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Mayday Undercover Arrest Video

by Bielzebob
Video is now available of the "man in black", evidently
an undercover police officer, who arrested
an Indymedia photographer at the May Eve
Reclaim the Streets demonstration in Berkeley.
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
FINALLY -- sorry for the delay -- video from two
camera angles is here.

These clips show very well, if you have the patience
to look them over carefully and identify all that's going
on -- that a demonstrator/photographer was
pushed into the police line by someone clad in black, with a
hoodie and mask, who then walked *through* the police
line and up the stairs to hide on someone's front steps
behind a tree.

The arrest occurred just as another arrest was executed.
Some felt the first arrest -- which appeared to be orchestrated as
if to look like police lines were attacked -- was a
distraction in order to execute the second arrest.

When one videographer tried to position himself to
get an image of the hiding saboteur, police charged him. (See video clip #2).

When people demanded to know who the saboteur was, and even when one
demanded that he be arrested (citizen's arrest, which the
police have the duty to execute), he left the steps and walked offthrough
many more police officers.

Many thought this was clearly a police set-up.
That may not be the case, but there is little question
that the saboteur was working with police, and
probably was a police officer.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Video Clip #1

First we see brief context, people walking peacefully on
the march.

Notice that the police huddle as someone walks past,
then they flank him, then abruptly take him into custody.

Just as that confusion is dying down, on the right side
of your screen, the unidentified man in black busts
past a woman with green hair, striking her bodily, as
he pushes/shoves/controls/runs the indymedia
photographer into the police line.

The photographer is arrested.

VIDEO CLIP #2:

Again, brief context: flags and a ball is being played with.

Suddenly a commotion behind, the first arrest.

The same sequence, a woman with green hair is
struck as the indymedia photographer (blue sweatshirt)
is pushed into the police line. Video "hoses" around
due to the chaos and difficulty trying to get the shot
of both the arrest and also becauyse the videographer is realizing what really happened, is trying to keep tabs
on the man in black and begins trying to address it.

Man in black walks through the chaos at the police line
and up onto someone's porch, hides behind tree.
This is of course even more clear on full resolution
video, but if you follow carefully it is clear.

Videographer repositions up the street and
tries to get a shot of the man's face, police
charge videographer away.

Man in black leaves porch.

Videographer approaches line where the demand
that the man in black be arrested is made repeatedly
(not all on this clip).

Video gets dark as videographer holds camera over
head trying to see scene and decide where to focus,
should have tilted camera down more to keep correct
exposure.

Man in black walks away. Someone remarked that
this is reminiscent of the "ninja". Walk like nothing
is wrong, walk through molasses, disappear
into shadows. Of course all with the protection of
a large group of police.

Later video indicates that a police car arrives around where the man in black disappears. Man in black may
have been ferried away in a police car.

A number of people witnessed this and attempted to
see who the man in black was, but police kept them back and controlled both ends of the block.

Other cameras were present.

§SECOND CLIP
by Bielzebob
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
Here is clip two. See above for description of
what is present in the clip.

§SMALLER VERSION OF CLIP #1
by Bielzebob
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
These clips are of course more clear in the larger
format but because they're large, you may prefer
to download the smaller clips which are better
than 1/3 as big in file size.

Also, I forgot to mention that this issue was discussed
at length (with quite a few flameful tangents) at
this storyspace:

http://www.indybay.org/news/2002/05/125609.php

Also, this smaller clip will look elongated top-to-bottom,
kinda stretched out, because I was unable to create it
at this smaller size in the "cinematic" 6:9 aspect ratio.

§SMALLER VERSION OF CLIP #2
by Bielzebob
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
Last upload, whew!

You can still see what's happening fairly well, so
especially on this big one consider saving yourself (and IMC! -- I assume it matters) the resources of
downloading the larger one.
Add Your Comments
Listed below are the latest comments about this post.
These comments are submitted anonymously by website visitors.
TITLE
AUTHOR
DATE
wow
Wed, Dec 4, 2002 2:32AM
Banned exile from Tele
Wed, May 8, 2002 11:53AM
anon
Sun, May 5, 2002 4:18PM
impressed again!
Sun, May 5, 2002 10:42AM
impressed!!!
Sun, May 5, 2002 10:26AM
bandito
Sun, May 5, 2002 5:47AM
anon
Sun, May 5, 2002 1:45AM
mark
Sat, May 4, 2002 10:28PM
anonymous
Sat, May 4, 2002 7:48PM
anonymous
Sat, May 4, 2002 7:31PM
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