Kids Village Attacked by Police At National Rainbow Gathering

by FluxRostrum | July 20, 2008 at 01:44 am | 592 views | 10 comments

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On July 3rd Law Enforcement Officers attacked Kid Village at the Rainbow Gathering with Tazers and Pepper Ball Machine Guns.

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jordan

at 06:24 on July 20th, 2008

good stuff:

Thanks for posting this- what a bizarre story. I found a text account as well, excerpted below.

Once in Kiddie Village, they encountered a large group preparing to eat dinner. A woman asked them to put their guns away. She was immediately arrested for interfering with a law officer, and placed on the ground. People demanded her release. At some point, officers apprehended the original suspect. One officer stepped backward onto the arrested woman. Thinking she had tripped the officer, three Forest Service agents began beating her. The dinner crowd loudly demanded they stop. The 10 officers opened fire wildly in Kiddie Village, shooting pepper-filled (like pepper spray) ammo at specific people as well as indiscriminately firing and hitting others. People screamed and shouted. The officers pointed a Taser point-blank into the face of a journalist who was showing his credentials. His presence may have prevented the officers from using greater force. Alarmed parents, hearing the shots, came running into Kiddie Village. Trained Rainbow peacekeepers formed a line, with their backs to the feds, separating them from the growing crowd. The feds shot these peacekeepers in the back with pepper-filled balls. One man alleges he was hit eight times. According to his testimony, when he turned around to ask why they were shooting him while he was trying to help them, they shot him four more times in the chest.

Barry Artiste

at 08:58 on July 20th, 2008

I agree, totally friggin Bizarre

Rhonda J Mangus

at 06:41 on July 20th, 2008

good stuff:

FluxRostrum, I like this story. It's good stuff.

link

at 08:38 on July 20th, 2008

What the fuck were the Wyoming police doing there in the first place?

Heritage

at 08:53 on July 20th, 2008

good stuff:

FluxRostrum, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Barry Artiste

at 08:57 on July 20th, 2008

good stuff:

FluxRostrum, I like this story. It's good stuff. You know at first I thought this was a comedy Movie Trailer, Wow, hippies getting shot, good stuff

RoryKearney

at 09:26 on July 20th, 2008

Where do we pick up our credentials?

"asked them to put their guns away. She was immediately arrested for interfering with a law officer, and placed on the ground. People demanded her release. At some point, officers apprehended the original suspect. One officer stepped backward onto the arrested woman. Thinking she had tripped the officer, three Forest Service agents began beating her. The dinner crowd loudly demanded they stop. The 10 officers opened fire wildly in Kiddie Village, shooting pepper-filled (like pepper spray) ammo at specific people as well as indiscriminately firing and hitting others. People screamed and shouted. The officers pointed a Taser point-blank into the face of a journalist who was showing his credentials. His presence may have prevented the officers from using greater force. Alarmed parents, hearing the shots, came running into Kiddie Village. Trained Rainbow peacekeepers formed a line, with their backs to the feds, separating them from the growing crowd. The feds shot these peacekeepers in the back with pepper-filled balls. One man alleges he was hit eight times. According to his testimony, when he turned around to ask why they were shooting him while he was trying to help them, they shot him four more times in the chest."

René

at 10:14 on July 20th, 2008

Rainbow Gatherings are always considered suspect by locals and police. Talk about profiling! In any area they are going to gather, longhairs, goths, people in vans, old campers, etc. are constantly harrassed, stopped and searched. Not surprised the cops invaded their camp, But am shocked they invaded, opened fire and assaulted people right in the Kiddie Village.
You can google for more information on Rainbow Tribe or Gathering.

René

at 10:17 on July 20th, 2008

good stuff:

FluxRostrum, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Heritage

at 18:18 on July 20th, 2008

I had a look at the video. Disturbing stuff. It's very rare to see an Australian police officer with their weapon drawn. There are very strict rules of engagement.

The rules of engagement appear very different in the US.