Friday, August 29, 2014

Ferguson aftermath: California city tells cops to get rid of armored vehicle...

The city council of Davis, California has decided to drop the local police department’s Pentagon-supplied armored vehicle following worries from the community that it could be used against demonstrations, as was the case in Ferguson, Missouri this month.

The Davis City Council adopted a resolution this week that orders the city to come up with a plan to drop the MRAP (mine-resistant ambush protected), originally developed for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and acquired by the city through a government surplus program. The armored vehicles have been distributed to local law enforcement agencies, especially after the wars wound down and the Pentagon’s budget was reduced.

A large crowd largely opposed to the city’s MRAP gathered at the city council meeting for the resolution vote. A petition had circulated around town calling for Davis officials to get rid of or repurpose the MRAP.

“I would like to say I do not suggest you take this vehicle and send it out of Davis, I demand it. I demand it!” announced a man attending the meeting wearing a “Tank The Tank” t-shirt, according to the local CBS affiliate.

 Many in Davis are concerned that the military vehicle could be used against political demonstrations or protests, as was the case in Ferguson, Missouri earlier this month when local law enforcement responded to civil unrest over the police killing of an unarmed teenager with what many saw as a heavy-handed, militarized posture. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. John Oliver: Ferguson, MO and police militarization...
  2. 4 shocking examples of police militarization in America’s small towns...
  3. Towns say 'no tanks' to militarized police...
  4. Small-time police departments in the US are getting billions in big military hardware...
  5. US police have killed over 5000 civilians since 9/11...
  6. Two SWAT teams shut down a neighborhood in Colorado for 4 hours...
  7. The militarization of America...
  8. How we got warrior cops...

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