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Everyone will tell you that the overwhelming majority of protesters were peaceful and nonviolent... even the Mayor of L.A. eventually had to admit that much. Then why were thousands of heavily armed riot police deployed throughout the city? Authorities will say that the massive police presence "kept the peace".... nonsense.

The demonstrators were peaceful because they had no violent intentions! When the type of blatant force and intimidation pictured at left is displayed in a country like China, it's a "human rights problem." When it's done in America... the corporate press looks the other way.

In the wake of the September 11th tragedy, such heavy handed security will now be fully justified by many... but should the democratic rights of Americans be eliminated for the sake of national security?

Photograph by Mark Vallen ©