Tag Archives: Headquarters

Featured, US

St. Louis Police Headquarters Stormed by Protestors

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What began as a peaceful march in the city of St. Louis has turned into an occupation of a local police headquarterst by protesters and other demonstrators.

The “March to the Arch” began around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning with about 75 participants. The march ended at the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department headquarters, where according to FOX News St. Louis, 15 protesters entered the lobby of the police headquarters and read a list of demands.

Some of the demands listed were a meeting with Police Chief Sam Dotson as well as a meeting with the St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay or the Board of Aldermen President, Lewis Reed. Apart from these meetings, the protesters also demanded the termination of a few police officers who they believe to have been involved in the use of police brutality.

The protesters also posted an eviction notice to the doors of the police headquarters which reads, according to the Free Thought Project, “We are informing you that the police department is scheduled to be reclaimed by its citizens today, December 31, 2014.” A list of reasons is then given for the eviction notice, including, “Perpetrating police brutality on our citizenry,” as well as, “Transforming the police into a militarized occupying force.”

The notice was then signed at the bottom with “We the People.”

While the 15 protesters entered the building, around 100 other protesters stayed outside. It was shortly after the demands were read inside the building that, according to RT, the officers began to issue arrests and pepper-spraying protesters.

Five people were arrested during the demonstration and are being charged with Trespassing as well as Peace Disturbance. One of those arrested is being charged with Third Degree Assault for the assault of a City Marshall inside the police headquarters.

The St. Louis Dispatch also report, “When more protesters tried to rush into the front doors, officers linked arms and grabbed some by the shoulders and pushed them to the ground.”

US

Lone shooter killed in Texas after firing on government buildings

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A single gunman has been killed early Friday morning in Austin, Texas after he shot over 100 rounds at various government buildings and damaging the Mexican consulate.

The shooter was identified as 49-year-old Steven McQuilliams, who, according to USA Today, has a previous criminal record.  Currently, the police are investigating McQuilliams motives behind the shooting, but it is believed the shooting was politically motivated.  Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said, “If you look at the targets that were hit, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that that’s a potential.”

Assistant Chief Raul Munguia told NBC News they had received 911 calls around 2:30 a.m. and gunshots were reported throughout the downtown area for the next few minutes afterwards.

During that time frame, McQuilliams fired at the federal courthouse, the police headquarters, and at least one other building.

Jesse Van Wallene, 29, was working as a server at the time of the shooting and said, “He was firing in bursts of about five shots…He didn’t even seem to acknowledge we were there, he just seemed very focused on firing at the building, which had no lights on inside.”

McQuilliams made his way to a police station where one officer who was putting away police horses saw McQuillaims shooting.  The officer then opened fire on McQuilliams from horseback.  Shortly after the officer opened fire, the shooter was killed, but it is still unclear at this time whether the officer shot and killed McQuilliams or if he took his own life.

Once the shooter was down, officers began to investigate the shooter and his vehicle, which was nearby.  According to the Raw Story, officers saw what could have been improvised explosive devices in the vehicle as well as in the shooter’s jacket.

The bomb squad was called in to investigate the devices, but no IEDs were found at the scene.  However, there were a number of small green canisters commonly used for portable BBQ grills stashed in the vehicle.

These canisters were reportedly used by the shooter to try and light the Mexican consulate on fire, but the fires were put out before any significant damage occurred.

According to the LA Times, the FBI will be assisting the investigation into the shooter and his motives.  Spokeswoman for the San Antonio office of the FBI, Michelle Lee, said the FBI’s main concern though is why the shooter fired on the Mexican consulate and the federal courthouse.

No civilians or officers were injured during this shooting.

International, Politics, US

Maryland Legislators Move To Kill NSA Headquarters

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ANNAPOLIS, Md., February 10, 2014– It’s lights out for the National Security Agency (NSA). State lawmakers in Maryland have filed emergency status legislation that seeks to cut the NSA’s Ft. Meade headquarters off from all material support stemming from the state.

“Maryland has almost become a political subdivision of the NSA,” Tenth Amendment Center Executive Director Michael Boldin said in a statement. “The agency relies heavily on state and local help. This bill bans all of it.”

House Bill 1074 (HB1074) would ban the NSA facility from all public state utilities, ban the use of NSA collected evidence in court, ban universities from partnering with the NSA and ban all political subdivisions from assisting the NSA from within the state.
Any state entity, employee or contractor refusing to comply with the law would be immediately fired and banned from all future contracts within the state.

The bill has eight Republican sponsors and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Multiple states join Maryland in their attempt to enforce anti-commandeering legislative measures against the NSA. Tennessee, Arizona, California and  Washington have all filed legislation. Utah is expected to file legislation within the coming weeks.

So far, the Maryland and Tennessee (sponsored by Sen. Campfield and Rep. Holt) legislation would have the biggest impact on the NSA. Both states have actual facilities. Meanwhile, other states are passing the legislation as a prophylactic measure.

The wave of legislative measures is being conducted by the Tenth Amendment Center, which along with the Bill of Rights Defense Committee launched the OffNow coalition last year.

Maryland NSA Bill