Welcome to Herr Bush's Amerikkka! Y'all Bushites wanted law and order! You got it, Gestapo style!

All she had to do was submit to arrest. Isn't that what "peaceful protesters" do?

That's a dreadful picture, you can see her leg is bent sharply in the wrong direction. My hopes and thoughts and with her and her family.

It must have taken tremendous force to inflict that kind of injury.

OMG. I looked at the photo gallery. Totally unreal. It took three muscle bound gorillas to bring this lady down? Jeeze hate to see what would happen if a real crime was committed. I live in Tampa since 92. I grew up in EP and Pawt. Been in N Prov maybe twice in all my life. The last time I was there I was pulled over. And in a blink of an eye was surrounded by 4 of those goons. Why? Heck, beats me. Never went back again though. Best of luck to the young lady.

This was disgusting treatment by the North Providence Police Department.

This seems like a very unfortunate situation for all parties. I hope the young woman recovers quickly. Additionally, as a resident of North Providence, I feel obligated to state that I have always been impressed at the level of professionalism and dedication of our police officers. They are a group of proud, hard working individuals who are always willing to help town residents. I have great admiration for them.

To me it looks like a case of policemen being hired
because of who they know not what they know but that
is North Providence.

The IWW created the situation by causing a public disturbance, blocking traffic and endangering public safety. It is unfortunate that someone was injured. IWW could have secured a permit, conducted a peaceful informational picket, not impede traffic at an extremely busy intersection, and complied with law enforcement's directive to get out of the street. They did none of this. They are responsible for their member's injury.

This is a horrendous abuse of power! March August 26th!

It is too bad these people found it necessary to make fools of themselves for New Yorkers that don't have enough sense to get a better job.

I saw pictures of the protestors being manhandled by the North Providence Police but I did not see the owner of Dragon Land Trading twisting the arm and legs of their employees to force them to work there.

Where were these same protestors when the General Assembly was running roughshod over Rhode Islanders... Now that would have made a positive impact.

The people in this state just never cease to amaze me.

I'm not surprised at all by the reactions here. Liberals almost always hate cops- until they need one.

boy, images are worth a thousand words. another pathetic, unnecessary show of force. these people should lose their jobs.

Excuse me, Jim, but there is absolutely not one shred of evidence that the Police account of what happened is true. In all likelihood, it's completely false and video tape and photographic evidence will show as much.

History is replete with examples of police officers crossing the line from "protecting the law" to armed thuggery, and usually the police officers guilty of the violence will always lie and say that the attack "was provoked". If I had a nickel for every time a police claim of a "provoked attack" was found to be a complete fabrication, I'd have more money than Bill Gates.

From the N Prov Police Mission Statement:
"- Respect for human life;
- Treating all people with the highest regard and respect;
- Honesty and integrity through ethical behavior;
- Professionalism and excellence demonstrated in all areas of duty;" (http://www.northprovidenceri.com/Police/police.htm)

right...typical schoolyard bullies all grown-up, put on uniforms, then given salaries paid for by hard-working residents

Jim, how do you know she didn't submit to arrest? Looks to me like small town police trying to handle something they weren't trained to handle.

Rudy, I must respond to your post. I respect your admiration for your PD. But look at the photos again. Officers at 180-250lbs kneeling on this womans back. Where is she going? Cuffing her at that. Is all that force nessasry for a misdamenor arrest? Add a little pepper spray while your at it. Wish I had a law degree about now..SHAME,SHAME,SHAME..

Terrible injury, but what do these protestors think they're doing? They caused a scene and a half on Min Spring Avenue, ruining some people's mornings. People work hard all week. They don't need a bunch of bleeding hearts reeking havoc on their streets, over a company that isnt even doing business in RI. I heard that Mineral Spring Avenue was backed up for miles that day. Couldnt they have just taken out a full page ad in the newspaper? Why did they have to show up? They were looking for trouble if you ask me.

This is what happens when you don't just submit to arrest. These officers should never be put in the position of having to explain themselves in a situation like this. i don't feel the slightest bit bad for her.

The North Providence Goon squad! All hired through connections - no professionalism. I hope the poor young lady recovers.

Frankly, this is not surprising coming from a department that employs two cops (both of whom you can see in the photographs) who (a) BREAK THE LAW and (b) have no sense of decency by repeatedly parking in handicapped spots at the local fitness center.

The communist idiot got what she deserved.

It seems strinkingly ignorant that a) the Journal would link to IWW propaganda site (better to refer to the images as what they really are). Oh the concern everyone has for this young woman (who no one but the cops seem to care about since everyone else is busy with their cameras in the photos). Typical union mentality -- disobey the rules (walk on the side walk) and then expect someone else to pay for it. I firmly hope the NPPD stand firm on this. If you want to protest, fine, follow the rules. When you don't -- there are consequences (some of which might mean that people get hurt.

When you view the series of photos you are sickened. There cannot be justification for this brutality. Think of the outrage expressed at the smokeshop raid - and here is this, even more outrageous, on the streets of North Providence. I have attended informational pickets that were edging on violence, but have never witnessed actions like this by members of our law enforcement department - shame and absolute horror - may this woman fully recover and then recover restitution from the police department. And may these officers be duly punished, removed from active patrol at the very least and put through serious retraining. I am absolutely shocked.

I was at this march, and although we were admittedly slow in following directions, the group was most definitely moving towards the sidewalk when the cops suddenly pulled their cars in front of us and jumped out, ready for a fight.

At this point, everyone was on the sidewalk, so all the cops had to do was tell us to stay there and let the march continue. Instead, they began pushing people in the crowd and getting violent. They are clearly incompetent and even admitted that they're not used to handling large demonstrations. Their own inexperience in handling large crowds is what caused this.

Hey Steph, you know how you could have avoided this whole problem? You and your communist moron friends could have got a permit. Then the police could have been properly prepared to 'handle large demonstrations'.

It's comical you label that group "communist" when it's you that is suggesting free citizens need the permission of the government in order to assemble and protest. We've traded our liberties for the promise of safety and all we have ended up with is a police state.

James,

How are they NOT a communist organization? Have you read their idiotic manifesto?

You can assemble as you wish. If you want to tie up traffic on a public street, you need to contact law enforcement first. You can't have an unannounced PARADE on any street.

The fact that you can get online and publicly gripe about the 'police state' pretty much disproves your entire argument.

I didn't comment on the organizations political leanings. I commented on you using those leanings to justify the police intervening against their protest. The content of their protest is what led the police to take such a disproportionate stance against the marchers. When government agents use the impediment of traffic as a pretext to break up a protest they don't like, then our civil liberties have given way to a police state.

It wasn't the leanings that justified the police intervening. It was the unannounced protest that justified the police intervening. This whack-job organization decided the best way to get their message across was to endanger the safety of every motorist on Mineral Spring Drive and that cannot stand.

Again, all they had to do to prevent this was get a permit. What part of that do you stoned morons not get?