@seeker, I also think it’s within the realm of possibility that these “anarchists” are planted. Regardless, they don’t represent the home community and they don’t represent the vast majority of protesters, so the effect, unfortunately, is that of a bad apple.
The other thought I want to add to this, though, is that it’s not just political conventions that are driving this phenomenon of arresting without cause. In Albuquerque and other cities, people are now being arrested for “refusing to obey (a lawful order)” or what lawyers refer to as contempt of cop, which basically means that an officer arrests you for pissing them off with your mouth. The word “obey” is unique to Albuquerque (as opposed to the rest of NM), and it appears cops use a broad interpretation of the wording to justify arrests. This despite the fact that the so-called offense is constitutionally protected free speech. The Albuquerque Journal reported that, in 2007, 70% of 517 of these cases were dismissed (in Albuquerque courts) and the consensus among legal authorities is that “lawful order” is a very big gray area. Our police chief says that “sometimes the order (given by a cop) is not lawful, but that’s what the courts are for.”
A former NYPD cop and now head of a police studies institute is quoted as saying that “officers mainly use the law to arrest someone involved in a riot and cautioned getting rid of such laws.” Saying, “Police officers get called to disputes, and they are expected to settle them. They can’t walk away. The only tools they have is their own persuasion, their use of force and the law.”
Here’s the Albuquerque city code:
City Code 12–2-19 RESISTING, OBSTRUCTING OR REFUSING TO OBEY AN OFFICER.
Resisting, obstructing or refusing to obey an officer consists of either:
(A) Knowingly obstructing, resisting or opposing any officer of this state or any other duly authorized person serving or attempting to serve or execute any process or any rule or order of any of the courts of this state or any other judicial writ or process; or
(B) Resisting or abusing any judge, magistrate or peace officer in the lawful discharge of his duties; or
(C) Refusing to obey or comply with any lawful process or order given by any police officer acting in the lawful discharge of his duties; or
(D) Interfering with, obstructing or opposing any officer in the lawful discharge of his regular and affixed duties.
So it appears that cops are using this legal gray area to justify arrests and wipe their hands clean of the inconvenience you are causing them with the point being not to uphold a conviction, but to get you out of the way. I don’t doubt that the bicyclists would have had their charges dropped if they had mounted a competent legal defense. By saying that, I’m not trying to put the blame on them, I’m only saying that it seems now the onus is on the citizen to be educated or resourceful enough with respect to court procedure to avoid these obvious traps.
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Composing members:
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