In a move that seems to have been thought up by Donald Rumsfeld the police in Seattle have banned umbrellas. At least open ones not held by a standing person.
Those waiting at bus stops in the soggy city beware:
Police are aggressively clearing people out of the park. Cops are telling people they can’t stand underneath the awnings, can’t wrap themselves in a tarp, and can’t even sit down with an umbrella. “You can’t have an umbrella open unless you’re standing and holding it,” a cop reportedly just told a few people who were sitting down next to their umbrellas. Paul Contant, intrepid reporter, just called to confirm that person’s account. And he added, “The cops are lined up under the awnings—I tried to get under an awning to type and and they told me I cannot be under the awning at all.” Police are also telling people they can’t lay under a tarp.
The reasoning for this draconian act?
Umbrellas are structures:
Occupy Seattle’s Facebook page explains how umbrellas legally become “structures”:
There is a lot of confusion about what is going on at Westlake right now as some structures have been taken down by the police. From the Occupy Seattle Police Spokeswoman:
In Westlake Park no sleeping structures are allowed (our information/food/medical tent is!) and sleeping under the awnings is not allowed. You cannot have tarps tied down to anything, but you can have them covering yourself. You can have umbrellas but someone must be holding them at all times, if left unattended they are considered to be structures. Blankets and sleeping bags are okay! We are not being kicked out of the park at this time.
A lone protester in Seattle decided to test out this "law". She was most compliant in her non compliance not offering any resistance but passive:
In a scene from earlier today, a single woman, who identified herself as Debra Lynn Peardon, put that law to the test, opening an umbrella and sitting down on the ground.
That’s when, according to Seattle blog The Slog, “40 police officers surrounded” the woman. With her hands bound, at least four officers then carried her out by her arms and legs, with protesters all the while chanting, “Show me what oppression looks like? This is what oppression looks like!”
Can you say lawsuit?
In other news honking your horn in support as you drive by protesters will get you a ticket.
Isn't that special?:
SEATTLE - Police experimented with a new tactic Friday night as they responded to a weeklong Occupy Seattle demonstration at Westlake Park - ticketing drivers who honked in support of protesters.
Starting at 11 p.m. Friday, police started pulling over and ticketing drivers who honked as they drove past protesters.
When the first car - a taxicab - was pulled over, the protesters followed and shouted at police who then formed a blockade around the driver's cab.
The cab driver was then given a $144 ticket - and protesters ended up handing him money afterwards to help pay for his fine.