Unfortunately, he didn't do that and thus his order to police was unlawful. He cannot say there wasn't time. He cannot say that there was imminent danger. There was no evidence whatsoever that the assembly of people was not peaceable.
Most levels of government have a law on the books that makes it at least a misdemeanor if one fails to obey a lawful order of the police.
I assert that there can be no lawful orders by any police officer that are issued to carry out an unlawful action.
A repeat of the Oct. 14 action was conducted by the Denver Police Department acting under Hancock's orders, which were just as unlawful as Hickenlooper's.
Press accounts give credit to the police for acting with "admirable restraint." What I saw, particularly on Saturday night, were police officers assaulting and battering peaceable citizens with night sticks. Unless the orders to police are lawful, admirable restraint is nothing but assault and battery using clubs.
Granted, what occurred on Friday morning and Saturday evening were not police riots. But it was poor judgment by incompetent leaders.
- Copyright 2011 by P. A. Triot. Copy and distribute at will, with proper attribution. P. A. Triot is a pen name of a retired journalist.
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