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Tribal Police ram barricade set up on Route 447 by climate activists – the only paved way into Gerlach and from there, Burning Man, backing up traffic for miles.
Curious your thoughts, Davisites. Reference article and video may be found here:
Other references welcome.
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Just like right wing guys that didn’t get enough attention from their parents as kids put big TRUMP flags on their (always lifted with big tires) pickups left wing girls that need attention make banners and block traffic. Years ago Brian Copeland (an African American Democrat) was late for his radio show on KGO AM 810 since liberal kids were blocking traffic in SF and he went on a rant about how he wishes the people “protesting” that things that that 95% of the people in SF agree with would go “protest” in a red state and block traffic and make Repiblicans late for work (I bet most of the “burners” stuck in traffic going to their last Burning Man before student loan payments start again in a month are also in favor of “Banning Private Jets” and “Climate Justice”)…
I know that most folks will comment on the protestors and the protest. Just what and how they were protesting, and the effectiveness of it all. And while I have plenty to say about that (not much of it supportive!)… I can’t help but focus on the aggressive, escalating, death-threats of the Rangers who showed up. Point a gun at the head of an unarmed, non-threatening, non-violent person is… horrible. And unjustified. It teaches us one thing: Whoever has the biggest gun, or whoever pulls it out first is who gets to make the demands.
I knew it would be full aggression when the first guy in the truck used a siren while he drove off-road, without needing to clear anybody out of his way. Then immediately opens with an expletive over the PA. Every one of these protestors could have been detained peacefully and quite easily without once pulling a gun, without once slamming them to the pavement. It would have been quicker, and easier to go about it in a professional, stern way. But they were obviously after terror.
And yes, this reminds me a bit of how the DPD handled the Picnic Day party that spilled into the street many years back. They didn’t use guns (as far as I’m aware) but they came in with aggression first, merely by plowing the unmarked van into the crowd.
I hadn’t previously watched the video, but yeah – that’s a little too violent. They could have just removed them without the big show of force.
But would disagree regarding Darrell’s description of the Picnic Day “party” (as he described it). The Davis police (while also too confrontational) did not “plow into the crowd”. And the crowd itself immediately reacted violently. In my opinion, the people in that crowd were both inconsiderate and aggressive.
Let’s also not forget that one of them was later found to have unexplained “ammunition” on his possession.
Folks should know better in the first place, to be standing-around in the street blocking traffic.
I do have a question regarding the Burning Man incident, however. Why were “tribal police” involved, and does that tell us anything about how those departments are run or overseen? Is this yet another sign that reservations were an enormous mistake in the first place?
A big shout out to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Police Department.
I have no sympathy for activists who block traffic.
The moral of this story, don’t fuck with tribal troopers.
Does anyone know if you sue a “tribal trooper” if you have to sue them in a tribal court? Years ago a guy I knew got a job working security at an “Indian” Casino. When a drunk guy didn’t want to leave and took a swing at him the guy and his partner gave him a beat down and he left in an ambulence. A couple weeks later he found out that the guy was suing him and the casino but his boss (a member of the tribe) just laughed and said the tribal court won’t even take the case since witnesses saw the guy take the first punch.
RO: “I do have a question regarding the Burning Man incident, however. Why were “tribal police” involved,”
Nevada Highway 447 passes through the vast reservation of The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, who have their own tribal police department. The only thing I know about them is, don’t ever drive over the speed limit in Nixon, Nevada. I have taken out a permit a couple of times to camp on tribal land, and only once ran into a Ranger, and without incident.
“and does that tell us anything about how those departments are run or overseen?”
Judging only from this one incident, yes.
“Is this yet another sign that reservations were an enormous mistake in the first place?”
That’s a second question, and one that is so far beyond the scope of this article that I can’t even begin to discuss the details. [Is that nicer than when the Vanguard claims one is ‘off topic’ ?] No but seriously, that is a massive topic.
But would disagree regarding Darrell’s description of the Picnic Day “party” (as he described it). The Davis police (while also too confrontational) did not “plow into the crowd”. And the crowd itself immediately reacted violently. In my opinion, the people in that crowd were both inconsiderate and aggressive. <<
I’m willing to call it a large gathering of people celebrating together and spilling into the street, while also being “inconsiderate” to people who wished to drive on the street. I don’t think that “party” is an inappropriate description.
The unmarked van did drive into the crowd in an aggressive way, in an obvious attempt to force people out of the street. Or at least to make a point that the folks there shouldn’t be in the street. The vehicle was unmarked, and it drove into the crowd without warning. I don’t think “plowed” is an inappropriate description. I’ve forcefully moved earth with a plow before. I think it fits here.
And of course the crowd responded to the violet actions of the plain-clothes officers…. with violence. That’s exactly how escalation works. The group was NOT violet before the police car…. uh… politely nudged into the group. The officers were eventually taken to task for their actions that day, of course.
Clearly we have different interpretations of that day. But can we agree that the authorities in both cases did NOTHING to de-escalate? And in fact escalated the violence in both cases? I admit that I’m regretting drawing a parallel. Because I find the reaction of these Rangers WAY worse with the guns drawn and verbal instruction that he’s gonna shoot them.
The official audit of that Picnic Day incident found that the action of the police was:
“Ill advised, and served to antagonize.”
I don’t care if it was a “party” or if they “plowed.” My point was intended to be that the authorities escalated the violence and made the situation worse In both instances.
The only thing I know about them is, don’t ever drive over the speed limit in Nixon, Nevada.
I guess not, based upon the reaction in the video.
I have taken out a permit a couple of times to camp on tribal land, and only once ran into a Ranger, and without incident.
You definitely don’t want to run into a Ranger (or Tacoma, for that matter). Especially if a Ranger is driving the Ranger. (Insert groan here.)
[Is that nicer than when the Vanguard claims one is ‘off topic’ ?]
Yes – much nicer.
No but seriously, that is a massive topic.
It sure is – and one that’s never discussed – anywhere.
But perhaps the “real” question here is, why is there a locale named in honor of a president who was forced to resign?
And when are they going to name one in honor of Trump?
Bada-boom.
I don’t care if it was a “party” or if they “plowed.” My point was intended to be that the authorities escalated the violence and made the situation worse In both instances.
There’s a vast difference between “plowing into a crowd”, vs. coming up close to them (and stopping) when making a U-turn. I don’t believe that a U-turn is allowed at that intersection (except for the police), probably because there isn’t enough room to do so – especially when people are blocking the street (and don’t give a shit about others).
The primary instigators in BOTH situations are the people blocking the road.
But in regard to the Picnic Day incident, the “partiers” themselves demonstrated that they were a powder keg of violence. This was not the case in Nevada.
Regarding the Picnic Day incident, it’s likely fortunate that it was the police that they ended up attacking, rather than someone else.
Do you normally carry around ammunition? Do you normally start swinging at anyone who “comes up close to you” in a vehicle when you yourself caused the problem?
Again, I’m glad that those folks were arrested and convicted. I hope it sent a message.
Does anyone know if you sue a “tribal trooper” if you have to sue them in a tribal court?
Don’t know the answer to this, but it appears to be part of the “larger topic” that Alan referred to. My opinion is that you cannot have a “sovereign country within a sovereign country” in this manner.
Perhaps Alan (or I) can create an “open forum” on the topic of reservations. I’ve probably got a lot to say about that.
Davisite 
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