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These demonstrations can indeed be peaceful. As an example, the IMF/World Bank in Washington, DC last spring.
DC Police saw what happened in Seattle during the WTO meetings. They had a bit of time to prepare. Arlington, VA Police were made US Marshals so that they could keep patrol over the bridges that run between the two cities--hence, giving the DC Police more bodies. In addition, everyone was on duty during that period. Damned near every police officer was on the streets. The police also caught a break (some may say unfair) by raiding the protestors staging area two days before the protest. (The reason--building code violations. It was sneaky, yes...but shrewd on their end.) In the end, a few hundred people got arrested, were let go on minor violations, a few got hurt, but nothing extreme happened.
I believe that as a whole, cops DO play fair. However, cops DO have a right to play tricks on us citizens in order to protect society as a whole.
If the cops in general felt they were in imminent danger, then they did have the right to shoot and kill Giuliani.
As far as the G8 (or rather, the G7 plus Russia), it was a gathering of the 8 most powerful nations. As much as we may not agree with all their policies and decisions, they represent us a whole. Furthermore, the US is a republic, NOT a democracy...and this goes for most first-world nations. If we were all true democracies, then we would not be first-world nations...it would be sheer chaos. Also, the protestors will NEVER get anywhere, for the simple fact that there are too many factions. This isn't like the Civil Rights Era or anything. I'd be curious to know how much money Bono and Bob Geldof have given to relieve third-world debt.
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