Tanks on the streets of Los Angeles, CA?

someone has been visiting DU

oh and btw.. tanks have tracks.. not wheels... just fyi

Quote

An enclosed, heavily armored combat vehicle that is armed with cannon and machine guns and moves on continuous tracks.

so hostile.. well.. i cant look at it from your view (cause i dont see what the big deal is)... they wernt shooting at people.. nor where they even point rifles/machine guns/turrets at them... what i dont agree with is these people stepping infront of it.. in my eyes.. these are the same people that spit on soliders coming home from war... and to me.. lose all respect..

are you sure thats a tank....that fires....shells? there are plenty of anti-mob devices that look like tanks (ie water, those tanks that shoot goo that make people slip....etc etc..im sure you all saw the history channel episode on non violent deterrents

NOT A TANK!ASDFasdfaasdfadsasdffdsa...

posty fas.org is your friend

http://%7boption%7d

Jesus Christ, we're having a discussion about semantics isnteasd of what happened: two military vehicles deployed by the United States Government specifically designed for a violent purpose drove up to an anti-war rally to intimidate protestors.

As per Urban's comment about not seeing the big deal, this big deal is the First Ammendment. The government is not uspposed to be abridging the right to peacefully assemble and speak their mind. They weren't doing anything wrong. They were peacefully assembling and expressing their ideas. In response, the government sent military vehicles to scare them off. That's not right.

Secondly, don't make general statements like "they were the ones spitting on troops." First of all, it's not true. Secondly, it's a piss poor arguement. It would be equivalent to me saying that everybody that opposes gay marriage were the ones who beat Matthew Shepard to death. You can't associate an entire group of people to the actions of a very small and select sub-group. The people who spit on soldiers are assholes, just like people who beat up gays.

The guy on the turret of the tank looks like Master Cheif

come to think of it... that tank looks like the Scorpion tank too

btw, the big deal is that this is turning into Vietnam all over again

http://%7boption%7d

Quote

Military's Presence at Antiwar Rally Is Called a CoincidenceLOS ANGELES

TANKS MILITARY

PARADES

LOS ANGELES PARADES TANKS MILITARY PARADES

By Wendy Thermos, Times Staff Writer

Photos and a video posted on the Internet this week depicting tanks at an antiwar demonstration in front of the Federal Building in Westwood provoked hundreds of outraged postings.

But police and witnesses said the armored vehicles were on their way to a Veterans Day event at the nearby Veterans Affairs grounds on Wilshire Boulevard, stopping only for a red light near the Federal Building.

"It's a whole lot of nothing," said Officer Kathy Simpson, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman. "The 'tanks' were there for Veterans Day. They ride in the parade and wave."

The antiwar protest, sponsored by the group Act Now to Stop War & End Racism, was held Tuesday evening near the VA grounds, where a parade and exhibit were staged Wednesday.

Blurred photos posted on the Internet showed military personnel in battle gear standing at their hatches, behind gun turrets mounted on two tank-like vehicles rolling through traffic. Closer inspection showed the vehicles were not tanks but light-armored vehicles, which are smaller than tanks and ride on rubber tires instead of treads.

Several websites denounced the vehicles' presence and accused the military of trying to intimidate peaceful protesters. "There was absolutely no excuse to deploy tanks against a law-abiding crowd," said one site.

A statement posted Wednesday by Answer said, "It is an outrage to see tanks rolling through the streets of Los Angeles."

By Thursday, however, a representative fielding phone calls for the nonprofit group was considerably calmer. "I can't speak for everybody, but I think people are overreacting a little bit," said Darrin Downey, who saw the vehicles driving by. "It didn't seem hostile. I believe they were just going around the corner."

The demonstration was already over, he added.

It's not clear which branch of the military the vehicles belonged to. A Camp Pendleton spokesman said he believed his base sent one or two armored vehicles to the exhibit and parade, which celebrated Veterans Day and the Marine Corps' 229th birthday Wednesday. "I can guarantee you we didn't send them over there to scare a bunch of protesters," Sgt. Mark Ledesma said.

Display More

3. If you don't have anything to add to the conversation, just flip past and don't click the reply button, simple huh?

3. If you don't have anything to add to the conversation, just flip past and don't click the reply button, simple huh?

gg pro troop rally attacking troops

3. If you don't have anything to add to the conversation, just flip past and don't click the reply button, simple huh?

Quote from Bic-B@ll

gg pro troop rally attacking troops

i didnt see any attacking of the troops... but.. however i did see alot of disrespect from people standing infront of the LAV... like its their choice the troops are in iraq or something

the thing that pisses me off is the fact that they think they have a right to choose whether or not the country goes to war...i mean if soo many people are against bush, then how did he win? dont give me that rigged election bull cuz i will slap you across the face

i know they have the right of assembly, but they dont have a right to block traffic, i mean if i dont like the was the MTA handles their buisiness, i wouldnt go upto a bus driver who has nothing to do with it and stop him from doing his job...the soldiers were sent to break up, or intimidate the rally, they didnt voulenteer or rush to offend the protestors.