Stryker tanks deployed to intimidate Anti-War protest in Los Angeles

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Wednesday November 10, 2004 20:07

by Our Los Angeles Correspondent - IMC Internationale

Movie of APCs outside Federal Building

Los Angeles has been seeing a slow resurgence of Anti-War protests following the hiatus caused by the electioneering including protests at recruitment offices. Last night a protest of about 50 people outside the Federal Building in Westwood was confronted with two APCs on the city streets!

The protest organised to "Bring Our Troops Home" by International ANSWER gathered approximately 50 people in a peaceful demonstration.

Not too long after the vigil started two "Stryker" Armoured Personnel Carriers (or tanks) were driven by fully-uniformed combat-ready crews so that they blocked the pavement-bound protest from sight of the passing traffic.

It is unsure whether the specific aim was to hide the vocal and spirited protest from the passing motorists (many of whom honked and gave thumbs-up in support) or if it was simply a crude attempt at intimidation.

The protestors attempted to hem in the APCs and then uniformed police arrived and forced them back out of the street. It is worth noting that the police did not cite the APC drivers for blocking a lane, nor did they move them on on the basis that they were creating a public nuisance and demonstrating on a public road. (All tactics used by the police in the past against protestors in Los Angeles.)

So far the mainstream media has not picked up on the story of "tanks in the streets of Los Angeles" despite the availablility of clear video (see link below for a circa 5 Mebibyte / 7 Megabyte Quicktime .mov) which shows this disgusting attempt at intimidation.