Riot Police Arrest Peaceful Protesters at Rally for Striking Walmart Workers (VIDEO)

http://www.thenation.com/blog/170274/riot-police-arrest-peaceful-protesters-rally-striking-walmart-workers



Hundreds of people gathered at a major Walmart distribution center Monday in Elwood, Illinois, to stand in solidarity with workers who have been on strike since mid-September in response to unsafe working conditions and unfair wages.

In response to Monday’s peaceful protester, riot police from Will County and Elwood were unleashed on the crowd, and witnesses tweeted a series of disturbing photos, including officers in full riot regalia (face shields, clubs and body armor) and what appears to be a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) vehicle.

There was some confusion about the police’s jurisdiction on Twitter with individuals speculating the officers were private police given their “paramilitary” appearance.

Photos from the protest show officers restraining some protesters with zip-ties after police declared the event an “unlawful assembly.” Ultimately, seventeen peaceful protesters were arrested, and activists sang “We Shall Overcome” as they were cuffed and walked to a police transport unit.

Walmart, famous for union-busting and employee abuse, is heavily subsidized by the state i.e., US taxpayers with many of its employees relying on food stamps and state-run health insurance for survival.