[UPDATED: VIDEO OF ARRESTS] Were Anaheim Protesters Targeted by Paramilitary Police?

This sort of shit is becoming all too common in North America. I know this is and has been common behavious for police forces when dealing with individuals in private, assaulting innocent citizens for understanding their rights and arresting them to add insult to injury. The fact that police forces aren't even trying to hide such brutal behaviour any more is quite alarming. The cops know nothing will ever happen to them since the same laws that apply to us don't apply to them for some reason. Seeing this happening and reading the comments on this story reminds me so much of the G20 in Toronto where citizens Charter rights were totally ignored, innocent peaceful people beaten and the largest mass arrest in Canadian history, yet the only people who faced any criminal charges were the few who vandalized some windows and cop cars but those who were violent and caused many injuries, the cops, never faced any charges at all despite clear video and photographic evidence of their crimes.

There were also many comments attacking the protesters for protesting peacefully or simply being in the area, despite the fact that many tens of thousands of people live in the area and the police were arresting people on their way to work and tourists. So many people were blaming peaceful protesters for using their right to protest peacefully, claiming it was their own fault for getting assaulted and arrested just for being there. It was very disturbing to see how little so many cared for our civil rights and no one ever paid any price at all for the massive violations of Canadians' Charter rights that weekend in Toronto. I see things are much the same in the US. This is indeed a worrying trend leading us towards a police state, the really sad part is that so many citizens just don't care.

http://wh.gov/1S3u Please sign the petition to have the Obama administration investigate and stop police brutality against peaceful demonstrators and to demilitarize the local police.http://wh.gov/1S3u   We need 25,000 signatures to have this petition considered. Please sign and have your friends sign too.

Assaulting a police animal?! They do realize the whole thing was recorded?  Honestly after watching the shocking footage I'm surprised they didn't snatch up the camera man as well.

@AmberLyon Remindes me of a bunch of Dumbass!

indecent exposure, weed, resisting arrest....oh wow I feel SO sorry for these peple.

@blacbloc Just called the Police Department there in #anaheim they state there is no State of Emergency at this time.

If ya don't like the police in Anaheim you can ALWAYS go back to mexico, I hear their policia are very nice.

@OccupyManJose @PaliCali48 Pleased to hear it - so now it's time to sue #Anaheim PD for wrongful arrest then...

These people are idots protesting shooting of an innocent gang member.  Really?  Antagonizing police offiicers isn't to smart at the most basic levels.  All I hear is a bunch of F bombs and this is hardly a peaceful protest.    How would a gang member respond to this type of antagonizing.  That's right.  A bullet to the back of the head.  NO QUESTIONS..  As Cartmen would say.  Respect my authority... People don't respect the law or authority anymore.  They hide behind one sided cell phone videos or crooked lawyers bailing them out for their own irresponsible actions...

That poster and video makes it look like Disney and Homeland Security is sanctioning the "snatch and grab" kidnapping of dissenting concerned citizens, and that the militarized police force cares far more about protecting corporations than the constitution.   That can't be true, can it?  That's some disturbing stuff right there. 

There are some issues with these charges. First of all, most of the people arrested did not resist arrest, except by running when charged by a group of camo-wearing riot police wielding batons and rifles. I did not see anything being thrown at the police and was next to Richard when he was arrested-- check out this youtube video for footage of him right before they charged: http://youtu.be/KrSIBHZLSpg. Arresting anyone for failure to disperse is plain bullshit, as not a single dispersal notice or declaration of unlawful assembly was announced to the crowd. 

Yesterday was a clear case of police repression of dissent through overwhelming force and intimidation. There is NO GOOD REASON to station snipers on the rooftops around a peaceful protest, nor to charge the crowd and drag the most outspoken people into unmarked white vans.  

So, all the adults are not from Anaheimistan exactly as Chief Welter said, "outside agitators." 

I get the impression that what Anaheim Police did is stick anywhere between 5 and 10 undercover officers into the demonstration to quietly watch protesters. I'm sure that one or two people who were running around videotaping were members of the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU). When somebody committed what they thought was a "criminal act," they tailed them for awhile, maybe even photographed them without their knowledge to record their image so they can be identified at a later date. If they had tried to take them into custody immediately, their cover would have been completely blown. That's why the arrests occurred later, when police officers monitoring the vigil saw persons they wanted to arrest. It's even possible an undercover cop may have mingled with the persons they arrested until the time was right to snatch them. I have absolutely no idea if the persons you refer to in the article did anything wrong. There are no lack of examples available where police arrest people for crimes they never committed. But I did witness a lot of minor scuffles between mounted officers and protesters yesterday. I understand that people disliked the idea of being poked by sticks or nudged by a cop sitting on an 800 pound animal. The problem, however, is if you do so much as to touch a horse while an officer is mounted on it, they'll lob a felony charge against you.

Not to Sould Like this Is new, but THiS happens ALL the time in Los Angeles(1992riot), ESPECIALLY TO BLACKS! "MAYBE" SOCAL should put this color thing aside! Because this Is an ongoing issue where POLICE BELIEVE THERE THE LAW and ABOVE it! And They always going to say somebody is a gang member! WHEN THE POLICE is the biggest and MOST RACiST(hents, it comes with the JOB)LOL! After all they get suspended with pay they never get any real punishment for the mistakes, but out to punish the mistaken! And "THE PEOPLE" better believe that the media is a part of the police getting away with it!

How much do you want to bet all charges will be dropped?  I see a "Veth Mam" type lawsuit in Anaheim's future. Time to call a good attorney Florence and Atef.

Chief Welter told the media last week that the protests were being led by "outside agitators," despite the fact that 20 of the 24 people arrested lived in Anaheim.  Local PDs get grants from Homeland Security, and Homeland Security had a phone conversation last fall with numerous city officials about the Occupy movement.  They are trying to not only militarize policing, but trying to intimidate protestors against joining Occupy or any other national-level protest movement.  Anaheim is now ground zero for the Federal-led crackdown on mass protests and dissent. They are scared to death this will turn into another Fullerton, which overthrew its city council and is shortly going to overhaul its entire police department.

I dare them to occupy Ana Drive after dark, they would be robbed and spray painted with graffitti and crying for police protection.  Protest gangs and violence, don't protest the crime fighters.