# Are the 'occupy wall street' protesters being treated differently by police than the tea party **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293 "2011-10-11T14:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/21 "2011-10-11T20:58:53Z")
I don’t have time to look into this right now, but the protest I’m thinking of is MUCH longer then one day. It’s like 40 days or something. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/22 "2011-10-11T21:01:24Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > I don’t have time to look into this right now, but the protest I’m thinking of is MUCH longer then one day. It’s like 40 days or something. Well, until _you_ find out what you are talking about, _I_ can’t really respond, can I? ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/23 "2011-10-11T21:06:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Well, until _you_ find out what you are talking about, _I_ can’t really respond, can I? Well, no, Mr. Hostile. It was implied that when I had time to look into it further, I would, and I would post what I found. Until then, our conversation is suspended. Sorry I didn’t spell it all out for you. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/24 "2011-10-11T21:14:34Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Well, no, Mr. Hostile. It was implied that when I had time to look into it further, I would, and I would post what I found. Until then, our conversation is suspended. Sorry I didn’t spell it all out for you. I’m not the one that asked how one was different from the other without specifically stating what the other was in the first place. Your descriptions changed from abortion protesters to The March For Life to some unnamed event at some unnamed time at some unnamed place that lasted for “like 40 days or something”. ---
**Author:** ![G-SE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@G-SE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G-SE)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/25 "2011-10-11T21:21:30Z")
Well, when a police officer asks tea partiers to move back behind a line for their safety, they say, “ok, thanks” and move back. When a police officer asks douchebag marxists to move back behind a line for their safety, they: 1. sit and refuse to move 2. call the cop a fascist, racist, corporate robot 3. have their friends come over and yell and scream at the cop 4. get in the cops face and yell some more 5. pull out their cellphone and see how far they can push the cop so they can get their city payoff in a lawsuit. It’s not really that hard to understand why they may be treated a little differently. The fact that the occupy wall street douches break laws and tea partiers don’t is another big factor. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/26 "2011-10-11T21:27:29Z")
> [@G-SE](#): > > Well, when a police officer asks tea partiers to move back behind a line for their safety, they say, “ok, thanks” and move back. > > When a police officer asks douchebag marxists to move back behind a line for their safety, they: > > 1. sit and refuse to move > 2. call the cop a fascist, racist, corporate robot > 3. have their friends come over and yell and scream at the cop > 4. get in the cops face and yell some more > 5. pull out their cellphone and see how far they can push the cop so they can get their city payoff in a lawsuit. > > It’s not really that hard to understand why they may be treated a little differently. > > The fact that the occupy wall street douches break laws and tea partiers don’t is another big factor. Cite, please? ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/27 "2011-10-11T21:45:44Z")
They don’t have much of a choice. The police know full well that if things get ugly they could (and probably would) get mobbed quickly. Beyond that, the police are perceived as the thug arm of the 1%, and to a degree that opinion is not entirely incorrect. Clashing violently with the protestors would turn the wounded protestors into heroes, and result in more violence. So they will tread the line, arrest a few people and engage as much as they can as a show of enforcement without tipping the protests into riots. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/28 "2011-10-11T22:05:42Z")
> [@](#): > > U.S. Capitol Police arrested 10 people this afternoon after the Capitol Hill Tea Party crowd stormed Congressional office buildings. > … > They were charged with unlawful entry (entering a Congressional office and refusing to leave when told to do so) and/or disorderly conduct (yelling in the hallway outside an office) at Room 235 in the Cannon House Office Building. … > … one man yelled at the police … > … One woman told officers they were “shameful.” … > … That woman later told the officers, “I know you guys are just doing your job but don’t you hate your job?” … > … another woman shouted at the officers … > … shouted at police …[RIGHT][CITE](http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/strange-scene-10-arrested-as-tea-party-watchers-heckle-police.php)[/RIGHT] CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/29 "2011-10-12T09:57:01Z")
Okay. That cite showed that during a protest where the vast majority of demonstrators had no problems with police a small group of professional protesters got arrested. Let’s remember who Randall Terry is. ---
**Author:** ![G-SE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@G-SE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G-SE)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/30 "2011-10-12T13:56:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Cite, please? Sure. What part are you having trouble believing? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/31 "2011-10-12T14:20:31Z")
BTW, I will not criticize TPM for this story, since they made clear who the protesters were in updates to the original story. I think it was a bit dishonest, though, for **CMC** to quote it as though these were ordinary tea party protesters and not, as the article made clear, Operation Rescue. > [@](#): > > Friday update: Evan is running down the story of these arrests, Randall Terry’s group was involved. Also, the man who was on the curb appears to be Norman Weslin, and we dug up some video showing him using similar tactics as he was arrested at a Notre Dame protest when President Obama spoke during graduation. If I were to single out certain fringe elements in the Wall Street protest, and imply that their behavior was generally seen, this would be considered wrong. It is wrong here as well. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/32 "2011-10-12T14:29:21Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I am sure Sam Adams & co. had the proper permits to dump tea in Boston Harbor. I am equally sure Adams would have been thoroughly disgusted with the dumbass hippies in the OWS movement. Not every rebel deserves honor, and not every rebellion deserves to be placed on the same moral plane as the revolution of 1776. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/33 "2011-10-12T14:40:03Z")
Most of us have no real problem with that slur, outside of explaining it to our grandchildren. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/34 "2011-10-12T15:04:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Most of us have no real problem with that slur, outside of explaining it to our grandchildren. “Dumbass?” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/35 "2011-10-12T15:49:25Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > BTW, I will not criticize TPM for this story, since they made clear who the protesters were in updates to the original story. I think it was a bit dishonest, though, for **CMC** to quote it as though these were ordinary tea party protesters and not, as the article made clear, Operation Rescue. … Umm, I’d think that if everyone involved in this protest was part of Operation Rescue, there wouldn’t have been any confusion about why there were arrests, > [@](#): > > … Like a bad game of telephone, the crowd spread rumors without anyone having witnessed exactly what happened. > > Several people said the group had been arrested for praying. Others said the group was arrested for ripping up pages from the nearly 2,000-page health care bill. > > To show support for them, members of the crowd started ripping up their pages from the bill, which rally organizers had handed out for the purpose of reading them to members of Congress. … Oh, and I found this, > [@](#): > > [Tea partiers descend on Capitol Hill](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29183.html) > By JONATHAN ALLEN & MEREDITH SHINER | 11/5/09 11:14 AM EDT > [@](#): > > TPMDC > Strange Scene: 10 Arrested As Tea Partiers Heckle Police > Christina Bellantoni | November 5, 2009, 4:04PM so, same event, > [@](#): > > The Tea Party holds no seat in Congress, but at least 10,000 of the party’s members descended on Capitol Hill Thursday to rally against a Democratic-written health care overhaul. > > A plan first hatched and heralded on FOX by iconic conservative Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) grew over the weekend as she e-mailed with a handful of colleagues. … > > … Minority Leader John Boehner, Republican Whip Eric Cantor and Conference Chairman Mike Pence all spoke. … > > … an endless lineup of rank-and-file lawmakers and conservative All Stars – Bachmann, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, actor Jon Voigt and Mark Levin, author of “Liberty and Tyranny” … > > … When she took the microphone, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) pointed to the three House office buildings across Independence Avenue from the rally. > > “I invite you, when the rally’s over, to travel in those halls, look at the walls, find your (member) and walk in," she said. “Let them know how you feel about this bill.” > > Within an hour, activists were lined up down Independence Avenue to go through the magnetometers in the lobby of the Rayburn Office Building so they could confront members and staff. Bachman told them to each take a page – or a piece of a page – from one of two copies of the bill at the podium and ask a member to explain the text to them. > > Bachmann’s office and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s district office were surrounded by the Tea Partiers shortly after the rally ended, and the floor outside Pelosi’s office was covered in pages of the bill. … Operation Rescue event or Tea Party event . . . that included people that were also part of Operation Rescue? CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/36 "2011-10-12T16:07:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **G-SE** : > Well, when a police officer asks tea partiers to move back behind a line for their safety, they say, “ok, thanks” and move back. > > When a police officer asks douchebag marxists to move back behind a line for their safety, they: > > 1. sit and refuse to move > 2. call the cop a fascist, racist, corporate robot > … Ah, I got it. So your side doesn’t call the other side inflammatory names; it’s only the douchebag Marxists on the other side who do that. And how is waving cellphones any worse than waving handguns? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/37 "2011-10-12T16:27:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Aren’t they in public places? Nobody needs a permit to stand on the sidewalk. I’m sure it varies from locale to locale. Ironically Liberty Park, the original site in NYC is not a public park. It’s actualy a private piece of real estate belonging to the adjacent building, 100 Liberty Plaza, and developed by that noted champion of anti-corporatism, U.S. Steel, in exchange for exemption from height regulations for the building. As it stands there is no way to exclude anyone from the site because it is open to the street on all sides. In theory the building’s manageent could fence the whole thing off and hire private security to eject the occupiers. Until the owners of the property object, however, it is quasi-public for all intents and purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/38 "2011-10-12T16:27:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And how is waving cellphones any worse than waving handguns? Who waved a handgun? Cite please. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/39 "2011-10-12T16:32:39Z")
Its a bit subtle, to be sure. The idea of publicly wearing a handgun is to say “Look! I’ve got a gun”. Whereas, waving it about is to say, “Look, I’ve got a gun and I’m probably nuts!” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293/40 "2011-10-12T16:37:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its a bit subtle, to be sure. The idea of publicly wearing a handgun is to say “Look! I’ve got a gun”. Whereas, waving it about is to say, “Look, I’ve got a gun and I’m probably nuts!” Well, there is also that “subtle” point that carrying a handgun in a holster is legal in many places, and waving it around is legal, oh, nowhere. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-occupy-wall-street-protesters-being-treated-differently-by-police-than-the-tea-party/599293.md?page=3)