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Nov-18-2011 17:48printcommentsVideo

Another Marine Iraq War Vet Beaten Savagely by Oakland Cops

Oakland cops look more like thugs than trained professionals.

Frame from video shows Oakland cop starting to attack the Marine Corps Veteran, Kayvan Sabehgi.
Frame from video shows Oakland cop starting to attack the Marine Corps Veteran, Kayvan Sabehgi on 4th November 2011.

(SALEM) - I keep writing about the savagery of the cops in Oakland. Now we learn that they attacked another Marine Corps combat vet earlier this month, who suffered a ruptured spleen.

The police are overstepping lines they will never be able to back up behind again. Activists and reporters who are dialed in, know that there are rumors of 1% motorcycle club members joining in the occupation. If that happens the police will be countered and they will suddenly not be dealing with non-violent business owners who served their country that are not a threat. Police don't know threat, they don't have proper training to distinguish what a threat properly is.

I don't think those stories about MC clubs joining the Occupy Movement are anything more than rumors at this point, but if Marines like Scott Olsen, and now this latest casualty, Kayvan Sabehgi, keep being attacked by police, there is no telling what will happen. Most bikers are military veterans and they take the position seriously.

Let's just say it; the cops are not representing the wishes or the needs of the American people. They are materializing to be the thugs we fear them to be.

It took a report from the Guardian in London for this to come to my attention, that is sad. Of course there are so many terrible things taking place, we are running stories constantly but not really conveying the enormity of what is taking place. This video shows an ex-Marine (former Marine) not raising a hand to these cops, and there is no justification in existence for what they do, but we can be sure that they won't pay for their crimes, not through traditional, legal channels.

The Guardian wrote:

The footage, which has been shared with the Guardian, shows Kayvan Sabehgi standing in front of a police line on the night of Occupy Oakland's general strike on 2 November, when he is set upon by an officer.

He does not appear to be posing any threat, nor does he attempt to resist, yet he is hit numerous times by an officer clad in riot gear who appears determined to beat him to the ground.

Sabehgi, 32, an Oakland resident and former marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has since undergone surgery on his spleen. He says it took hours for him to be taken to hospital, despite complaining of severe pain. Police have told the Guardian they are investigating the incident.

The truth is that we were sidetracked by the audacious police shooting of Marine Corp Veteran Scott Olsen, who police blasted in the head with a tear gas launcher, (apparently) causing him what will likely be a complicated life from here forward.

I wonder if police would mind if a citizen did that to one of their members? No, if a cop is hurt by an American citizen they go absolutely nuts, often crossing the line in their pursuit of who may have hurt "one of their guys". Then if a police office is killed, millions are spent on extravagant memorial and funeral services, cops come from all over on the dime of their taxpayers, to pay tribute. Then they turn around and treat us like shit.

The Guardian explains that the video footage of the Oakland Police attack on Sabehgi, was recorded by artist and photographer Neil Rivas. He described Sabehgi as "completely peaceful" before he was beaten.

"It was uncalled for," Rivas said Rivas.

"There were no curse words. He was telling them he was a war vet, a resident of Oakland, a business owner."

Prior to his beating and arrest, Sabehgi says he had been talking to officers in a non-violent manner, which the footage appears to confirm.

Rivas says it happened around midnight on 3rd November. Scott Olsen's shooting was reported on the 26th of October.

"I couldn't help but start yelling out for them to stop. He was not fighting back; he was moving away from the officer. It did not feel good.

"I saw him being taken down to the ground and I tried to keep my camera focused on that as well, but they were pretty quick at setting up a barricade between myself and Kayvan at that point. I was shoved out of the way, and I had several guns pointed my way.

"I remember specifically one officer right in front of me having his gun pointed point blank at me."

It will only go on so long, Americans are dealing with the same thing that has been seen in Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine, etc. Police shooting and ruthlessly attacking their own citizens, it is so wrong that there aren't words for it. If you haven't noticed, the revolution is on.

Special thanks to the Guardian UK

_________________________________________________________

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim is a former U.S. Marine.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 91 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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Douglas Benson November 19, 2011 7:56 am (Pacific time)

I was wondering why I was being getting a lot of police attention at the Salem rally on thursday [I rode my bike ] . What morons . Dont worry Anon the lawsuits and criminal charges are coming it just takes a while for these things to go forward . The press is allready winning lawsuits and I hope they pursue mandamus charges as well. I would use any monies from a suit to do so . There is zero way to defend against thier actions to a jury in most cases . Both thier own rules and the law are being broken by the police . Wait untill protesters use organized force to resist ,they may have a badge but that doesnt make them superman. The funny thing is the more they stomp on our rights the more people get involved .Now instead of knowing when and where protests and protesters are they are just popping up all over the place .Great move . Wait untill the government really screws us next week ,bet there will be a lot more people deciding to get involved . Let me share once again what the law says about the criminal actions that are being taken . Title 42 United States Code Subchapter 1> 19893 Every person who under any Statute ,Ordinance ,Regulation custom or usage of any State or Territory or of the district of Columbia subjects ,or causes to be subjected,any citizen to the deprivation of any rights ,secured by the Constitution shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law . Anon could you please explain how the police ,the mayors ,etc. are not breaking this law and why they shouldnt be held to account for assault ,unlawfull detention and malicious prosecution due to the fact that this law directly says any ordinance or statute . Law and order works both ways and the Constitution is the supreme law of this country. Where is the Lawyers Guild or for that matter the US Att. on this one?


Anonymous November 18, 2011 6:14 pm (Pacific time)

Tim you seem to be terribly confused on who the agressors and law breakers are.

 Tim King: Not at all, the rights of American citizens, that so many have fought and died to preserve, are being denied by a government that is non sympathetic to the needs of its own citizens, yet highly responsive to enforce actions that draw attention to the morally corrupt banking practices that have nearly ruined this country.  Cops just take orders, they are able to resist being illegally violent, but they are not acting of their own accord until they go out of line.

As far as police not being trained as per your quote: "Police don't know threat, they don't have proper training to distinguish what a threat properly is."

 Tim King: I have spent time on military patrols in war with U.S. Marines, U.S. Army soldiers, British Royal Marines, Canadian Armed forces, Afghan soldiers, Iraqi soldiers, French and Italian, I presume I am getting my point across.  Now, in war where things are extremely politically sensitive, there are very specific rules as to when a member of the armed forces can 1) aim their weapon at another human being, 2) take additional action such as lethal force.  There is never a time that the military can employ deadly force against unarmed people, yet this is what the police are doing to our own citizens.  The Marine in this video is unarmed, that does not require anything else, a cop employing potentially deadly force on an unarmed person, it is wrong on every level. 

Have you attended and graduated from a police academy? Have you served as a law enforcement officer in an urban envioronment?

 Tim King: Almost all reporters have never attended a law enforcement academy, that is not even a good question to ask.  However I have been to many and I have seen most phases of police training in my career.  I also was an Oregon State Police volunteer years ago with their Fish and WIldlife program, I headed a Wildlife Rescue Team and had that authority at my disposal when I needed it. I also filled the role of park ranger at Cape Lookout State Park as the senior employee on graveyard shirt.  

You think many of the police have not arrested and put many bikers in jail? Go to any prison and talk to bikers, did they just walk into prison because they were guilty, or did the cops take them down? Of course you know that law enforcement has the highest percentage of veterans which also includes many combat veterans in any other civilian occupation outside of the VA?

 Tim King: There are a lot of  veterans who went into police work, I'm sure hopefully they are more sympathetic, but the ranks of police are not filled with a majority of veterans, I sincerely doubt anywhere close to half of police are vets.  

Then of course, everything that is happening in these protests is being recorded from literally every angle possible, or at least enough for any just, and prosecutor and defense lawyer to see what's happening. Don't expect to see many successful lawsuits against the police. I personally have been attacked many many times, and a few have used lethal force, they were stopped from ever doing that again. If these protestors dial up the criminal attacks, they will pay the price. Maybe you should attempt to learn more on what is really going on? Your streak of anti-authority, and hate for those who protect our civilians is showing Tim.

Tim King: I'm sorry, I really can't understand what you tried to say in that last paragraph.  Yes, the police brutality is being recorded, I also doubt if corrupt courts and judges will award settlements that involve the illegal actions of police because they all work in the same pool.  You talk about anti-authority?  Sure, that is the mark of any person who fights for the good of the public and common man the way I do.  The Nazi party ruled Germany in the 30's and early 40's, but the fact that it was 'government' and 'law' did not excuse their illegal actions.  

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