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US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

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Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#161

Post by Simulacra »

komali2 wrote: post #98
dx87 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> People aren't rioting because they want to destroy things, they're rioting because they don't feel like they're being heard. That's not why people are looting liquor stores and target. Some people are just destroying things, there's always those groups of people in every riot. Sometimes people even travel to the riot just for the chance at destroying things.

Word on the ground is target only started getting looted after it tried to close its doors to protestors looking to buy water and medical supplies.

I find it really sad that Target and other stores damaged in the protests may never return. Insurance and risk assessment may unfortunately decide reopening in a certain area is too dangerous.

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#162

Post by snypher »

dogma1138 wrote: post #124
ip26 wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure? Police use military surplus helicopters, such as the Cobra and Black Hawk, both of which can be armed with hellfires.

Which police forces use Cobra helicopters? These are gunships that have no utility what so ever. As for Blackhawks I’ve never seen them used by police forces, those in civilian use are not surplus military helicopters or even the UH-60 but rather it’s civilian version the Sikorsky S-70 which are used by fire departments and search and rescue crews.

The Mexican Federal Police operate 6 Blackhawks provided by the US CBP. But it would be fair to say they serve a more militarized role than say Seattle PD.

https://youtu.be/mBTs6BGMa3U

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#163

Post by ortusdux »

beambot wrote: post #32
pm90 wrote: post #22

This was very predictable. Tools invented for military operations abroad eventually, predictably find their way back domestically. Despite that, its a dangerous thing to happen. I am aware of how unlikely it is for the current US Government to use the drone offensively, but once you have a massive fleet of drones flying over the US, patrolling "troubling" neighborhoods constantly, the temptation to use those abilitie…

Where do you draw the distinction between a drone (presumably unarmed) vs a police helicopter?

Philly, 1985: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOVE#1985_bombing

"There was an armed standoff with police,[5] who lobbed tear gas canisters at the building. The MOVE members fired at them and a gunfight with semi-automatic and automatic firearms ensued.[32] Police went through over ten thousand rounds of ammunition before Commissioner Sambor ordered that the compound be bombed.[32] From a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter, Philadelphia Police Department Lt. Frank Powell proceeded to drop two one-pound bombs (which the police referred to as "entry devices"[31]) made of FBI-supplied Tovex, a dynamite substitute, targeting a fortified, bunker-like cubicle on the roof of the house.[29]"

Police helicopters are modified civilian aircraft and yet they have been used by the police, through improvised means, to bomb people. The drone over Minneapolis is a MQ-9 reaper, aka "predator B", hunter-killer UAV.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_Reaper

"In 2006, the then–Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force General T. Michael Moseley said: "We've moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles before Operation Iraqi Freedom, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper."[6]

The MQ-9 is a larger, heavier, and more capable aircraft than the earlier General Atomics MQ-1 Predator; it can be controlled by the same ground systems used to control MQ-1s. The Reaper has a 950-shaft-horsepower (712 kW) turboprop engine (compared to the Predator's 115 hp (86 kW) piston engine). The greater power allows the Reaper to carry 15 times more ordnance payload and cruise at about three times the speed of the MQ-1.[6] "

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#164

Post by moduspol »

eiji wrote: post #10
joshmn wrote: post #3

Native Minnesotan here — living in Minneapolis — that has lived on both coasts: With all that's happening the last few days, please don't generally associate Minnesotans with the violent riots that have captured the attention of everyone. The peacefulness of the protests and gatherings has been overshadowed by the violence. There are countless examples of Minnesotans standing up to those who choose to loot and destro…

Fwiw, they are trying to identify a provocateur involved in the start of the riots. https://twitter.com/keithellison/status/1266127105621983238?...

An inside source tells me it was the Russians.

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#165

Post by [deleted] »

armitron wrote: post #84
jorblumesea wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It seems like everyday the country is falling further into the pit of becoming an authoritarian police state. Let's be honest, the country is voting to become an authoritarian police state. US voters have historically had a flirtatious relationship with strong authoritarian style presidents. Trump just more openly so than others. When you look at voting patterns over the last 40 years, it's pretty clear we've been…

Let's be absolutely honest. Who the President may be at any moment in time is totally irrelevant in US being (not becoming, it's already there) an authoritarian police state.

[deleted]

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#166

Post by coryrc »

meragrin_ wrote: post #121
dv_dt wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps this is too political, but the only tool they actually needed was one they had the whole time. Charge the offices based upon the evidence and open a more detailed investigation. The military equipment was entirely unnecessary - but it's very availability makes opportunity for bad decisions.

In all probability, union rules stand in the way of making any quick arrests. Their hands are tied. It is better for them to appear slow and do things by the book than try to appease the irrational mob. They'll eventually get to where the mob wants to go rather than ending up with the cops "winning" in some way due violations of union rules and procedures.

> union rules stand in the way of making any quick arrests

It's almost like it's some sort of systemic problem

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#167

Post by lidHanteyk »

joshmn wrote: post #97
daeken wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> With all that's happening the last few days, please don't associate Minnesotans with the riots that have captured the attention of everyone. I understand what you're going for, but this is a bad approach. People aren't rioting because they want to destroy things, they're rioting because they don't feel like they're being heard. What you're saying here reads as "don't listen to them, they don't represent us" which i…

> People aren't rioting because they want to destroy things There are people who want to destroy things. See: https://twitter.com/keithellison/status/1266127105621983238?... for a the current manchild of the hour. It often cascades from individuals like these. He may be the poster boy of the chaos but I assure you, as someone who has been in these streets, he is not alone. Please, come join us and you can see for you…

Your tweet links to an unmasking of a police officer committing false-flag violence in order to justify counter-violence towards protestors and rioters.

People are rioting because they are angry. It happens that people are constantly, very gently, angry at the entire capitalist complex. When people riot, therefore they are going to burn down the capitalist complex, because it irritates them and they are in a provocative mood.

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#168

Post by mywittyname »

new_realist wrote: post #154

Surveillance of the police by the public is good, police body cams are good, but airborne public surveillance of everyone is bad? If so, why?

People shouldn't be surveilled by the government without probable cause.

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#169

Post by leetcrew »

komali2 wrote: post #109
corrupt_measure wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds nice to radicals and perhaps functions well as something they tell themselves to excuse violent tendencies, but in reality it just disgusts the vast majority of law abiding people, as is the case with the current protests. Public opinion is quickly turning from sympathy to disgust.

> disgusts the vast majority of law abiding people Speak for yourself. I'm quite happy they burned down a police station. Let DAs and cops around America take note: going forward, if you don't act decisively when a cop murders a black person, you're probably gonna lose a police station. It's just a damn shame the cops forced the people to go this far to get the message across. The police officer standing by that let…

I bet you wouldn't fire tear gas into a crowd of dudes with rifles either. what's the lesson here, exactly?

Re: US customs and border protection is flying a surveillance drone over Minneapolis

#170

Post by ntsplnkv2 »

nightski wrote: post #139
dvdhnt wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely, you aren't comparing mass murder, likely an international crime, to spray painting a building or stealing a TV? Property != people. People > property. Period. Nothing else to consider. Additionally, it's fairly common for security forces to instigate criminal behavior during protests in order to justify the extreme measures they use to suppress those protests.

I am from the area and I agree wholeheartedly that people > property. But let's be real, we saw a 182 unit multi story low income housing unit burn down to ash (the blaze was enormous). We also saw a police department building burn to ash. Countless local businesses have been completely destroyed by fire. That's a little more than spray paint and tv looting.

I find it funny that we expect black Americans to peacefully protest.

"Please use this system of peaceful protest that hasn't worked for you since forever." LA was 92, we're almost 30 years to the year. Has anything changed?

Do you tell HK protestors to write a letter to the CCP instead? It's such a double-standard.

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