[Alliance] Soldiers Brutalize Protesters

Soldiers Brutalize Protesters

Ki Seong - Freedom Post

CONSTANT, EDEN PRIME - In the latest in a string of Alliance brutality on colonial protesters, violence broke out during a speech by Central Constant Adjutant Staff Lieutenant Lakshmama Gopinath, who had been attempting to quell unrest and dissatisfaction with the Alliance occupation of Eden Prime earlier today.

Alliance marines, with the aid of the Constant Police Department, charged the protesters and onlookers after Adjutant Gopinath was forced to leave the premises when the crowd became upset, using brute force, electric stunning weapons, and tear gas to cut off escape before beginning a vicious assault that culminated in 42 detainments and an unknown number of casualties.

Sources within the Police Department claim that they had been intimidated into action by the Alliance marines, who - they say - were ‘itching’ for a fight, and carrying concealed weapons. One police corporal noted overhearing one junior Alliance officer inform his men to ‘not wait for orders’ and called the onlookers - many who were young families, students, and curious hopefuls - ‘activist pricks.’ Another police officer noted that he saw several marines taking bets on how long it would be before they were able to fight, and several counting ‘kills’ during the attack.

Locals claim that the attack was retaliation for the misadventures of children and teenagers who had wandered too close to the Alliance base and accidently hit a marine patrolman with skipping stones.

“Our mission here is to protect the populace,” claimed Staff Commander Barry Olivier, the battalion commander for the Alliance Marines stationed in Constant, “not terrorize them. An investigation has already begun, and those responsible for these brutalities will be dealt with.”
Alliance officials in Constant refused to comment.

Careful, your agenda is showing.

It's what big government does.

...speaking as someone who gets paid to brutalise people, they`re doing it wrong.

Let me guess, you would probably authorize the use of deadly force.

You do realize of course that this article is clearly exaggerating these claims of "brutalization", given the sentiment of the writer and publisher.

Eh, probs. The part I object to is the Systems Alliance Marine Corps needing `assistance` from the local rent-a-cops when they`re laying the hurt on some protesters.

I mean, tides, don`t they teach them anything in basic these days?

In all fairness, the SAMC is still rebuilding from the war, and given their doctrine as a rapid response force, are not used to handling the responsibilities of a police service, especially for a major colony, though you'd need to ask some of the marines here for a more clarified answer.

Though...I have to wonder what the strength of the Alliance garrison on Eden Prime, and whether it is being kept deliberately understrength so as not to provoke incidents such as this.

You know, C-Sec has called me an activist prick and I'm usually sympathetic enough, but crowds do not get 'upset'.

And "Brutalized" is the wrong word for stunning weapons and tear gas, and I have never 'accidentally' hit anyone with a rock.

Alright, I'm going to break down all the politispeak bullshit in this article bit by bit.


"Upset" huh? This makes the crowd sound like they need a diaper change instead of chasing an Adjutant away. Remarkable unbiased journalism.



Vague description there.


Oh no, non lethal weapons used in a riot. So vicious. And "unknown" in this context probably means "2 or 3, minor" considering that if they thought that the number would be higher, they would have at least speculated.


Okay, first off: "concealed weapons" They are Systems Alliance marines. There are few to none situations where they would be out and about without some kind of weaponry.

Secondly, I love how the police threw the Alliance under the bus here. They aided in the riot's suppression, it's the first line of the article. They likely committed the lion's share of the detainment, but because the Alliance are the closest thing to a foreign presence they can think up, the police start letting eyewitness testimony slip out of every nook and cranny.


Oh my god, the bullshit in this article has reached critical mass. "Oh no, the big bad marines are brutalizing us because of the children." Ignoring the training that Military Police and Garrison units have to go through to prevent retaliation for such petty actions, how the hell would a marine hold a grudge over skipping stones? If you're being an idiot and not wearing your helmet, you'd never hear the end of it, getting pissed off by kids throwing stones at you.

In short, this article is just another fear mongering war story trying to make money off of violence before the full story is even available. I doubt a followup will come, seeing as evidence will likely prove everything they've implied in this article to be false.

Jeez, you can just FEEL the bias in this piece.

Anyone know what this Gopinath guy said that managed to piss off the crowd so much?

Yeah. I mean, I'm really not the biggest fan of the Alliance. Like, at all, but even I can tell when someone's just trying to demonize them to high heaven. I kind of hope we get a proper investigation into this because I know soldiers aren't so trigger happy as to just start beating on people just for one guy getting hit with a rock.

Feel the shame.

Feel the shame.

Yeah, this... really feels exaggerated. Creative wording, and I'd be willing to bet money on their source having anti-Alliance bias.

...what the fuck

Activist pricks is a lot fucking kinder than what I'd call them. Fuck the Constant Police Department. Fuck this goddamn planet and fuck the Alliance brass for forgetting they're Marines not goddamn politicians.

Bloody Hell, Cerberus's PR department had less of a slant to it than this drivel. Why is Presslink syndicating articles from the fucking Freedom Post? It's the sort of outfit that Westerlund journalists go to when they're fired for irresponsible reporting.

I am really not that much into internal human politics but the writing of this article is suspicous even to a total outsider.
I wonder, why the police allows some of their own to provide these detailed accusation about the marines to the press.
This part looks the strangest to me and smells like trying to cause a stirr.

I am withholding my opinion on the protesters and the Alliance until further details become available because this report feels as if it has been in the hands of an amateur spin doctor who realizes that using the right words can make something sound the way you want it to, but does not realize that their poor cherry-picking is glaring. I also find myself disappointed with the actions of local law enforcement as well; our constables are fired if they talk to the press – especially about recent events or ongoing cases. Regardless of anyone’s stance this event is going to be purely fuelled by political rhetoric, which will no doubt muddy any truth there is to be found. Patriots will swarm to the defence of the Alliance and separatists to the defence of the colonial protesters.

Since this appears to be "Gang up on the colonist", might as well play Devil's Advocate here.

The bias, of course, is so painfully obvious, Thomas Paine would say he was unsubtle. But well, you'd have to admit, for something like this to occur implies that the situation on Eden Prime may not be as content as the Alliance wants to believe.

Also, if the point of that speech was to thaw relations between the Alliance and the colonists, maybe having a contingent of Marines nearby wasn't such a good idea.

Kage, this is why I'm reserving my opinion on the Alliance and protesters. I am disgusted by the spin and cowardice of the CPD but that is all I can honestly comment on.

Classic PR trap : Be so heavy handed that people automatically assume you're in the wrong. I'm sure there is shared responsibility in this fiasco, but when you read this terrible article you can't help but feel sympathy for the soldiers.
I'm also surprised that the presslink aggregator vi chose it. Maybe it needs some readjusting.