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At the second march this evening, I noticed the same phenomena twice, and I find it unacceptable. On two separate occasions I was in a group of people who were completely surrounded by riot cops: in front, with guns, telling us to stop; In back, with pepper spray, telling us to "move move move." In both cases it became clear that the two forces of police were not aware of the other, as I watched one cop lift his visor, peer over the crowd of protesters to verify that we weren't just lying en masse when we claimed we had nowhere to go, and then order his companions to halt. On both occasions it seemed like the use of force was immanent, and I fear that in a more agitated setting, this sort of entrapment-- ordering us to leave without moving on threat of violence--could potentially turn a peaceful march into a violent riot. Something that I, and probably the police themselves do not desire.
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