Anti-Trump protesters block traffic in town center this busy Sunday morning
After about 5 minutes APD "moved them along"
One of the criticisms of the huge gathering of Vets and their supporters at last week's Hampshire College "Raise The Flag" protest was, well, they were scary.
That many people waving American flags is scary to some I guess.
Last week Hampshire College: A sea of flags is scary to some
Aerial photos show NO Confederate or Nazi flags in the crowd
But certainly none of them were accused of breaking any laws and neither APD or AFD had to respond to the scene.
This morning in Amherst town center a crowd of anti-Trump protesters used their God given, err, Founding Father given right to assemble and use their Free Speech on the Town Common which has seen protests like that for over 350 years.
Fair enough.
But then before the rally/demonstration dispersed they blocked traffic on South Pleasant street at a busy time of the morning inconveniencing those average citizens going about their business.
The specific target of their blockade I suppose was to stop a patriotic convoy that left Whately and toured through UMass and were enroute to Hampshire College.
The rally had been planned a few weeks ago and was to coincide with yet another "Raise The Flag" rally which was canceled at the last minute due to a gracious VFW leadership.
An admirable trait these downtown protesters seem to know nothing about.
Note to readers: At no point was B2 directly over anyone's head except my own
A lone Vet with a flag greeted the caravan at main entrance to Hampshire College
Nothing brings out my compassion for others more than a traffic jam. They've totally got the right idea.
ReplyDeleteLarry, this was malicious, and hence worse than just poor judgement.
ReplyDeleteI think every one of those schmucks should have been arrested. 75 arrests at $300 each would be $22,000 that the town didn't have before, and being named in your blog might have the same consequences as it does for those arrested for having a loud party.
Like I said, this was malicious (or premeditated), and while it's difficult to make out from the B-2 footage, weren't the first two blocked vehicles marked police cars?!?
The important thing here is precedent -- if one group is allowed to do this, it becomes content-based censorship to tell any other group that they can't. And two months from now, there will be assorted MLK2 events in town, e.g. the fund-raising breakfast, etc. What if some other bunch of schmucks were to do the exact same thing to disrupt that event???
I don't doubt that the precious little snowflakes are melting because someone finally told Lash to stand up to them. (Who's on the Hampshire Board of Trustees?) So they threw the most childish of temper tantrums -- but ought there not be consequences when adults do such things?
Like I said, what would happen if someone disrupted a MLK2 event in a similar manner?
What should happen?
Calm down Ed. This was no big deal. It was practically over before it started. I drove through the intersection just fine. Fortunately, our AFD has better judgement than you do.
ReplyDeleteLarry, I thought the TOWN owned the sidewalk -- owned 30 feet from the curb.
ReplyDeleteHence what right did Hampshire College have to block off access to TOWN-OWNED property, as your picture clearly shows them doing. Yes, the APD can do that, but not Hamp Security!
Second, they are blocking a bicycle lane -- the town and/or state has spent a lot of money building bicycle lanes under the illusion that bicyclists will actually use them, and parking a large SUV in the middle of it raises the question of what if someone actually wanted to...
Third, they are violating ADA. That curb cut was installed, at no insignificant
public expense, on the presumption that people in wheelchairs might want to use it, and hence what if someone actually did?
Again, while the APD could block the bike lane & Curb Cut (with the Chief having to explain why they did)
Fourth, they have a wooden sawhorse sticking out into a travel lane of a state highway. That's illegal -- and quite unsafe!
NB: While Hampshire College is private property, like any driveway, the portion on Town property is public -- and the right-turn lane of a state highway is a travel lane of a state highway! (Imagine if WalMart were to do the exact same thing...)
A: Only the APD can put things in a travel lane of a state highway -- and I suspect thast isn't an unlimited authority, that MassDOT probably has *lots* of regs & protocols about this.
B: There is no path of orange cones or anything else. Without that, one will presume that it's only an illusion that the white boards are in the road, if they're even seen. Someone hitting that with a moped or motorcycle could die -- and while I'd deliberately hit it, a truck or bus swerving into the left lane at the last minute could crunch a compact car, killing the family inside.
Worse, what about a dump truck, which often don't have the best brakes, pulling into that lane to let an ambulance go by, and swerving back at the last minute. Wouldn't be pretty -- and when you are driving a vehicle that is 8' wide, you have to think about *where* you can stop without blocking the ambulance or fire truck that is also 8' wide...
That is a numbered state highway and there are Federal & State specs defining what one can expect on such a road. Massachusetts is even stricter, requiring a detail police officer & cruiser as "flagger" -- there should have been a Hampshire-paid APD private detail cruiser there.
Oh, and fifth, what about a bicyclist going down that bikepath -- it isn't hard for a healthy young adult to outrun his/her/its brakepads, i.e. be unable to stop. You can't go straight because there is a 3-ton vehicle there, you can't go right because there are two HC security there, so the only thing you can do is go left. You either hit the other sawhorse and go over it, or try to go to the left of it -- and likely tumble.
Either way, you're in a travel lane of a state highway, most likely on the deck, and quite likely already injured. Anyone want to look up the minimum stopping distance of a vehicle traveling 35-40 MPH when the driver isn't anticipating having to stop? No, you're go0nna get run over...
Larry, this is a public safety issue...
Fortunately, our AFD has better judgement than you do.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the AFD would have a different opinion had one of those turning trucks managed to snag one of the protesters who ran to impede them.
It all stops being fun when someone gets hurt...
As much as I hate to agree with your own personal hate mail. You really need to focus your academic prowess on more serious issues. You really sound like an ass more and more when you go overboard on sensless things.
ReplyDeleteTime to grow up there Ed.
I watched the "patriotic convoy" blow thru the intersection in North Amherst acting like a funeral procession, e.g., they didn't stop for the red light. And those 50 trucks with flags kept traffic waiting thru several light changes.
ReplyDeleteThat's why they paid $400 for the police escort, anon 8:29 pm
DeletePoint taken 8:28 -- I feel the way about vehicle & highway safety like Larry does about OUI. I've seen too many people die for stupid reasons, stuff that didn't need to happen.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I am worried about the middle ceasing to hold -- as occurred in the German Wiemar Republic...
One of the costs of freedom.
ReplyDeleteIs gracious leadership ( of the generalisismo ) socialism speak for not needed and no one was going to come as a result.
ReplyDeleteGeeze, when does to propaganda end? Why do you feel the need?
Wouldn't you love to be a neighbor of Ed and his mommy? Him outside with a measuring tape looking for any infractions of his property line, reporting any code violations he thinks you have. It would be a nightmare. He would probably send you very lengthy complaint letters everyday!
ReplyDeleteAwwwwww,
ReplyDeletethey have such a fire in their hearts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUbCoh5KPIA
Now
~EAT~ it
chimps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbyaPmv5Gc0
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...
Soooooo-Trump can do no wrong ??!! Because some fail history class-don't tread on me...Now that's- Uber PATRIOTIC ...it doesn't take a rich white elitest Amherst "Uber Gifted Wunderkinden" to get this thing- figured ?!$&@
ReplyDelete6 o's? I loved that bar.
DeleteDid this protest have any effect at all? On anything? Or anybody?
ReplyDelete