Who Blocked Protesters at Capitol?
This week, a group of Alaskans rallied against abortion in Juneau. Some anti-choice folks rolled out huge billboard signs of chopped up babies — gruesome images intended to disturb those coming in and out of the Capitol. The signs could be seen from some legislative offices and the Governor’s Office.
At some point, several large State of Alaska vehicles drove up and parked in front of the signs – blocking them from the view of legislators and Capitol visitors.
One driver was asked what he was doing. Following orders, he said. Whose orders?
Gov. Sean Parnell issued a statement saying they were Department of Administration vehicles, but he didn’t know who ordered them to block the protest.
Well, I want to know who did. We’re talking about government interference with the First Amendment rights of Alaskans.
You can’t be more pro-choice than I am. I’m outraged by the photos, but I’m much more outraged by the attempt to thwart the protest — especially with state resources. It’s un-American and un-Alaskan.
This should be investigated and the results made public. The bedrock right to protest must be protected, for everyone.
Well they can THINK they can silence folks…aka Palin’s poor attempts…some died and some didn’t…but hey? so now we got this scenario…sounds to me like they are WORRIED about the TRUTH getting out about how crooked they are…enter synd head tilt…like we didn’t know…
so we can kick their can down the road in the next election…and if they try in intimidate you in any way?
Remember: more people then politicians…we will not allow this without legal repercussions and lawsuits…
I hear one is on it’s way to the United Nations – something about Palin and Parnell tapping a HUGE trust account, gave 500 million of it to England to “shut them up” and went after the “birthright owner” death or destruction…now that neither occurred and INTERPOL is interested in the crime spree…
Will just open the flood gates to investigations…and convictions of abuse of power and such…
Sort of like what they are doing to you all right now…but hey keep sitting down – armchair critics…
Get up and fight for your right to be informed of what YOUR MONEY is being spent on…
Kind of like handing Jr. the checkbook…don’t spend too much now…and how’s that working out?
As my DS1 keeps reminding me: There are always 3 sides to a story…as one person remembers and reports it, as the other person remembers and reports it, and what actually happened.
With that in mind, I followed our favorite mike from iowa’s link to Lumber-Jack-Joe’s site and found a page with a video by the protestors and their narrative of the events. Unfortunately, I’m having difficulty reconciling what my eyes are seeing and what the narrative is saying. The page is here: http://tinyurl.com/c6pclwb
( The comments section of the page are also interesting… 😉 )
I agree 100% that we should all be outraged that citizen’s rights to voice their opinion in a public forum was infringed upon, but I fully concur with our ever-steady Pi that: “The larger story is not out there yet.”
It’ll be interesting to see how this all shakes out. To me, so far, none of it is adding up. beth.
None of it is adding up yet is right!
Thanks for the assist and save,Beth.
And thank You, mike from iowa, for introducing me to the wonders, the Fantastic and Incredible Wonders!, of Joe’s website. ’tis concrete proof that Alaska ‘done good’ by roundly and soundly rejecting his bid for office. REAL good. beth.
Wow, reminiscent of Joe Miller’s security goons handcuffing and “arresting” the reporter for asking too many pesky questions.
Ironic, ain’t it?
I don’t see the parallel, slip. Sorry. For starters, Lumber-jack Joe’s folks actually roughed the reporter up, if I recall correctly — the video and photos from the event (again, if I recall correctly), seem to support that [that Joe’s ‘security’ got a tad, um, carried away with the reporter.] The narrative the [eye-witness] protestor gave –and is posted along with the video– about what happened Tuesday, OTOH, to my eye, doesn’t seem to be supported by what’s shown on the video up now on Joe’s site.
That said, seems rather odd to me that the protestors had no trouble -at all!- staging their protest on Monday, but encountered problems when they returned the following day. Very odd.
Yeah, there’s LOTS more that needs to come out about all of this so ANY of the pieces can start to fit. beth.
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/parnell/press-room/full-press-release.html?pr=6434
There is very little else about this at present. Why would the Court System request blocking the protesters and Legislative employees do so again thereafter?
The larger story is not out there yet.
We are very , very used to that area across from the capitol being full of people making statements here in JNU. Sometimes rallies need a permit, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes I agree with folks gathered there, sometimes I don’t.
What happened here?
http://www.kinyradio.com/juneaunews/latest_juneau_news.html
According to Juneau Daily News.Parnell claims the Court Department ordered the protesters to be blocked. Protesters were apparently blocked two days in a row.
scroll down the link,the article is in there.Sorry.
Yup – but no one is saying WHY the Court system did so. Mikey.
If you look at the JNU pics here ( at the bottom)
https://themudflats.net/?p=36958
you can see Backbone folks had a permit because street is full of people but you can also see the very wide sidewalk across the street- that is where folks regularly come to make statements. Courthouse is to left in 2nd picture and just out of the frame in the first…
Does not make sense without more info…
not at all.
I would be really surprised if this came from the court system. Just saying. It’s a pretty big constitutional issue.
I know. Is huge.
Is why I’m really puzzled about Gov Torpedo saying it did and no news to flesh it out.
Other thing: Do we know enough to really know they were purposefully blocked ?
That area is a staging zone for a number of activities, legitimate activities, of both the Court and DOA.
If these folks simply gathered there and ended up with state work vehicles in front of them, oh well. Is the way it goes there.
For what it is worth-http://joemiller.us/2013/04/video-alaska-bureaucrats-physically-attack-block-pro-life-protesters-in-juneau/
They have video and supposed eye witness narrative of state employees claiming to be ordered to block protesters.
Thanks Mikey. I know at least 2 of the people in the 2 videos there. Interesting…
This is just wrong. If the protesters are doing something wrong, tell them. If you don’t want to hear their message, tough luck. We pay government workers to listen to us. From the Governor on down, the one thing they all should do more often is actually listen to the public. Ernie Hall didn’t get that. Now it sounds like people in Juneau don’t get it either.