A man standing on top of a fountain near one of the entrances to the Capitol was taken down by Capitol police about 45 minutes ago. I saw the film on MSNBC and it appears he was standing very intently and rigidly between two suitcases. However, he didn't threaten anyone, no threat was issued, and no one knows what is in the two suitcases...
However, if you look at the film of his apprehension, Capitol police came up from behind him and took him down very hard, then dragged him away on the ground without even attempting to talk to him. Now, I don't know why he was standing there or what may be in the suitcases, but the fact that no threat had been issued (according to MSNBC news), leaves the way he was taken down and dragged away open for scrutiny. And even after being dragged away, the suitcases were left there with people within walking distance of them. It doesn't look like a dangerous situation, so I'm really wondering what this is all about.
Here is a link to the story. We still do not know who this person is, if he was dangerous or a threat, or what was in those suitcases. Yet people applaud this man being tackled and dragged away like an animal? Am I wrong? What a country we now live in. No one has any rights anymore. Does anyone have any further information on this?
First link
Updated story from Reuters:
Updated link from Reuters
So basically (according to their account,) the only thing he did was not respond to an officer's question. I can't fault them for being suspicious, but I still believe they could have handled it differently. He put up no resistance, so why tackle him? How about just approaching him and asking him to come with them, and then conviscating the suitcases?
Does this incident indicate that perhaps we are just a bit too paranoid since 9.11?