queens Borough Hall, under the monarchy rule of Melinda Katz), I used a word like 'mere' because that is exactly how all false, fake and failed politicians regard our nation's flag, and compared to the monstrous crimes against flag, country and humanity that they themselves have collectively visited upon all three with impunity, well, I hope that you can now appreciate the systemic disparity that I was attempting to capture, in comparison to all politicians, and their devastating and irreversible records of treason and anarchy that they continue to manifest in their wake.
My sincere apologies, then to any and all who took offense.
And, you, Anonymous can't control your obsessive impulse to criticize others, while ironically hiding behind a cowardly cover of anonymity! So, find another hobby and past time, then, or step out of your anonymous cover altogether, because unfairly criticizing the real people in the county (like me), who work hard to expose corruption and graft, is hardly commendable, and certainly not dignified, while you yourself continue to hide in obscurity (with all of the answers and denouncements against others, no less), as you accomplish nothing (again and still)!
And, if your brain is still too tired after reading only five minutes of text (is anyone forcing you at gunpoint, and have you ever heard of abstention?), here's one for you by Ben Franklin, who said it best: "Those who sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither."
Knock it off, and stay on point---or leave already---you won't be missed!
Richard,
Think of this blog as a tweet, and try to restrict your comments to 140 characters.
this isn't twitter and praise the sun that we all have an outlet to read, think, speak and write and not have a limit to comment. Besides, for all its positives that twitter has when it comes to communicate during protests, the negatives outweigh it because the majority of tweets have poor spelling and it's mostly used for trolling, bullying and snark.
Keep up the good work Rich. Your responses to the ether-like anonymous would make Lester Bangs and Hunter Thompson proud.
Thank you, JQ! Apparently, Anonymous gets his/her critical feed from Twitter, and since he/she is such a great admirer of this vapid and vacuous technology (that accomplishes nothing), I WAS going to suggest that Anonymous likewise pretend that this blog is akin to Twitter, and then I was going to suggest that he guess which two words that I leave him with, totaling seven letters--and to then fill in the blanks, followed by taking immediate heed!
But, then you came along, voice of reason, high intellect and composure that you are, and now it won't be necessary for me to reply---except that I already just did!
Oops!
Thanks again for your support, JQ! Likewise, keep up the good work as well. Maybe, someday, the scourge of Queens County public fool servants will listen to the people who pay their vastly overpaid salaries, while accomplishing nothing more than bribery, graft, corruption and monstrous mismanagement, cronyism and fail.
As for right now, they are all tone deaf, arrogant, pompous, entitled, exclusionary and have already crossed over to Neo-Fascism rule! Unbelievably sad, but true!
the Left is great when it comes to making noise, but when its all said an done, they look down on the regular people.
How many times we baited Occupy to get involved in fighting machine corruption and tenant rights and community crushing overdevelopment. Beneath their dignity.
Drone attacks in Pakistan. The Greek Right. Stop and Frisk. Burning flags.
Now THAT'S the ticket.
I appreciate Richard Iritano point of view. He is opinionated, provides details and his correct most of the time. In a better world he would be on the City Council instead of all the bagmen, ethnic hustlers and corruptocrats.
There's more than one person criticizing you here, Richard. I know since I'm one of them. Some of us have jobs that wouldn't allow for commenting by name, you see. You're putting any future employment at risk with your posts.
Thank you, Anonymous for you support. However, I disagree with your position that suggests that I am opinionated, primarily because my astute observations are strictly supported by a record of absolute truth, fact, evidence and proof---not conjecture, hearsay, opinion, perception, speculation, emotion and feeling---exactly what all politicians rely upon to continue duping, dividing, conquering and betraying their unrepresented public with impunity---and they continue to advance this unethical routing at will!
In the past, I have thrown my hat into the ring for city council and assembly vacancies. But, each time all incumbents kept their protected seats, which intentionally prevented a spirited primary that blocked all voters from making their own decisions, in order for the already drunk-with-power set to hold on to their ruthless power bases.
Alas, the current system of city and state government is rigged for absolute failure, as the entrenched scourges of false, fake and failed political leadership (that has never led by example), continue to create deeper levels of adversity, beggary, obscurity and quiet desperation (that is unprecedented), for their aggrieved subjects, where all politicians themselves continue to exalt themselves with an unearned, undeserved public servant lifestyle of privilege and private splendor (that was always designated for the duped taxpayers' who pay their unconscionable salaries), versus public squalor, epic fail and anarchy for everyone else---and the system from within protects them in a way that actually shields all criminal, fiscal mismanagement and misconduct with a vengeance.
But, despite the bleak outlook of zero job growth, crumbling infrastructure, massive income inequality, Third Worldism, corruption, graft, cover-ups, kickbacks and payoffs (and on and on to infinity), I will never be silenced, as I continue to share my findings with the remnants of a society at large (and one that is clearly held hostage by our hijacked leadership of Neo-Fascist control), for the sake of a unified order of educated and determined citizens to start using the powers to restore and reclaim all levels of ambushed democracy, that we've always had the purview and power to control in the first place!
As for right now, something's got to give---because, any pretense of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in Queens County (as with everywhere else), is now a closely held commodity, controlled by a dangerous force of Neo-Fascism and Neo-Bolshevism that City Hall, the entire city council and Borough Hall are mandating---with the stranglehold precision of a global, organized crime ring---where even they themselves could never disarm their subjects with such staggering oppression and control!
And, that's why I never give up, never give in, and never take 'NO' for an answer, whenever public goodness is at stake (which is every minute of every day), that must ALWAYS outweigh the crushing weight of private (and now political) gain!
In closing, thank you for your support---someday soon, I will return the favor with compounded interest--for the whole of a hardworking humankind to finally start to enjoy the many, inclusionary benefits of a once again, civilized society, and a proper class system that likewise finally begins, for meritocracy to always prevail! Because, what we have now is abject government failure that underscores a force of privilege and pandemonium, versus a systemically abused workforce that actually devalues all honesty itself!
Wish me luck, then!
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