ABQ Cops Bait, Badger, Ticket Peaceful Protestors

Lots of reports circulating about Saturday's peaceful demonstration against the Iraq occupation near the Truman gate at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque. Mounted police push abruptly into the crowd on the sidewalk. Cops yell out childish insults like "take a bath" and "shave your armpits" at the perfectly legal demonstrators, many of whom were seniors, exercising their first amendment rights. Read all about it.

One officer with a juvenile taste in messaging shouts "Go Bush" from the loudspeaker of a squad car. Goons ticket only those vehicles that bear bumperstickers on a street where people have often parked during previous demonstrations in the same location, and where no signs prohibiting parking were evident. A man is arrested and held for a long period in a squad car with all the windows closed and no AC.

Albuquerque police overstep their bounds and acti like boorish louts, even after demonstration organizers had reportedly negotiated and cooperated with law enforcement officials on all aspects of the demonstration.

Who gave the order to antagonize and bait peaceful protestors this time around? Hey Mayor Marty Chavez, know anything about this? Most all, what are you going to say and do about it? Especially on this day -- Constitution Day? Click to contact Mayor Chavez or members of his staff.

This isn't professional law enforcement, it's harrassment and mean-spirited, in your face citizen baiting. Public officials take oaths to serve and protect the Constitution, not impose their own particular political prejudices on citizens exercising their rights. Clearly, the perpetrators of this latest law enforcement outrage should be called on it and reprimanded by their superiors, in no uncertain terms, as quickly as is humanly possible. No excuses.