Police prepare for unrest

[Christina]

Police prepare for unrest By Alexander Bolton Posted: 10/21/08 07:58 PM [ET] Police departments in cities across the country are beefing up their ranks for Election Day, preparing for possible civil unrest and riots after the historic presidential contest.Public safety officials said in interviews with The Hill that the election, which will end with either the nation’s first black president or its first female vice president, demanded a stronger police presence.Some worry that if Barack Obama loses and there is suspicion of foul play in the election, violence could ensue in cities with large black populations. Others based the need for enhanced patrols on past riots in urban areas (following professional sports events) and also on Internet rumors.Democratic strategists and advocates for black voters say they understand officers wanting to keep the peace, but caution that excessive police presence could intimidate voters.Sen. Obama (Ill.), the Democratic nominee for president, has seen his lead over rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) grow in recent weeks, prompting speculation that there could be a violent backlash if he loses unexpectedly. Cities that have suffered unrest before, such as Detroit, Chicago, Oakland and Philadelphia, will have extra police deployed. In Oakland, the police will deploy extra units trained in riot control, as well as extra traffic police, and even put SWAT teams on standby. “Are we anticipating it will be a riot situation? No. But will we be prepared if it goes awry? Yes,” said Jeff Thomason, spokesman for the Oakland Police Department. “I think it is a big deal — you got an African-American running and [a] woman running,” he added, in reference to Obama and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. “Whoever wins it, it will be a national event. We will have more officers on the street in anticipation that things may go south.”The Oakland police last faced big riots in 2003 when the Raiders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. Officials are bracing themselves in case residents of Oakland take Obama’s loss badly. Political observers such as Hilary Shelton and James Carville fear that record voter turnout could overload polling places on Election Day and could raise tension levels. Shelton, the director of the NAACP’s Washington bureau, said inadequate voting facilities is a bigger problem in poor communities with large numbers of minorities. “What are local election officials doing to prepare for what people think will be record turnout at the polls?” said Shelton, who added that during the 2004 election in Ohio voters in predominantly black communities had to wait in line six to eight hours to vote. “On Election Day, if this continues, you may have some tempers flare; we should be prepared to deal with that but do it without intimidation,” said Shelton, who added that police have to be able to maintain order at polling stations without scaring voters, especially immigrants from “police states.”http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/police...2008-10-21.html1 | 2 | 3 Next >

 

[Follower]

Between Obama winning and police being especially prepared for rioting, black violence should be minimal. And, I'll be happy to be spared the groveling by predominantly white churches apologizing on behalf of Christians for causing the rioting.

 

[tomwebster]

(Follower;61558)
Between Obama winning and police being especially prepared for rioting, black violence should be minimal. And, I'll be happy to be spared the groveling by predominantly white churches apologizing on behalf of Christians for causing the rioting.
Have you ever noticed what happens when a sports team wins a big game? Rioting, and where?

 

[Follower]

(tomwebster;61561)
Have you ever noticed what happens when a sports team wins a big game? Rioting, and where?
Out-of-hand celebrations are not as severe as a crime wave driven by a sense of moral outrage (whether or not that moral outrage is justified). And, when those sports victory celebrations go too far, there aren't churches blaming Christianity for what the troublemakers do.Police are also ready for the problems that Obama's biggest fans might cause when Obama wins.

 

[ffbruce]

The Mainstream Media has long since declared that Obama is going to win the election in a landslide.Polls are showing something very different, however.So... IF McCain wins the election - which he very well may do - I'll guarantee you there will be rioting, amidst relentless accusations of a stolen election, etc.

 

[Christina]

(ffbruce;61580)
The Mainstream Media has long since declared that Obama is going to win the election in a landslide.Polls are showing something very different, however.So... IF McCain wins the election - which he very well may do - I'll guarantee you there will be rioting, amidst relentless accusations of a stolen election, etc.
I think you are absoultly right ffbruce

 

[tim_from_pa]

All this reminds me of this familiar song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KL_fgWgK40Tommy's father has a voice that sounds eerily like Bush's (3:30 into the clip)