The Criminal Behavior of G-20 Police in Pittsburgh

A disintegrating set of morals are allowing American cops to become the Gestapo and Stormtroopers of yesterday.

(SALEM, Ore.) - U.S. media outlets are writing about the new LRAD or "audio cannon" device used on demonstrators Thursday at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh in a way that only brain-dead sold out scoundrels can. LRAD stands for "Long Range Acoustic Device" and the name does not betray the weapon's objective.

It is a "hands off" tool that blasts out an extremely high pitched sound. I wouldn't be surprised if it actually has the ability to drive people stark raving mad. It's a futuristic fascism device if described accurately.

Americans, especially journalists writing about this, should be horrified by this new form of police abuse. I predict that it will ultimately be the last straw in a society that has too high of a threshold for this type of torture. The device disburses crowds by emitting a high decibel sound so painful that it causes people to freeze and try to run. Apparently they can not always do this.

Picture your fellow Americans, they could be any age, in a state of pain that is "excruciating", according to those who have experienced it. Like the Taser, which is frequently present when suspects die, (even though the company claims it is very safe), there is no way the LRAP is good for people, at minimum, how could it not cause permanent hearing loss?

It is only the latest weapon that police are drawing to use against us, our children, and theirs. Rogue cops all over the nation abuse people with Tasers on a regular basis, and that company profits and profits. Good thing, their team of lawyers is very busy wrestling with death-related claims, even if they beat most of them.

Then you have the American gestapo (translates to secret police) movement of unmarked police cars sneaking around, nailing the unsuspecting through trickery and deceit. California bans the practice, it is taking place every day in Oregon, and Washington's fleet of poser police cars are everywhere in that state. Unmarked means, among other things, they can abuse people and not be identified. They want to keep you confused and guessing, that is the new police approach in the United States.

Unmarked traffic enforcement allows criminals to replicate police very easily and strike victims. The police don't care, almost across the board, and they will tell you that. Why should they? They love using your tax money to sneak up and nab you in a spendy traffic violation.

Considering the hypocrisy of a nation that constantly lauds its supposed "freedoms" so damned often, especially while justifying wars like the one in Iraq, the U.S. government is as criminal, dangerous and immoral than any other in the world. Oh, but how we go on about our greatness, and we are so quick to criticize other nations when their police roll in and control crowds.

The saddest thing is that all of the good police officers in America get lumped into the pot, just like the media when we as an industry screw up. There are great people in law enforcement, they need to take this bull by the horns, learn to develop dialog, and abandon their reckless policies of mowing down people and clubbing them and gassing them and now, using this terrible high technology device to control them.

When people demonstrate in Iran in large numbers, police attack them, use tear gas and crack skulls. In the U.S. when people demonstrate in large numbers, police attack them, use tear gas and crack skulls.

We have fooled ourselves into a false sense of security. The capitalistic spirit of this nation is only out to profit, and the rules are being quickly tossed to the side.

If the day comes, and it will, that these devices are used on disabled veterans, then the gloves come off Uncle Sam, whoever you are. We may well be at the beginning of the end. No decent country or government or president allows this type of torture to take place. Every SOB that uses one of these is an enemy of the American people, the American way and the sacrifices that our countrymen have laid down for us.

They didn't serve our red white and blue flag in order to lead us to this. Pittsburgh, your city is sick, twisted and totally immoral. We as Americans have a right to demonstrate and protest.

I don't think Americans are going to put up with it. I don't know who will take the reigns, it could be the Senate or Congress, it could be regulatory agencies, but it will happen. Those demonstrators are using their rights as Americans to speak out and they are being denied their most basic right of free speech.

If they break laws and threaten private property, then police are within their rights to control and arrest them. No problem, but put that high tech crap on the shelves and ban it from our society. The biggest problem, clear as day for all to know and see, is that police are ratcheting up the violence. People who demonstrate will inevitably respond in kind.

G-20 demonstrators are speaking out about climate change and human rights. This is what they are being treated like animals over.

Tick tick tick Pittsburgh, you went way over the line and we are all going to remember you and your city went way over the line with this. We will write about it for years to come and you are the new Beijing. Happy? I hope the people of Pittsburgh undertake a campaign to replace the politicians there from the top to the bottom and you might as well dismiss every officer that took part in this event. Any group mobilizing in that regard should contact us, we'll cover what you are doing.

I just wonder what would happen if these devices were used on the angry "Tea Party" activists who are against Obama's Stimulus and Healthcare ideas.

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with 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 holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), the first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several other awards including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated with Google News and several other major search engines and news aggregators.
You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

Salem-News.com Top Stories

Two Wars with No Way Out

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

rewilding LA: Matilija Dam History and Ecosystems

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Anonymous October 8, 2009 1:24 pm (Pacific time)

The children murdered at Kent State weren't part of any protests. I remember the shot of the terrorist student putting the flower in the gun barrel of a guardsman. That's why they call it the Kent State MASSACRE.

Good job National Guard.

Editor: How do I say this, "GO TO HELL" - that might work, how about this, you are, in your heart, truly evil. Only somebody who is would write this. I am pretty sure those Murdered students will be waiting for you the day you kick the bucket, should be a wild ride... hope you don't have to wait too long for that.

Jim Loving October 7, 2009 2:04 am (Pacific time)

LRAD weapons are terrorism. Gee, people, isn't "terrorism" the buzz word now that describes all Americans ... potentially? Yet, as Bush said, "you are either with the terrorists or with us", certainly makes the meaning clear that the usurped government of America, England and Israel ARE the terrorists! Hell man, come on, you think terrorist's stem from a crippled man in a cave who has no army!! Thomas Paine said: "ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it". Look at millions who follow true ignorance and true evil ... G.W. Bush.

Anonymouse October 6, 2009 6:26 pm (Pacific time)

This stuff happens because we allow it. People have the government they asked for. The trick is to wake up and stop asking for it. Peaceful non-compliance. There's a lot more of US than THEM...

unacat October 6, 2009 1:18 pm (Pacific time)

america is dead.

Daniel October 5, 2009 11:59 am (Pacific time)

PJ its true all the southern politicals , except one democrat opposed civil rights . The bill was pushed thru by northern politicals , where there was more popular suport . The Robert Byrd of today is a diffrent one than the 40s kkk leader . Even Old Strom was a diffrent man in his later years . The great Wayne Morse started as a Republican , then independent , to a Democrat . LBJ's republican opposition in 1964 for president was Barry Goldwater who was against civil rights . I do remember a number of free thinking progressive Republicians , I cant think of any today

Mike October 5, 2009 10:23 am (Pacific time)

Observe the laws and don't commit criminal acts, then if you're attacked by the police you have a cause of action. I could care less what happens to people who violently break the law. They deserve all they get in my opinion for they are the primary instigators that almost always negatively impact the innocent protestors. Many are no doubt shills, probably similar to ACORN or union workers we saw regularly getting arrested during the Tea Party protests. Lock'em up, throw away the key.

Myfriendscallmetiny October 4, 2009 11:28 pm (Pacific time)

It is rather apparent that these trial ballons will culminate into more authoritarian actions. We should seek out as many oathkeepers as we can (law enforcement and military that is awake and willing to resist their handlers) - unfortunately it is coming down to real confrontations where people on both sides are going to be killed and this of course will only encourage the thugggies of the "serve and protect" crowd to become more despotic. This is what ALWAYS happens when the populace develops a Laissez Faire attitude where political discourse is involved.

A Nony Mous October 2, 2009 10:20 am (Pacific time)

I am a student at Pitt, and I personally witnessed not only the use of the LRAD on a peaceful group of students, but also extreme police brutality on our campus. The last night of the G-20 in Pittsburgh on the Pitt campus there was a group of no more than 200 people gathered at a park on campus. It was a peaceful gathering, people were basically standing around trying to figure out why so many police were nearby. Before anyone really understood what was happening the police completely surrounded the plaza. When I say completely surrounded, I don't mean there were a few police on all sides, I mean they were literally standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear, surrounding the plaza. They began to tell people to disperse (even though we as Americans have a right to peacefully assemble) and most of the students on campus did, unfortunately for them. I didn't head the first several warnings and stayed in the nearby area curious to see what would happen. The police started to fire the LRAD into the crowd, and I immediately left the plaza and crossed the street. All of the Pitt students who were dispersing when the police gave the order started to head back down campus towards the Pitt student union, and the dorms. For some reason the police then started to fire OC vapor and rubber bullets at the students retreating from the area the police commanded them to. Then the police thought that too many people were trying to hide in the dorms so they had the doors locked. This created a situation where several hundred students were literally trapped outside their dorms, while the police were blocking the exit from the rear. Meanwhile the police were continuing to use OC vapor and fire rubber bullets at these people trapped. The police had absolutely no right to act in this manner. They literally invaded the Pitt campus and arrested over 100 people who were simply trapped by the police. I wasn't trapped at the dorms (I didn't immediately when given the order) but was then trapped nearby. The police kept demanding that people disperse while at the same time forming line across basically every intersection on campus restricting movement. People who had nothing to do with the original demonstration were easily caught up in the mayhem, and a lot of them were gassed, fired upon with rubber bullets, and/or arrested. The brutality of the police was something you would expect to see in North Korea or Iraq, not on the streets of an American City. People all across the country should be appalled at these actions and should let the government know that this is not acceptable, before it is too late.

PJ October 2, 2009 8:25 am (Pacific time)

Regarding the poster that touched on civil rights. One senator I know that voted against this legislation was Sen. Al Gore Sr . LBJ upon signing this legislation in 1964 and 1965 said it would not have been possible if not for the republicans. As per the dixiecrats who became republicans, I guess long serving Sen. Byrd, WV (former KKK head) decided not to. Let's all be glad that this legislation got passed and make sure that it does not become abused via some kind of unlawful quota system.

Burgess October 2, 2009 7:34 am (Pacific time)

Great article!!

Daniel October 1, 2009 11:02 pm (Pacific time)

Tim a lot of this teck started in the 50s via the army . Maser , beam weapons laser , sonics are all from that era . They were made to use on the battlefield but I am sure many had their eye on domestic crowd control . Before this sonic device the police used cs gas , tear gas . The first line of defence was gas and batton , not gun power . At Kent state a few of those killed were just going to class . The distance they were shot at is beyound the range of a sonic weapon . The Ohio guard was pulled up from a long and violent truck strike in southern Ohio and should not have pulled the duty . The guardsmen should not have been issued live rounds . That was the last time any guard unit has been issued live rounds for domestic riot control .The state paid $675,000 plus legal in the civil case . Greg I still am wondering where lethal force was used A NUMBER OF TIMES , by you and those you served with on AMERICANS ?

Daniel October 1, 2009 10:05 pm (Pacific time)

Greg when the democrats added civil rights to there 1948 platform the conservative southern demos broke away and started the dixiecrats , with Strom Thurmand as the leader. Most of these dixiecrats went on to become conservative republicans .What are you talking about ?

Anonymous October 1, 2009 6:03 pm (Pacific time)

I am going to start using a name instead of anon. anon from the 1:32 pm post. what the heck are you talking about? Tim did a great job! I will start posting under a name from now on. hmmm, how about, "patriot"? that should get me on the no fly list! :-) ok then, patriot it is. dont like flying anyway. Altho, grrrrr, Rham says if you are on the no fly list, you cant own a firearm, and I enjoy target shooting! double grrrr.. hmm. :-) keep up the good work Tim.

Daniel October 1, 2009 5:41 pm (Pacific time)

Greg where was lethal force used by you and others on US Americans ?

Winder October 1, 2009 3:41 pm (Pacific time)

Great coverage Tim...keep shining the light on the cockroaches and other slinking pestilence. What positively Orwellian developments we are seeing.

Vic October 1, 2009 3:23 pm (Pacific time)

Great article ! Keep up the good work !

Anonymous October 1, 2009 3:03 pm (Pacific time)

Please remember also. It has been a PROVEN fact, that the swat teams/police, whatever, hire people to act like anarchists and cause problems, so that the police and media can exploit the situation to stop future protests. The false anarchists are then swiftly taken away. Proven fact. Protestors now, via DHS documents, are called suspected domestic terrorists. Look it up. For those who do not think we are losing our country and moving towards a communist type country, they really need to wake up now. Tim: you might want to do some research on whats is going on near Billings, Montana. Since most American soldiers will not fire on fellow Americans, we now have tens of thousands of foreign military/mercenaries training in the U.S. As the economy continues to fall, well, you get the picture. And what I am saying has been relentlessly researched.

Anonymous October 1, 2009 1:32 pm (Pacific time)

The millions who marched against Obama's inane policies did so peacefully. 56% of Americans (4% more than who voted for him) are against the public option while 41% are for it. Editor you are failing to understand what's going on, try reading responsible sources instead of those anti-American blogs. Be responsible! I just don't believe how myopic people are.

Greg Houser October 1, 2009 1:26 pm (Pacific time)

Many years ago I was on riot duty and the use of lethal force was lawfully used a number of times. This type of device, if used in place of deadly force responsibly, ditto for the taser, can save lives. Law abiding citizens very rarely get themselves in danger zones where these types of devices are used. For too long anarchists and other thugs have gotten away with criminal behavior and now there is away to immobilize them. For those of you who were not around or too young, the Kent University shootings were lawful and maybe if this device was around those people would be alive. Once again, law abiding citizens have nothing to worry about as long as they avoid these mobs. For the poster about the civil rights marches, the reason we do not have Jim Crow laws is because conservatives made sure by their voting process that they were made unlawful. Look up the voting record and see the democrats who did their best to stop civil rights legislation.

Daniel October 1, 2009 12:52 pm (Pacific time)

ROBOCOP !

Anonymous October 1, 2009 12:24 pm (Pacific time)

Just imagine if they had this thing during the civil rights marches in the 1960s. The cops could have pre-emptively struck, drowning out voices of reform. We probably would have Jim Crow laws in the south as a result. Good article. Keep it up.

[Return to Top]

The Criminal Behavior of G-20 Police in Pittsburgh

Quick Links

DINING

MUST SEE SALEM

AUCTIONS - APPRAISALS

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ONLINE SHOPPING

Advertise with Salem-News