This, via Think Progress, is adding to the cacophony of criticism from "institutional" players for the way in which our nation's leaders are subverting the rule of law to protect their corporate interests:
As the New York Police Department moved in on Occupy Wall Street yesterday, it purposely kept journalists out of the area, even arresting a number of reporters who got too close to demonstrators. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended his kettling of journalists by saying it was done to “protect the members of the press.” But Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer disagreed, saying, “American foreign correspondents routinely put themselves in harm’s way to do their jobs, in some of the most brutal dictatorships in the world. And their NYC colleagues deserve the freedom to make the same choice. Zuccotti Park is not Tiananmen Square.”
I could rant ad nauseum on Bloomberg's transparently dishonest claim that journalists were forcibly kept away from covering the Zuccotti eviction to "protect" their safety.
But my purpose here is not to waste ink. Instead, I simply want to note that Scott Stringer is joining a growing chorus of officials who have called out their superiors for subverting the rule of law in their crackdowns on Occupy Wall Street.
Many examples exist, such as the resignation of Oakland's Deputy Mayor Sharon Cornu over Mayor Quan's eviction of Occupy Oakland (as well as the resignation of her legal advisor).
Today, a retired Philadelphia police captain showed up at Occupy Wall Street, saying, "I'm here because what's happening is a travesty to Democracy."
Indeed. Zuccotti is not Tiananmen Square. And the more high-level officials and politicians who come out and express similar sentiments, the more popular legitimacy this movement will garner.
And it's garnered plenty already.
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Author's Note: Below is a photo of the aforementioned police captain, followed by a 30-second interview with him, both via the incomparable Lucy Kafanov: