my name's amused.
ROTFL

To 'Amused'.
Your name isn't Amused -it's 'prick!'

Update: All three arrestees were released ~2am this morning, no charges.

Is it possible a mod could move this to the local interest or main news display as this happened in Baltimore.

I was at the demo the whole time so I can vouch for everything in the article. Also the police very aggresively target anyone who tries to call legal aid, records what is going on, or asks for badge numbers. Then it is also frequent that the police release everyone without charges 4-24 hours later or drop charges in the future. This is also experienced by many in Baltimore as well since 1/3 of all arrestees are released from central booking without charges.

This is the worst harrassment of protestors I have personally seen in this city, but I have seen and heard of similar harrassment, usually more minor, directed at UNITE HERE, Baltimore Palestine Solidarity, Rising-Tide, Bail Out the People, and the Algebra Project.

I don't think we are running into a few bad apples in the police, but rather this an aggressive strategy mandated from the top to harrass and arrest any dissidents near the Inner Harbor and who picket the banking and hospitality industries.

Such harrassment can only get worse if nothing is done, and no single group is strong enough to resist - ending this will require a coalition of all the progressive and radical groups in Baltimore to make a coordinated fight-back.

TO AMUSED:
STFU !!!!

There is nothing here to be amused by. Whether you are vegan or not this is a direct violation of Free Speech. Just imagine if you are a parent and your child is dying. You know of a cure but the doctors won't allow you in to the hospital. You manage to organize a few people to protest that you're not allowed to discuss options with your child. All of a sudden the police show up and arrest you for peacefully protesting? Now, would you like that meat eaters? I suspect not. Therefore, whether you agree with what we believe or not the least you can do is to recognize when your civil liberties are being violated. The right to free speech, the right to organize peacefully, the right to bear arms(let's not discuss this one) and so on. These were liberties that our forefathers fought and died for so do not take them for granted. There are countries where you could be shot for organizing a peaceful protest. I, for one, am glad this country is not one and I will contact the Baltimore police immediately regarding this matter.

Couldn't have said it better myself, Mark.

What started as a "routine" police ambush of peaceful animal rights protests soon mushroomed into racial slurs, strip searches, snide remarks about "I guess you can call that a dick"-and cops forcibly grabbing people in the crotch. That is enough to sustain charges for sexual assault, and these cops should expect to face criminal charges as well as lawsuits shortly.

The racist element to the case was a What started as a "routine" police ambush of peaceful animal rights protests soon mushroomed into racial slurs, strip searches, snide remarks about "I guess you can call that a dick"-and cops forcibly grabbing people in the crotch. That is enough to sustain charges for sexual assault, and these cops should expect to face criminal charges as well as lawsuits shortly.

The racist element to the case was a cop, on realizing that one activist has Latino ancestry by his middle name, calling him a "Bean Eater." This slur followed calling everyone else, "tofu-eating, tree-hugging hippies" which was not regarded by the activists as an effective insult at all.

The good news is that everyone was out in about five hours without charges. The bad news is that "Baltimore Worst" do this so routinely it is known as a "walk through." This tactic apparently is widely used by racist Baltimore cops to "control" African-Americans in Baltimore by arresting people for being out at night in the "wrong" place. Apparently protesting Fois Gras in the Inner Harbor also constitutes being in the "wrong neighborhood."cop, on realizing that one activist has Latino ancestry by his middle name, calling him a "Bean Eater." This slur followed calling everyone else, "tofu-eating, tree-hugging hippies" which was not regarded by the activists as an effective insult at all.

The good news is that everyone was out in about five hours without charges. The bad news is that "Baltimore Worst" do this so routinely it is known as a "walk through." This tactic apparently is widely used by racist Baltimore cops to "control" African-Americans in Baltimore by arresting people for being out at night in the "wrong" place. Apparently protesting Fois Gras in the Inner Harbor also constitutes being in the "wrong neighborhood."

No pictures-"Baltimore's Worst" stole the only camera.

This isn't about veganism; it's about freedoms guaranteed to us in our constitution. I find it interesting that veganism seems to threaten people like the first commenter here. People need to not be afraid to make their voices heard and the police need to go after the real criminals.Erin Marcus, Aaron Ross,and Adam Ortberg: I'm proud of you; you have my utmost respect!

Somebody should send the feds in on those cops.

Your stupidity is quite obvious, as you have completely missed the point. A bank robber is breaking the law...the vegan protesters (of which I was a part) were NOT breaking the law. We were completely obeying the law, and LEGALLY protesting. Aaron and Erin NEVER raised their voices, nor were they nasty in any way to the Nazis that arrested them. The police who did the arresting obviously don't know the city codes of Baltimore, nor do they understand the Constitution. Reading your stupid and asinine rants proves to me that you obviously have no understanding of the issue, either. And guess what? Whether you, or people like you, like it or not...we're not going away, asshole. So deal with it.

you guys are the rosa parks of the animal rights movement and i'm glad for you. what's up with the f'in po lice?