1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,720 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Robert Evans here, and I wanted to let 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: you know. This is a compilation episode. So every episode 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: of the week that just happened is here in one 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: convenient and with somewhat less ads packaged for you to 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: listen to in a long stretch if you want. If 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: you've been listening to the episodes every day this week, 7 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,159 Speaker 1: there's gonna be nothing new here for you. But you 8 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: can make your own decisions. It's Oregon. You don't get 9 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: to consent. That's how you open up the podcast. That's right, baby, 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: look up one party consent laws for recording recording. Um, 11 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: this is it could happen here a podcast about when 12 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: you can legally record people without their consent. Hint always 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: in the state of Oregon. Um, I'm Robert Evans. We're 14 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: talking about bad things, good things, things that are good 15 00:00:54,800 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: and bad, all that stuff. Who what do we you 16 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: know what? You know what we should talk about? You 17 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: know what no one has talked about ever on the 18 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: internet lately. Josephine Robinette Rogan. Oh, I've never heard of him. 19 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: What does he do well? He has a podcast? If 20 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: you heard a podcast, Garrison, I'm unfamiliar, but just I'll 21 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: just go with it. Yeah. Well, it's like the radio, 22 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 1: but easier to spread disinformation, um and also sexier for 23 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 1: reasons that are hard to explain. Uh. And Joe Rogan 24 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: gets on his podcast and he says a lot of 25 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 1: stuff that people think is bad, and then everybody gets 26 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: angry at him, and then he makes more money. And 27 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: today we're going to talk about how maybe we could 28 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 1: handle this problem differently, maybe we could not do the 29 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: same thing over and over and there's quite a different result. Yeah, 30 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: and upfront, obviously we're talking about him. We're trying to 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: talk less about specifically what he said and more about 32 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: kind of the problem he represents in the ways in 33 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: which there was sponses people have aren't having the results 34 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: they desire. We're gonna avoid using his name in the 35 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: title of the episode or the description because that doesn't 36 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: feed into the algorithm kind of in the same way. 37 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: But yeah, Garrison, you want to kick us off here. Yeah, 38 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: I've been watching the Rogan thing online and be getting 39 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 1: kind of frustrated because of the way the discourse is going, 40 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: and it's just repeating the same loops that we see 41 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: every few months and nothing really changes. And Regan just 42 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: gets more popular, so earlier this month or like a 43 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: middle of I guess it was closer to like January. UM, 44 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: there was like a group of like two dred seventy doctors, 45 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: healthcare workers, UM and scientists who are campaigning for Spotify 46 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: to adopt a missuformation policy. UM. This was prompted by 47 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: a few episodes of the Joe Rogan podcast that we've 48 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: already actually talked about, UM about Dr Robert Malone and 49 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: someone else who said some stupid things about the pandemic. UM. 50 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: So I write when when I when we talked about 51 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: these eisodes this last time, I tried to actually talk 52 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: about what these doctors were doing and let not focus 53 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: on Rogan himself, but specifically what these doctors were doing 54 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: and their ideology, because I didn't want to add to 55 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: the whole Rogan side of the discourse. UM. And you know, 56 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: for for this, for this, like a letter that that 57 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 1: these doctors sent to Spotify, if they were not really 58 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: advocating for Rogan to be removed from the platform, UM 59 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: or even for episodes to be removed, just to have 60 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: Spotify clarify their guidelines regarding medical misinformation, because you know, 61 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: and it's important to note that Joe Rogan has a 62 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: exclusivity contract with Spotify. He does not work for them, 63 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: but Rogan gets paid a lot of money to get 64 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: his podcast only published on Spotify's feed. So it's it's 65 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: not it's it's it's it's like a it's a it's 66 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: a weird kind of set up, and it can give 67 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: a lot of like gray area for like, does Spotify 68 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: count that's as publisher or not. You're like, well, not really, 69 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: because they could he could also just end that contract 70 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: and post to this podcast everywhere. Um, I mean I 71 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: think it would take there. There's probably some sort of 72 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: exclusive time limit on the exclusivity agreement, etcetera. Um, because 73 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: it it is, it is mixed because they did recently 74 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: when it came out that he said the inn word 75 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of times, Spotify removed those episodes. So 76 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: there's a degree to which they they have acted as 77 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: a publisher. Yeah, there's a whole lot of stuff to 78 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: kind of talk about this on the So the letter 79 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: gwent kind of viral and it prompted this whole kind 80 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 1: of thing in the middle of January, but like deleting 81 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 1: your Spotify subscription and then we had musicians, most uh, 82 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: most popularly, Neil Young decides to remove all their music 83 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: from the Spotify platform, um as like a performative thing, 84 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: being like, Okay, if Spotify is gonna host all this 85 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: medical misinformation, we're going to remove this as protest. Now. 86 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: Of course, Neil Young then just signed an exclusivity deal 87 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: with Amazon, so oh great, cool. We yes, episode the 88 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: Bastion of moral purity. Yeah, and they're not. I mean, 89 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: I think they are probably pay a better rate because 90 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: Spotify is pretty much at the bottom to musicians, but 91 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: I don't think it's good. Um, I think Napster actually 92 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: has the best rate, doesn't the best rate, which I 93 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: mean also, if you want to be actually moral, just 94 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: just just use band camp. But I mean I use 95 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: Spotify because it's really easy, and that's why Spotify works. 96 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 1: It's because it's super it is. It is a well 97 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: made product. That does not mean it's an ethical product, 98 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: but it does. It does the thing that it's supposed 99 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: to do quite well. So so yeah, it basically We've 100 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: had endless discourse since then about Joe Rogan about Spotify 101 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 1: is the platform, talking about how bad Spotify is, which yes, 102 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: it is bad, talking about how you know how bad 103 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: Joe Rogan is. And you know the thing is, Joe 104 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: Rogan already had the most popular podcast in the world 105 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: his exclusivity deal with Spotify, and he's currently estimated to 106 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: bring in eleven million listeners per episode of his podcast. Yeah, 107 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: for for some reference, UM, Behind the Bastards is one 108 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: of the largest podcasts out there. Um, and he's on 109 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 1: average something like ten times our traffic. Uh. Like it's 110 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: and it's not, He's not. He's not just the most 111 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: popular podcast. He helped invent what podcasting podcast? He was 112 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: one of the first, and like he had a foundational 113 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: role in how the entire industry works. Since this letter 114 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: and since he's episodes, there's been a whole lot of 115 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: discourse around if Spotify should remove Joe Rogan from the platform, Um, 116 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:22,359 Speaker 1: if they should cancel his deal. You know, a lot 117 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: of people calling on Spotify to do that. A lot 118 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: of people are calling on Spotify to remove certain episodes, 119 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: and Spotify has not been teen too so like, but 120 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 1: let's and I know, Joe Rogan himself did actually authorize 121 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: the removal of a certain amount of episodes, which for 122 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: reasons we'll talk about later. Um, but what's all this 123 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: discourse and outrage and articles and tweets actually doing to 124 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: Spotify into Rogan? Okay? In my opinion, kind of the 125 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 1: end result is actually very similar to all of the 126 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: free advertising that companies get whenever they make awoke statement 127 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: that infuriate, that infuriates the actionary right, you know, resulting 128 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: in throwing your kel out your window, flushing your Gillette 129 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: blade down the toilet, and burning your nikes. And it's 130 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: even widely speculated and kind of like a known fact 131 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: that companies will use progressive statements and policies to drum 132 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: up this outrage um to give their company and product 133 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: tons of free advertising and just to get the brand 134 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: name itself in the side consumers heads. And this is 135 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: definitely happening. Was was Rogan and Spotify in terms of 136 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: outrage being used as advertising. It may not be intentional, 137 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: but that is what the result is. Yeah, And I 138 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: mean it's very uh. It's it's both sides like to 139 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: make fun of the other for doing this, like folks 140 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: on the left like to make fun of their right 141 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: when they're when they're breaking their carriggs or whatever. Um, 142 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: But you know, it happens. It's equally profitable for both sides. 143 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: You just do the opposite, you know, you have someone 144 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: come on and talk about how they're a truth teller 145 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: being canceled, and they get a bunch of attention money 146 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: and and it works equally well both ways, pretty much. Yeah, 147 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: So with Spotify and Rogan in the news every day 148 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: for the past like three weeks, the the the end 149 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: is that like the fact that it's just that people 150 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: are hearing these names in their head more often, and 151 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: they're probably subconsciously gonna use Spotify more often because you know, 152 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: despite a few people that might cancel their subscriptions, the 153 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: net effect will be more listeners who seem to Spotify 154 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: because there because the name is in my subconscious it's 155 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: it's it's in there. And all the effect it's gonna 156 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: have on Rogan is giving him a way more publicity 157 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: to attract new listeners, and and it's listeners who themselves 158 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: are like attracted to unconventional ideas outside the mainstream, and 159 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: his more passive listeners are gonna like double down on 160 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: him because there's gonna be like the backfire effect, so 161 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: they will like feel defensive and then become more of 162 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: a fan of his. Because he's seen as a cultural outsider, 163 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 1: even though he's not an outsider. He is the mainstream, 164 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: he's the biggest podcaster in the world, but he's seen 165 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: as a cultural outsider. So you know, he like brings 166 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: on guests who say things that they're not supposed to say. 167 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: You know, so, who's actually going to be convinced by 168 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: all this outrage to not listen to Rogan via pointing 169 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: out all the wrong things he's said and all the 170 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: slurs he's used, Like, is that really going to stop 171 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 1: fans from listening to Joe Rogan. It's the same thing 172 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,479 Speaker 1: really pointing out that Donald Trump illegally took classified documents. 173 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: It's like, yeah, I mean that's fucked up and ship, 174 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 1: but like he's never going to get charged with crimes 175 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,679 Speaker 1: and none of his supporters care. You're the only people 176 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: who are angry about this, and it doesn't matter because 177 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: the people you vote for aren't going to punish him, 178 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: So like, just you know, chill out a little bit. 179 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: It's like all of the outrage is simply inflating the 180 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: importance of jo Rogan on like an entire cultural level. 181 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: It's that he's becoming he's becoming more important to his fans, 182 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: more important to his haters, and more important to himself 183 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: and Spotify as an asset because he generates a lot 184 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: of exclusive listeners and news coverage and buzz around the 185 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: Spotify brand. And it's important to talk about like so 186 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: you have broadly speaking within the field of entertainment, like 187 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: digital entertainment in particular, you have like two ways that 188 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: you can grow your audience. One of them is organic growth, 189 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: which is know, I listened to Garrison's podcast, I like it. 190 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: I tell a friend about Garrison's podcast. They like it. 191 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: They tell a friend about Garrett that that's like organic, 192 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: you know, it's very natural. That's purely the kind of 193 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: quality of the content UM reaching people. And then there 194 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: is in organic growth, which is can be the result 195 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: of like ad campaigns can be the result of UM 196 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: an algorithm. Often in today we're talking about like oh, 197 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: Twitter or Facebook prioritizes this kind of content. So like 198 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: something article on bright Barred about black on white crime 199 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 1: that would have been read ten thousand times ten years 200 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: ago gets read a million times because it spreads well 201 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: on this platform for reasons that aren't organic UM. And 202 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: with Joe Rogan, one of the reasons why because we 203 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,599 Speaker 1: can talk about like d platforming, if you want to 204 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 1: talk about like Alex Jones for example, or Meloianopolis, good 205 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: case that d platforming really reduced both of their reaches. Now, 206 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: Milo uh pretty much wiped out as a person who 207 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: mattered in terms of the dispoce thank christ. Alex Jones 208 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: less so. Um, it definitely hurt his busines this and 209 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: it reduced his reach. But by the time Facebook and 210 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: Twitter and whatnot started throttling him, he he had already 211 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: inorganically increased his reach enough that like he's able to, 212 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 1: he had he had a large a large enough audience 213 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: to stay somewhat relevant and keep going. The thing about 214 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: Joe Rogan is he did not get famous and popular 215 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: in organically. I'm sure there was some degree of that 216 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: on like social media, but most of his growth before that. 217 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: Like people like him, Like whatever you think of him, 218 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,839 Speaker 1: he's a good broadcaster. That's That's the thing. Even though, 219 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: like you know, for all this research, I don't like him. 220 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: He says horrible things, But you know, I was watching 221 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: I watched all of like Rogan's like um, like uh 222 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: Instagram videos he made like a few ten minute things 223 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: talking about the outrage, and it's it sucks because when 224 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: you listen to him, he's like a really good talker. 225 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: He's very good at what he does. Yeah, he's very 226 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: good at like generating sympathy and generating like good card 227 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: Like It's it sucks because yeah, I wanted to like 228 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: hate this person, but I'm like listening to him talking 229 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: about this issue like oh wow, yeah, like you actually 230 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: have a decent grasp of what's going on here. UM, 231 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: And that's he is, not he part of he gets 232 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: some of his money from playing like a dumb, chill 233 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: stoner dude, but he's not dumb. He's definitely a stoner. 234 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: He's not a dumb man. He's very intell. He's very 235 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: good at what he does. UM. One of the things 236 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: we don't kind of talk about enough when we talk 237 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: about media that I think is important to note is 238 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: that UM being likable in a professional sense is a skill. 239 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: And it's a skill like any technical skill. It's like 240 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: knowing how to how to how to farm or weld. UM. 241 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: It is a thing that you build on over time. 242 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: It is a thing that UM takes a lot of 243 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: trial and error and a lot of education to get right. Uh, 244 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: it is a thing that Joe Rogan has been doing 245 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: for longer than a significant chunk of the people on 246 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: this show, including Garrison, have been alive. Uh. It's like 247 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 1: like I've been like this is this is more or 248 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: less been my job for like thirteen or fourteen years, 249 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 1: and it is like a skill that you build and 250 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: the thing that he is really good at is making 251 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: but want to listen to him. And so if you 252 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: were to say, kick him out of Spotify tomorrow, yeah, 253 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: it's it's entirely possible that his that that would increase 254 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: the number of people who when there's there's a case 255 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: to be made that Spotify has limited his maximum audience, 256 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: limiting him to Spotify as opposed to if he was 257 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: just any app he wanted to be on, maybe it'd 258 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: be twenty million, you know, listening to every exactly. Yes, 259 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: Like even if did even a Spotify did drop him 260 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 1: because of all these you know, outrage you know, and 261 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: all the tweets and all of the petitions, even if 262 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: they did drop him, he would probably not only gain 263 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: more listeners due to the outrage porn and and free 264 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: speech advocates, but also with his exclusivity ending help his 265 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: podcast will just be available and more platforms and more 266 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: people who will to listen to him, like really easily. 267 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: So yeah, he's only going to grow if people get 268 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: what they want. And like that makes you think, like this, 269 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: this outrage isn't actually meant to get the Joe Rogan 270 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: Joe Rogan problem taking care of, Like it's this, This 271 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: actually isn't about stop being misinformation. It's this, This isn't 272 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,559 Speaker 1: actually about having they're being less fans of Joe Rogan. 273 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: All those outrages about making you feel better because you 274 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: feel like you're doing something right, Like bad thing is 275 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: happening in the world, and it's easier to pretend like 276 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: your actions are hurting it than it is to accept that, 277 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: like maybe there's nothing I can do about this right now. Yeah, 278 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: it would be a really nice world if the Cho 279 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: Rogan problem could be solved so easily by Spotify dropping 280 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: his exclusivity deal, right, that would that would be great, 281 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: But that's not the world we live in. And tricking 282 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: yourself into thinking that is just kind of delusional. Um, 283 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: And like yeah, it makes you feel better, but like 284 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: that's not actually helping because like, yeah, we can obviously 285 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: compare this to other like D platforming campaigns with people 286 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: for like Alex Jones. But you know, Jones was way 287 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: more niche and way more extreme around the time of 288 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: his like D platforming campaign, and his campaign wasn't about 289 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: ending exclusivity deals. It was about getting him off of 290 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: popular platforms altogether. And that's not happening with Joe Rogan 291 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: because Joe Logan isn't saying the things that are going 292 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: to get him booted from platforms. He's smart, he knows 293 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: what he can and cannot say. He's not He's not 294 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: dumb enough to get banned from these platforms, right and also, 295 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: you know he's a giant financial asset, so they wouldn't 296 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: bend him anyway. But like he's he's what he's doing 297 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: is bringing on people who say horrible things to continue 298 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: a cultural conversation, which gets him in the headlines and 299 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: gives a platform like Spotify a whole bunch of room 300 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: to cry free speech and get away with it. Removing 301 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: Alex Jones could be seen as like a monetary decision 302 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: in and of itself, because it is actually removing liability. 303 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: But this is this isn't really the case for Rogan. Yeah, 304 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: and he's um, yeah, it's just not. One of the 305 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: problems is that this kind of does fly in the 306 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: face of a lot of what people want to think. 307 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: And I don't want to be making the case that 308 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: it's as black and white it is, because, for example, 309 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that it was bad for someone to 310 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: go through the effort of finding and pointing out, Hey, 311 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: there's like seventy episodes where Joe Rogan drops the inn word, 312 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: um and getting those polls. I don't think that I 313 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: think that that was broadly speaking, a productive thing. But 314 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: keeping Joe Rogan at the forefront of the outrage cycle 315 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: is doing nothing but printing money for the guy. And 316 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: that's that's not an easy thing to deal with because 317 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: it's like, do you want me to just like stay 318 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: quiet in the face of injustice? And it's like, no, 319 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: that's not what I want you to do. But I 320 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: do want you to recognize that there are times in 321 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: ways of speaking up that are just yes, putting putting 322 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: gasoline on an injustice fire. It's it's important to remember 323 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: that d platform ng is just a tactic, and and 324 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: single tactics aren't always effective in every situation. That's what 325 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: makes them a tactic, right, Like, in order for a 326 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: tactic to work, you need to understand the scenario that's 327 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: are applying the tactic to and seeing if that tactic 328 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: achieves the goal. And if it doesn't, great, But if 329 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: it doesn't, you need to choose other tactic and stop 330 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting 331 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: a new result. And this is one of those situations 332 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: where like when you bring up, hey, maybe nothing might 333 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: be the best thing, at least for for most people 334 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: specifically to do. Like the thing that gets brought up 335 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 1: is like, well do you not want me to uh? 336 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: Or like, well, what do you suggest I do? Like 337 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: you know, you're saying I shouldn't do this, but you're 338 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: not telling me what to do. And it's like, well, 339 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,719 Speaker 1: it's like if somebody gets shot in the leg and 340 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,239 Speaker 1: one person has a tourniquet and the other person has 341 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 1: a bunch of razor blades that they want to throw 342 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,399 Speaker 1: in their eyes, and it's like, well, what do you 343 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: want me to do? All I have is these razor blades. 344 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: This is the only other thing I can do? Then 345 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 1: just stand by and do nothing. And it's like, well, 346 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: in this case, doing nothing is the best thing to do, 347 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: because it's it's not that's not going to help the problems. 348 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: Boycotts of this scale kind of only tend to benefit 349 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 1: brands and businesses, right like, because if if if the 350 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: brand of business is a person is smaller in more 351 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: niche like and say like Alex Jones or Richard Spencer, 352 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: right then yes, these tactics about boycotts can really work 353 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: to push things out of the cultural like market and 354 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: also in some cases in terms of businesses like the 355 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: literal market. But when you're dealing with things like Target, Nike, 356 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: and Joe Rogan, that's not the case because those brands 357 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: are way too big. Any any you know, any conservative 358 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: boycott against Target isn't going to have that effect. It 359 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 1: will probably make weird liberals be like, oh, I'm gonna 360 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 1: go to Target now because the conservatives don't want me to. 361 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 1: It's so like it's I don't It's not it's it's like, 362 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 1: it's the problem is It's like Joe Rogan himself isn't 363 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: really the problem either. You know, a lot of the 364 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: problem can be seen more as like content algorithms that 365 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: boost and reward misinformation and disinformation and conspiracism, and that's 366 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,880 Speaker 1: more of like an actual issue at hand here. Joe 367 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: Rogan is just a business. That's how he hears about 368 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: a lot of these people. Yeah, I go viral somewhere else. 369 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 1: And in a lot of cases it's an inorganic thing 370 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: that brings them in front of them. It's some fucking 371 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: algorithm that and and that is a case where you 372 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: can target and work on deep exact form and it 373 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: can be more productive that that. That was, That was 374 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: what that was what I was getting again, It's like 375 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: Joe Joe Rogan himself was just a visible outgrowth of 376 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: the core problem. And the core problem is these things 377 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: getting onto his show in the first place. So yeah, 378 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: we can't stop his show, but maybe we should do 379 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 1: more work to prevent to like figure out ways to 380 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: do you know, start using these tactics to prevent algorithms 381 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,640 Speaker 1: from boosting these things so that Jojo can sees them 382 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: and then and then invites them on. And yeah, that's 383 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: a lot more work than just being angry at Spotify. 384 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: And yet maybe it will actually do something. And one 385 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: thing that can do something is with spot and it 386 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: won't work if it's just Spotify. But I am one 387 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: of those people who thinks that maybe it's not the 388 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: worst thing if things like Spotify are seen as publishers 389 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 1: and thus when they spread misinformation that leads to disastrous 390 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: health consequences, UM, they can be held liable. Right. Uh, 391 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: that's not the worst possible change, although it is a 392 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: problematic one. I don't want to like boil that down 393 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: to a simple question, but I think that's an avenue 394 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 1: that should be explored, because I don't see that there's 395 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 1: a lot of difference in Spotify choosing to let something 396 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: go to air or The New York Times printing misinformation. UM. 397 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: And in fact, Spotify is going to reach more people 398 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: because nobody cares what The New York Times says anymore. Yeah, 399 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: so Spotify. The Spotify CEO did kind of address the 400 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: ongoing controversy around the you know, internal publishing stuff and 401 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: how they view medical misinformation. UM. They did adopt a 402 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: clarified policy that prohibits content that promotes dangerous, false, or 403 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: dangerous deceptive medical information which may cause offline harm or 404 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: pose a direct threat to public health. UM. And then 405 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: the post also announced that a Spotify would add content 406 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,959 Speaker 1: advisories to any content related to COVID on the platform, 407 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: Twitter and Instagram have Um No, it's not, it's not. 408 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: It's not. Actually it's not. But if you have the operation, 409 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: if you can again, if there is like an actual 410 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: dollar consequence to companies that aired massive disinformation, um, then 411 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: you're not without sort of making Joe Rogan the focus. 412 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: You can make it so that the people that he 413 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: actually is accountable to, which is the people who make 414 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: him give him the money that he gets, how a 415 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: vested interest in tamping down on the worst excesses that 416 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 1: he's responsible for, Like that might have an impact. I 417 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:09,719 Speaker 1: don't know, Like part of the problem is that. And 418 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: one thing we should acknowledge here when we're talking about 419 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: like what would work better than what's being done, This 420 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: is a pretty new problem. Versions of it have existed before, 421 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: but without the Internet and without podcasts being what they are, 422 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: this is a pretty new thing to be dealing with. 423 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,479 Speaker 1: And I'm not I don't I'm not saying like this 424 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: is here's the obvious solution to this, But I think 425 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: we are trying to point out, like what folks are 426 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 1: doing doesn't work. The tactics being applied are not effective, 427 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: and we should be exploring other opportunities to mitigate this harm. 428 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: That are not well, I guess it's time to delete 429 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: another app and post about it on Twitter. Yeah. I 430 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: think I think this is especially a thing with like 431 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 1: because like one of the other things that that's been 432 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: popping up as broken's like weapons great transphobia. So yeah, jeesus, 433 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: and that's that stuff us is horrifying. Like the racism 434 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: is also like really bad. He's extremely sexist. But it's 435 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: like I think misogynists racist all there's a lot of 436 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: money and being that dude. Yeah, well, and I think 437 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: this is sort of you know, this, this is you know, 438 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: this is an inherent problem for the left because fighting 439 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: it like this this kind of sort of like shock 440 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: truck information stuff works better like that that rage economy 441 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 1: works better for the right thing does for the left. 442 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: And I think in some ways that means like you 443 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 1: have to fight them in other spaces, like you know, 444 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 1: you you can't just like keep throwing yourself. It's the 445 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: same thing with like so why why why you don't 446 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: have just like one line where you just run into 447 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:43,479 Speaker 1: a bunch of cops over and overget in one spot, right, like, 448 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: but we have certainly try. Yeah. Yeah, it's like some 449 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,360 Speaker 1: folks gave the old college, the old college. Yeah, like 450 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 1: you know, it's like in some in some sense, yeah, 451 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,120 Speaker 1: like it's it's it's it's it's hard to be too 452 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 1: hard on these on people who doing this, and it's 453 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 1: like I think they're doing the right thing. But it's 454 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: like you have to you have to pick your battles. 455 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 1: And you know, if if you're taking a fight that's fair, 456 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: like that's a that's a bad fight, that is a 457 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,719 Speaker 1: bad fight for you. You you you need you need 458 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,679 Speaker 1: to be fighting them in different spheres. You need to 459 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 1: be you know, I mean, working for example, on stuff 460 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: like tech regulation, like you like working on you know, 461 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: unionizing these places, right like fighting purely finding them in 462 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: information space, we will lose every time. The advantage that 463 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: we have is that we also do other things. And 464 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: it's it's you know, we're we're going to keep losing 465 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: hearing if you know, if we keep fighting them in 466 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: exactly the same way here, we're going to keep losing. 467 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: So we have to you know, like we we we 468 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: we we have to fight in other places. And that's 469 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 1: hard and it sucks because you know, this is such 470 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: a misspart of just what reality is now is you know, 471 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: yelling people online, but like, you have to stop doing 472 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: that because it's not not not. The problem is that 473 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,879 Speaker 1: we've all gotten fucking caught for quite some time in 474 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: this escalating culture war, and it's not. It's not a 475 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 1: battleground that can be entirely ignored because when you kind 476 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: of seed ground them, they create conspiracy theories about trans 477 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 1: people attacking kids that lead to them murdering people in 478 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: the streets, or they spread conspiracy theories about masks that 479 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: lead to them occupying Ottawa. Um. So it can't. The 480 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: culture war battleground cannot be ignored. But at the end 481 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: of the day, what we should rather than just like 482 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 1: seeking new ways to engage with it, because the more 483 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: you engage with it, and it is sometime necessary to 484 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: engage with but the more you engage with it, the 485 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: stronger you make this whole thing and the heavier it 486 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: lies on all of us like a cloud. And in 487 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:47,439 Speaker 1: the only real way to actually win in the long 488 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: run is to find a way to get off of that, 489 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: to get out of this like this fucking treadmill of 490 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: bullshit that has become everything all consuming, and it's it's 491 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 1: in a lot of people best interest for it to 492 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: stay all consuming um and I there's a there's a 493 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: lot that's going on here, because it's not I think 494 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,120 Speaker 1: sometimes when you criticize people for the actions they take 495 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: in situations like this, they kind of interpreted as you saying, well, 496 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: like you're stupid and you fucked up and never should 497 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: have liked done this, and and the way I think 498 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: of it as more like this is a we have 499 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: found ourselves trapped in a really messy situation and no 500 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: one has figured out how to get out. So it's 501 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: not a situation of like people are are dumb for 502 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: having done something that's not effective. It's a situation of 503 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,159 Speaker 1: we are all trying to figure out what works in 504 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: this new world we have kind of somewhat accidentally somewhat 505 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: purposefully built for ourselves, and it is important to have 506 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: humility and be willing to accept it, like, you know what, 507 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: that's not working and we have to stop doing the 508 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: thing that's not working, rather than you know, treat it 509 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: as if it's sort of a moral failing that something 510 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: we we we tried was not effective. The last thing 511 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: is it's like, really, it's it's not just the non effectiveness, 512 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: but also the the idea that the fact that this 513 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: outrage is said, just a constant is just a constant 514 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:16,880 Speaker 1: free bannerad for Spotify every everywhere online is like also 515 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: not great. So it's not it's not even not not 516 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: even just not effective. But you're just giving a corporation 517 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: tons of free press. And maybe we can reframe the 518 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: way we approach these things so that we don't do that, 519 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 1: because in the end, that's just kind of adding to 520 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,159 Speaker 1: promoting the misinformation. That's kind of that's all that's kind 521 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: of really doing. And it's not, that's not nearly as 522 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: you know, impactful as you know, just Rogan doing it himself, 523 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: but it's still is it still is a contributing factor 524 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: and and and it it does contribute to the backfire 525 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: effect of people who listen to his podcast. Maybe people 526 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: who like don't even but they're still gonna get defensive 527 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: over him because they're seeing this attack on him. And 528 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 1: even though he's even though he is a huge figure, 529 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,160 Speaker 1: he's seen as an outsider. So that that really does 530 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 1: contribute to that back backfire fact thing of getting people 531 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,719 Speaker 1: more and more vested in him as a content creator. 532 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: But yeah, it's really dumb, But the thing we need 533 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: to deal with it it's it's a version of the 534 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: lesson people still didn't learn with Trump, which is that like, 535 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,120 Speaker 1: you can't you can't beat these people by dunking on them. 536 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter that Joe Rogan said something dumb. It 537 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: doesn't matter that Joe Rogan is inconsistent, it doesn't matter 538 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 1: that like Joe Rogan has tells lies or whatever. That's 539 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: not going to change anybody's mind about the dude, because 540 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: it's not about Joe Rogan. They don't support him because 541 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: they love They support him as much as anything. The 542 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: people who are at least engaging, primarily online about it, 543 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: Most of his fans are just don't think about any 544 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: of this because they're not as online as the rest 545 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: of us. But the people who are kind of engaging 546 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: with this and helping to fuel the culture war side 547 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: of this thing, they don't care there this This isn't 548 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: about his inherent characteristics. This is about it's a chance 549 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: to dunk on the enemy. Um, So you're not going 550 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: to convince them of anything ever. That's all I had 551 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,159 Speaker 1: to say on this. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, because again, 552 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: I really I really resisted writing this episode for a 553 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: long time because I didn't want to add to the 554 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: Rogan discourse. But after a while, the Rogan discourse itself 555 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: became worth talking about. How we talk so because it 556 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: is more of a meta angle, like, okay, that is 557 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 1: actually worth talking about. But yeah, I am so tired 558 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: of hearing, watching, and seeing the words still Rogan. Yeah, 559 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: I'm exhausted by it. I hate that. Like it's a 560 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: bigger story in the United States than the gigantic war 561 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: that might break out in Eastern Europe. Um, it's it's 562 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: just just a very frustrating time and the only way 563 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: to win this particular game is not to play. Um. 564 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: So that's that's why we're doing this. We're not going 565 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: to stick his name in the description or the episode title. 566 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 1: Um yeah it is. You know. The title we were 567 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: working with this under that we're not going to use 568 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: so as to not feed into the algorithm was Joe 569 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: Rogan the Egregor And that is really how I think 570 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: about it. If you if you haven't listened to our 571 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: episode on the book about the Flat Earth, book on 572 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: Behind the Bastards that talks about as Um and eggs, 573 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: it's basically a god that is made up by the 574 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 1: kind of directed thoughts of a population of people. Yeah, 575 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: it's like a costalt deity that exists, like this thought 576 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 1: form that if people put energy into it, it almost 577 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: gains its own it's it's own like um um independence 578 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: from the people that that like burst it, even though 579 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: it is just like a thought form and it because 580 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,560 Speaker 1: it was just an idea or presence, and now it 581 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: basically is its own god that's self sustaining and it 582 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 1: can impact the world. Yeah, global capital is an egregor 583 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: And and the more that people kind of feed into 584 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: the discourse around Joe Rogan, the more he turns into 585 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: one kind of outside of his own actions, he this 586 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 1: idea of him has an influence on everything around us. 587 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: And boy, we don't need that, do we certainly did not. 588 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: Just said we just put that one down, right, try 589 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: something else. Yeah, let's throw a brick at your sheriff instead. 590 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 1: This will go better for you. I mean sure, sure, Chris, Yeah, Chris, 591 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: Chris said it, not me. Yeah, I mean obviously in 592 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: Minecraft he said bricks. It's fine. Robert Robert, Robert Robert. 593 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:35,479 Speaker 1: It's not Minecraft anymore. It's the roadblocks the Feds cracked 594 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: in Minecraft. Yeah, you're right, it's going to take weeks 595 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: for them, for them to their computers to realize what 596 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: roadblocks is. The look was a story I think I 597 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 1: saw on Twitter about like like some yeah, so some 598 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: some kids who actually legitimately got arrested in Brushford, like 599 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: blowing up a building in Minecraft, so like like literally 600 00:30:54,760 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 1: so we live in h yeah and instead again it's 601 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 1: roadblocks where nothing bad happens. Nothing bad happens, all right, 602 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: everybody get on roadblocks, um and don't talk about Joe Royan, 603 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 1: and don't talk about Joe Rogan. Hundreds of truckers continue 604 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: to rule least and with wards joining the movement. With 605 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: each passing city, feelings towards vaccine mandates have heightened. Advocate 606 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: civil war. If people don't want to stand up, we 607 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 1: got guns. We'll stand up and we'll bring them off. 608 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 1: Sucking a guys, let's get pumped for this. Let's go 609 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: to fucking Ottawa. Let's I want to see one of 610 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: those truckers. I wouldn't probably not not known our guys obviously, 611 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: but I would like to see our own January six event. 612 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 1: See some of those truckers plow right through that sixteen 613 00:31:53,520 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: football ye, welcome to It could happen here or in 614 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: this case, it did happen here, slashes still happening here, 615 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: and uh the here in this case being Canada in 616 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: recent weeks. The idea of only a few thousand people 617 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:22,479 Speaker 1: totally choking a major city, holding it hostage to bargain 618 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: for political demands, while overwhelming and getting a foot up 619 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: on law enforcement, taking over and shutting down a sizeable 620 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: portion of a popular metropolitan area and simultaneously blocking off 621 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: supply lines, trade routes, and multiple international border crossings is 622 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: exactly the kind of thing this podcast has been talking 623 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 1: about for years as a potential anti government resistance tactic 624 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: that could become more common as political tensions rise in 625 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: North America. Specifically, a few weeks ago, when the so 626 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: called Trucker Convoy was still its planning stages, I wasn't 627 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: super eager to cover it on the pod. Actually, I 628 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: assumed it would be a flop and just another dumb 629 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: anti COVID protest in a long line of anti COVID 630 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: protests happening in Canada. Flash forward to me at the 631 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: end of January, and it became apparent that I was 632 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: sorely mistaken and this thing was shaping up to be 633 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: a significant factor in Canada's political ecosystem going forward. In 634 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 1: my haste to catch up to the moment, I recorded 635 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: two episodes with the wonderful journalist Dan Cullen, explaining the 636 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: situation as it was at the prospective times of recording. 637 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 1: But as the tensions in Ottawa and all across Canada 638 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 1: arose and the situation gained more and more complexity, I 639 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: decided that the convoy and subsequent blockades required a more 640 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: researched and scripted deep dive. The more I dug into 641 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: the situation, the more it seems to embody the exact 642 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: thing I was warning about in my two previous scripted 643 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: episodes about Canada and the far right, titled Canadian Fascism A. 644 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 1: The apologies for the title, but you can find those 645 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: if you scroll through the could Happen Here feed. Don't 646 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: think they came out around November ish. What I wanted 647 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 1: to get across in those episodes is that Canada is 648 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 1: often seen as an escape from the more divisive, violent, 649 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 1: and fascist elements of US politics and culture. But just 650 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:19,680 Speaker 1: like climate change, capitalism, or any other enveloping force cough cough, 651 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: hyper objects cough cough, fascism and the slide towards it 652 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:28,240 Speaker 1: can never be truly escaped right. There is no other, 653 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:31,959 Speaker 1: there is no away, and it's especially hard to see 654 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,800 Speaker 1: it when it's growing on the back of your own head, 655 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: primarily through Islamophobia. Far right ethno nationalist tendencies have been 656 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: bubbling under the surface of Canada for a long while, 657 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 1: and since Trudeau has taken office in twenty fifteen, there 658 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: has been a perfect politically allowed boogeyman to blame every 659 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 1: problem onto That can include everything from Trudeau was taking 660 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,240 Speaker 1: away our oil and gas jobs, or Trudeau is bringing 661 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:02,280 Speaker 1: in Muslim terrorists to Canada, uh, or Trudeau is starving 662 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 1: your children through health mandates. Canadian right wing protests has 663 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,280 Speaker 1: been steadily growing the past five years. There's been multiple 664 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:13,320 Speaker 1: flare ups of far right rhetoric with the Canadian Yellow Vests, 665 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 1: the Westerns that protesced we Exit or Western Exit movement, 666 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:22,879 Speaker 1: and the pseudo fascist People's Party of Canada. The incorporation 667 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:27,399 Speaker 1: of pandemic conspiracies and anti vaccine sentiments into the already 668 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: disaffected rural Canadian right wingers starting and continuing to the present, 669 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 1: has accelerated not only the conspiratorial fall right rhetoric among 670 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:39,400 Speaker 1: conservative voters, but also what is seen as a valid 671 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:43,399 Speaker 1: political action in those people's eyes. But before we get 672 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 1: into how the convoy started with anger concerning COVID nineteen 673 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:51,799 Speaker 1: health man dates and misinformation concerning empty store shelves, we 674 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 1: have to first go back in time to even before 675 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 1: the COVID nineteen virus was a blip on anyone's radar. 676 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: In February, the Canadian Yellow Vests organized something called the 677 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 1: United We Roll Convoy. The result was around a hundred 678 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: seventy trucks driving cross country through the more liberal East 679 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 1: to Ottawa. The result was around a hundred seventy trucks 680 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 1: driving from the West cross country to the more liberal 681 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:21,280 Speaker 1: East and eventually to Ottawa. The goal was to represent 682 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: the concerns of disenfranchised oil and gas workers in the 683 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: Western provinces and their opposition to propose environmental and new 684 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 1: energy policies. Yellow Vests Canada was largely founded by individuals 685 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:37,719 Speaker 1: already associated with Canada's far right, which at the time 686 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 1: was primarily united through anti Muslim racism and m phobia. 687 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: Inspired by the French Heelovest movement, they copied their aesthetics 688 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:48,839 Speaker 1: and adopted new grievances and reactionary matoric and we get 689 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:52,360 Speaker 1: them a much larger audience. By the time United We 690 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:55,200 Speaker 1: Roll arrived in Ottawa, the media started to catch on 691 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 1: to the more problematic elements about their organization, Neo Nazi 692 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: faith goal each spoke on a stage, many members of 693 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,479 Speaker 1: hate groups responded in attendance, and with the numbers so low, 694 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:09,840 Speaker 1: it made their more extreme participants stick out. Instead of 695 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:12,680 Speaker 1: focusing the message on oil and gas as they claim 696 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:16,480 Speaker 1: to represent Western alienation from a distant liberal Ottawa, some 697 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: of its participants seemed more interested in protesting Ottawa's immigration 698 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 1: policies than arguing for specific fixes for Alberta's oil patch. Plus, 699 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:29,439 Speaker 1: if you peeked inside any Canadian yellow vest Facebook group, 700 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: you would be flooded with hundreds of examples of explicit 701 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 1: anti Muslim racism and calls for a Prime Minister Justin 702 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: Trudeau's arrest and execution, a theme that remains common among 703 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 1: COVID conspiracy demonstrations today. But at the end of it, 704 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:48,799 Speaker 1: United We Roll was widely considered a bust, with only 705 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:51,800 Speaker 1: a few hundred participants in Ottawa and despite raising almost 706 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 1: a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the organizers failed to 707 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:57,440 Speaker 1: exclose how much of that money was actually spent on 708 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: convoy expenses like gas and food. Afterwards, the Yellowest Canada 709 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 1: movement started to kind and die out, though some holdouts 710 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 1: kept smaller demonstrations going for months, particularly in the conservative 711 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 1: oil province of Alberta. But to us now United we 712 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:14,640 Speaker 1: Rule can be seen as a small test run for 713 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:18,719 Speaker 1: the current situation. In fact, it shares many of the 714 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: same organizers and even the same promotional materials, except this 715 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 1: time they have the added weight of many more people 716 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:30,320 Speaker 1: radicalized into conspiracism throughout the pandemic, and much more funding. 717 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 1: So with that in mind, let's dive into the components 718 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:39,200 Speaker 1: of the initial organizing effort. On January two, go fund 719 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 1: me account was set up for a so called trucker 720 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 1: convoy ahead of the January fifteenth adoption of the mandate 721 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 1: requiring all cross border transportation drivers to be fully vaccinated 722 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 1: against COVID nineteen. Vaccine mandates in Canada have been in 723 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:59,360 Speaker 1: effect since October for ship crews, railways, and airline workers, 724 00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 1: but effective January, the federal government expanded the requirement to 725 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 1: truck drivers returning from the States and those who will 726 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:09,239 Speaker 1: remain unvaccinated will not be able to enter Canada without quarantine. 727 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:12,239 Speaker 1: One week later, a reciprocal policy went into effect in 728 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 1: the United States for Canadian truckers crossing into their border, 729 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 1: which means going forward you cannot really cross the border 730 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:22,480 Speaker 1: at all, well remaining unvaccinated. At this point in mid January, 731 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,640 Speaker 1: a majority of Canadians still broadly supported health mandates aimed 732 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,279 Speaker 1: at limiting the spread of COVID, but a big part 733 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:31,280 Speaker 1: of the early propaganda push for the convoy was photos 734 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: alleged to have been from current Canadian grocery stores which 735 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: they were not, with barren empty shelves. The idea was 736 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:41,399 Speaker 1: that COVID restrictions were already severely impacting the supply line, 737 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: and any additional mandates would begin to start with the 738 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:48,359 Speaker 1: population and effectively shut down international trade. Put a note 739 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:50,759 Speaker 1: in this idea, by the way, it will come up later. 740 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:55,040 Speaker 1: Ideas for another truck convoy like United Wi Roll have 741 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: been tossed around for a while online, and with this 742 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 1: new mandate on truckers andvaccines, a time presented itself to 743 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:06,880 Speaker 1: give the convoy idea another go. In the early convoy 744 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:11,200 Speaker 1: organizing they were primarily four familiar far right faces who 745 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:13,960 Speaker 1: working together to set things up, none of whom are 746 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:18,120 Speaker 1: truck drivers. By the way, the originally listed organizers on 747 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:21,760 Speaker 1: the go fund me page were Tomorrow Lich and b. J. Ditcher, 748 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 1: Both have notable experience with far right organizing. Tamaraw Litch 749 00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:30,040 Speaker 1: was born in my home province of Saskatchewan, but now 750 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:32,960 Speaker 1: hails from the town of Medicine Hat, Alberta, where she 751 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:36,760 Speaker 1: served as an organizer for Yellow Vests Canada, a regional 752 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:41,480 Speaker 1: coordinator for the separatist Western Exit or Wexit movement in Alberta, 753 00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 1: and now the secretary for the Maverick Party, another far 754 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:48,800 Speaker 1: right extreme acceparatist movement and fringe political party. Litch started 755 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 1: attending and boosting yellow Vest events starting in and her 756 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,879 Speaker 1: social media posts from around the time show in one 757 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: moment calling out some hateful rhetoric from within the movement, 758 00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 1: while also posting islamophobe articles of her own and conspiracies 759 00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: about the Muslim Brotherhood operating in Canada. A few days 760 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:10,400 Speaker 1: after the go fund me was created, Benjamin B. J. Ditcher, 761 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:14,239 Speaker 1: one time Conservative Party of Canada candidate, People's Party of 762 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:17,600 Speaker 1: Canada booster and co founder of a Canadian far right 763 00:41:17,719 --> 00:41:21,440 Speaker 1: podcast network, appeared as a cool organizer on the go 764 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: fund me page twenty nineteen, he claimed that Islamist entryism 765 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 1: is rotting away our society like syphilis. Benjamin Ditcher was 766 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:33,080 Speaker 1: also one of the first people to give a speech 767 00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:36,360 Speaker 1: at the first proto Fascist People's Party of Canada conference 768 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:39,680 Speaker 1: in Quebec, saying that the Conservative Party of Canada is 769 00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 1: suffering from the stench of cultural relativism and political Islam 770 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,040 Speaker 1: and a whole bunch of stuff you know in that 771 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 1: general vein. James Botter was another one of the four 772 00:41:48,719 --> 00:41:52,480 Speaker 1: key organizers of the Trucker convoy to Ottawa. Botter is 773 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 1: an admitted conspiracy theorist who has endorsed Q and on 774 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:59,120 Speaker 1: and called COVID the biggest political scam in history. He's 775 00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:01,960 Speaker 1: also a former activist with the Yellow Vests Canada and 776 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,840 Speaker 1: United we Roll. Barter's main project, however, is running the 777 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: Canada Unity website, which is one of the original nexus 778 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:13,040 Speaker 1: points for organizing and spreading word about this convoy. The 779 00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:16,959 Speaker 1: group contends that vaccine mandates and passports are illegal under 780 00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:20,719 Speaker 1: Canada's constitution, the Nuremberg Code, and a host of other 781 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:25,640 Speaker 1: international conventions. Boter has long been a fringe figure, but 782 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:29,359 Speaker 1: his movements started picking up steam and support as announcements 783 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 1: and continuations of restrictions aimed at curbing COVID nineteen spread 784 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:37,440 Speaker 1: have continued. The supposed plight of the truckers proved to 785 00:42:37,440 --> 00:42:41,000 Speaker 1: be a sympathetic cause on Facebook and attracted an array 786 00:42:41,080 --> 00:42:46,080 Speaker 1: of fellow travelers. The last big major player is Patrick King, 787 00:42:46,239 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: another former Yellow vestor one time major figure in the 788 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 1: Wexit movement as well as United we Roll. On January two, 789 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:58,279 Speaker 1: pet King hosted a live stream for James Botter to 790 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:02,000 Speaker 1: promote the Canada Unity website and to announce it as 791 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:05,719 Speaker 1: the official page for the Freedom Trucker Convoy, or as 792 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:10,279 Speaker 1: they called it, Operation Bear. Hug King is a conspiracy 793 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:14,440 Speaker 1: theorist and popular streamer that attracts the audience farther right 794 00:43:14,480 --> 00:43:18,759 Speaker 1: than Canada's usual conservatives. Kings made headlines for drumming up 795 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:22,360 Speaker 1: fear and then following through with his supporters with violence 796 00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: at rally's put on by BLM and Antifa. King is 797 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:29,640 Speaker 1: also known for spreading what are basically neo Nazi talking points. 798 00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:31,600 Speaker 1: And I'm just going to quote from an article by 799 00:43:31,600 --> 00:43:33,960 Speaker 1: the Canadian Anti Hate Network here because they did a 800 00:43:34,160 --> 00:43:38,120 Speaker 1: great job tracking his past extremism quote. In the past, 801 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:40,719 Speaker 1: King has gone on record about his feelings on the 802 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:45,239 Speaker 1: Anglo Saxon replacement that plans to quote flood Canada with 803 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,399 Speaker 1: refugees and subvert the education system, which is a thin 804 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 1: rebranding of the Great Replacement theory touted by Ethno nationalists. 805 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 1: At other points, King is expressed overtly racist and anti 806 00:43:57,120 --> 00:44:00,399 Speaker 1: Semitic statements. In the twenty nineteen stream about the then 807 00:44:00,520 --> 00:44:03,560 Speaker 1: upcoming federal election, King complained that he had to leave 808 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:05,880 Speaker 1: the movement due to their lack of success, saying, quote 809 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:07,839 Speaker 1: the election a wo't matter unless you want to change 810 00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:12,160 Speaker 1: your national language to Chinese or Mandarin or Hebrew. He 811 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:14,640 Speaker 1: then went on to compare Chinese names to the sound 812 00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:19,040 Speaker 1: of change falling downstairs. He has publicly distorted facts, but 813 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:22,440 Speaker 1: the Holocaust of form of Holocaust denial, saying I do 814 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:25,080 Speaker 1: know that the Holocaust was reduced to one point five 815 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:27,279 Speaker 1: million and not the six million that it was said 816 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:30,719 Speaker 1: to be. He then invoked the anti Semitic conspiracy theory 817 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:34,240 Speaker 1: that Jewish people are secretly in control of world governance, media, 818 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: and finances, saying, quote the questions that have been asked 819 00:44:38,760 --> 00:44:40,960 Speaker 1: several times to the a d L and to the 820 00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:44,799 Speaker 1: Jewish government and communities. We have Jewish world bankers who 821 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:49,759 Speaker 1: are dictating our government policies and controlling our politicians unquote. 822 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:56,040 Speaker 1: So yeah. Considering King's history of saying blatantly fascist things, 823 00:44:56,080 --> 00:44:59,719 Speaker 1: some organizers and convoy supporters tried to distance King from 824 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:04,520 Speaker 1: the Freedom Convoy movement to not damage the initial fundraising effort. 825 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:08,720 Speaker 1: The controversy around King resulted in a statement being released 826 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:11,680 Speaker 1: onto the fundraising page saying King is not and has 827 00:45:11,719 --> 00:45:13,920 Speaker 1: never been affiliate with our movement, nor has he been 828 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:17,240 Speaker 1: a part of our great team of volunteers. The update 829 00:45:17,719 --> 00:45:21,200 Speaker 1: was afterwards deleted, and then King claimed in a video 830 00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:23,799 Speaker 1: that the statement was a public relations move because he 831 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:26,719 Speaker 1: was being attacked online. For a while, King was still 832 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:31,160 Speaker 1: listed as the Northern Alberta contact for the Western portion 833 00:45:31,239 --> 00:45:34,600 Speaker 1: of the convoy. So those are the four people that 834 00:45:34,719 --> 00:45:38,560 Speaker 1: laid the organizing groundwork, that spawned this entire thing and 835 00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:41,480 Speaker 1: put it into motion. But what made this convoy different 836 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:44,120 Speaker 1: from United We Roll One point, oh, is the almost 837 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:47,280 Speaker 1: two years of COVID isolation, which has given ample time 838 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:49,680 Speaker 1: for groups like the Yellow Vests and extreme Far right 839 00:45:49,719 --> 00:45:53,640 Speaker 1: groups to completely fold into the rapidly growing anti vax 840 00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:56,960 Speaker 1: and COVID conspiracy movement in Canada, and along with that, 841 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:00,960 Speaker 1: using people's seething hatred of Justin Trudeau to radicalize thousands 842 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:04,239 Speaker 1: of thousands of people online to getting them more comfortable 843 00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:09,279 Speaker 1: with the idea of participating in political protest. It's really 844 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:11,680 Speaker 1: important to mention that the protests are not organized by 845 00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:16,200 Speaker 1: Canadian trucking unions or really Canadian truckers. The largest trucking 846 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:18,640 Speaker 1: unions have come out against the protests and they do 847 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:21,239 Speaker 1: not appear to reflect the values of most Canadians or 848 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:25,440 Speaker 1: most Canadian truckers. More than of the Canadian public is vaccinated, 849 00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:29,440 Speaker 1: including almost of truckers, according to Canada's Minister of Transport. 850 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:33,200 Speaker 1: The Canadian Trucking Alliance issued a statement saying it does 851 00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:36,959 Speaker 1: not support and strongly disapproves of any protests on public roads, 852 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:40,800 Speaker 1: highways or bridges. The Canadian Trucking Alliance president said in 853 00:46:40,840 --> 00:46:43,400 Speaker 1: a joint statement with the Ministers of Labor and Transport 854 00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:46,400 Speaker 1: that the Government of Canada and the Canadian Trucking Alliance 855 00:46:46,480 --> 00:46:50,719 Speaker 1: both agree that vaccination, used in combination with preventative health measures, 856 00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:53,080 Speaker 1: is the most effective tool to reduce the risk of 857 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:57,040 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen for Canadians and to protect public health. According 858 00:46:57,040 --> 00:47:00,360 Speaker 1: to the Canadian Trucking Alliance, the mandate could impact around 859 00:47:00,360 --> 00:47:04,480 Speaker 1: twelve to sixteen thousand Canadian commercial drivers, which is just 860 00:47:04,600 --> 00:47:08,560 Speaker 1: about ten to fifteen percent of the industry's cross border 861 00:47:08,640 --> 00:47:12,400 Speaker 1: drivers during the pandemic. Repeated polls have shown that a 862 00:47:12,440 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: majority of Canadians support public health measures to contain the pandemic, 863 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:18,719 Speaker 1: but the number of Canadians who would like to see 864 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:22,759 Speaker 1: restrictions end has risen in recent weeks. With owner crown 865 00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:25,960 Speaker 1: cases on the decline, some provinces are starting to remove 866 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:30,160 Speaker 1: restrictions and requirements. The public sentiment appears to be moving 867 00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:33,920 Speaker 1: in the direction of opening up communities. Throughout the last 868 00:47:33,960 --> 00:47:36,799 Speaker 1: two weeks of January, the number of Canadians saying that 869 00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 1: they would like to see restrictions end has risen by 870 00:47:39,600 --> 00:47:44,719 Speaker 1: fifteen percentage points to a majority of fifty percent. Demonstrations 871 00:47:44,800 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 1: have found a way to tap into pandemic fatigue among 872 00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:51,640 Speaker 1: conservatives across the country. After months of lockdown, more than 873 00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:53,799 Speaker 1: two thirds of Canadians have said they have very little 874 00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:56,920 Speaker 1: in common with how the Autaowa protesters see things, but 875 00:47:57,880 --> 00:47:59,640 Speaker 1: say that they have a lot in common, according to 876 00:47:59,680 --> 00:48:03,239 Speaker 1: a recent survey connected by a Canadian research firm. Though 877 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:06,400 Speaker 1: the idea of vaccine mandates for Canadian truckers kind of 878 00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:10,480 Speaker 1: prompted what turned into this convoy, very quickly became a 879 00:48:10,520 --> 00:48:14,040 Speaker 1: general battle cry against pandemic restrictions as a whole and 880 00:48:14,080 --> 00:48:18,160 Speaker 1: the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Unlike twenty nineteen 881 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:21,239 Speaker 1: United we Roll, the Freedom Convoy against health mandates was 882 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:24,560 Speaker 1: able to successfully capitalize on Western feelings of neglect and 883 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:27,799 Speaker 1: isolation from the ruling liberal elite in the East and 884 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:30,840 Speaker 1: in the capital of Ottawa. The right ingredients at the 885 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:35,520 Speaker 1: right time flung the Trucker Freedom Convoy into the conservative zeitgeist. 886 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:37,560 Speaker 1: The original and go fund me page, set up on 887 00:48:37,640 --> 00:48:41,960 Speaker 1: January fourteenth to financially support convoy participants, was able to 888 00:48:42,080 --> 00:48:46,040 Speaker 1: raise ten million dollars in just under three weeks. As 889 00:48:46,080 --> 00:48:49,520 Speaker 1: the truck convoy idea picked up steam, The first expected 890 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:53,120 Speaker 1: wave of attendees were planned to arrive in Ottawa on Saturday, 891 00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:57,800 Speaker 1: January twenty ninth. Vehicles started rolling in a few days prior, 892 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:00,640 Speaker 1: throughout Thursday and the Friday night before the big day. 893 00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:03,600 Speaker 1: On the twenty nine, and as Saturday the twenty nine came, 894 00:49:03,840 --> 00:49:07,040 Speaker 1: the numbers of trucks and protest participants greatly exceeded the 895 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:10,440 Speaker 1: initial expected numbers that I and many other people had figured, 896 00:49:10,719 --> 00:49:14,160 Speaker 1: while obviously falling short of the heavily marked fifty thousand 897 00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:19,200 Speaker 1: truckers prediction made by some convoy supporters. While writing these episodes, 898 00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:21,719 Speaker 1: I talked with Paul, a citizen of Ovadawa who's been 899 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:25,880 Speaker 1: living inside the occupied zone since the twenty ninth of January, 900 00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:28,360 Speaker 1: and this is what he had to say about expectations 901 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:31,680 Speaker 1: leading up to the convoys arrival. There was at least 902 00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:34,319 Speaker 1: a week of lead up where we it was about 903 00:49:34,360 --> 00:49:36,880 Speaker 1: all we heard about. So from when they sort of 904 00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:39,200 Speaker 1: declared their intention to come down to when they started 905 00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:41,719 Speaker 1: rallying in BC and you know, in the west and 906 00:49:41,800 --> 00:49:46,759 Speaker 1: coming across Um, there was an anticipation that something was 907 00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:50,360 Speaker 1: going to happen. And you know, people around here because 908 00:49:50,520 --> 00:49:53,520 Speaker 1: like where I'm sitting right now is less than a 909 00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:57,440 Speaker 1: kilometer from Parliament Hill and directly in between two of 910 00:49:57,440 --> 00:49:59,319 Speaker 1: the streets that they've blocked off sort of on the 911 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:03,040 Speaker 1: way into town. You know, we were nervous, but we 912 00:50:03,200 --> 00:50:05,160 Speaker 1: kind of were just sort of assuming it was gonna 913 00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:06,919 Speaker 1: be a one day affair. It was gonna be small 914 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:10,880 Speaker 1: at first, but then you heard I mean, nobody believed 915 00:50:10,920 --> 00:50:16,239 Speaker 1: the fifty trucks and that like that was it. I mean, 916 00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:18,360 Speaker 1: to put in perspective, the numbers that they were claiming 917 00:50:18,360 --> 00:50:21,440 Speaker 1: were on their way here, UM are larger than the 918 00:50:21,560 --> 00:50:24,320 Speaker 1: entire population of the city by like a couple hundred 919 00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:29,120 Speaker 1: thousand people, so that that didn't seem likely. But you know, 920 00:50:29,239 --> 00:50:31,440 Speaker 1: when we were hearing the thirty to forty thousand, when 921 00:50:31,440 --> 00:50:34,760 Speaker 1: we heard about multiple convoys with you know, a hundred 922 00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:37,160 Speaker 1: to two hundred trucks like that was when it was like, Okay, 923 00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:43,959 Speaker 1: this isn't gonna be great. So people started arriving on 924 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:47,880 Speaker 1: what Friday, Saturday. The first group started rolling to town 925 00:50:48,040 --> 00:50:51,000 Speaker 1: on Thursday night. UM. They were they were small in numbers. 926 00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:52,960 Speaker 1: They didn't really start blocking anything off because they just 927 00:50:53,040 --> 00:50:54,719 Speaker 1: weren't enough of them. So, but you could hear the 928 00:50:54,800 --> 00:50:58,480 Speaker 1: horns starting on Thursday night, UM, and I think a 929 00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:01,200 Speaker 1: lot of some of them were going into hotels. UM. 930 00:51:01,320 --> 00:51:06,920 Speaker 1: They were smaller groups too, mostly from sort of local groups. UM. 931 00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:12,000 Speaker 1: And then around ten or eleven in the morning on Friday, UM, 932 00:51:12,160 --> 00:51:14,520 Speaker 1: we started hearing reports at Kingston, which is about an 933 00:51:14,520 --> 00:51:17,400 Speaker 1: hour issue away, an hour and a half um that 934 00:51:17,480 --> 00:51:19,760 Speaker 1: there was a group moving out of there. So around 935 00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:22,280 Speaker 1: one o'clock in the afternoon Friday, the first group started 936 00:51:22,280 --> 00:51:26,080 Speaker 1: to arrive and started to congregate downtown. And one of 937 00:51:26,080 --> 00:51:29,040 Speaker 1: the things about Ottawa is um it's a lot, like 938 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:30,600 Speaker 1: a lot of big downtowns, it's a lot of one 939 00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:33,800 Speaker 1: way streets. So the moment you get the trucks starting 940 00:51:33,840 --> 00:51:36,240 Speaker 1: to get into the intersections or near intersections, you're blocking 941 00:51:36,239 --> 00:51:40,520 Speaker 1: off all passage in certain directions. So they started blocking 942 00:51:40,560 --> 00:51:43,000 Speaker 1: off the northbound really quickly, just because that's where how 943 00:51:43,000 --> 00:51:45,919 Speaker 1: they were coming in UM. And there's only like three 944 00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:48,400 Speaker 1: gas stations downtown as well, which is it kind of 945 00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:50,399 Speaker 1: plays a big factor in the route that they took. 946 00:51:50,520 --> 00:51:53,440 Speaker 1: So they all passed by, especially the passenger cars that 947 00:51:53,440 --> 00:51:56,080 Speaker 1: were running mow Um passed by and through that way. 948 00:51:56,239 --> 00:51:58,760 Speaker 1: And yeah, by about two or three o'clock in the afternoon, 949 00:51:59,760 --> 00:52:03,400 Speaker 1: every anything south of Summerset, which is about a kilometer 950 00:52:03,440 --> 00:52:07,120 Speaker 1: and a half from Parliament, was pretty much jammed at 951 00:52:07,160 --> 00:52:10,600 Speaker 1: that point. As Saturday night came, much of the group, 952 00:52:10,719 --> 00:52:14,239 Speaker 1: supporters and truckers alike spent that time partying late into 953 00:52:14,280 --> 00:52:17,400 Speaker 1: the night as heavily backed up traffic continued to effectively 954 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:20,520 Speaker 1: shut down roads and large areas of the city around 955 00:52:20,560 --> 00:52:24,520 Speaker 1: Parliament Throughout the weekend. Businesses in the surrounding areas that 956 00:52:24,560 --> 00:52:27,680 Speaker 1: did not close ahead of the protest were swarmed by customers, 957 00:52:27,960 --> 00:52:31,840 Speaker 1: many refusing to wear masks. A local Homa shelter and 958 00:52:31,840 --> 00:52:34,759 Speaker 1: soup kitchen was harassed by Convoy participants who were turned 959 00:52:34,760 --> 00:52:38,040 Speaker 1: away from restaurants after refusing to wear a mask. A 960 00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:41,240 Speaker 1: large number of the convoy attendees surrounded the shelter, demanding 961 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:44,040 Speaker 1: to be fed by the facility staff. According to the 962 00:52:44,120 --> 00:52:47,480 Speaker 1: shelters president, convoy participants assaulted a client of the shelter 963 00:52:47,840 --> 00:52:50,040 Speaker 1: and her old racial slurs at a security guard who 964 00:52:50,040 --> 00:52:53,800 Speaker 1: attempted to intervene. Workers and volunteers at the shelter noted 965 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:56,480 Speaker 1: that parked vehicles blocked the shelter, making it difficult for 966 00:52:56,520 --> 00:52:59,840 Speaker 1: aliences to reach the facility and for staff to assist 967 00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:03,600 Speaker 1: munity members in need. A home in the downtown area 968 00:53:03,640 --> 00:53:06,120 Speaker 1: was pelted with rocks and snow, as well as vandalized 969 00:53:06,120 --> 00:53:08,759 Speaker 1: with human feces, all for showing a Pride flag in 970 00:53:08,800 --> 00:53:12,800 Speaker 1: their window. The operations commander for the Ottawa Paramedic Service 971 00:53:12,880 --> 00:53:15,600 Speaker 1: said that an ambulance was pelted with rocks and paramedics 972 00:53:15,719 --> 00:53:18,719 Speaker 1: checking the damage were called racial slurs by convoy participants. 973 00:53:19,239 --> 00:53:23,040 Speaker 1: Ottawa Paramedics have since requested police escorts, citing safety concerns. 974 00:53:23,760 --> 00:53:26,839 Speaker 1: More public backlash was prompted after reports surface of a 975 00:53:26,840 --> 00:53:30,160 Speaker 1: monument dedicated to commemorating Terry Fox being covered in protest 976 00:53:30,239 --> 00:53:33,560 Speaker 1: signs and being staged to hold an upside down Canadian flag. 977 00:53:34,280 --> 00:53:37,600 Speaker 1: No restroom made Saturday night related to the convoy, but 978 00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:41,200 Speaker 1: as the convoy stuck around even past the weekend, there 979 00:53:41,239 --> 00:53:43,799 Speaker 1: was this growing feeling of downtown residents that they've been 980 00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:47,000 Speaker 1: abandoned by the city and law enforcement, with the whole 981 00:53:47,040 --> 00:53:49,800 Speaker 1: situation and response to the situation making them afraid to 982 00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:53,520 Speaker 1: leave their homes. I asked Paul what his experience on 983 00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:56,640 Speaker 1: the first weekend of the occupation was and the general 984 00:53:56,719 --> 00:54:00,160 Speaker 1: feeling in the area of downtown Ottawa. And you were 985 00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:02,000 Speaker 1: living like right in the middle of this. How much 986 00:54:02,000 --> 00:54:04,400 Speaker 1: has this affected like your day to day life and all, 987 00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:06,560 Speaker 1: like your neighbors and stuff, like what what what are 988 00:54:06,560 --> 00:54:10,240 Speaker 1: you able to do and not do? At this point? Well, 989 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:13,600 Speaker 1: it's the weekend was it was especially bad, and we're 990 00:54:13,640 --> 00:54:15,279 Speaker 1: all kind of bracing for what this weekend is going 991 00:54:15,320 --> 00:54:17,440 Speaker 1: to be because that's when you had just you know, 992 00:54:17,920 --> 00:54:22,120 Speaker 1: there were between somewhere between ten and fifteen eighteen thousand 993 00:54:22,120 --> 00:54:25,040 Speaker 1: people as the estimates I've heard, um all crowding downtown 994 00:54:25,160 --> 00:54:28,160 Speaker 1: in the streets. So at that point, I mean that 995 00:54:28,200 --> 00:54:29,920 Speaker 1: was when the police we're telling people not to wear 996 00:54:29,920 --> 00:54:33,400 Speaker 1: a mask out, um because you know, you're kind of 997 00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:38,200 Speaker 1: putting yourself at risk, uh, because it'll be targeted for violence. Yeah. 998 00:54:38,239 --> 00:54:41,600 Speaker 1: So I mean I was like basically anytime I've left 999 00:54:41,640 --> 00:54:43,759 Speaker 1: the house. So we have a mask mandate still in 1000 00:54:43,800 --> 00:54:46,080 Speaker 1: effect in Ottawa, so you have to wear them indoors 1001 00:54:46,080 --> 00:54:48,560 Speaker 1: pretty much everywhere. Um. So I have to wear at 1002 00:54:48,560 --> 00:54:50,239 Speaker 1: my building, I have to wear at the convenience store. 1003 00:54:50,280 --> 00:54:52,319 Speaker 1: If I'm gonna go go buy say, you know, pack 1004 00:54:52,360 --> 00:54:54,080 Speaker 1: of cigarettes, I'm not going to take it off. It's 1005 00:54:54,080 --> 00:54:57,080 Speaker 1: a thirty second walk. And so that was that. The 1006 00:54:57,120 --> 00:55:00,160 Speaker 1: harassment around that started on Friday, UM, and and it 1007 00:55:00,239 --> 00:55:03,960 Speaker 1: just became anyone who was going about that didn't look 1008 00:55:04,000 --> 00:55:08,840 Speaker 1: like they were part of it, UM started getting hassled. UM. 1009 00:55:08,960 --> 00:55:11,320 Speaker 1: Other people I know who live in the area, especially women, 1010 00:55:11,600 --> 00:55:15,200 Speaker 1: UM have been targeted a great deal. Um, anyone who's 1011 00:55:15,280 --> 00:55:20,600 Speaker 1: part of, you know, the LGBTQ community has been it's 1012 00:55:21,360 --> 00:55:23,080 Speaker 1: it's not really just it's just not safe to be 1013 00:55:23,080 --> 00:55:24,560 Speaker 1: out on the streets and it's not really safe to 1014 00:55:24,560 --> 00:55:27,319 Speaker 1: show that you don't support what they're doing. At points 1015 00:55:27,360 --> 00:55:30,760 Speaker 1: since the convoy started arriving in Ottawa, the extreme elements 1016 00:55:30,760 --> 00:55:33,680 Speaker 1: of the protest have been pretty visible. Among the thousands 1017 00:55:33,719 --> 00:55:36,760 Speaker 1: of attendees were recognizable members of white nationalists, hate groups 1018 00:55:37,280 --> 00:55:40,319 Speaker 1: you know, not seeing Confederate flags were seen flying. Two 1019 00:55:40,360 --> 00:55:43,320 Speaker 1: and on logos were emblazoned on trucks and sides, and 1020 00:55:43,360 --> 00:55:46,120 Speaker 1: stickers were pasted on telephone pools around the occupied area 1021 00:55:46,200 --> 00:55:50,719 Speaker 1: baring Trudeau's face reading wanted for crimes against humanity, the 1022 00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:56,160 Speaker 1: official line from original convoy organizers minus Pat King, of course, however, 1023 00:55:56,320 --> 00:55:59,480 Speaker 1: has tried to remain focused. In a Facebook live broadcast, 1024 00:55:59,600 --> 00:56:03,160 Speaker 1: James Under of Canada Unity instructed his supporters to stop 1025 00:56:03,200 --> 00:56:06,799 Speaker 1: talking about the vaccine and instead stick the messages of freedom. 1026 00:56:06,880 --> 00:56:09,480 Speaker 1: The goal of adopting a more restricted and relatable protest 1027 00:56:09,520 --> 00:56:13,840 Speaker 1: cause is to hopefully jump up more widespread support and validity, 1028 00:56:14,040 --> 00:56:16,960 Speaker 1: and it initially worked in some ways and not in others. 1029 00:56:17,520 --> 00:56:20,360 Speaker 1: Numerous members of the Conservative Party have come out to 1030 00:56:20,400 --> 00:56:23,960 Speaker 1: meet protesters, especially throughout the first few days now. Former 1031 00:56:24,000 --> 00:56:27,800 Speaker 1: Conservative Party leader Eron O'Toole met with convoy participants, albeit 1032 00:56:27,840 --> 00:56:31,319 Speaker 1: away from the main protest site. Both People's Party of 1033 00:56:31,360 --> 00:56:35,200 Speaker 1: Canada leader Maxie and Bernair and Ontario Member of Provincial 1034 00:56:35,239 --> 00:56:38,600 Speaker 1: Parliament and leader of the de facto Ontario arm of 1035 00:56:38,600 --> 00:56:41,759 Speaker 1: the PPC, Randy Healer, who has made many recent and 1036 00:56:41,920 --> 00:56:45,399 Speaker 1: semitic comments, both gave speeches on Saturday the twenty nine 1037 00:56:45,480 --> 00:56:48,279 Speaker 1: in front of the Parliament building. People like Elon Musk 1038 00:56:48,320 --> 00:56:51,360 Speaker 1: and Donald Trump have both endorsed the convoy, and Fox 1039 00:56:51,440 --> 00:56:54,920 Speaker 1: News has been endlessly broadcasting glowing updates of the convoy 1040 00:56:55,040 --> 00:56:59,279 Speaker 1: since its arrival in Ottawa. According to the convoy participants 1041 00:56:59,360 --> 00:57:02,400 Speaker 1: and organizers, they are vowing to camp out in front 1042 00:57:02,440 --> 00:57:05,200 Speaker 1: of the Parliament until their demands of dropping all COVID 1043 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:09,239 Speaker 1: nineteen health measures are met. While stated grievances can be 1044 00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:12,480 Speaker 1: broader and more vast on the ground, the current memorandum 1045 00:57:12,520 --> 00:57:15,960 Speaker 1: of understanding posted on the Canada Unity website, which collected 1046 00:57:15,960 --> 00:57:19,840 Speaker 1: over thirty signatures, served as a sort of bargaining pitch 1047 00:57:19,960 --> 00:57:25,240 Speaker 1: between the convoy and the Canadian government. The Memorandum of Understanding, 1048 00:57:25,360 --> 00:57:28,960 Speaker 1: or the m o U, calls on Canada's appointing senators 1049 00:57:29,040 --> 00:57:32,800 Speaker 1: and Canada's Governor General, the representative of Queen Elizabeth, the 1050 00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:37,040 Speaker 1: second in Canada's constitutional monarchy, to abolish all COVID nineteen 1051 00:57:37,040 --> 00:57:41,040 Speaker 1: related restrictions and to allow all unvaccinated workers whose employment 1052 00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:44,480 Speaker 1: was terminated because of vaccine mandates to get their jobs back. 1053 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:47,760 Speaker 1: James Potter, the guy who runs Canada Unity, insisted to 1054 00:57:47,840 --> 00:57:50,000 Speaker 1: his followers that the m o U would force the 1055 00:57:50,000 --> 00:57:54,000 Speaker 1: government's hand and possibly even trigger fresh elections if enough 1056 00:57:54,000 --> 00:57:58,600 Speaker 1: people signed. Another Canada Unity organizer went further, saying it 1057 00:57:58,600 --> 00:58:01,440 Speaker 1: would require the Senate to after the Prime Minister for 1058 00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:05,200 Speaker 1: corruption and fascism, which, of course there's no legal basis 1059 00:58:05,240 --> 00:58:07,080 Speaker 1: for any of these claims around the m o you, 1060 00:58:07,520 --> 00:58:09,480 Speaker 1: but you know that doesn't really matter in the end, 1061 00:58:10,000 --> 00:58:12,040 Speaker 1: because people still believe it, so it's going to have 1062 00:58:12,120 --> 00:58:15,360 Speaker 1: an impact on what they do. The more controversial Pat 1063 00:58:15,440 --> 00:58:18,760 Speaker 1: King laid out an alternative, however, a more direct plan 1064 00:58:18,840 --> 00:58:22,960 Speaker 1: of action to the occupiers. In a January Facebook livestream, 1065 00:58:23,120 --> 00:58:25,520 Speaker 1: King said that what we want to focus on is 1066 00:58:25,560 --> 00:58:30,479 Speaker 1: our politicians, their houses, their locations. If political pressure doesn't work, 1067 00:58:30,600 --> 00:58:34,160 Speaker 1: blocking major supply chains will be later on. So more 1068 00:58:34,440 --> 00:58:37,920 Speaker 1: more on that idea later. After the first weekend of 1069 00:58:37,960 --> 00:58:41,360 Speaker 1: protests kind of turned occupations, go fund me released a 1070 00:58:41,400 --> 00:58:44,600 Speaker 1: reported one million dollars of the total ten million raised 1071 00:58:44,680 --> 00:58:47,880 Speaker 1: for the convoy. As the end of the weekend approached, 1072 00:58:48,080 --> 00:58:51,640 Speaker 1: many convoy participants who rolled into the nation's capital began 1073 00:58:51,720 --> 00:58:53,920 Speaker 1: heading home and the highways on Sunday night saw no 1074 00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:57,520 Speaker 1: shortage of vehicles heading away from Ottawa with their approtest 1075 00:58:57,600 --> 00:59:01,840 Speaker 1: signs and flags still in tow, but plenty of people 1076 00:59:01,880 --> 00:59:05,360 Speaker 1: stuck around to continue the fight. Thousands and thousands of 1077 00:59:05,360 --> 00:59:08,320 Speaker 1: people and hundreds of vehicles, including a fleet of semitrucks, 1078 00:59:08,320 --> 00:59:12,200 Speaker 1: commercial vehicles, r V campers, and regular cars were more 1079 00:59:12,240 --> 00:59:14,439 Speaker 1: than enough to keep the roads in a large portion 1080 00:59:14,480 --> 00:59:18,439 Speaker 1: of Ottawa around Parliament effectively shut down. I can't help 1081 00:59:18,440 --> 00:59:21,960 Speaker 1: but draw comparisons to the fear mongering narrative of bus 1082 00:59:22,000 --> 00:59:25,440 Speaker 1: fulls of Antifa, you know, protesters coming from out of 1083 00:59:25,440 --> 00:59:29,720 Speaker 1: town into places they don't live, terrorizing locals, shutting down cities. 1084 00:59:30,160 --> 00:59:32,120 Speaker 1: You know. The other comparison is to like the chop 1085 00:59:32,160 --> 00:59:34,560 Speaker 1: where the chas in Seattle was taking over a large 1086 00:59:34,600 --> 00:59:38,400 Speaker 1: portion of the city, and how that was so vilified. Except, 1087 00:59:38,480 --> 00:59:41,880 Speaker 1: you know, this is so much bigger and impactful than 1088 00:59:42,000 --> 00:59:45,240 Speaker 1: anything so called Antifa or the Black Lives Matter protests 1089 00:59:45,320 --> 00:59:49,160 Speaker 1: have ever done, especially in Canada, in terms of actually 1090 00:59:49,280 --> 00:59:53,400 Speaker 1: impacting the functionality of a city and restricting the local, national, 1091 00:59:53,680 --> 00:59:58,640 Speaker 1: and international capitalist trade. The Freedom Convoy has done everything 1092 00:59:58,760 --> 01:00:01,520 Speaker 1: and more its proponents warned that Antifa was going to 1093 01:00:01,560 --> 01:00:05,000 Speaker 1: do to Canada. Obviously, part of the reason the Convoy 1094 01:00:05,040 --> 01:00:07,720 Speaker 1: protest was able to get to this point is not 1095 01:00:07,880 --> 01:00:10,920 Speaker 1: just because of its large size, but also the initial 1096 01:00:11,120 --> 01:00:15,000 Speaker 1: hands off approach by police that allowed the Convoy participants 1097 01:00:15,040 --> 01:00:18,240 Speaker 1: the opportunity to get a strong foothold within the city. 1098 01:00:19,160 --> 01:00:22,320 Speaker 1: The difference in initial law enforcement reaction to the protest 1099 01:00:22,320 --> 01:00:25,640 Speaker 1: Convoy made up of largely you know, conservative, middle class 1100 01:00:25,640 --> 01:00:28,440 Speaker 1: white Canadians, compared to other protests like you know, the 1101 01:00:28,440 --> 01:00:32,240 Speaker 1: Black Lives Better protests, or say the RCMPS typical response 1102 01:00:32,280 --> 01:00:36,160 Speaker 1: to First Nations protests and blockings defending their land. The 1103 01:00:36,200 --> 01:00:40,520 Speaker 1: comparisons cannot be over analyzed. You know, the latter two 1104 01:00:40,600 --> 01:00:44,240 Speaker 1: forms of protest I mentioned actually do challenge societal power 1105 01:00:44,240 --> 01:00:47,800 Speaker 1: structures that prop up White Canada, while as this Convoy 1106 01:00:47,800 --> 01:00:51,360 Speaker 1: protest does not and instead plays into those very power structures. 1107 01:00:52,240 --> 01:00:54,800 Speaker 1: That dynamic played a major role into how the police 1108 01:00:54,840 --> 01:00:58,280 Speaker 1: handled or didn't handle the first few days of the protest, 1109 01:00:58,440 --> 01:01:01,840 Speaker 1: in which during those early days the convoy attendees were 1110 01:01:01,840 --> 01:01:05,480 Speaker 1: free to build infrastructure that resulted in the protest escalating 1111 01:01:05,520 --> 01:01:09,120 Speaker 1: into a full scale occupation. The Monday after the first 1112 01:01:09,160 --> 01:01:12,439 Speaker 1: initial weekend, the city's mayor, Jim Watson, declared a state 1113 01:01:12,440 --> 01:01:15,200 Speaker 1: of emergency, but at that point Attawa Police thought it 1114 01:01:15,240 --> 01:01:18,080 Speaker 1: was already too late for the protest to be ended 1115 01:01:18,080 --> 01:01:22,160 Speaker 1: by sheer force without vastly increasing the likelihood of severe 1116 01:01:22,240 --> 01:01:26,320 Speaker 1: damage and life threatening outcomes to the convoy participants, police officers, 1117 01:01:26,440 --> 01:01:30,480 Speaker 1: and regular citizens of Ottawa. On February twod Ottawa Police 1118 01:01:30,520 --> 01:01:34,000 Speaker 1: Chief Peter Slowly explicitly said that there may not be 1119 01:01:34,080 --> 01:01:38,160 Speaker 1: a police solution to ending the convoy and occupation. There 1120 01:01:38,200 --> 01:01:41,560 Speaker 1: are similar demonstrations taking place in many other parts of 1121 01:01:41,600 --> 01:01:44,720 Speaker 1: this country, indeed many other parts around this continent in 1122 01:01:44,800 --> 01:01:49,800 Speaker 1: the world. What happens here effects there, What happens there 1123 01:01:50,200 --> 01:01:53,840 Speaker 1: affects here. We have seen in the last twenty four 1124 01:01:53,840 --> 01:01:57,720 Speaker 1: hours attempts by other police and other jurisdictions to do 1125 01:01:57,840 --> 01:02:01,720 Speaker 1: just what you have suggested. They were not effective and 1126 01:02:01,760 --> 01:02:06,600 Speaker 1: they created additional safety issues, potential life threatening safety issues. 1127 01:02:07,520 --> 01:02:11,160 Speaker 1: I have great compassion for those that have been significantly affected, 1128 01:02:11,200 --> 01:02:16,720 Speaker 1: if not traumatized, and we know criminally victimized. We will 1129 01:02:16,760 --> 01:02:18,520 Speaker 1: do everything we can to hold those who have done 1130 01:02:18,520 --> 01:02:22,040 Speaker 1: that to account. Will continue arresting and charging people as 1131 01:02:22,040 --> 01:02:28,200 Speaker 1: we have been. But any action taken without understanding the 1132 01:02:28,240 --> 01:02:32,280 Speaker 1: totality of the context, the totality of the risk, would 1133 01:02:32,280 --> 01:02:38,960 Speaker 1: be irresponsible. You're trying to be responsible, lawful, ethical, and measured. 1134 01:02:40,720 --> 01:02:43,439 Speaker 1: My last comment when I wrapped up, I'll share again now. 1135 01:02:44,480 --> 01:02:47,560 Speaker 1: The longer this goes on, the more I am convinced 1136 01:02:47,800 --> 01:02:52,040 Speaker 1: there may not be a police solution to this demonstration. 1137 01:02:53,520 --> 01:02:57,640 Speaker 1: There are police chiefs commissioners across this country that are 1138 01:02:57,640 --> 01:03:02,640 Speaker 1: dealing with demonstrations that are starting underway and significantly advanced. 1139 01:03:03,520 --> 01:03:07,680 Speaker 1: This is a national issue, not an Autawa issue from 1140 01:03:07,720 --> 01:03:10,400 Speaker 1: the start. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been playing down 1141 01:03:10,440 --> 01:03:13,640 Speaker 1: the notion of a military response to the ongoing Ottawa protest. 1142 01:03:14,120 --> 01:03:16,840 Speaker 1: During the first week, he said that sending in troops 1143 01:03:16,920 --> 01:03:19,880 Speaker 1: is not in the cards. Right now. On the February two, 1144 01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:22,040 Speaker 1: the Automa police chiefs said that all options are on 1145 01:03:22,080 --> 01:03:25,560 Speaker 1: the table, including eventually calling in the military, but one 1146 01:03:25,640 --> 01:03:28,280 Speaker 1: must be very very cautious about deploying troops in Canadian 1147 01:03:28,320 --> 01:03:31,720 Speaker 1: soil in such cases. Trudeau said that a news conference 1148 01:03:31,760 --> 01:03:33,880 Speaker 1: in in the February that it's not something that anyone 1149 01:03:33,880 --> 01:03:38,440 Speaker 1: should enter into lightly, with police basically leaving the Ottawa 1150 01:03:38,520 --> 01:03:41,680 Speaker 1: residents who live near and within the Convoy occupation to 1151 01:03:41,840 --> 01:03:44,760 Speaker 1: fend for themselves. I was curious what sorts of things 1152 01:03:44,800 --> 01:03:48,200 Speaker 1: the local community might be doing to live around this massive, 1153 01:03:48,240 --> 01:03:52,480 Speaker 1: conspiracy filled group of reactionary out of town campers. What 1154 01:03:52,600 --> 01:03:54,800 Speaker 1: sort of things have the has the community been doing 1155 01:03:54,840 --> 01:03:59,560 Speaker 1: to kind of help survive this this Like has there 1156 01:03:59,600 --> 01:04:02,040 Speaker 1: been like talide projects in the neighborhood to help support 1157 01:04:02,080 --> 01:04:04,880 Speaker 1: other neighbors, you know that that sort of thing there 1158 01:04:04,920 --> 01:04:07,000 Speaker 1: have Um it's actually been kind of wonderful the way 1159 01:04:07,000 --> 01:04:09,440 Speaker 1: the community has been coming together, especially after two years 1160 01:04:09,440 --> 01:04:11,920 Speaker 1: of pandemic, where we've all been kind of like Ottawa 1161 01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:15,800 Speaker 1: and Ontario have been one of the more restricted jurisdictions 1162 01:04:15,800 --> 01:04:18,680 Speaker 1: in North America. UM. I mean, and I say this 1163 01:04:18,720 --> 01:04:21,080 Speaker 1: as a restaurant manager, like in my opinion rightly, so, 1164 01:04:21,160 --> 01:04:23,080 Speaker 1: like it's about keeping people safe, and we've done a 1165 01:04:23,120 --> 01:04:25,920 Speaker 1: fairly good job of that by and large. But the 1166 01:04:26,000 --> 01:04:28,880 Speaker 1: thing is that, you know, our community hasn't felt a 1167 01:04:28,920 --> 01:04:31,560 Speaker 1: lot like a community in a while, and this week, 1168 01:04:31,920 --> 01:04:35,240 Speaker 1: I mean one of the few positives has been UM 1169 01:04:35,280 --> 01:04:38,400 Speaker 1: both individuals and organizations. So I mean, Rose and some 1170 01:04:38,440 --> 01:04:40,240 Speaker 1: of the other organizations that we mentioned on Friday have 1171 01:04:40,280 --> 01:04:42,840 Speaker 1: done a great job. There's also been some really really 1172 01:04:42,840 --> 01:04:46,080 Speaker 1: great organic organizing coming out of UM some activists as 1173 01:04:46,080 --> 01:04:48,040 Speaker 1: well as just people in the community. So there's a 1174 01:04:49,120 --> 01:04:51,800 Speaker 1: a few discord servers set up right now. So there's 1175 01:04:51,800 --> 01:04:54,200 Speaker 1: been a huge issue with people, people with disabilities and 1176 01:04:54,200 --> 01:04:58,000 Speaker 1: the elderly getting groceries because deliveries aren't possible downtown UM. 1177 01:04:58,200 --> 01:05:01,200 Speaker 1: So it started on Twitter, UM, but there's been an 1178 01:05:01,280 --> 01:05:04,280 Speaker 1: organization set up to help people get those groceries. Whether 1179 01:05:04,320 --> 01:05:07,160 Speaker 1: it's a cost issue or just a physical delivery issue. 1180 01:05:07,200 --> 01:05:10,479 Speaker 1: We're ensured people are ensuring that that's happening UM as 1181 01:05:10,520 --> 01:05:14,320 Speaker 1: of today. UM there's gonna be a safe Walks program. UM. 1182 01:05:14,360 --> 01:05:16,480 Speaker 1: There's well there's two. There's one on discord where it's 1183 01:05:16,480 --> 01:05:18,160 Speaker 1: people offering to you know, make sure that you can 1184 01:05:18,160 --> 01:05:22,560 Speaker 1: get through the space safe. Today though, um, in a 1185 01:05:22,600 --> 01:05:25,000 Speaker 1: positive and more passive sense, we kind of started taking 1186 01:05:25,000 --> 01:05:28,640 Speaker 1: the streets back. So um, we had about four or 1187 01:05:28,680 --> 01:05:31,240 Speaker 1: five groups of people ranging from ten to fifty just 1188 01:05:31,240 --> 01:05:34,480 Speaker 1: just walking the streets and not not confronting anybody, not 1189 01:05:34,560 --> 01:05:37,560 Speaker 1: getting getting into any direct engagement, just going out to 1190 01:05:37,600 --> 01:05:39,840 Speaker 1: show that we can still walk on our streets and 1191 01:05:40,120 --> 01:05:43,520 Speaker 1: letting our you know, our our neighbors know that we 1192 01:05:43,560 --> 01:05:46,560 Speaker 1: can actually be together and you know, stand up just 1193 01:05:46,920 --> 01:05:49,400 Speaker 1: to be together, which is something that I think a 1194 01:05:49,440 --> 01:05:51,640 Speaker 1: lot of people have lost over the last week. I mean, 1195 01:05:51,720 --> 01:05:54,320 Speaker 1: like the fact that that's even a big step is 1196 01:05:54,520 --> 01:05:59,360 Speaker 1: showing how tired the situation is. The fact that just 1197 01:05:59,680 --> 01:06:02,280 Speaker 1: get to that point were walking around in a group 1198 01:06:02,280 --> 01:06:06,000 Speaker 1: where you feel safe is like a big thing that Yeah, 1199 01:06:06,040 --> 01:06:10,040 Speaker 1: that's like a really interesting and horrible indicator of what 1200 01:06:10,200 --> 01:06:12,880 Speaker 1: the mood has been like there for people like living 1201 01:06:13,000 --> 01:06:16,080 Speaker 1: in this area. That is. Yeah, that is a big 1202 01:06:16,080 --> 01:06:17,680 Speaker 1: part of it. And it's something that was actually talked 1203 01:06:17,680 --> 01:06:20,000 Speaker 1: about a lot today, which was how refreshing it was 1204 01:06:20,040 --> 01:06:21,760 Speaker 1: to be able to do it, but also that it 1205 01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:25,040 Speaker 1: shouldn't feel radical to take a safe walk in your community, 1206 01:06:25,080 --> 01:06:29,240 Speaker 1: but it somehow did um and it speaks a lot 1207 01:06:29,280 --> 01:06:32,959 Speaker 1: to the feelings the lack of safety or the loss 1208 01:06:33,000 --> 01:06:36,280 Speaker 1: of you know, safety in this community and has been 1209 01:06:36,480 --> 01:06:40,160 Speaker 1: pretty immense. I should mention that another community led efforts 1210 01:06:40,240 --> 01:06:44,040 Speaker 1: to deal with the occupation is the ram Ranch Resistance, 1211 01:06:44,280 --> 01:06:47,360 Speaker 1: a loosely organized counter movement to the Chuck Our Convoy 1212 01:06:47,400 --> 01:06:50,960 Speaker 1: that started with people joining the convoys online communications channels 1213 01:06:51,200 --> 01:06:55,560 Speaker 1: and blasting the homo erotic country song ram Ranch. The 1214 01:06:55,640 --> 01:06:58,800 Speaker 1: song is by a Canadian artist and features some flawless 1215 01:06:58,880 --> 01:07:03,480 Speaker 1: lyrics like eighteen naked cowboys wanting to be fucked, cowboys 1216 01:07:03,520 --> 01:07:06,560 Speaker 1: in the showers at ram Ranch on their knees wanting 1217 01:07:06,600 --> 01:07:11,400 Speaker 1: to suck cowboy cox. Ram Ranch really rocks. The result 1218 01:07:11,560 --> 01:07:16,120 Speaker 1: is not only making the Convoy folks uncomfortable because gay, 1219 01:07:16,640 --> 01:07:19,880 Speaker 1: but also it is hijacking and making their online communications 1220 01:07:19,960 --> 01:07:23,320 Speaker 1: channels kind of useless for any non cowboy cock sucking 1221 01:07:23,320 --> 01:07:28,800 Speaker 1: political organizing efforts. Disruptive resistance to the Convoys online communications 1222 01:07:28,880 --> 01:07:31,320 Speaker 1: is not just limited to the ram Ranch song, however, 1223 01:07:31,800 --> 01:07:34,720 Speaker 1: other vulgar songs have also been introduced into the chats 1224 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:37,440 Speaker 1: as well. I'm gonna just kind of give you a 1225 01:07:37,520 --> 01:07:41,720 Speaker 1: brief look at what it's like inside these chats, right, Yeah, 1226 01:07:41,800 --> 01:07:44,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna role play it. The 1227 01:07:44,320 --> 01:07:46,960 Speaker 1: ram Ranch guys are finally gone. It's about freaking time. 1228 01:07:47,040 --> 01:07:49,120 Speaker 1: I've had to shut that stuff off. One person has 1229 01:07:49,240 --> 01:07:52,160 Speaker 1: heard saying and a clip from a chat, immediately followed 1230 01:07:52,160 --> 01:07:55,400 Speaker 1: by a robotic voice saying, welcome to the come zone. 1231 01:07:55,520 --> 01:07:59,200 Speaker 1: Only come inside anime girls, quivering clip, double jointed pussy 1232 01:07:59,280 --> 01:08:02,600 Speaker 1: fresh balls. Since then, the movement has taken on as 1233 01:08:02,600 --> 01:08:04,400 Speaker 1: something of a life of its own. The ram Ranch 1234 01:08:04,440 --> 01:08:07,280 Speaker 1: Resistance hashtag has been used as a way for people 1235 01:08:07,320 --> 01:08:11,320 Speaker 1: to share information regarding the convoy, and Welcome to the 1236 01:08:11,400 --> 01:08:13,920 Speaker 1: ram Ranch signs have been popping up at convoy counter 1237 01:08:13,960 --> 01:08:18,120 Speaker 1: protests around the country. Another ram rancher created the website 1238 01:08:18,200 --> 01:08:21,400 Speaker 1: ram Ranch dot c a linking to downtown organizations that 1239 01:08:21,439 --> 01:08:24,160 Speaker 1: have been impacted by the trucker convoy, as well as 1240 01:08:24,240 --> 01:08:28,960 Speaker 1: charities aiding indigenous people's As the convoy settled in, it 1241 01:08:29,000 --> 01:08:31,600 Speaker 1: appeared at the demonstrators and the government had reached a 1242 01:08:31,680 --> 01:08:35,080 Speaker 1: sort of stalemate. Currently, there are more than four hundred 1243 01:08:35,080 --> 01:08:38,479 Speaker 1: trucks parked downtown and Ottawa Police say that they can't 1244 01:08:38,560 --> 01:08:41,880 Speaker 1: move them because the too operators with city contracts are 1245 01:08:41,920 --> 01:08:45,639 Speaker 1: refusing to help, making matters only more difficult. Police say 1246 01:08:45,680 --> 01:08:48,400 Speaker 1: that families with children are sleeping in approximately a quarter 1247 01:08:48,520 --> 01:08:51,720 Speaker 1: of those trucks. To get an idea of what some 1248 01:08:51,920 --> 01:08:55,880 Speaker 1: Attawa residents who live within the occupied zone see in 1249 01:08:56,000 --> 01:08:59,040 Speaker 1: terms of a potential end in sight, I posed Paul 1250 01:08:59,240 --> 01:09:02,799 Speaker 1: this question, how do you even see the situation resolving 1251 01:09:02,840 --> 01:09:04,880 Speaker 1: at this point? Like, do do you think they're like 1252 01:09:04,920 --> 01:09:06,960 Speaker 1: the truckers and the people who are in the city 1253 01:09:07,120 --> 01:09:10,080 Speaker 1: are gonna are gonna back down and leave eventually or 1254 01:09:10,360 --> 01:09:12,519 Speaker 1: like or do you think they have to be forced out? 1255 01:09:12,560 --> 01:09:14,479 Speaker 1: Like what do you see kind of an end to 1256 01:09:14,560 --> 01:09:19,120 Speaker 1: this at this point? Well, it's at this point. Probably 1257 01:09:19,160 --> 01:09:22,240 Speaker 1: one of the hardest things to admit is that I don't. Um, 1258 01:09:22,360 --> 01:09:24,519 Speaker 1: the hardest core that are here are committed, and they 1259 01:09:24,520 --> 01:09:27,880 Speaker 1: have a significant amount of funding behind them. And the 1260 01:09:27,960 --> 01:09:32,600 Speaker 1: thing is that you know, with an occupation protests, they 1261 01:09:32,720 --> 01:09:34,800 Speaker 1: if you don't nip it in the bud, it's snowballs 1262 01:09:34,800 --> 01:09:37,760 Speaker 1: and gathers momentum for a while. Um, And I mean 1263 01:09:37,840 --> 01:09:40,280 Speaker 1: eventually they either peter out or they have to be removed. 1264 01:09:40,520 --> 01:09:44,080 Speaker 1: And this one is still snowballing. Um, We've seen some 1265 01:09:44,120 --> 01:09:47,479 Speaker 1: more extreme elements come into the city this week. Um 1266 01:09:47,560 --> 01:09:53,799 Speaker 1: yesterday Romana did Dulo, the human on Queen of Canada 1267 01:09:53,880 --> 01:09:57,240 Speaker 1: arrived in birthday Brent the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill, 1268 01:09:57,280 --> 01:09:59,479 Speaker 1: which whatever you think about the Canadian flag, and it's 1269 01:09:59,600 --> 01:10:02,960 Speaker 1: simple us a similar propression. Um you know, that's not 1270 01:10:03,040 --> 01:10:05,519 Speaker 1: a great look for them. But the other side of 1271 01:10:05,520 --> 01:10:07,040 Speaker 1: it is is that this is a woman with seventy 1272 01:10:07,360 --> 01:10:10,520 Speaker 1: followers who you know, has called for the mass execution 1273 01:10:10,560 --> 01:10:14,640 Speaker 1: of her enemies, and you know, is currently parked in 1274 01:10:14,720 --> 01:10:17,360 Speaker 1: or Winnebago two and a half blocks from my house 1275 01:10:17,439 --> 01:10:21,120 Speaker 1: right now, um so, and with a bunch of her 1276 01:10:21,120 --> 01:10:25,840 Speaker 1: followers down with her. And so they're committed. They know. 1277 01:10:26,560 --> 01:10:30,760 Speaker 1: They don't know that I did occupy a lot of 1278 01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:33,840 Speaker 1: years ago, and the question that people asked us, and 1279 01:10:33,920 --> 01:10:36,599 Speaker 1: sometimes it was the police, was what gets you out 1280 01:10:36,600 --> 01:10:39,519 Speaker 1: of the park. And in a weird way, there's a 1281 01:10:39,520 --> 01:10:42,639 Speaker 1: parallel here, which is that the hardest answer with occupy 1282 01:10:42,760 --> 01:10:45,400 Speaker 1: was always kind of like everything is kind of fucked, 1283 01:10:45,520 --> 01:10:48,640 Speaker 1: So how do we fix everything? That's the discussion we 1284 01:10:48,640 --> 01:10:51,559 Speaker 1: should be having. So in this case, to these people, 1285 01:10:52,320 --> 01:10:56,559 Speaker 1: in their worldview, everything is kind of fucked, and there's 1286 01:10:56,600 --> 01:10:58,439 Speaker 1: no answer that you can give those kind of people 1287 01:10:58,439 --> 01:11:02,559 Speaker 1: in negotiations. The police right now are not looking at 1288 01:11:02,600 --> 01:11:04,960 Speaker 1: removal as a serious option, I don't think, or if 1289 01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:07,720 Speaker 1: they are, they haven't figured out how to get to 1290 01:11:07,760 --> 01:11:10,280 Speaker 1: that place yet. And one of the weird things about 1291 01:11:10,280 --> 01:11:15,080 Speaker 1: Ottawa is is that technically in various spaces because the 1292 01:11:15,120 --> 01:11:19,040 Speaker 1: way it's designated, there's a whole mishmash of jurisdictions between 1293 01:11:19,040 --> 01:11:23,000 Speaker 1: the various police agencies. So like again with occupy that 1294 01:11:23,040 --> 01:11:25,280 Speaker 1: we picked the park, like the park that was occupied 1295 01:11:25,320 --> 01:11:29,120 Speaker 1: was partially picked because it was on like this weird 1296 01:11:29,240 --> 01:11:32,040 Speaker 1: jurisdictional black hole where it was hard to figure out 1297 01:11:32,080 --> 01:11:34,000 Speaker 1: who the cops were at, who should police it were, 1298 01:11:34,880 --> 01:11:37,280 Speaker 1: um so, And they've ended up in the same park 1299 01:11:37,320 --> 01:11:42,080 Speaker 1: where they now have like fifty five cylinders appropane sitting 1300 01:11:42,080 --> 01:11:45,760 Speaker 1: about five yards from the Department of National Defense. So it's, uh, 1301 01:11:47,080 --> 01:11:49,120 Speaker 1: it's tricky to figure out how you how you get 1302 01:11:49,160 --> 01:11:50,479 Speaker 1: get out of that because all it's going to take 1303 01:11:50,520 --> 01:11:51,840 Speaker 1: is one of them with something in their cab and 1304 01:11:51,880 --> 01:11:56,160 Speaker 1: it's done. Yep, ye. Well, do you have any hope 1305 01:11:56,160 --> 01:11:58,760 Speaker 1: for anything? Do you have any indicators for how it 1306 01:11:58,920 --> 01:12:03,680 Speaker 1: can turn out? Well? I mean in terms of the occupation. 1307 01:12:03,720 --> 01:12:06,720 Speaker 1: I mean, we'll see how it goes. Um maybe there 1308 01:12:06,760 --> 01:12:10,160 Speaker 1: can become some kind of modus vivendi between them and 1309 01:12:10,240 --> 01:12:12,040 Speaker 1: the rest of the city. I don't know how that happens, 1310 01:12:12,080 --> 01:12:14,760 Speaker 1: but maybe there can be, but I don't know. It's 1311 01:12:15,880 --> 01:12:18,840 Speaker 1: the only silver lining I see right now is you know, 1312 01:12:19,400 --> 01:12:21,600 Speaker 1: the walk that I was on earlier today and the 1313 01:12:21,720 --> 01:12:23,160 Speaker 1: chat that I was having with other people in the 1314 01:12:23,160 --> 01:12:27,880 Speaker 1: community and the discord server and everywhere else, like, this 1315 01:12:27,960 --> 01:12:30,360 Speaker 1: is a really strong community that cares a great deal 1316 01:12:30,400 --> 01:12:32,320 Speaker 1: about itself and sometimes needed to be needs to be 1317 01:12:32,360 --> 01:12:34,840 Speaker 1: reminded of that. And uh, I think this is an 1318 01:12:34,880 --> 01:12:38,160 Speaker 1: opportunity for that to happen. Then I think that that's 1319 01:12:38,160 --> 01:12:39,720 Speaker 1: the positive that can come out, is that we will 1320 01:12:39,760 --> 01:12:41,760 Speaker 1: take care of ourselves and we'll take care of each other. 1321 01:12:42,400 --> 01:12:44,599 Speaker 1: And that's you know what, what more can you ask 1322 01:12:44,640 --> 01:12:47,360 Speaker 1: where I guess out of this. Reports of assaults perpetrated 1323 01:12:47,400 --> 01:12:50,679 Speaker 1: by members of the Convoy protest have been steadily ruling 1324 01:12:50,720 --> 01:12:53,599 Speaker 1: in the past few weeks, not to mention the seemingly 1325 01:12:53,680 --> 01:12:56,720 Speaker 1: constant presence of honking in the downtown area that's been 1326 01:12:56,760 --> 01:13:00,280 Speaker 1: affecting residents every day and even into the night. I 1327 01:13:00,280 --> 01:13:03,280 Speaker 1: will offer you this short sample to help complete the 1328 01:13:03,280 --> 01:13:06,160 Speaker 1: picture of what it's like both indoors and outdoors in 1329 01:13:06,240 --> 01:13:25,120 Speaker 1: downtown Ottawa. So apologies about that. Yeah, that was pretty 1330 01:13:25,160 --> 01:13:27,840 Speaker 1: bad and as annoying and frustrating as it may be. 1331 01:13:28,479 --> 01:13:30,519 Speaker 1: Before I close out part one, I'm going to play 1332 01:13:30,560 --> 01:13:32,439 Speaker 1: some audio from one of the truckers or you know, 1333 01:13:32,600 --> 01:13:37,240 Speaker 1: just convoy participants as he addresses fellow convoy ors on 1334 01:13:37,360 --> 01:13:41,080 Speaker 1: why it's good and in fact revolutionary to hunk horns 1335 01:13:41,160 --> 01:13:44,200 Speaker 1: late into the night. I think it gives you some 1336 01:13:44,280 --> 01:13:47,280 Speaker 1: valuable insight into how these people frame their actions in 1337 01:13:47,320 --> 01:13:49,600 Speaker 1: their own heads. And you know, it will give you 1338 01:13:49,600 --> 01:13:52,879 Speaker 1: an opportunity to hear some of these convoy people directly. 1339 01:13:53,080 --> 01:13:57,120 Speaker 1: So here we go. Yeah, let's go on. There's quiet 1340 01:13:57,120 --> 01:13:59,200 Speaker 1: when I got here, but now they're starting to bring 1341 01:13:59,320 --> 01:14:02,679 Speaker 1: this tournament some noise. Now, I get it. I saw 1342 01:14:02,760 --> 01:14:04,760 Speaker 1: some comments saying that you want to go from nine 1343 01:14:04,800 --> 01:14:06,720 Speaker 1: to five and you want to turn your horns off, 1344 01:14:06,760 --> 01:14:08,880 Speaker 1: and you want to you know, be respectful and play 1345 01:14:08,960 --> 01:14:11,880 Speaker 1: the optics war. And you've done You've done all the map, man, 1346 01:14:11,960 --> 01:14:15,320 Speaker 1: I get it. I we've done everything. Every piece of 1347 01:14:15,320 --> 01:14:18,080 Speaker 1: garbage has been picked up. Statistically, there is no crime. 1348 01:14:18,320 --> 01:14:20,479 Speaker 1: And when I mean statistically, if you have some drunk 1349 01:14:20,520 --> 01:14:23,960 Speaker 1: guy acted, you know, silly on one street quickly gets 1350 01:14:24,000 --> 01:14:26,519 Speaker 1: you know, talk to and then the Patriots taken back 1351 01:14:26,520 --> 01:14:28,679 Speaker 1: to his car and maybe there was some incident of mission. 1352 01:14:28,880 --> 01:14:31,360 Speaker 1: I've heard reports of anti for throwing rocks and trucks, 1353 01:14:31,400 --> 01:14:33,680 Speaker 1: tag and stuff. They're the ones committing the crime. But 1354 01:14:33,720 --> 01:14:35,600 Speaker 1: other than that, this has been the most well to 1355 01:14:35,640 --> 01:14:39,160 Speaker 1: have revolution on earth. And now the big complaint is 1356 01:14:39,439 --> 01:14:42,080 Speaker 1: can you get them to only blow their horns between 1357 01:14:42,200 --> 01:14:46,080 Speaker 1: nine and five? I'm sorry, what has compliant got you 1358 01:14:46,120 --> 01:14:48,960 Speaker 1: guys so far? What is just little by little? Oh? 1359 01:14:49,080 --> 01:14:51,639 Speaker 1: Just do this? Yeah, just just don't peep your horns 1360 01:14:51,680 --> 01:14:54,280 Speaker 1: between nine and five. That's all we're gonna ask. Then 1361 01:14:54,280 --> 01:14:57,840 Speaker 1: were two masks, then just go right back to square one. 1362 01:14:58,200 --> 01:15:00,879 Speaker 1: How about you put your blame right where it belongs, 1363 01:15:01,320 --> 01:15:04,600 Speaker 1: right in the eye of Sauron And that's who we 1364 01:15:04,680 --> 01:15:07,720 Speaker 1: handle this with and every mandate. We're not allowed to 1365 01:15:07,720 --> 01:15:10,000 Speaker 1: exist in society. I'm not allowed to go to a movie, 1366 01:15:10,000 --> 01:15:11,479 Speaker 1: I'm not allowed to go to a restaurant. I'm not 1367 01:15:11,479 --> 01:15:15,320 Speaker 1: allowed to leave the country. You can't even leave you 1368 01:15:15,360 --> 01:15:19,200 Speaker 1: can't travel on planes, you can't do anything that Trudeau 1369 01:15:19,280 --> 01:15:23,080 Speaker 1: can get his fingers on to discriminate against us in society. Meanwhile, 1370 01:15:23,600 --> 01:15:26,880 Speaker 1: he'll blame us for side effects of his guinea pigs. 1371 01:15:27,720 --> 01:15:30,599 Speaker 1: It's an insane world, and you've complied long enough, guys, 1372 01:15:31,040 --> 01:15:33,439 Speaker 1: and the madness in the horn stop. But I am 1373 01:15:33,439 --> 01:15:35,840 Speaker 1: in no place to go tell these guys, oh excuse me? 1374 01:15:36,080 --> 01:15:38,200 Speaker 1: Can you turn your horn off? Can you get used 1375 01:15:38,240 --> 01:15:41,439 Speaker 1: to complying again? We want freedom. We're not asking for 1376 01:15:41,479 --> 01:15:44,120 Speaker 1: anything unreasonable, and we're doing it on your behalf. The 1377 01:15:44,200 --> 01:15:46,280 Speaker 1: least you can do is turn off your televisions and 1378 01:15:46,400 --> 01:15:50,000 Speaker 1: stop letting their horrible objections to this revolution, and they're 1379 01:15:50,000 --> 01:15:53,200 Speaker 1: horrible false flags and whatever else they bring. I'm sorry 1380 01:15:53,200 --> 01:15:56,439 Speaker 1: about the noise complaints. Now, are you sorry about banishing 1381 01:15:56,439 --> 01:15:59,160 Speaker 1: me from society and treating me like I'm some sort 1382 01:15:59,160 --> 01:16:04,360 Speaker 1: of letter because I want to keep my immune system intach. Sorry, guys, 1383 01:16:04,800 --> 01:16:08,320 Speaker 1: the horns stand. Stuff it up your ass. Anyone that 1384 01:16:08,360 --> 01:16:11,000 Speaker 1: has a problem with loud noises, we have a problem 1385 01:16:11,040 --> 01:16:15,599 Speaker 1: be advanished from society. Apologies for that, But now I 1386 01:16:15,640 --> 01:16:18,200 Speaker 1: hope you have a better understanding of the type of 1387 01:16:18,240 --> 01:16:22,200 Speaker 1: conspiratorial thinking among the people in this convoy and the 1388 01:16:22,240 --> 01:16:26,519 Speaker 1: importance this whole thing means to them. So with this, 1389 01:16:26,720 --> 01:16:29,360 Speaker 1: that wraps up my part one of my deep dive 1390 01:16:29,400 --> 01:16:33,439 Speaker 1: into the Canadian Freedom Convoy. In the next episode, we'll 1391 01:16:33,479 --> 01:16:36,800 Speaker 1: get into the border blockades both in Alberta and the 1392 01:16:36,840 --> 01:16:40,599 Speaker 1: Ambassador Bridge which is preventing some international trade. We'll get 1393 01:16:40,600 --> 01:16:43,160 Speaker 1: into some of the smaller protests and attempted occupations in 1394 01:16:43,320 --> 01:16:46,759 Speaker 1: other cities across Canada, and how the situation is evolving 1395 01:16:46,800 --> 01:16:50,160 Speaker 1: in Ottawa and what types of long term political ramifications 1396 01:16:50,240 --> 01:16:53,080 Speaker 1: this protest and any attempt to suppress it will have. 1397 01:16:54,040 --> 01:17:12,200 Speaker 1: So with that, see you on the other side, welcome 1398 01:17:12,280 --> 01:17:15,519 Speaker 1: to it could happen here, And the second part of 1399 01:17:15,560 --> 01:17:20,800 Speaker 1: my little mini series going into the occupation and blockade 1400 01:17:20,840 --> 01:17:25,680 Speaker 1: protests all across Canada that's been happening the past three weeks. 1401 01:17:26,439 --> 01:17:29,080 Speaker 1: For part two, we'll be starting off with a change 1402 01:17:29,120 --> 01:17:33,040 Speaker 1: of scenery. Instead of the loud, cramped streets of Data 1403 01:17:33,080 --> 01:17:36,439 Speaker 1: and Ottawa and the castle like Parliament building, will be 1404 01:17:36,479 --> 01:17:40,599 Speaker 1: taking a detour to the snow covered prairies and oil 1405 01:17:40,680 --> 01:17:45,800 Speaker 1: fields of rural Alberta. As the convoy officially arrived in 1406 01:17:45,840 --> 01:17:50,639 Speaker 1: Ottawa on January, smaller protests against health mandates were also 1407 01:17:50,720 --> 01:17:54,640 Speaker 1: happening across the entire country. One of these mini protests 1408 01:17:54,680 --> 01:17:58,200 Speaker 1: was happening in the small city of Lethbridge in southern Alberta, 1409 01:17:59,040 --> 01:18:03,720 Speaker 1: but unlike a majority of other non Ottawa protests, the 1410 01:18:03,760 --> 01:18:06,640 Speaker 1: one based around left Bridge didn't turn out to be 1411 01:18:06,680 --> 01:18:10,519 Speaker 1: a simple weekend of fair. With hundreds of vehicles, including 1412 01:18:10,560 --> 01:18:14,400 Speaker 1: some semi trucks, RVs and farm tractors all gathered together. 1413 01:18:14,960 --> 01:18:17,559 Speaker 1: It was decided to take part in a little mini 1414 01:18:17,680 --> 01:18:21,040 Speaker 1: convoy of their own, but instead of going to a 1415 01:18:21,200 --> 01:18:25,599 Speaker 1: capital building, they rolled towards the international border crossing used 1416 01:18:25,600 --> 01:18:29,160 Speaker 1: by truckers in the area. I was able to interview 1417 01:18:29,360 --> 01:18:32,519 Speaker 1: gen a left Bridge local who also happens to work 1418 01:18:32,640 --> 01:18:36,400 Speaker 1: near the area of the Alberta border blockade, and they 1419 01:18:36,439 --> 01:18:38,639 Speaker 1: kind of gathered in left Bridge here and took off 1420 01:18:38,680 --> 01:18:41,679 Speaker 1: about four thirty in the morning, and so they made 1421 01:18:41,680 --> 01:18:44,800 Speaker 1: it down to the village of coots Um, which is 1422 01:18:45,760 --> 01:18:49,479 Speaker 1: essentially right on the border, is the last stop before 1423 01:18:49,520 --> 01:18:53,719 Speaker 1: you hit the border at Coots Alberta, sweet Grass, Montana. 1424 01:18:54,520 --> 01:19:00,800 Speaker 1: And they blocked off the highway completely heading both northbound 1425 01:19:00,840 --> 01:19:05,120 Speaker 1: and southbound, and they've been camped out since. So it's 1426 01:19:05,160 --> 01:19:09,280 Speaker 1: my understanding that at that point in time throughout you know, 1427 01:19:09,360 --> 01:19:14,040 Speaker 1: day one, two and three of their protest, UM, there 1428 01:19:14,160 --> 01:19:17,040 Speaker 1: was no getting in or out out of the village 1429 01:19:17,040 --> 01:19:20,240 Speaker 1: of Coops, which is it is a small village about 1430 01:19:20,280 --> 01:19:23,639 Speaker 1: two d and fifty residents UM. And it was so 1431 01:19:23,720 --> 01:19:27,960 Speaker 1: bad that not even emergency services could get through, UM 1432 01:19:28,080 --> 01:19:31,519 Speaker 1: again blocking both lanes of the highway in either direction 1433 01:19:31,800 --> 01:19:36,280 Speaker 1: in the ditches UM and just weren't letting up. And 1434 01:19:36,320 --> 01:19:39,599 Speaker 1: so are they even driving anywhere? Or is it are 1435 01:19:39,640 --> 01:19:43,879 Speaker 1: they just like camped there, just camped out there, parked UM. 1436 01:19:44,000 --> 01:19:46,599 Speaker 1: And of course you know there's people that will drive 1437 01:19:46,680 --> 01:19:49,960 Speaker 1: down to the border and participate for a couple hours 1438 01:19:50,000 --> 01:19:52,240 Speaker 1: and you know, turn around and go home kind of thing. 1439 01:19:52,280 --> 01:19:56,680 Speaker 1: But there is that core group UM, the majority of 1440 01:19:56,680 --> 01:20:00,120 Speaker 1: which are actually farmers bringing down like their tractors, and 1441 01:20:00,120 --> 01:20:04,240 Speaker 1: of course there is UM some semitruck drivers who are 1442 01:20:04,280 --> 01:20:07,479 Speaker 1: all a part of it and just not allowing anyone 1443 01:20:07,520 --> 01:20:10,559 Speaker 1: to get through on either side, so you know, holding 1444 01:20:10,680 --> 01:20:14,160 Speaker 1: up a lot of a lot of our supplies, a 1445 01:20:14,160 --> 01:20:18,679 Speaker 1: lot of our UM food and things like that. At first, 1446 01:20:18,800 --> 01:20:22,960 Speaker 1: local police and RCMP just waited out the blockade, I guess, 1447 01:20:23,040 --> 01:20:25,280 Speaker 1: hoping to see if the people would just get tired 1448 01:20:25,560 --> 01:20:27,600 Speaker 1: of camping out in the cold and then you know, 1449 01:20:27,800 --> 01:20:32,479 Speaker 1: go home. But after a few days that possibility seemed 1450 01:20:32,560 --> 01:20:37,000 Speaker 1: less and less likely. Then when the RCMP did start 1451 01:20:37,040 --> 01:20:40,520 Speaker 1: to get more actively involved with kind of managing the blockade, 1452 01:20:40,760 --> 01:20:43,839 Speaker 1: albeit you know, with a very gentle hand and extremely 1453 01:20:43,920 --> 01:20:46,760 Speaker 1: start contrast to how our CMP handles blockades, you know, 1454 01:20:46,840 --> 01:20:49,960 Speaker 1: defending indigenous land. But at that point it was already 1455 01:20:50,040 --> 01:20:53,559 Speaker 1: kind of too late, and the pacified police action only 1456 01:20:53,680 --> 01:20:58,320 Speaker 1: spread the protests efforts. On day four of the blockade 1457 01:20:58,360 --> 01:21:02,160 Speaker 1: at the border um, the RCMP had kind of moved 1458 01:21:02,200 --> 01:21:04,040 Speaker 1: in a little bit to try to break it up. 1459 01:21:04,680 --> 01:21:08,120 Speaker 1: So some of the the protesters had kind of broken 1460 01:21:08,160 --> 01:21:10,880 Speaker 1: off and decided to blockade's mother areas. So there was 1461 01:21:10,920 --> 01:21:15,120 Speaker 1: a blockade that happened on Highway three just outside of 1462 01:21:15,720 --> 01:21:18,680 Speaker 1: the town of Fort McLeod, on the way to the 1463 01:21:18,680 --> 01:21:21,400 Speaker 1: town of Brockett, which would be on the Blood Reserve 1464 01:21:21,439 --> 01:21:24,920 Speaker 1: here in Alberta. UM. They blockaded the highway and wouldn't 1465 01:21:25,000 --> 01:21:28,960 Speaker 1: let anyone through, and then they set up another blockade 1466 01:21:29,760 --> 01:21:32,800 Speaker 1: um on Highway twenty three, which of course would be 1467 01:21:32,840 --> 01:21:36,120 Speaker 1: the the next north south route. Given that Highway three 1468 01:21:36,160 --> 01:21:40,000 Speaker 1: was now blocked off, the Highway three going to Highway two. Um. 1469 01:21:40,080 --> 01:21:44,160 Speaker 1: So they've blocked off Highway twenty three. Um at there's 1470 01:21:44,160 --> 01:21:47,080 Speaker 1: a traffic circle or a roundabout kind of in the 1471 01:21:47,080 --> 01:21:50,960 Speaker 1: middle of nowhere in the highway at the village of Nobleford, sorry, 1472 01:21:51,040 --> 01:21:54,600 Speaker 1: town of Nobleford, and they set up a blockade at 1473 01:21:54,600 --> 01:21:56,960 Speaker 1: the roundabout as well. Wouldn't let anyone come in north 1474 01:21:57,000 --> 01:22:02,599 Speaker 1: south east west, didn't matter. Uh So that was Tuesday. Tuesday, 1475 01:22:03,560 --> 01:22:10,559 Speaker 1: highways to UH four and three. Yeah, effectively shutting down, 1476 01:22:10,920 --> 01:22:12,560 Speaker 1: and they kind of like travel for like food and 1477 01:22:12,600 --> 01:22:17,600 Speaker 1: supplies for like all four directions pretty much exactly. Yeah. Like, 1478 01:22:17,640 --> 01:22:22,160 Speaker 1: there was a lot of chatter on social media. Um, 1479 01:22:22,280 --> 01:22:25,160 Speaker 1: we have a local Facebook group for road conditions, and 1480 01:22:25,160 --> 01:22:27,320 Speaker 1: there was a lot of chatter, you know, where do 1481 01:22:27,400 --> 01:22:29,920 Speaker 1: we go, how do we get around this? What back roads? 1482 01:22:29,960 --> 01:22:33,719 Speaker 1: Should I take? Secondary highways? That sort of thing. And thankfully, 1483 01:22:33,840 --> 01:22:36,519 Speaker 1: you know, there was still I suppose some ways to 1484 01:22:36,560 --> 01:22:38,960 Speaker 1: get around it. The RCMP we're kind of setting up 1485 01:22:39,120 --> 01:22:44,360 Speaker 1: detours and things like that, but those main routes were blockaded, 1486 01:22:44,840 --> 01:22:48,400 Speaker 1: um on Tuesday, which would have been I guess what 1487 01:22:48,479 --> 01:22:52,960 Speaker 1: days that February one. The static highway blockades preventing traffic 1488 01:22:52,960 --> 01:22:55,879 Speaker 1: in all four directions were mostly a one day affair. 1489 01:22:56,640 --> 01:22:59,960 Speaker 1: The next Wednesday morning, more effort was put back into 1490 01:23:00,120 --> 01:23:03,160 Speaker 1: the main blockade at the border near Coots, with some 1491 01:23:03,200 --> 01:23:06,640 Speaker 1: folks still participating in the rolling blockades of sorts you know, 1492 01:23:07,040 --> 01:23:10,040 Speaker 1: on the surrounding highways. So instead of just blocking the 1493 01:23:10,120 --> 01:23:13,800 Speaker 1: roads by staying parked people in vehicles kept a slow 1494 01:23:13,960 --> 01:23:17,240 Speaker 1: loop of traffic moving through the highway system to clog 1495 01:23:17,320 --> 01:23:20,240 Speaker 1: up travel. And then like the contingent at closer to 1496 01:23:20,439 --> 01:23:24,360 Speaker 1: the border has been more consistent, you would say, yeah, definitely, 1497 01:23:24,360 --> 01:23:28,360 Speaker 1: the contingent at the border on highway for like I said, 1498 01:23:28,400 --> 01:23:31,559 Speaker 1: at Coots, Alberta, they've been set up all the way 1499 01:23:31,560 --> 01:23:35,360 Speaker 1: through since the twenty nine UM. There has been days 1500 01:23:35,400 --> 01:23:39,960 Speaker 1: where the tensions are definitely very high where those protesters 1501 01:23:39,960 --> 01:23:43,880 Speaker 1: are saying we will not leave until UM or we 1502 01:23:43,920 --> 01:23:47,760 Speaker 1: won't even come to the negotiating table until these restrictions 1503 01:23:47,880 --> 01:23:52,920 Speaker 1: are gone, like we won't even attempt and so the 1504 01:23:53,040 --> 01:23:57,559 Speaker 1: RCMP have been kind of in negotiations with them over 1505 01:23:57,600 --> 01:23:59,479 Speaker 1: the last few days. There's been a couple of times 1506 01:23:59,479 --> 01:24:02,680 Speaker 1: where they they had resolution to open up lanes of 1507 01:24:02,800 --> 01:24:05,639 Speaker 1: travel to get some of these trucks with goods through 1508 01:24:06,520 --> 01:24:08,880 Speaker 1: Um and of course there's been people stuck in their 1509 01:24:08,920 --> 01:24:11,519 Speaker 1: cars as well for quite a few days without food. 1510 01:24:11,560 --> 01:24:14,960 Speaker 1: At that point, UM the protesters originally had come to 1511 01:24:15,000 --> 01:24:17,599 Speaker 1: an agreement with the RCNP to let some people through 1512 01:24:18,160 --> 01:24:20,800 Speaker 1: and then turn around and decided, well, we don't really 1513 01:24:20,800 --> 01:24:25,640 Speaker 1: want to. So that was kind of ongoing from I'm 1514 01:24:25,640 --> 01:24:30,760 Speaker 1: going to suggest up until about second UM. On the 1515 01:24:30,800 --> 01:24:34,640 Speaker 1: second the RCMP had set up a roadblock at the 1516 01:24:34,680 --> 01:24:40,360 Speaker 1: town of Milk River to uh, I guess, dissuade the 1517 01:24:40,360 --> 01:24:43,720 Speaker 1: the locals from coming out and adding to the congestion 1518 01:24:43,800 --> 01:24:47,200 Speaker 1: and adding to the problems. And at one point UM 1519 01:24:47,240 --> 01:24:51,200 Speaker 1: there was a group of people and videos are on TikTok, 1520 01:24:51,200 --> 01:24:57,000 Speaker 1: they're on Facebook, they're on Twitter, where people are blasting 1521 01:24:57,040 --> 01:24:59,839 Speaker 1: through the barricades, going through the ditch, going through the median, 1522 01:25:00,160 --> 01:25:06,480 Speaker 1: just bypassing it completely to get down to the convoy protest. 1523 01:25:07,200 --> 01:25:10,639 Speaker 1: As I record this, the border crossing port of entry 1524 01:25:10,720 --> 01:25:13,720 Speaker 1: near the town of Coots has been largely impassable for 1525 01:25:13,880 --> 01:25:18,120 Speaker 1: over two weeks. It's a major trade hub where millions 1526 01:25:18,160 --> 01:25:21,519 Speaker 1: of dollars worth of agricultural products like meat and feed 1527 01:25:22,040 --> 01:25:25,800 Speaker 1: trade hands each day. The first day had hundreds of 1528 01:25:25,840 --> 01:25:29,240 Speaker 1: vehicles participating in blocking access to the trade route along 1529 01:25:29,320 --> 01:25:33,160 Speaker 1: highway for but after a week of blockading the Alberta, 1530 01:25:33,240 --> 01:25:36,960 Speaker 1: Montana border crossing, around eighty big rigs continued to remain 1531 01:25:37,040 --> 01:25:40,280 Speaker 1: along the highway for a majority of the time. Since 1532 01:25:40,320 --> 01:25:43,519 Speaker 1: the twenty nine of January, vehicle access has been either 1533 01:25:43,560 --> 01:25:46,280 Speaker 1: completely stopped to and from the border or at least 1534 01:25:46,360 --> 01:25:50,599 Speaker 1: substantially slowed down. The occasional day where vehicles are being 1535 01:25:50,680 --> 01:25:53,560 Speaker 1: let through on one lane of traffic has an estimated 1536 01:25:53,800 --> 01:25:56,320 Speaker 1: seven hours of stall time order to get through just 1537 01:25:56,400 --> 01:26:00,520 Speaker 1: that tiny area of road. The blockade of that International 1538 01:26:00,560 --> 01:26:04,120 Speaker 1: report of entry at Coots and the only seven commercial 1539 01:26:04,200 --> 01:26:07,040 Speaker 1: land crossing in Alberta is a direct threat to the 1540 01:26:07,080 --> 01:26:11,280 Speaker 1: economic well being of growers, producers, manufacturers, and many other 1541 01:26:11,360 --> 01:26:14,800 Speaker 1: businesses that rely on the movement of both raw materials 1542 01:26:14,880 --> 01:26:18,720 Speaker 1: and finished goods in and out along the can m 1543 01:26:18,960 --> 01:26:24,240 Speaker 1: X corridor end quote. Lewington has warned that manufacturing plants 1544 01:26:24,240 --> 01:26:26,680 Speaker 1: in the region will be forced to either reduce or 1545 01:26:26,800 --> 01:26:30,160 Speaker 1: cancel production as their supplies run out and they're unable 1546 01:26:30,200 --> 01:26:33,599 Speaker 1: to get their goods to international markets. This is something 1547 01:26:33,680 --> 01:26:36,519 Speaker 1: farmers and food producers are dealing with as well as 1548 01:26:36,560 --> 01:26:40,080 Speaker 1: agricultural experts are one of the region's main economic drivers. 1549 01:26:40,920 --> 01:26:45,200 Speaker 1: In the left Bridge metropolitan area exported nearly one point 1550 01:26:45,240 --> 01:26:48,559 Speaker 1: eight billion dollars worth of goods, around eighty percent of 1551 01:26:48,600 --> 01:26:51,200 Speaker 1: which went to the United States. A vast majority of 1552 01:26:51,240 --> 01:26:55,200 Speaker 1: these exports went through this Coots border crossing. That means 1553 01:26:55,240 --> 01:26:57,439 Speaker 1: for the city of lefth Bridge alone, they're facing a 1554 01:26:57,520 --> 01:27:00,400 Speaker 1: roughly three million dollar a day impact on the economic 1555 01:27:00,439 --> 01:27:03,240 Speaker 1: damage based on the road and rail travel that must 1556 01:27:03,280 --> 01:27:05,920 Speaker 1: move through that port of entry. The impact is of 1557 01:27:05,960 --> 01:27:08,439 Speaker 1: course four or five times larger than if you consider 1558 01:27:08,520 --> 01:27:10,960 Speaker 1: the movement of other Alberta goods in and out of 1559 01:27:10,960 --> 01:27:15,559 Speaker 1: that same North South corridor. It's only more ironic and 1560 01:27:15,600 --> 01:27:20,120 Speaker 1: frustrating considering that the idea of shutting down international capitalist trade, 1561 01:27:20,240 --> 01:27:23,360 Speaker 1: you know, costing millions dollars in losses each and every day, 1562 01:27:23,880 --> 01:27:26,240 Speaker 1: is exactly the sort of thing that these same conservatives 1563 01:27:26,280 --> 01:27:29,920 Speaker 1: would complain that BLM or Antifa would do, you know, like, 1564 01:27:29,960 --> 01:27:33,240 Speaker 1: in terms of anti capitalist action, this is actually more 1565 01:27:33,280 --> 01:27:36,800 Speaker 1: successful in causing damage to capital than really anything I've 1566 01:27:36,800 --> 01:27:40,280 Speaker 1: seen the Canadian left do in recent memory. Now, obviously 1567 01:27:40,320 --> 01:27:43,719 Speaker 1: police response to a left wing protest, you know, doing 1568 01:27:44,040 --> 01:27:47,160 Speaker 1: similar tactics would probably greatly differ, you know, Plus the 1569 01:27:47,200 --> 01:27:50,920 Speaker 1: fact that these people are participating in these blockades are 1570 01:27:50,960 --> 01:27:53,799 Speaker 1: the same types of people that talk about their desire 1571 01:27:53,880 --> 01:27:57,360 Speaker 1: to run down protesters in trucks, you know, whenever there's 1572 01:27:57,400 --> 01:27:59,840 Speaker 1: marching in the street or an indigenous road blockade to 1573 01:27:59,880 --> 01:28:04,080 Speaker 1: an new oil pipeline. Nevertheless, on top of the police inability, 1574 01:28:04,160 --> 01:28:08,519 Speaker 1: whether by choice or imagination, to handle the situation, and 1575 01:28:08,640 --> 01:28:12,160 Speaker 1: considering both the conspiracy fueled political issues around masks of 1576 01:28:12,200 --> 01:28:15,639 Speaker 1: vaccines and health man dates and the growing economic problems 1577 01:28:15,680 --> 01:28:18,840 Speaker 1: the blockade is causing, it's not super surprising that the 1578 01:28:18,840 --> 01:28:22,519 Speaker 1: Conservative government of Alberta began the process of removing health 1579 01:28:22,560 --> 01:28:26,559 Speaker 1: mandates as the protests striked on. And unfortunately, it seems 1580 01:28:26,600 --> 01:28:29,879 Speaker 1: like the province is listening and they're taking it seriously. 1581 01:28:29,920 --> 01:28:33,760 Speaker 1: I know. Um last night our premier had gone on 1582 01:28:33,800 --> 01:28:37,680 Speaker 1: Facebook Live and had an ounce that come Monday, the 1583 01:28:37,680 --> 01:28:40,200 Speaker 1: caucus will vote as to whether or not to scrap 1584 01:28:40,240 --> 01:28:44,160 Speaker 1: it um, which would mean that, like I said, now 1585 01:28:44,439 --> 01:28:47,000 Speaker 1: there's no longer that requirement to access some of these 1586 01:28:47,560 --> 01:28:51,479 Speaker 1: these services from private businesses. And then ultimately that would 1587 01:28:51,520 --> 01:28:55,320 Speaker 1: lead us back into our letter rip model that we 1588 01:28:55,439 --> 01:28:58,920 Speaker 1: had last summer. The Monday vote came in the next day, 1589 01:28:59,000 --> 01:29:03,080 Speaker 1: February eighth. Alberta Premiere and premiers are like the you 1590 01:29:03,080 --> 01:29:06,719 Speaker 1: know equivalent of governors for the states, but Alberta Premiere 1591 01:29:06,840 --> 01:29:10,200 Speaker 1: Jason Kenny announced that the provinces so called COVID nineteen 1592 01:29:10,640 --> 01:29:15,040 Speaker 1: vaccine passport program would end immediately, explaining that the restriction 1593 01:29:15,080 --> 01:29:17,439 Speaker 1: program had served its purpose, but it is no longer 1594 01:29:17,520 --> 01:29:20,600 Speaker 1: needed since Alberta has passed the peak of omercron infections 1595 01:29:20,640 --> 01:29:23,960 Speaker 1: about three weeks ago. Capacity limits were also next Tuesday 1596 01:29:24,080 --> 01:29:27,519 Speaker 1: night for venues with capacity limits under five hundred, including 1597 01:29:27,560 --> 01:29:31,560 Speaker 1: libraries and places of worship. An effect of this past Sunday, February, 1598 01:29:32,640 --> 01:29:35,639 Speaker 1: the province will also no longer require masking for children 1599 01:29:35,680 --> 01:29:39,280 Speaker 1: and youth in schools and for any Alberton's aged twelve 1600 01:29:39,320 --> 01:29:42,799 Speaker 1: and under in any setting. There is a second phase 1601 01:29:42,840 --> 01:29:46,280 Speaker 1: for Alberta's COVID restriction removal plan. On March one. The 1602 01:29:46,320 --> 01:29:49,280 Speaker 1: province is set to remove any remaining restrictions, including the 1603 01:29:49,280 --> 01:29:53,680 Speaker 1: indoor mask mandate, work from home requirements, any remaining capacity limits, 1604 01:29:53,680 --> 01:29:57,200 Speaker 1: and limits on social gatherings and screenings for youth activities. 1605 01:29:57,720 --> 01:30:00,439 Speaker 1: Jason Kenny did deny that the move has has anything 1606 01:30:00,479 --> 01:30:02,679 Speaker 1: to do with the protests from those you know demanding 1607 01:30:02,720 --> 01:30:06,000 Speaker 1: the repeal of vaccine mandates of all types across the country, 1608 01:30:06,280 --> 01:30:09,320 Speaker 1: including the blockade that the government had condemned illegal at 1609 01:30:09,439 --> 01:30:13,120 Speaker 1: the Coots border crossing, saying, quote, none of that has 1610 01:30:13,160 --> 01:30:15,360 Speaker 1: anything to do with a few trucks participating at the 1611 01:30:15,360 --> 01:30:19,160 Speaker 1: Coots border crossing. Um, who added that keeping previous rules 1612 01:30:19,200 --> 01:30:22,920 Speaker 1: in place would invite widespread non compliance for no purpose, 1613 01:30:23,160 --> 01:30:25,880 Speaker 1: saying why keep this going on for a few days 1614 01:30:25,920 --> 01:30:28,240 Speaker 1: when we know that in many areas were already having 1615 01:30:28,280 --> 01:30:32,960 Speaker 1: non compliance problems. So yeah, Um, of course, the demonstrations 1616 01:30:33,400 --> 01:30:38,080 Speaker 1: have continued despite Alberta dropping multiple health measures and agreeing 1617 01:30:38,120 --> 01:30:40,320 Speaker 1: to a demand made by a lot of the anti 1618 01:30:40,360 --> 01:30:44,559 Speaker 1: mandate protesters, which implies that this protest is about much 1619 01:30:44,600 --> 01:30:48,160 Speaker 1: more than simple COVID health measures. Right. It points to 1620 01:30:48,160 --> 01:30:51,839 Speaker 1: the movement being more about taking political power and forcing 1621 01:30:51,840 --> 01:30:55,960 Speaker 1: everyone to comply with their own conspiratorial and alienated understanding 1622 01:30:56,040 --> 01:30:59,759 Speaker 1: of the world. As someone who's like living in Alberta, 1623 01:30:59,800 --> 01:31:01,919 Speaker 1: which is, you know, one of the more conservative provinces 1624 01:31:01,960 --> 01:31:06,120 Speaker 1: of Canada, Um, how much do you see this kind 1625 01:31:06,160 --> 01:31:10,719 Speaker 1: of this kind of you know, spontaneous revolt and resistance 1626 01:31:10,880 --> 01:31:14,240 Speaker 1: to be actually tied to the health man dates and 1627 01:31:14,240 --> 01:31:15,640 Speaker 1: how much do you see it? It's more like a 1628 01:31:15,680 --> 01:31:19,680 Speaker 1: revolt around like Trudeau and Canada's like Canada's like um 1629 01:31:20,000 --> 01:31:23,040 Speaker 1: veneer of liberalism like like like how like how much 1630 01:31:23,080 --> 01:31:25,120 Speaker 1: do you did you see? It's more like a urban 1631 01:31:25,479 --> 01:31:28,400 Speaker 1: rule divide thing that's now just getting pushed into the 1632 01:31:28,439 --> 01:31:31,519 Speaker 1: spotlight because of covid um or do you think it 1633 01:31:31,560 --> 01:31:35,840 Speaker 1: really is way more about covid itself? Um, I think 1634 01:31:35,960 --> 01:31:38,320 Speaker 1: that the pandemic has definitely had a role to play 1635 01:31:38,479 --> 01:31:43,160 Speaker 1: in sparking a lot of this this fearer and this uh, 1636 01:31:43,240 --> 01:31:48,880 Speaker 1: this disconnect, But the seeds have been sown for many years, 1637 01:31:49,320 --> 01:31:54,960 Speaker 1: through many successive provincial governments and and much rhetoric that um, 1638 01:31:55,160 --> 01:31:58,439 Speaker 1: the West has always been ignored by the East, by 1639 01:31:58,560 --> 01:32:03,719 Speaker 1: our politic institutions in the East, namely Otto our federal government, 1640 01:32:03,880 --> 01:32:08,080 Speaker 1: the seat of our federal government in favor of you know, 1641 01:32:08,240 --> 01:32:11,640 Speaker 1: Ontario and Quebec and what they want to Alberton's have 1642 01:32:11,720 --> 01:32:15,560 Speaker 1: always seen themselves with a bit of a martyr complex 1643 01:32:15,600 --> 01:32:19,360 Speaker 1: where we are the economic powerhouse of the country, but 1644 01:32:19,520 --> 01:32:22,920 Speaker 1: we are the ugly stepchild and we are ignored in 1645 01:32:23,000 --> 01:32:27,920 Speaker 1: favor of the wonderful children in the East. And so 1646 01:32:28,040 --> 01:32:32,040 Speaker 1: that that disconnect and that divide has always been there, 1647 01:32:32,520 --> 01:32:35,799 Speaker 1: and the pandemic has been the catalyst. Um. And of course, 1648 01:32:36,360 --> 01:32:40,400 Speaker 1: you know, whenever there is a federal Liberal party that's 1649 01:32:40,439 --> 01:32:45,879 Speaker 1: in in power, the conservatives feel the Conservatives in Alberta 1650 01:32:46,439 --> 01:32:50,479 Speaker 1: and in the West they feel even more disenfranchised. They 1651 01:32:50,520 --> 01:32:54,400 Speaker 1: feel that this this government doesn't hear them, they don't 1652 01:32:54,439 --> 01:32:57,960 Speaker 1: listen to them, they don't you know, follow the whims 1653 01:32:58,040 --> 01:33:02,240 Speaker 1: of you know, the died in the world conservatives. And 1654 01:33:02,280 --> 01:33:04,840 Speaker 1: so that rhetoric has built and built and built over 1655 01:33:04,880 --> 01:33:07,800 Speaker 1: the years, um. And it's all tied into other things 1656 01:33:07,840 --> 01:33:10,200 Speaker 1: as well. It's tied into the economic policies and the 1657 01:33:10,320 --> 01:33:15,719 Speaker 1: policies of the liberal government with in regards to climate 1658 01:33:15,800 --> 01:33:20,080 Speaker 1: change and carbon tax and how how that's been hitting 1659 01:33:20,560 --> 01:33:27,000 Speaker 1: um Albertan's you know, they our province is very heavily 1660 01:33:27,040 --> 01:33:30,559 Speaker 1: dependent upon the oil and gas sector and it always 1661 01:33:30,600 --> 01:33:34,519 Speaker 1: has been for the last I'm gonna suggest fifty six years. 1662 01:33:35,640 --> 01:33:38,920 Speaker 1: And so when they see things like in Autumna, where 1663 01:33:38,920 --> 01:33:42,040 Speaker 1: they're talking about climate change and they're talking about you know, 1664 01:33:42,160 --> 01:33:45,760 Speaker 1: green energy, it makes these conservatives angry because this has 1665 01:33:45,800 --> 01:33:48,679 Speaker 1: been our bread and butter for years. This is what's 1666 01:33:48,720 --> 01:33:52,800 Speaker 1: fed our families. They don't recognize that, you know, this 1667 01:33:52,920 --> 01:33:55,960 Speaker 1: is this is the path forward. All they hear is 1668 01:33:56,600 --> 01:33:59,240 Speaker 1: we don't want you, we don't want your jobs, we 1669 01:33:59,280 --> 01:34:03,880 Speaker 1: don't want your products. And they're angry and this has 1670 01:34:03,920 --> 01:34:09,120 Speaker 1: been the catalyst now where they're just fed up. They're 1671 01:34:09,439 --> 01:34:14,280 Speaker 1: up with with not being heard. Unfortunately, all that built 1672 01:34:14,360 --> 01:34:17,160 Speaker 1: up anger and resentment towards the government and its leadership 1673 01:34:17,600 --> 01:34:20,719 Speaker 1: is ending up being taken out against just any symbol 1674 01:34:20,720 --> 01:34:24,639 Speaker 1: of liberalism, not really the government directly. You know. Within 1675 01:34:24,760 --> 01:34:28,679 Speaker 1: this worldview, homophobic attacks can be then thought up as 1676 01:34:28,720 --> 01:34:32,400 Speaker 1: this weird form of punching up because gainness is associated 1677 01:34:32,520 --> 01:34:36,280 Speaker 1: with liberalism, so it's seen as almost this system of power, 1678 01:34:36,880 --> 01:34:40,439 Speaker 1: even though it's that's obviously backwards. It's this kind of 1679 01:34:40,479 --> 01:34:44,320 Speaker 1: weird backwards thing where you can view like attacking progressive 1680 01:34:44,360 --> 01:34:47,200 Speaker 1: things as an attack on the system. So that means 1681 01:34:47,280 --> 01:34:53,600 Speaker 1: like being racist or being homophobic, is this rebellion against 1682 01:34:53,720 --> 01:34:56,280 Speaker 1: you know, the system itself, even though it just ties 1683 01:34:56,320 --> 01:34:59,519 Speaker 1: into all those same systemic issues. Just the other day 1684 01:34:59,520 --> 01:35:03,600 Speaker 1: in edmund And there was a business owner, uh, a 1685 01:35:03,640 --> 01:35:08,439 Speaker 1: hair salon owner, who's been very outspoken about this Freedom 1686 01:35:08,479 --> 01:35:11,920 Speaker 1: Convoy and about how she doesn't agree with their messaging 1687 01:35:12,040 --> 01:35:18,800 Speaker 1: and their their ideas, and she was actually hunted down 1688 01:35:18,800 --> 01:35:22,240 Speaker 1: on social media, um, hunted down in person. They found her, 1689 01:35:22,360 --> 01:35:26,000 Speaker 1: someone found her her business, went to her business and 1690 01:35:26,080 --> 01:35:29,719 Speaker 1: confronted her and assaulted her UM at her business, all 1691 01:35:29,800 --> 01:35:34,080 Speaker 1: because she uh does not support the convoy, and apparently 1692 01:35:34,120 --> 01:35:38,879 Speaker 1: this individual did. UM. You know, we definitely, we definitely 1693 01:35:38,920 --> 01:35:43,040 Speaker 1: see here that UM. The feeling is is that if 1694 01:35:43,040 --> 01:35:46,160 Speaker 1: you are a liberal in Alberta, this is not the 1695 01:35:46,160 --> 01:35:51,760 Speaker 1: place for you. UM. You know, if you if you 1696 01:35:52,120 --> 01:35:56,200 Speaker 1: believe in you know, equal rights for everyone, this is 1697 01:35:56,200 --> 01:36:00,360 Speaker 1: not the place for you. If you believe in the 1698 01:36:00,479 --> 01:36:05,120 Speaker 1: rights of marginalized and minority communities, this is not the 1699 01:36:05,160 --> 01:36:08,920 Speaker 1: place for you. And we I've seen that, you know, 1700 01:36:09,160 --> 01:36:12,760 Speaker 1: and taking part in various protests I suppose that could 1701 01:36:12,760 --> 01:36:15,719 Speaker 1: be branded as liberal protests, like the Black Lives Matter 1702 01:36:15,800 --> 01:36:21,719 Speaker 1: protests and um, the protests and rallies that were held 1703 01:36:21,760 --> 01:36:26,240 Speaker 1: in support of the indigenous communities last summer upon you know, 1704 01:36:26,360 --> 01:36:30,560 Speaker 1: the news that kind of shook the world regarding um 1705 01:36:30,800 --> 01:36:35,080 Speaker 1: graves at residential schools, and you know, you see it 1706 01:36:35,120 --> 01:36:40,120 Speaker 1: with the indigenous communities that protests pipelines on their traditional 1707 01:36:40,200 --> 01:36:43,559 Speaker 1: lands and they block you know, railways, and the same 1708 01:36:43,600 --> 01:36:48,800 Speaker 1: people that are screaming for jail time and for violence 1709 01:36:49,040 --> 01:36:54,600 Speaker 1: and and police intervention on these various protests are the 1710 01:36:54,640 --> 01:36:57,600 Speaker 1: same people that are taking part in a convoy. Protesters 1711 01:36:57,640 --> 01:36:59,840 Speaker 1: at the Cootes border crossing will now be charged or 1712 01:37:00,000 --> 01:37:04,160 Speaker 1: mind according to the province and the RCMP. R CMP 1713 01:37:04,280 --> 01:37:07,000 Speaker 1: Deputy Chief Curtis is A Blocky said in a news 1714 01:37:07,000 --> 01:37:09,320 Speaker 1: conference during the start out the second week of the 1715 01:37:09,320 --> 01:37:13,120 Speaker 1: Alberta border blockade that police are actively working to diffuse 1716 01:37:13,200 --> 01:37:16,680 Speaker 1: situation at the most important border crossing in Alberta, but 1717 01:37:16,760 --> 01:37:19,679 Speaker 1: are trying to do so peacefully, saying, make no mistake, 1718 01:37:19,760 --> 01:37:22,679 Speaker 1: there are criminal activities taking place at these protest sites 1719 01:37:22,880 --> 01:37:26,400 Speaker 1: that violate both criminal code and provincial laws. We've seen 1720 01:37:26,439 --> 01:37:29,360 Speaker 1: activities that are both dangerous and reckless and are having 1721 01:37:29,360 --> 01:37:32,200 Speaker 1: a very negative effect on Alberton's who live in the area. 1722 01:37:32,800 --> 01:37:35,519 Speaker 1: He then pointed to you know, dwindling numbers involving the 1723 01:37:35,520 --> 01:37:38,920 Speaker 1: blockade from a high of around two fifty vehicles to 1724 01:37:39,000 --> 01:37:43,400 Speaker 1: begin with two around fifty vehicles last Tuesday afternoon. As 1725 01:37:43,400 --> 01:37:46,960 Speaker 1: a success of their efforts to this point. But you 1726 01:37:47,000 --> 01:37:50,799 Speaker 1: know this isn't convinced everyone, since the blockade is still happening. 1727 01:37:51,160 --> 01:37:56,040 Speaker 1: So Acting Justice Minister and Solicitor General Sonia Savage called 1728 01:37:56,120 --> 01:37:58,680 Speaker 1: the blockade intolerable and said that those taking part in 1729 01:37:58,680 --> 01:38:02,160 Speaker 1: the demonstration can be charged under several different federal and 1730 01:38:02,200 --> 01:38:06,479 Speaker 1: provincial laws, including the Federal Criminal Code, the Provincial Traffic 1731 01:38:06,520 --> 01:38:10,599 Speaker 1: Safety Act, and the new Critical Infrastructure Defense Act, which 1732 01:38:10,640 --> 01:38:13,840 Speaker 1: was enacted right in the middle of during the international 1733 01:38:13,960 --> 01:38:17,959 Speaker 1: George Floyd uprising and the certain rail blockades in Canada. 1734 01:38:18,280 --> 01:38:20,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to go into many tangent here just because 1735 01:38:20,080 --> 01:38:22,599 Speaker 1: of how terrible this bill is. The bill gives law 1736 01:38:22,680 --> 01:38:26,280 Speaker 1: enforcement and the judicial system extra power to dish out 1737 01:38:26,320 --> 01:38:30,479 Speaker 1: significant monetary fines and extra jail time for actions deemed 1738 01:38:30,520 --> 01:38:35,960 Speaker 1: to interfere with so called essential infrastructure quote unquote. The 1739 01:38:36,040 --> 01:38:38,919 Speaker 1: stated goal of the bill is harsher penalties and charges 1740 01:38:39,240 --> 01:38:43,760 Speaker 1: for quote, damage or interference caused by blockades, protests, or 1741 01:38:43,800 --> 01:38:48,240 Speaker 1: similar activities that can cause significant public safety, social, economic, 1742 01:38:48,439 --> 01:38:52,840 Speaker 1: and environmental consequences. The Act builds on existing trespassing laws 1743 01:38:52,880 --> 01:38:57,120 Speaker 1: to create offenses for trespassing on destroying, damaging, and obstructing 1744 01:38:57,120 --> 01:39:01,160 Speaker 1: the use or operation of any essential infrastructure, also under 1745 01:39:01,200 --> 01:39:04,839 Speaker 1: the banner of essential infrastructure that includes public and private property. 1746 01:39:04,880 --> 01:39:07,719 Speaker 1: By the way, the bill was obviously aimed at left 1747 01:39:07,720 --> 01:39:11,720 Speaker 1: wing protest and specifically equal defense and environmental protest and 1748 01:39:11,960 --> 01:39:15,879 Speaker 1: or sabotage, as the first two things defined as essential 1749 01:39:15,880 --> 01:39:20,200 Speaker 1: infrastructure in the bill are quote, pipelines and related infrastructure 1750 01:39:20,240 --> 01:39:24,559 Speaker 1: and oil and gas production and refinery sites. So yeah. 1751 01:39:24,680 --> 01:39:28,160 Speaker 1: There's also been pressure from government officials to include forfeiture 1752 01:39:28,280 --> 01:39:32,200 Speaker 1: property in the commission of crime through the Civil Forfeiture Act. 1753 01:39:32,680 --> 01:39:35,960 Speaker 1: RCMP Deputy chiefs the blockys that charges will be coming 1754 01:39:35,960 --> 01:39:38,200 Speaker 1: for those taking part in the protest and could be 1755 01:39:38,240 --> 01:39:40,640 Speaker 1: as simple as the way they are illegally parked on 1756 01:39:40,680 --> 01:39:44,200 Speaker 1: the highway. He didn't note that the RCMP has attempted 1757 01:39:44,240 --> 01:39:47,040 Speaker 1: to hire local towing companies to move the trucks and 1758 01:39:47,080 --> 01:39:49,760 Speaker 1: other equipment off the road, but have been unable to 1759 01:39:49,800 --> 01:39:53,400 Speaker 1: do so, with the companies citing concerns over damaged their 1760 01:39:53,400 --> 01:39:56,960 Speaker 1: business long term or just safety issues in general. This 1761 01:39:57,040 --> 01:39:59,439 Speaker 1: has also been a huge factor in attempts to deal 1762 01:39:59,479 --> 01:40:03,760 Speaker 1: with the auto occupation. Zablocki said that there are concerns 1763 01:40:03,760 --> 01:40:06,479 Speaker 1: over safety and violence in response to the more aggressive 1764 01:40:06,520 --> 01:40:09,160 Speaker 1: approaches to breaking up the blockade. So far, the main 1765 01:40:09,200 --> 01:40:12,120 Speaker 1: action law enforcement has taken to dissuay people from blocking 1766 01:40:12,160 --> 01:40:15,200 Speaker 1: the border is just giving out tickets and fines for 1767 01:40:15,280 --> 01:40:18,759 Speaker 1: illegal parking. Premier Jason Kenny said that he is supportive 1768 01:40:18,920 --> 01:40:22,479 Speaker 1: of our CMP handling this as they see fit through 1769 01:40:22,520 --> 01:40:25,080 Speaker 1: the means that they already have, and has been supportive 1770 01:40:25,200 --> 01:40:29,680 Speaker 1: of using the you know, pretty horribly authoritarian Critical Infrastructure 1771 01:40:29,800 --> 01:40:33,799 Speaker 1: Defense Act, saying quote, last year we passed the Defense 1772 01:40:33,840 --> 01:40:37,880 Speaker 1: of Critical Infrastructure Act, which gives police enormous powers and 1773 01:40:38,000 --> 01:40:41,600 Speaker 1: various defines the penalties, including the power of imprisonment. We 1774 01:40:41,640 --> 01:40:43,320 Speaker 1: have made it clear to the RCMP, who is our 1775 01:40:43,360 --> 01:40:46,920 Speaker 1: provincial policing service, that they can and should use all 1776 01:40:46,960 --> 01:40:49,799 Speaker 1: of these powers. They're dealing with a very fluid situation, 1777 01:40:49,880 --> 01:40:53,240 Speaker 1: and I have respect for their judgment. Prime Minister Justin 1778 01:40:53,280 --> 01:40:57,000 Speaker 1: Trudeau addressed the ongoing blockades and protests across the country 1779 01:40:57,040 --> 01:41:01,439 Speaker 1: this past Friday, encouraging demonstrators to leave, while also passing 1780 01:41:01,439 --> 01:41:04,479 Speaker 1: the buck on any blame, saying quote, I want to 1781 01:41:04,520 --> 01:41:07,679 Speaker 1: remind everybody that politicians don't direct police departments to enforce 1782 01:41:07,720 --> 01:41:12,880 Speaker 1: the law. Instead, Trudeau made vague threats around revoking licenses 1783 01:41:12,920 --> 01:41:17,320 Speaker 1: and criminal records for those continuing to protest, saying everything 1784 01:41:17,360 --> 01:41:20,280 Speaker 1: is on the table because this unlawful blockade has to 1785 01:41:20,439 --> 01:41:24,639 Speaker 1: end and will end. The blockade at the Cootes border 1786 01:41:24,680 --> 01:41:28,320 Speaker 1: crossing is not the only convoy aligned protest in Alberta. 1787 01:41:28,760 --> 01:41:32,440 Speaker 1: There have been many demonstrations in basically every major city 1788 01:41:32,760 --> 01:41:36,720 Speaker 1: in Calgary. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says that 1789 01:41:36,840 --> 01:41:40,639 Speaker 1: frontline healthcare workers, patients and people living around the Sheldon 1790 01:41:40,720 --> 01:41:44,599 Speaker 1: Camere Health Center have dealt with protests for weeks, but 1791 01:41:44,920 --> 01:41:47,599 Speaker 1: things have only gotten worse since the truck convoy hit 1792 01:41:47,680 --> 01:41:52,000 Speaker 1: the news. The vice president of the Alberta Union for 1793 01:41:52,040 --> 01:41:55,920 Speaker 1: Provincial Employees said that protesters have blocked the ambulance bain, 1794 01:41:56,000 --> 01:41:58,280 Speaker 1: they have harassed workers and patients as they come to 1795 01:41:58,560 --> 01:42:01,160 Speaker 1: and from the center. They've banged on the windows of 1796 01:42:01,200 --> 01:42:04,080 Speaker 1: the facility and upset people inside, and they have blocked 1797 01:42:04,080 --> 01:42:07,400 Speaker 1: the roads around the center. Moving on to the province 1798 01:42:07,400 --> 01:42:11,040 Speaker 1: of British Columbia, as the second weekend of protest was 1799 01:42:11,120 --> 01:42:14,280 Speaker 1: set to descend on Vancouver the weekend of February five, 1800 01:42:14,920 --> 01:42:17,840 Speaker 1: in preparation fearing attacks would be carried out against healthcare 1801 01:42:17,880 --> 01:42:20,760 Speaker 1: workers like they have in the past. Vancouver's to health 1802 01:42:20,800 --> 01:42:25,120 Speaker 1: authorities issued internal ms telling health workers to hide indoors 1803 01:42:25,120 --> 01:42:27,799 Speaker 1: as the convoy pass through the city and to quote 1804 01:42:28,080 --> 01:42:31,759 Speaker 1: refrain from wearing scrubs and or your ID badge outside 1805 01:42:31,800 --> 01:42:35,160 Speaker 1: the hospital during the demonstration. If you do encounter any protesters, 1806 01:42:35,160 --> 01:42:37,639 Speaker 1: please do not engage with them or respond to their questions, 1807 01:42:37,880 --> 01:42:40,200 Speaker 1: and please do not ask protesters to put on a 1808 01:42:40,280 --> 01:42:44,720 Speaker 1: face mask. Similarly, ahead of a protest in Toronto, the 1809 01:42:44,760 --> 01:42:48,200 Speaker 1: Toronto Police sent letters to hospitals advising their workers to 1810 01:42:48,280 --> 01:42:51,280 Speaker 1: not wear any clothing or markings that identified them as 1811 01:42:51,360 --> 01:42:56,160 Speaker 1: working in healthcare, fearing attacks by protesters. As the second 1812 01:42:56,160 --> 01:42:59,320 Speaker 1: wave of the convoy arrived during the second weekend of 1813 01:42:59,400 --> 01:43:02,519 Speaker 1: the occupation in Ottawa, some of the on the ground 1814 01:43:02,760 --> 01:43:07,840 Speaker 1: organizational structure started to morphin evolves. The police estimated around 1815 01:43:07,840 --> 01:43:10,680 Speaker 1: this time that five thousand people were still protesting in 1816 01:43:10,720 --> 01:43:14,839 Speaker 1: Ottawa and around one thousand vehicles were clogging the streets 1817 01:43:15,400 --> 01:43:17,720 Speaker 1: during the second week of protests. In an effort to 1818 01:43:17,800 --> 01:43:22,280 Speaker 1: improve optics, considering the four original organizers explicit connections to 1819 01:43:22,360 --> 01:43:26,280 Speaker 1: the far right, a new lead organizational, public relations and 1820 01:43:26,360 --> 01:43:29,240 Speaker 1: bargaining team was assembled for the group, calling themselves the 1821 01:43:29,400 --> 01:43:35,240 Speaker 1: Freedom Convoy. The new pseudo leadership team consists of Daniel Bulford, 1822 01:43:35,320 --> 01:43:38,759 Speaker 1: a former RCMP officer who was on the Prime Minister's 1823 01:43:38,800 --> 01:43:42,200 Speaker 1: security detail. He quit last year after refusing to get 1824 01:43:42,240 --> 01:43:45,160 Speaker 1: the vaccine and is now the convoy's head of security. 1825 01:43:45,880 --> 01:43:49,640 Speaker 1: Tom Quicken, former military intelligence officer who also worked with 1826 01:43:49,640 --> 01:43:52,559 Speaker 1: the RCMP and was considered one of the country's top 1827 01:43:52,760 --> 01:43:58,639 Speaker 1: counter terrorism experts. And Tom Marazo, an ex military officer who, 1828 01:43:58,640 --> 01:44:02,120 Speaker 1: according to his linked in profile, served in the Canadian 1829 01:44:02,360 --> 01:44:05,360 Speaker 1: Armed Forces for twenty five years and ours as a 1830 01:44:05,360 --> 01:44:09,160 Speaker 1: freelance software developer. And just side note in terms of 1831 01:44:09,240 --> 01:44:13,440 Speaker 1: you know, police and former military participating in the protests, 1832 01:44:13,760 --> 01:44:17,240 Speaker 1: there was an organization full of retired police that endorsed 1833 01:44:17,240 --> 01:44:19,880 Speaker 1: the convoy a few weeks ago and said that they 1834 01:44:19,920 --> 01:44:24,000 Speaker 1: have people on the ground there and just got announced 1835 01:44:24,120 --> 01:44:27,400 Speaker 1: as as I'm recording this, that two members of Canada's 1836 01:44:27,680 --> 01:44:31,920 Speaker 1: military counter terrorism unit is under investigation for allegedly taking 1837 01:44:31,960 --> 01:44:36,360 Speaker 1: part in the Ottawa Convoy protests. So yeah, that's fun. 1838 01:44:38,000 --> 01:44:40,519 Speaker 1: The occupation has been getting more and more organized on 1839 01:44:40,560 --> 01:44:43,439 Speaker 1: the ground the past two weeks and has been able 1840 01:44:43,479 --> 01:44:46,000 Speaker 1: to keep one step ahead of any action taken against 1841 01:44:46,040 --> 01:44:51,560 Speaker 1: police against the occupation. Even just what the convoy participants 1842 01:44:51,600 --> 01:44:54,840 Speaker 1: have physically built is impressive. Less than a week after 1843 01:44:54,880 --> 01:44:57,639 Speaker 1: the convoy arrived, you started to see wooden structures being 1844 01:44:57,640 --> 01:45:00,240 Speaker 1: built around the roads and a growing stockp all of 1845 01:45:00,280 --> 01:45:04,000 Speaker 1: propane and diesel fuel. There is an impressive amount of 1846 01:45:04,000 --> 01:45:07,760 Speaker 1: tents and wind structures used for kitchens that local organizers 1847 01:45:07,840 --> 01:45:10,320 Speaker 1: have set up, and a whole supply chain has sprung 1848 01:45:10,400 --> 01:45:13,280 Speaker 1: up across the city to keep these people fed, working 1849 01:45:13,439 --> 01:45:16,559 Speaker 1: and protesting. I'm now going to quote a good article 1850 01:45:16,640 --> 01:45:20,280 Speaker 1: in the CBC by Judy Trend quote. The group is 1851 01:45:20,280 --> 01:45:23,240 Speaker 1: set up not only near the Parliament in Ottawa, but 1852 01:45:23,280 --> 01:45:26,360 Speaker 1: they have also built two encampment areas where they carry 1853 01:45:26,360 --> 01:45:30,040 Speaker 1: out logistical and supply work. Recent reporting has painted a 1854 01:45:30,040 --> 01:45:33,840 Speaker 1: picture that these areas are far more organized than widely thought. 1855 01:45:34,520 --> 01:45:36,680 Speaker 1: The group is also trying out new tactics, such as 1856 01:45:36,720 --> 01:45:40,160 Speaker 1: attempting to clog up traffic at the Ottawa Airport. Other 1857 01:45:40,240 --> 01:45:43,799 Speaker 1: tactics like swatting have been reported as well. Ottawa Police 1858 01:45:43,880 --> 01:45:46,639 Speaker 1: say they're aware of a concerned effort to flood our 1859 01:45:46,840 --> 01:45:50,880 Speaker 1: nine one and non emergency police reporting lines, tweeting that 1860 01:45:51,240 --> 01:45:55,160 Speaker 1: this endangers lives and is completely unacceptable. Determined to not 1861 01:45:55,240 --> 01:45:59,040 Speaker 1: be outdone by their fellow protesters in the West, after 1862 01:45:59,080 --> 01:46:02,400 Speaker 1: the second wave arrived, the members of the Ottawa Convoy 1863 01:46:02,560 --> 01:46:06,400 Speaker 1: organized away for the Convoy occupation to stay, but also 1864 01:46:06,520 --> 01:46:11,120 Speaker 1: put up a border crossing blockade of their own. Starting Sunday, 1865 01:46:11,160 --> 01:46:16,640 Speaker 1: February six, scores of truckers blocked the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, 1866 01:46:16,840 --> 01:46:20,120 Speaker 1: to Detroit, Michigan, disrupting the flow of auto parts and 1867 01:46:20,160 --> 01:46:24,160 Speaker 1: other products between the two countries. While this protest has 1868 01:46:24,200 --> 01:46:27,280 Speaker 1: been conducted more by pickup trucks than big rigs, it 1869 01:46:27,320 --> 01:46:30,400 Speaker 1: has been holding up the lanes. The bridge is the 1870 01:46:30,439 --> 01:46:34,240 Speaker 1: busiest US Canada border crossing and the key cog in 1871 01:46:34,280 --> 01:46:37,439 Speaker 1: both the US and Canadian economies, as it carries around 1872 01:46:37,439 --> 01:46:41,040 Speaker 1: twenty five percent of trade between the two countries. The 1873 01:46:41,080 --> 01:46:44,160 Speaker 1: effects of the blockade there were felt rapidly. The bridge 1874 01:46:44,200 --> 01:46:48,000 Speaker 1: regularly carries around three hundred sixty million dollars a day 1875 01:46:48,360 --> 01:46:51,800 Speaker 1: in two way cargoes, but traffic is limited by its 1876 01:46:51,920 --> 01:46:55,960 Speaker 1: nineteen nine physical footprint. There's just two lanes each way 1877 01:46:56,200 --> 01:47:00,559 Speaker 1: with no shoulders and antiquated customs boots, with the northern 1878 01:47:00,600 --> 01:47:04,960 Speaker 1: side just emptying out into the city streets. The bumper 1879 01:47:05,000 --> 01:47:08,000 Speaker 1: to bumper demonstration forced auto plants on both sides the 1880 01:47:08,040 --> 01:47:11,679 Speaker 1: border to shut down or scale back production. The halting 1881 01:47:11,680 --> 01:47:15,320 Speaker 1: of trade has bottlenecked automaker Ford's ability to get parts 1882 01:47:15,360 --> 01:47:19,400 Speaker 1: from the US to its Canadian plants in Windsor and Oaksville. 1883 01:47:20,040 --> 01:47:22,280 Speaker 1: Ford to shut down the doors of its Windsor plan 1884 01:47:22,360 --> 01:47:25,880 Speaker 1: and reduced the work schedule in Oakville. Ford set in 1885 01:47:25,880 --> 01:47:32,240 Speaker 1: a statement, the interruption on the Detroit Windsor Bridge hurts customers, autoworkers, suppliers, communities, 1886 01:47:32,240 --> 01:47:34,840 Speaker 1: and companies on both sides of the border. We hope 1887 01:47:34,840 --> 01:47:38,080 Speaker 1: the situation is resolved quickly because it could have widespread 1888 01:47:38,080 --> 01:47:42,640 Speaker 1: impact on all automakers in the US and Canada. Automaker 1889 01:47:42,760 --> 01:47:46,200 Speaker 1: Toyota said that it's three D plants in Ontario closed 1890 01:47:46,200 --> 01:47:48,840 Speaker 1: for the rest of the week because of parts shortages, 1891 01:47:49,080 --> 01:47:53,840 Speaker 1: and production has also been curtailed in Georgetown, Kentucky more 1892 01:47:53,920 --> 01:47:56,840 Speaker 1: On the U s side of things, GM, Jeep, and 1893 01:47:57,000 --> 01:47:59,960 Speaker 1: Honda all had hours cut and assembly lines shut down 1894 01:48:00,000 --> 01:48:04,040 Speaker 1: own at their factories across Michigan and Ohio. Michigan Governor 1895 01:48:04,120 --> 01:48:08,000 Speaker 1: Gretchen Whittemore urged Canadian authorities to quickly resolve the stand off, 1896 01:48:08,200 --> 01:48:11,760 Speaker 1: saying it's hitting paychecks and production lines and that is unacceptable. 1897 01:48:12,520 --> 01:48:14,960 Speaker 1: The federal Public Safety Minister has said that the Royal 1898 01:48:15,000 --> 01:48:18,120 Speaker 1: Canadian amount of police reinforcements are being sent to Windsor, 1899 01:48:18,360 --> 01:48:21,960 Speaker 1: Ottawa and to Coots, Alberta, where the other border blockade 1900 01:48:22,040 --> 01:48:27,000 Speaker 1: is happening. With political and economic pressure mounting, Windsor Mayor 1901 01:48:27,160 --> 01:48:29,880 Speaker 1: Drew Dilkins announced that the city would seek a court 1902 01:48:29,920 --> 01:48:33,920 Speaker 1: injunction to end the occupation, saying that the economic harm 1903 01:48:34,040 --> 01:48:36,960 Speaker 1: is just not sustainable and it must come to an end. 1904 01:48:37,640 --> 01:48:41,479 Speaker 1: On Thursday, February tenth, the Biden administration urged Prime Minister 1905 01:48:41,560 --> 01:48:45,080 Speaker 1: Justin Trudeau's government on Thursday to use its federal powers 1906 01:48:45,120 --> 01:48:47,320 Speaker 1: to end the truck blockade at the other side of 1907 01:48:47,320 --> 01:48:50,600 Speaker 1: the Detroit border. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of 1908 01:48:50,640 --> 01:48:53,479 Speaker 1: products have been held back for days as fifty to 1909 01:48:53,560 --> 01:48:57,400 Speaker 1: sixty vehicles and around a hundred anti mandate protesters camp 1910 01:48:57,439 --> 01:48:59,920 Speaker 1: out on the main road that leads on and off 1911 01:49:00,000 --> 01:49:03,120 Speaker 1: the bridge. And yes, it is ironic that the same 1912 01:49:03,160 --> 01:49:06,160 Speaker 1: people who are trying to sell Canadians fake stories about 1913 01:49:06,200 --> 01:49:09,920 Speaker 1: failing supply lines and empty shelves are now causing those 1914 01:49:09,920 --> 01:49:12,880 Speaker 1: supply lines to fail and causing those shelves to go empty. 1915 01:49:13,080 --> 01:49:15,400 Speaker 1: The irony is not lost on me, but it may 1916 01:49:15,439 --> 01:49:19,440 Speaker 1: be lost on the convoy participants. Throughout running these episodes, 1917 01:49:19,479 --> 01:49:21,799 Speaker 1: I was fortunate enough to get to talk to multiple 1918 01:49:21,800 --> 01:49:24,639 Speaker 1: people who have been on the ground in downtown Ottawa. 1919 01:49:25,320 --> 01:49:28,880 Speaker 1: One such of these people's is Peter Smith, an investigative 1920 01:49:28,920 --> 01:49:32,599 Speaker 1: journalist for the Canadian Anti Hate Network. We recorded our 1921 01:49:32,600 --> 01:49:35,360 Speaker 1: conversation and I'm going to include some audio clips throughout 1922 01:49:35,360 --> 01:49:38,200 Speaker 1: the rest of the episode. We started off by discussing 1923 01:49:38,240 --> 01:49:41,040 Speaker 1: what made this protest movement pop off in this specific 1924 01:49:41,080 --> 01:49:44,559 Speaker 1: time and place. I do you think it was maybe 1925 01:49:44,600 --> 01:49:47,360 Speaker 1: capitalizing on a moment, but also a fair amount of luck. 1926 01:49:48,120 --> 01:49:51,400 Speaker 1: You know, since two thousand nine, the same organizers have 1927 01:49:51,400 --> 01:49:55,040 Speaker 1: attempted to put together other convoys, you know, generally never 1928 01:49:55,160 --> 01:49:57,600 Speaker 1: rising to the amount of attention that they had in 1929 01:49:57,640 --> 01:50:02,559 Speaker 1: two thousand nine. Um. You know, this convoy was also 1930 01:50:02,640 --> 01:50:07,840 Speaker 1: planned long before they specifically started focusing on truckers, and 1931 01:50:07,880 --> 01:50:11,640 Speaker 1: then it was it was a galvanizing issue. It resonated 1932 01:50:11,680 --> 01:50:17,000 Speaker 1: with people who are frustrated with the Trudeau government, um, 1933 01:50:17,040 --> 01:50:20,640 Speaker 1: and just they're they're handling of of health measures as 1934 01:50:20,680 --> 01:50:24,719 Speaker 1: well as just became a like a vehicle for expressing 1935 01:50:24,760 --> 01:50:27,600 Speaker 1: their general dissatisfaction with their own provinises, like most of 1936 01:50:27,640 --> 01:50:31,760 Speaker 1: our health mandates are provincial, like the Alberta government is 1937 01:50:31,800 --> 01:50:35,960 Speaker 1: handing down what's happening in Alberta. Um, so it's it's 1938 01:50:35,960 --> 01:50:40,960 Speaker 1: not just it's not just a federal issue, but coming 1939 01:50:41,000 --> 01:50:43,680 Speaker 1: down here and occupying the streets of Ottawa and that 1940 01:50:43,840 --> 01:50:49,120 Speaker 1: now we're seeing occupying most of our major cities. Um. 1941 01:50:49,160 --> 01:50:52,280 Speaker 1: You know, ones like Winnipeg gets significantly less attention, but 1942 01:50:52,320 --> 01:50:57,080 Speaker 1: are incredibly disruptive locally, um and in some cases more 1943 01:50:57,160 --> 01:50:59,320 Speaker 1: kind of inceniary than the one that we have out here, 1944 01:51:00,120 --> 01:51:03,240 Speaker 1: where you know, participants and organizers are desperately trying to 1945 01:51:03,960 --> 01:51:07,600 Speaker 1: clamp down on on any individuals who's engaging and harassment 1946 01:51:07,840 --> 01:51:11,400 Speaker 1: or uh well or is more common blaming it on 1947 01:51:11,479 --> 01:51:15,760 Speaker 1: liberal plants. Um. Yeah, it just it became this kind 1948 01:51:15,760 --> 01:51:20,280 Speaker 1: of expression of all of the frustration and very quickly 1949 01:51:20,360 --> 01:51:22,600 Speaker 1: drew attention even from people who've been dismissive of it 1950 01:51:22,680 --> 01:51:26,040 Speaker 1: very early on because of some of the organizers. Um. 1951 01:51:26,120 --> 01:51:29,320 Speaker 1: Once it really started to galvanate, galvanized attention and of 1952 01:51:29,360 --> 01:51:36,639 Speaker 1: course money, Uh, people couldn't couldn't stay away. I mean 1953 01:51:36,640 --> 01:51:40,120 Speaker 1: to the point that we even have mainstream conservative politicians 1954 01:51:40,160 --> 01:51:43,240 Speaker 1: now getting on board with it, including the man who's 1955 01:51:43,360 --> 01:51:45,640 Speaker 1: very likely to be the future leader of the Conservative 1956 01:51:45,680 --> 01:51:49,599 Speaker 1: Party here. I mean, we're in a very unique moment um, 1957 01:51:49,640 --> 01:51:51,720 Speaker 1: you know, are our far right and kind of conspiracy 1958 01:51:51,760 --> 01:51:55,400 Speaker 1: culture in Canada has also been getting better at organizing 1959 01:51:55,400 --> 01:51:58,280 Speaker 1: over the course of the pandemic. Wants to get like 1960 01:51:58,400 --> 01:52:02,040 Speaker 1: all major cities have and many small towns continue to 1961 01:52:02,080 --> 01:52:06,040 Speaker 1: have anti mandate um anti lockdown protests. We usually refer 1962 01:52:06,040 --> 01:52:09,280 Speaker 1: to them as the COVID conspiracy movement, just because of 1963 01:52:09,320 --> 01:52:15,480 Speaker 1: how and heavily heavily informed it is by conspiratorial thinking. Um. 1964 01:52:15,520 --> 01:52:17,400 Speaker 1: So it's it's like you had a large amount of 1965 01:52:17,400 --> 01:52:19,680 Speaker 1: people kind of spending the past two years and like 1966 01:52:19,760 --> 01:52:23,519 Speaker 1: a on the ground boot camp of how to organize 1967 01:52:23,520 --> 01:52:25,760 Speaker 1: within these cities and how to get people's attention. And 1968 01:52:25,800 --> 01:52:27,880 Speaker 1: of course, like like a lot of the far right here, 1969 01:52:27,920 --> 01:52:32,240 Speaker 1: it fragmented. There was a lot of infighting, um and 1970 01:52:32,280 --> 01:52:34,760 Speaker 1: then you know, once there became a central point that 1971 01:52:34,880 --> 01:52:37,559 Speaker 1: was was galvanizing a lot of attention, it started receiving 1972 01:52:37,560 --> 01:52:41,240 Speaker 1: international attention. You know, there's been some questions about the 1973 01:52:41,240 --> 01:52:44,200 Speaker 1: source of some of the money, but certainly the initial 1974 01:52:44,240 --> 01:52:49,200 Speaker 1: totals seemed to be organically Canadian. Yeah. Um, it just 1975 01:52:49,600 --> 01:52:52,880 Speaker 1: became too big to fall apart essentially, at least at 1976 01:52:52,920 --> 01:52:56,360 Speaker 1: this point. Um. There has been some spats of infighting, 1977 01:52:56,439 --> 01:53:00,920 Speaker 1: but mostly you know, the most polarized and figures are 1978 01:53:01,520 --> 01:53:03,639 Speaker 1: either just keeping their head down or in some cases 1979 01:53:03,680 --> 01:53:06,479 Speaker 1: even choosing to stay away from the main events so 1980 01:53:06,560 --> 01:53:10,320 Speaker 1: as not to be a distraction. Um. There's a lot. 1981 01:53:10,560 --> 01:53:12,280 Speaker 1: One of the lines I see a lot is like, 1982 01:53:12,479 --> 01:53:16,160 Speaker 1: this is the moment, this is for all the marvels. Um. 1983 01:53:16,200 --> 01:53:19,280 Speaker 1: So there's a huge amount of importance being placed on that. 1984 01:53:20,479 --> 01:53:24,840 Speaker 1: What actually happens, like whether they're able to paint what 1985 01:53:24,880 --> 01:53:28,559 Speaker 1: we've the like the actual rolling back of banddates that 1986 01:53:28,640 --> 01:53:32,000 Speaker 1: we were already starting to see before the convoy began, 1987 01:53:32,680 --> 01:53:36,240 Speaker 1: um as some type of victory for them, um, or 1988 01:53:36,280 --> 01:53:39,120 Speaker 1: if this leads to further disillusionment. You know, we don't 1989 01:53:39,120 --> 01:53:42,040 Speaker 1: really know at this point, but I think this moment 1990 01:53:42,080 --> 01:53:45,680 Speaker 1: is going to be a propaganda tool, um, and kind 1991 01:53:45,680 --> 01:53:49,800 Speaker 1: of a a point of I think it's gonna be 1992 01:53:49,800 --> 01:53:53,640 Speaker 1: a propaganda tool and like a point of motivation for 1993 01:53:53,680 --> 01:53:57,040 Speaker 1: a long time from your like both on the ground 1994 01:53:57,080 --> 01:54:00,360 Speaker 1: stuff and just from monitoring stuff online. What do you 1995 01:54:00,400 --> 01:54:05,280 Speaker 1: think like the actual actionable intention was once they arrived 1996 01:54:05,280 --> 01:54:07,840 Speaker 1: in Ottawa, Like, do you think they had a clear 1997 01:54:07,880 --> 01:54:09,680 Speaker 1: plan of what to do or was it more like 1998 01:54:10,560 --> 01:54:16,280 Speaker 1: let's go here and then we'll figure things out. Well, 1999 01:54:16,320 --> 01:54:19,120 Speaker 1: initially there there was a manum. Initially there was a 2000 01:54:19,120 --> 01:54:22,599 Speaker 1: memorandum of understanding which laid out kind of the points 2001 01:54:22,640 --> 01:54:26,080 Speaker 1: of what the inditial organizers were hoping to accomplish, something 2002 01:54:26,120 --> 01:54:29,400 Speaker 1: they call the Operation bay or hug Um, which includes 2003 01:54:29,439 --> 01:54:31,920 Speaker 1: having the Governor General and our Senate, both of whom 2004 01:54:31,960 --> 01:54:37,920 Speaker 1: are unelected, uh dissolved parliament and reform the government immediately 2005 01:54:37,960 --> 01:54:42,880 Speaker 1: after we had a federal election. Um. Since then, the 2006 01:54:42,920 --> 01:54:48,680 Speaker 1: message has evolved like they're trying to stay very very 2007 01:54:48,720 --> 01:54:52,680 Speaker 1: like on script with this just being about freedom, um, 2008 01:54:52,680 --> 01:54:56,480 Speaker 1: this just being about mandates. You know, initially there was 2009 01:54:56,520 --> 01:54:58,720 Speaker 1: a lot of attempts to even get people to stop 2010 01:54:58,760 --> 01:55:02,000 Speaker 1: mentioning the vaccine. Of those seems to kind of fallen 2011 01:55:02,040 --> 01:55:04,640 Speaker 1: by the wayside, especially when you start looking at the speakers. 2012 01:55:06,880 --> 01:55:09,600 Speaker 1: It is interesting to kind of wonder what the actual 2013 01:55:09,640 --> 01:55:14,280 Speaker 1: goal is there. They've started meeting with public officials, you know, 2014 01:55:14,320 --> 01:55:20,680 Speaker 1: there is some type of negotiation going on. Um. Obstensively, 2015 01:55:20,720 --> 01:55:24,000 Speaker 1: the goal is just to have these border restrictions lifted 2016 01:55:24,720 --> 01:55:27,960 Speaker 1: on people on truckers who are unvaccinated returning from the US. 2017 01:55:29,040 --> 01:55:30,600 Speaker 1: You know, the obvious thing is the point out that 2018 01:55:30,640 --> 01:55:32,880 Speaker 1: the US still has a very similar policy in reverse 2019 01:55:32,960 --> 01:55:36,440 Speaker 1: again here would have no impact um on their ability 2020 01:55:36,480 --> 01:55:40,960 Speaker 1: to to avoid this quarantine. But um, it seems like 2021 01:55:40,960 --> 01:55:44,640 Speaker 1: the goals are fairly murky, and that's almost deliberate because 2022 01:55:44,720 --> 01:55:49,920 Speaker 1: then they can declare victory kind of when it suits them. 2023 01:55:50,080 --> 01:55:54,160 Speaker 1: Ambiguity around protest goals, demands, and purpose itself can be 2024 01:55:54,240 --> 01:55:58,000 Speaker 1: a useful tactic. The Crime Think zine slash article titled 2025 01:55:58,160 --> 01:56:01,320 Speaker 1: why we Don't make Demands makes such a case. I 2026 01:56:01,360 --> 01:56:03,760 Speaker 1: don't have time to summarize it here, but I recommend 2027 01:56:03,760 --> 01:56:06,040 Speaker 1: you give the article a look if you're interested in 2028 01:56:06,080 --> 01:56:09,240 Speaker 1: this train of thought as an intentional tactic. But on 2029 01:56:09,280 --> 01:56:12,200 Speaker 1: the flip side, you know, vague and direction list protest 2030 01:56:12,320 --> 01:56:15,320 Speaker 1: without much of a focus on a specific goal can 2031 01:56:15,400 --> 01:56:18,440 Speaker 1: also cause protests to peter out without having any lasting 2032 01:56:18,480 --> 01:56:22,120 Speaker 1: impact on the world. A discussion worth having is how 2033 01:56:22,200 --> 01:56:25,760 Speaker 1: the individual people that make up the convay participants have 2034 01:56:25,880 --> 01:56:29,200 Speaker 1: been convinced to take part in an occupation protest, and 2035 01:56:29,200 --> 01:56:32,920 Speaker 1: how what is considered valid political action has broadened in 2036 01:56:32,960 --> 01:56:36,040 Speaker 1: their own heads if they're the ones doing the action, 2037 01:56:36,080 --> 01:56:39,200 Speaker 1: of course, because from their point of view, since they 2038 01:56:39,200 --> 01:56:42,480 Speaker 1: are doing it, the cause must be valid and therefore 2039 01:56:42,680 --> 01:56:48,240 Speaker 1: the action is justified. In we have the wetsuin rail blockades, 2040 01:56:49,080 --> 01:56:51,680 Speaker 1: um that was put on by various members of our 2041 01:56:51,680 --> 01:56:55,200 Speaker 1: first nations, and then people who supported them, you know, 2042 01:56:55,280 --> 01:57:00,720 Speaker 1: the same politicians they're meeting, um when the truckers embracing them, uh, 2043 01:57:00,920 --> 01:57:05,520 Speaker 1: saying that our current prime ministers demonizing them um by 2044 01:57:05,560 --> 01:57:09,000 Speaker 1: kind of casting them as under desirables. We're we're you know, 2045 01:57:09,000 --> 01:57:12,919 Speaker 1: we're actively calling people sitting on train tracks as terrorists 2046 01:57:12,960 --> 01:57:17,400 Speaker 1: who are disrupting our economy. Um. Obviously, in the context 2047 01:57:17,440 --> 01:57:20,240 Speaker 1: of the pandemic pandemic that's very different because there has 2048 01:57:20,280 --> 01:57:24,720 Speaker 1: been kind of mass disruption too to our economy. But 2049 01:57:25,400 --> 01:57:28,040 Speaker 1: this kind of picking and choosing, of of suiting the 2050 01:57:28,120 --> 01:57:31,760 Speaker 1: narrative to court far eight voters seems to be popular. 2051 01:57:32,280 --> 01:57:36,040 Speaker 1: You know how Conservatives typically aren't seen as the protesting type. 2052 01:57:36,160 --> 01:57:38,680 Speaker 1: Right Conservatives are supposed to be the type of people 2053 01:57:38,720 --> 01:57:41,200 Speaker 1: who drive by the protest and yell, get a job, 2054 01:57:41,760 --> 01:57:44,400 Speaker 1: They're not the ones who are out in the streets picketing. 2055 01:57:44,760 --> 01:57:48,080 Speaker 1: But first of all, that's not really true. Historically, in 2056 01:57:48,120 --> 01:57:51,720 Speaker 1: just the past one years, there's always been conservative protests 2057 01:57:51,760 --> 01:57:56,040 Speaker 1: for you know, regressive and reactionary goals. Also, conservatives have 2058 01:57:56,200 --> 01:57:59,440 Speaker 1: been much better at organizing off the street for their 2059 01:57:59,480 --> 01:58:05,000 Speaker 1: political policies, specifically around like abortion or Christian dominionism, anti 2060 01:58:05,040 --> 01:58:09,040 Speaker 1: queer legislation, or recent stuff around anti CRT and just 2061 01:58:09,440 --> 01:58:15,040 Speaker 1: the mainstream racism denial that's been propagated through media. But 2062 01:58:15,600 --> 01:58:19,560 Speaker 1: even if there is historical precedent for conservative protest, bridging 2063 01:58:19,560 --> 01:58:22,360 Speaker 1: the gap of what is seen as valid political action 2064 01:58:22,480 --> 01:58:25,600 Speaker 1: in the minds of these convoy attendees did still take 2065 01:58:25,640 --> 01:58:28,800 Speaker 1: place over just the past few years, just the past 2066 01:58:28,840 --> 01:58:33,000 Speaker 1: two years, specifically, there's been so much conservative protests around COVID. 2067 01:58:33,280 --> 01:58:35,680 Speaker 1: A whole bunch of the people at the Ottawa protest 2068 01:58:35,920 --> 01:58:39,000 Speaker 1: probably five years ago would have never seen themselves going 2069 01:58:39,040 --> 01:58:42,280 Speaker 1: to protest in the Canadian capital, Right Like, if you 2070 01:58:42,360 --> 01:58:45,760 Speaker 1: told them a few years ago that you're gonna drive 2071 01:58:45,880 --> 01:58:48,720 Speaker 1: all these kilometers to the Parliament to camp out in 2072 01:58:48,760 --> 01:58:51,600 Speaker 1: the cold for weeks to protest against the government and 2073 01:58:51,640 --> 01:58:55,080 Speaker 1: its rules for helping not spread the deadliest pandemic in 2074 01:58:55,080 --> 01:58:58,120 Speaker 1: a century. They would have probably laughed out of the room. 2075 01:58:58,200 --> 01:59:02,080 Speaker 1: So what is the logical agression of conservative people who generally, 2076 01:59:02,120 --> 01:59:04,640 Speaker 1: you know, look down on any type of protest, especially 2077 01:59:04,680 --> 01:59:08,000 Speaker 1: occupy style protests to the point where they are driving 2078 01:59:08,000 --> 01:59:10,280 Speaker 1: all the way to the capital to camp outside the building, 2079 01:59:10,520 --> 01:59:13,400 Speaker 1: to Hong Korn's day and night. A lot of that 2080 01:59:13,480 --> 01:59:16,800 Speaker 1: political change the past few years correlates to the pandemic, 2081 01:59:16,920 --> 01:59:20,040 Speaker 1: to the social isolation and the great opportunity for the 2082 01:59:20,120 --> 01:59:24,200 Speaker 1: fast spread of conspiratorial politics that it offered. Over the 2083 01:59:24,200 --> 01:59:26,640 Speaker 1: course of the pandemic, there's been this huge blending of 2084 01:59:26,720 --> 01:59:31,000 Speaker 1: rhetoric online and especially in Canada, this kind of villainization 2085 01:59:31,080 --> 01:59:35,240 Speaker 1: of the other side. Increasingly less and less criticism against 2086 01:59:35,240 --> 01:59:38,880 Speaker 1: the current government is less based on its policy and 2087 01:59:38,920 --> 01:59:41,959 Speaker 1: more based on its figurehead and the image of Trudeau 2088 01:59:42,120 --> 01:59:46,640 Speaker 1: as a globalist politics as opposition to whatever Trudeaux and 2089 01:59:46,640 --> 01:59:49,400 Speaker 1: the Liberals are doing. The result of that is just 2090 01:59:49,440 --> 01:59:52,160 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of escalation, because you have to keep 2091 01:59:52,200 --> 01:59:56,120 Speaker 1: always being antagonistic and always being contrarian no matter what 2092 01:59:56,200 --> 01:59:59,760 Speaker 1: the opposition actually does. The thing is a lot of 2093 01:59:59,760 --> 02:00:02,480 Speaker 1: the people who used to just be kind of more 2094 02:00:02,520 --> 02:00:07,120 Speaker 1: general conservatives. As they get radicalized online and get caught 2095 02:00:07,200 --> 02:00:10,080 Speaker 1: up with farther right and extremest elements, most of them 2096 02:00:10,120 --> 02:00:13,400 Speaker 1: still view themselves as like the norm. They don't think 2097 02:00:13,440 --> 02:00:16,360 Speaker 1: they've politically changed the past five years, but if you 2098 02:00:16,400 --> 02:00:19,800 Speaker 1: look at their rhetoric and actions, they definitely have kind 2099 02:00:19,840 --> 02:00:23,120 Speaker 1: of substantially, But they still view themselves the same way 2100 02:00:23,160 --> 02:00:25,919 Speaker 1: they would when they were voting. Forced to even harper, 2101 02:00:26,760 --> 02:00:30,760 Speaker 1: Unless you're a self described extremist, you typically view everything 2102 02:00:30,800 --> 02:00:34,440 Speaker 1: that you do and say as normal and reasonable. Like you, 2103 02:00:34,440 --> 02:00:37,440 Speaker 1: you are the actual normal. Everyone else is shifted either 2104 02:00:37,520 --> 02:00:41,720 Speaker 1: way relative to you. During our talk, I asked investigative 2105 02:00:41,760 --> 02:00:45,640 Speaker 1: journalist Peter Smith on his opinions about what sorts of 2106 02:00:45,680 --> 02:00:49,720 Speaker 1: political and social factors have allowed the occupation and blockades 2107 02:00:50,040 --> 02:00:54,600 Speaker 1: to have enough numbers to last and continue on so long. Um. 2108 02:00:54,720 --> 02:00:57,200 Speaker 1: Kind of having spent a lot of time on the 2109 02:00:57,200 --> 02:00:59,720 Speaker 1: ground at the Ottawa convoy just talking to people as 2110 02:00:59,760 --> 02:01:03,720 Speaker 1: like as a normal guy without my press hat on. Um, 2111 02:01:03,760 --> 02:01:06,520 Speaker 1: it does seem like when there's a lot of owner 2112 02:01:06,600 --> 02:01:10,840 Speaker 1: operators there, like when it comes to the trucks themselves. Um, 2113 02:01:10,880 --> 02:01:15,560 Speaker 1: these people are the business owners um or like very close, 2114 02:01:15,640 --> 02:01:19,200 Speaker 1: like they're kind of independent contractors exactly. Um. I think 2115 02:01:19,200 --> 02:01:21,520 Speaker 1: there was a report that came out showing a survey 2116 02:01:21,560 --> 02:01:24,280 Speaker 1: that done that like roughly half of the people there 2117 02:01:25,040 --> 02:01:30,640 Speaker 1: were unemployed. UM. So like the financial promise of all 2118 02:01:30,680 --> 02:01:32,520 Speaker 1: the money raised may have been a big draw. Like 2119 02:01:32,600 --> 02:01:35,200 Speaker 1: not to say that these people don't legitimately believe the 2120 02:01:35,240 --> 02:01:40,680 Speaker 1: reasons absolutely, um, but it created an incentive. UM. But 2121 02:01:40,720 --> 02:01:44,080 Speaker 1: then having roughly half of them, you know, still having jobs, 2122 02:01:44,680 --> 02:01:46,720 Speaker 1: you know, it comes down to a little bit more 2123 02:01:46,760 --> 02:01:51,560 Speaker 1: than just money, Like it's about actual belief, actual ideology. UM. 2124 02:01:51,600 --> 02:01:53,720 Speaker 1: But it is interesting for a large amount of people 2125 02:01:53,760 --> 02:01:58,640 Speaker 1: who are extremely worried about supply lines about people having 2126 02:01:58,720 --> 02:02:02,320 Speaker 1: enough food initially um to kind of creating this self 2127 02:02:02,320 --> 02:02:06,280 Speaker 1: fulfilling prophecy where where that seems to be the main 2128 02:02:06,360 --> 02:02:08,680 Speaker 1: tactic is just to grind as much to a halt 2129 02:02:08,720 --> 02:02:12,640 Speaker 1: as they can, using as much as many people as 2130 02:02:12,680 --> 02:02:15,320 Speaker 1: they can muster. And then just the kind of general 2131 02:02:16,240 --> 02:02:19,960 Speaker 1: hands off approach that law enforcement is taking with them, 2132 02:02:20,160 --> 02:02:23,920 Speaker 1: um has allowed them to organize better, to evolve their 2133 02:02:23,960 --> 02:02:27,200 Speaker 1: tactics to be more effective. UM. Like I certainly don't 2134 02:02:27,200 --> 02:02:30,400 Speaker 1: think a policing solution is is what's going to solve this? 2135 02:02:30,520 --> 02:02:33,200 Speaker 1: And you know, there's a lot of calls for that, 2136 02:02:33,320 --> 02:02:34,720 Speaker 1: which is I think just going to result in a 2137 02:02:34,720 --> 02:02:39,680 Speaker 1: lot of people getting hurt in the street. Um. But 2138 02:02:39,680 --> 02:02:42,920 Speaker 1: but yeah, like it is interesting that how it kind 2139 02:02:42,960 --> 02:02:46,360 Speaker 1: of it came from the West mostly and then landed 2140 02:02:46,400 --> 02:02:49,160 Speaker 1: in Ottawa and then kind of spread out from there 2141 02:02:49,240 --> 02:02:53,880 Speaker 1: once people realized it was effective, once people realized, you know, 2142 02:02:53,960 --> 02:02:57,000 Speaker 1: there was there was safety in these numbers. Um, it's 2143 02:02:57,520 --> 02:03:02,200 Speaker 1: it's drawn, it's drawn so many people to it. It's 2144 02:03:02,320 --> 02:03:05,600 Speaker 1: it's honestly shock. It's it has been shocking, truly how 2145 02:03:05,680 --> 02:03:08,440 Speaker 1: quickly it is spread and how effective it has been. 2146 02:03:09,080 --> 02:03:11,360 Speaker 1: It's not January six in the sense that like people 2147 02:03:11,360 --> 02:03:14,840 Speaker 1: are running around Parliament and like trying to find you know, 2148 02:03:14,880 --> 02:03:17,280 Speaker 1: every liberal politician, but in the sense that it's a 2149 02:03:17,360 --> 02:03:21,600 Speaker 1: large amount of people motivated by conspiracy. Yeah, and that's 2150 02:03:21,640 --> 02:03:24,680 Speaker 1: where I view the parallel and because they and honestly, 2151 02:03:24,880 --> 02:03:28,640 Speaker 1: the the actual sincerity of it poses more of a 2152 02:03:28,640 --> 02:03:33,000 Speaker 1: political threat than the animosity of January six. Um, in 2153 02:03:33,080 --> 02:03:35,840 Speaker 1: terms of like long term, like actual social change and 2154 02:03:35,920 --> 02:03:39,440 Speaker 1: using this type of like occupation as a tactic, the 2155 02:03:39,480 --> 02:03:41,760 Speaker 1: more sincere you are the more of an actual political 2156 02:03:41,760 --> 02:03:43,760 Speaker 1: threat you can be in the long term, because yeah, 2157 02:03:43,920 --> 02:03:45,960 Speaker 1: if they start, if they storm Parliament, then I'll get 2158 02:03:46,000 --> 02:03:47,760 Speaker 1: shut down in a day and then they will be 2159 02:03:47,760 --> 02:03:50,600 Speaker 1: demonized and then then the problem is over, um at 2160 02:03:50,640 --> 02:03:53,080 Speaker 1: least at least in the short term. Right. Um. But 2161 02:03:53,200 --> 02:03:56,560 Speaker 1: if you actually like do this sincerely and actually get 2162 02:03:56,560 --> 02:04:01,120 Speaker 1: people to buckle under pressure, then that's like actual successful politics. 2163 02:04:01,240 --> 02:04:05,440 Speaker 1: Like that is you're you're actually doing politics objectively. Well, um, 2164 02:04:05,480 --> 02:04:09,240 Speaker 1: and that's more interesting to point out. The problem isn't protesting, 2165 02:04:09,680 --> 02:04:13,280 Speaker 1: Like protesting as a concept isn't the issue. The problem 2166 02:04:13,360 --> 02:04:16,920 Speaker 1: isn't even blockade. No, the problem is not blockades either. Yeah, 2167 02:04:17,000 --> 02:04:20,800 Speaker 1: all these things are just tactics, and tactics are value neutral. Um. 2168 02:04:20,920 --> 02:04:23,480 Speaker 1: Usually you know, it's until you can take a genocide 2169 02:04:23,480 --> 02:04:26,720 Speaker 1: when it's usually that's a kind of kind of kind 2170 02:04:26,760 --> 02:04:30,960 Speaker 1: of a downer generally. Um. But in generally I kind 2171 02:04:30,960 --> 02:04:33,960 Speaker 1: of you put protest tactics as more value neutral. It's 2172 02:04:33,960 --> 02:04:38,560 Speaker 1: about kind of what the underlying cultural motivation is and 2173 02:04:38,720 --> 02:04:42,680 Speaker 1: what they want the results to be. And even still, 2174 02:04:42,720 --> 02:04:44,520 Speaker 1: you know, some of the some of the points they 2175 02:04:44,600 --> 02:04:48,720 Speaker 1: have are not completely invalid um. But once it gets 2176 02:04:48,760 --> 02:04:51,440 Speaker 1: caught up in a cultural war kind of mindset. It's 2177 02:04:51,480 --> 02:04:53,600 Speaker 1: like you have to oppose it just because they're on 2178 02:04:53,600 --> 02:04:56,240 Speaker 1: the other side. Um So I kind of want to 2179 02:04:56,240 --> 02:04:59,960 Speaker 1: talk about like the reasons why they are actually kind 2180 02:05:00,080 --> 02:05:02,480 Speaker 1: enough bad like like for like on like a very 2181 02:05:02,520 --> 02:05:06,120 Speaker 1: sincere way, but then also kind of point out some 2182 02:05:06,160 --> 02:05:07,960 Speaker 1: things that are like yeah, maybe the scene, these are 2183 02:05:07,960 --> 02:05:10,760 Speaker 1: things we should consider and it shouldn't take this type 2184 02:05:10,760 --> 02:05:13,520 Speaker 1: of occupation to have us reconsider some of these rules 2185 02:05:13,520 --> 02:05:18,720 Speaker 1: and regulations. Yeah, like completely, Like I think there's no 2186 02:05:18,840 --> 02:05:23,320 Speaker 1: issue with having being uncomfortable with mandates, um like, even 2187 02:05:23,400 --> 02:05:25,920 Speaker 1: if you feel they're necessary, like being uncomfortable with the 2188 02:05:25,960 --> 02:05:31,640 Speaker 1: amount of state power that is being accumulated. Um. You know, 2189 02:05:31,880 --> 02:05:35,240 Speaker 1: in Canada, you know there have been sweeping changes to 2190 02:05:35,280 --> 02:05:37,000 Speaker 1: the way that we live our lives. Like I know 2191 02:05:37,080 --> 02:05:40,920 Speaker 1: that that's been universal. Um but there there is not 2192 02:05:41,000 --> 02:05:44,960 Speaker 1: a province that hasn't really suffered, like hasn't really impacted 2193 02:05:45,080 --> 02:05:49,080 Speaker 1: people's lives dealing with COVID um. And you know, this 2194 02:05:49,160 --> 02:05:51,520 Speaker 1: is this is one of the biggest issues when trying 2195 02:05:51,520 --> 02:05:57,840 Speaker 1: to point out disparate responses in policing. Um. Well, it's like, oh, 2196 02:05:57,880 --> 02:06:01,200 Speaker 1: it's like so we should treat the convoy participants like 2197 02:06:01,720 --> 02:06:04,560 Speaker 1: they treated everybody else, and it's it's like no, like like, 2198 02:06:06,760 --> 02:06:09,880 Speaker 1: you know, the the police chief of Ottawa got a 2199 02:06:09,920 --> 02:06:12,120 Speaker 1: lot of ship for saying he doesn't think there's a 2200 02:06:12,160 --> 02:06:14,960 Speaker 1: policing solution, and it's like, I do agree with the 2201 02:06:14,960 --> 02:06:18,440 Speaker 1: criticism of him, because he has attempted to kick responsibility 2202 02:06:18,480 --> 02:06:22,720 Speaker 1: to just about every other level of government available. Um, 2203 02:06:22,840 --> 02:06:26,120 Speaker 1: but dragging people out, like towing their vehicles and taking 2204 02:06:26,160 --> 02:06:28,680 Speaker 1: away their livelihood and dragging a lot of people out 2205 02:06:28,720 --> 02:06:32,160 Speaker 1: into the street and then into jail is not gonna 2206 02:06:32,440 --> 02:06:36,400 Speaker 1: resolve these issues now, and if anything, it could could 2207 02:06:36,400 --> 02:06:39,800 Speaker 1: bring more support. Like again, there was another report today 2208 02:06:39,840 --> 02:06:44,720 Speaker 1: that I think it's of people who have camped out 2209 02:06:44,840 --> 02:06:48,720 Speaker 1: have children with them, Like, you know, this is gonna 2210 02:06:48,720 --> 02:06:51,840 Speaker 1: be an incredibly traumatic experience. It's gonna help radicalize more people, 2211 02:06:51,880 --> 02:06:54,360 Speaker 1: and it's gonna lend credence to their cause if they 2212 02:06:54,400 --> 02:06:57,880 Speaker 1: just go in and bust heads. And it's like if 2213 02:06:57,920 --> 02:07:01,120 Speaker 1: the main focus of this convoy had been ento where 2214 02:07:01,120 --> 02:07:03,680 Speaker 1: we have an incredibly aggressive police force when it comes 2215 02:07:03,720 --> 02:07:07,760 Speaker 1: to like homeless encampments for instance, Um, you know, I 2216 02:07:07,800 --> 02:07:14,080 Speaker 1: think the result could have been very different. Yeah, and 2217 02:07:14,120 --> 02:07:17,600 Speaker 1: then because a lot of stuff around the question of 2218 02:07:17,640 --> 02:07:19,920 Speaker 1: governments and stuff. Yeah, it's it's the type of things 2219 02:07:19,960 --> 02:07:24,440 Speaker 1: I can agree with with like right wing libertarians, is, yeah, 2220 02:07:24,520 --> 02:07:27,760 Speaker 1: you do have a lot of points I can simplize 2221 02:07:27,760 --> 02:07:31,680 Speaker 1: with around the state and around control, but the way 2222 02:07:31,720 --> 02:07:35,040 Speaker 1: you address them don't actually address the underlying power structures 2223 02:07:35,040 --> 02:07:39,040 Speaker 1: which give the state legitimacy in the first place. Yeah. Absolutely, 2224 02:07:39,920 --> 02:07:42,240 Speaker 1: And the world that you kind of want in the 2225 02:07:42,360 --> 02:07:45,120 Speaker 1: end is still a world full of hierarchies, just hierarchies 2226 02:07:45,160 --> 02:07:49,120 Speaker 1: that make your life easier and skew and your favor 2227 02:07:49,280 --> 02:07:53,040 Speaker 1: just like asking for two unelected bodies to reoplate replace 2228 02:07:53,160 --> 02:07:57,520 Speaker 1: your democratically elected government. It's like, yeah, we had ten 2229 02:07:57,600 --> 02:08:01,960 Speaker 1: years of Stephen Harper, Like, um, people were unhappy and 2230 02:08:02,040 --> 02:08:04,840 Speaker 1: extremely critical of that government from the center and from 2231 02:08:04,840 --> 02:08:07,920 Speaker 1: the left, But you know, there wasn't this kind of 2232 02:08:08,080 --> 02:08:11,560 Speaker 1: broad support for the idea that that government was illegitimate, 2233 02:08:12,200 --> 02:08:15,000 Speaker 1: which is I think what we see mostly today, which 2234 02:08:15,040 --> 02:08:18,560 Speaker 1: is the most disturbing and kind of anti democratic part 2235 02:08:18,560 --> 02:08:20,800 Speaker 1: of the whole pot. Yeah, and that's the kind of 2236 02:08:20,800 --> 02:08:22,240 Speaker 1: on the last thing I want to talk about is like, 2237 02:08:22,320 --> 02:08:25,800 Speaker 1: what do you see like eventually people will go home 2238 02:08:26,120 --> 02:08:30,560 Speaker 1: either out of exhaustion, it'll maybe fizzle away, like like 2239 02:08:30,600 --> 02:08:34,640 Speaker 1: the protests in Portland did. Maybe they'll eventually police will 2240 02:08:34,680 --> 02:08:37,480 Speaker 1: kind of clear out small sections of like wh who knows, 2241 02:08:37,480 --> 02:08:42,120 Speaker 1: But like, this is not going knock one here, but 2242 02:08:42,200 --> 02:08:44,840 Speaker 1: this this isn't gonna last like a year, right, It's not. 2243 02:08:44,880 --> 02:08:47,240 Speaker 1: It's not gonna like that. I don't think they're gonna 2244 02:08:47,280 --> 02:08:49,200 Speaker 1: have thousands of people came out in front of the 2245 02:08:49,240 --> 02:08:53,320 Speaker 1: government forever. Um So what but what are the actual 2246 02:08:53,400 --> 02:08:56,400 Speaker 1: lumb term political ramifications of this, because we already saw 2247 02:08:56,440 --> 02:08:59,360 Speaker 1: the leader of the Conservative Party step down. Um, So 2248 02:08:59,360 --> 02:09:01,600 Speaker 1: like I want to talk but like specifically with the 2249 02:09:01,640 --> 02:09:04,360 Speaker 1: guy who's probably more most likely to take his place. 2250 02:09:04,640 --> 02:09:07,160 Speaker 1: How this just does kind of play into the more 2251 02:09:07,200 --> 02:09:10,000 Speaker 1: negative aspects of the convoy, is like how they're going 2252 02:09:10,040 --> 02:09:12,600 Speaker 1: to use this as a political symbol and a political 2253 02:09:12,640 --> 02:09:16,720 Speaker 1: tool to push for policies and forms the government and 2254 02:09:16,800 --> 02:09:20,000 Speaker 1: actions that will end up hurting a lot of of 2255 02:09:20,440 --> 02:09:23,320 Speaker 1: and will uphorting a lot of people. Um in terms 2256 02:09:23,400 --> 02:09:24,880 Speaker 1: of you know, how how it's going to be used 2257 02:09:24,880 --> 02:09:29,480 Speaker 1: in propaganda and rhetoric. Yeah, well, certainly if we have um, 2258 02:09:29,600 --> 02:09:34,720 Speaker 1: you know, strong legal ramifications put in place that make 2259 02:09:34,760 --> 02:09:38,760 Speaker 1: it easier for provinces, the federal government whatever to crackdown 2260 02:09:38,880 --> 02:09:43,280 Speaker 1: on on protests in general, which I think is something 2261 02:09:43,320 --> 02:09:46,880 Speaker 1: that might be very attractive to our card and government. Um. 2262 02:09:47,000 --> 02:09:50,240 Speaker 1: You know that's going to have obviously very far reaching effects. 2263 02:09:50,280 --> 02:09:53,360 Speaker 1: You know. One of our opposition parties, um, which is 2264 02:09:54,000 --> 02:09:56,800 Speaker 1: you know, generally further to the left than than the Liberals, 2265 02:09:56,840 --> 02:09:59,960 Speaker 1: the n d P UM, their leader was proposing ways 2266 02:10:00,080 --> 02:10:03,480 Speaker 1: to stop foreign funding from coming in to supplied to 2267 02:10:03,520 --> 02:10:07,760 Speaker 1: the protests. Um. You know, once again, we we had 2268 02:10:07,800 --> 02:10:11,360 Speaker 1: protests a couple of years ago by indigenous people and 2269 02:10:11,360 --> 02:10:16,840 Speaker 1: people who support indigenous movements. Um. You know that that 2270 02:10:17,000 --> 02:10:19,640 Speaker 1: raised money using the same platforms and the same methods. 2271 02:10:21,000 --> 02:10:22,720 Speaker 1: You know. So I worry about like one of the 2272 02:10:22,800 --> 02:10:27,360 Speaker 1: legal ramifications like to just this this idea, like if 2273 02:10:27,400 --> 02:10:29,800 Speaker 1: the government does crack down very hard, this idea of 2274 02:10:29,880 --> 02:10:32,480 Speaker 1: real grievance and alienation that the West has already been 2275 02:10:32,480 --> 02:10:35,920 Speaker 1: struggling with. Like we've had a real renewed separatist movement, 2276 02:10:36,440 --> 02:10:39,520 Speaker 1: not from Quebec um where it's generally been the most successful, 2277 02:10:39,560 --> 02:10:44,440 Speaker 1: but from the Western provinces, you know, not not really 2278 02:10:44,440 --> 02:10:48,560 Speaker 1: getting close to obtaining any real political power, but you know, 2279 02:10:48,720 --> 02:10:52,440 Speaker 1: kind of steadily gaining support, pulling a showing that, Yeah, 2280 02:10:53,080 --> 02:10:56,200 Speaker 1: there is a real feeling of Western alienation, that they 2281 02:10:56,240 --> 02:10:58,480 Speaker 1: don't feel represented, and you know a lot of the 2282 02:10:58,480 --> 02:11:05,280 Speaker 1: ways our government are set up actually makes that true. Um. Yeah. Ultimately, 2283 02:11:05,280 --> 02:11:08,920 Speaker 1: as people I think become more and more disenfranchised, Um, 2284 02:11:09,640 --> 02:11:15,800 Speaker 1: when government action begins to kind of justify imagined ideas 2285 02:11:15,800 --> 02:11:19,720 Speaker 1: of oppression, um, you're gonna have a real hardening. And 2286 02:11:19,800 --> 02:11:23,240 Speaker 1: since the government in power is a progressive one is 2287 02:11:24,080 --> 02:11:27,040 Speaker 1: or at least one that espouses you know, tries tries 2288 02:11:27,080 --> 02:11:30,400 Speaker 1: to reach for progressive values, you know, there's a good 2289 02:11:30,480 --> 02:11:32,760 Speaker 1: chance that those issues are gonna get caught up with 2290 02:11:33,480 --> 02:11:37,280 Speaker 1: what is just like a quote unquote leftist agenda, Whereas 2291 02:11:37,360 --> 02:11:40,840 Speaker 1: up until probably a decade ago, those things were very 2292 02:11:40,920 --> 02:11:44,320 Speaker 1: much seen as kind of inherent Canadian values that were 2293 02:11:44,360 --> 02:11:49,640 Speaker 1: embraced by both sides. Um. The current candidate for leadership, 2294 02:11:49,640 --> 02:11:52,640 Speaker 1: he hasn't been he hasn't won the seat in the 2295 02:11:52,640 --> 02:11:55,800 Speaker 1: the Conservative Party yet, but Pierre Pouliver has kind of 2296 02:11:55,840 --> 02:12:01,400 Speaker 1: always flirted to some degree with far right talking points 2297 02:12:01,400 --> 02:12:04,400 Speaker 1: like I don't I I specialize in hey groups, I 2298 02:12:04,400 --> 02:12:08,320 Speaker 1: don't want to make too many pronouncements about mainstream conservatism. Um. 2299 02:12:08,400 --> 02:12:11,080 Speaker 1: But even by kind of members of the very far 2300 02:12:11,200 --> 02:12:14,120 Speaker 1: right who often have turned against the Conservative Party over 2301 02:12:14,120 --> 02:12:16,880 Speaker 1: the course of the pandemic. He's often referred to as 2302 02:12:16,880 --> 02:12:21,720 Speaker 1: the adult in the room. Um. And while still a politician, 2303 02:12:22,520 --> 02:12:25,480 Speaker 1: kind of their best bet for getting someone in office 2304 02:12:25,480 --> 02:12:28,600 Speaker 1: that they would actually like to see in power. Um, 2305 02:12:28,600 --> 02:12:30,880 Speaker 1: which could I mean could be interesting to see how 2306 02:12:30,920 --> 02:12:35,120 Speaker 1: they if they will be continued support for the PPC 2307 02:12:35,280 --> 02:12:39,920 Speaker 1: and two to four years um. But yeah, I just 2308 02:12:39,960 --> 02:12:42,920 Speaker 1: think there there is a real hardening of the right. 2309 02:12:42,960 --> 02:12:46,560 Speaker 1: And it's not like the Overton window is shifting. It's 2310 02:12:46,600 --> 02:12:49,360 Speaker 1: just like it's getting wider, like more and more is 2311 02:12:49,400 --> 02:12:52,280 Speaker 1: being incorporated, as opposed to be just going in one 2312 02:12:52,320 --> 02:12:57,160 Speaker 1: direction or another. That disenfranchisement is a driving factor. Like 2313 02:12:57,200 --> 02:13:00,839 Speaker 1: they view this populist kind of uprising or up swelling 2314 02:13:01,960 --> 02:13:05,600 Speaker 1: um that they're seeing now as a function of democracy 2315 02:13:05,680 --> 02:13:08,879 Speaker 1: or like part of how democracy is supposed to function. 2316 02:13:09,560 --> 02:13:11,480 Speaker 1: So again, like if if you talk to them, they 2317 02:13:11,520 --> 02:13:14,480 Speaker 1: will quite earnestly say many of them anyway, we'll quite 2318 02:13:14,480 --> 02:13:16,760 Speaker 1: earnestly say it like this is about freedom, is about 2319 02:13:16,760 --> 02:13:20,920 Speaker 1: having my voice heard. Yeah, but without a lot of 2320 02:13:21,600 --> 02:13:26,520 Speaker 1: thought about how that will actually functioned in a broader scale. 2321 02:13:27,240 --> 02:13:29,560 Speaker 1: I mean that just plays into like alienation as like 2322 02:13:29,560 --> 02:13:33,200 Speaker 1: a general concepts, right, Like we're so disconnected from everything 2323 02:13:33,240 --> 02:13:36,240 Speaker 1: about our lives, disconnected from you know, the way we work, 2324 02:13:37,080 --> 02:13:40,320 Speaker 1: disconnected from our interactions with other people, between, disconnected from 2325 02:13:40,360 --> 02:13:42,840 Speaker 1: like you know, money, our food, you know, it's all 2326 02:13:42,840 --> 02:13:45,560 Speaker 1: the stuff, and like disconnected from politics. Is that the 2327 02:13:45,600 --> 02:13:48,400 Speaker 1: only way that you can actually something that feels real, 2328 02:13:48,840 --> 02:13:51,400 Speaker 1: the only thing that actually feels like reality, is going 2329 02:13:51,440 --> 02:13:53,760 Speaker 1: to do this thing in person because everything else is 2330 02:13:53,800 --> 02:13:57,920 Speaker 1: so disjointed. Um, it's the there is so much of 2331 02:13:58,000 --> 02:14:01,400 Speaker 1: that space in between the phenomenon and the actual thing 2332 02:14:02,080 --> 02:14:05,320 Speaker 1: that is. It leaves you wanting something which you don't 2333 02:14:05,320 --> 02:14:07,240 Speaker 1: know quite what. So yeah, you're going to drive to 2334 02:14:07,240 --> 02:14:09,480 Speaker 1: Ottawa because that feels so much more real. That feels 2335 02:14:09,480 --> 02:14:11,800 Speaker 1: like actual politics, and it kind of it is like 2336 02:14:12,160 --> 02:14:14,560 Speaker 1: that's like that's that's that's always when it feels like 2337 02:14:14,600 --> 02:14:17,080 Speaker 1: when you're when you're like when you're when you're protesting, 2338 02:14:17,080 --> 02:14:20,320 Speaker 1: it's like, yeah, I'm actually doing politics now, because that's 2339 02:14:20,360 --> 02:14:23,320 Speaker 1: how everything gets set up is by that type of 2340 02:14:23,360 --> 02:14:26,400 Speaker 1: like you know, getting people on the ground, and it's 2341 02:14:26,480 --> 02:14:29,160 Speaker 1: it's such a more personal way to engage than you know, 2342 02:14:29,240 --> 02:14:32,840 Speaker 1: putting a no into a box every two to four years, 2343 02:14:32,920 --> 02:14:35,800 Speaker 1: like yeah, I I imagine it does feel substantive. And 2344 02:14:35,920 --> 02:14:39,400 Speaker 1: then I mean voting power is centered in our urban 2345 02:14:39,440 --> 02:14:42,280 Speaker 1: centers as well, so there is there is a real 2346 02:14:42,360 --> 02:14:47,480 Speaker 1: disconnect with the representation that that rural people again Western 2347 02:14:47,720 --> 02:14:51,840 Speaker 1: the Western provinces received. I now want to specifically talk 2348 02:14:51,840 --> 02:14:55,360 Speaker 1: about police response and the way needs this occupation and 2349 02:14:55,440 --> 02:14:59,720 Speaker 1: blockades being handled will affect the political organizing in the future. 2350 02:15:00,480 --> 02:15:03,480 Speaker 1: I think initially the majority of police concerns and what 2351 02:15:03,560 --> 02:15:07,000 Speaker 1: they were actually focused on responding to was fears around 2352 02:15:07,040 --> 02:15:10,600 Speaker 1: the convoy storming Parliament or if the convoys were going 2353 02:15:10,680 --> 02:15:14,120 Speaker 1: to do something exceedingly violent, which I don't think was 2354 02:15:14,160 --> 02:15:18,440 Speaker 1: necessarily the convoy's actionable objective from the beginning, if you 2355 02:15:18,520 --> 02:15:20,720 Speaker 1: listen to what they were actually saying, it will it 2356 02:15:20,880 --> 02:15:23,680 Speaker 1: was more about choking out the city and applying pressure 2357 02:15:23,680 --> 02:15:27,160 Speaker 1: on government officials. But the initial non violence, coupled with 2358 02:15:27,240 --> 02:15:30,400 Speaker 1: the shield of being conservative, white and middle class whom 2359 02:15:30,480 --> 02:15:32,360 Speaker 1: you know, the police are less likely to react as 2360 02:15:32,400 --> 02:15:36,120 Speaker 1: brutally to allowed time for the infrastructure to rise. That 2361 02:15:36,200 --> 02:15:39,240 Speaker 1: let the protests turn into a full scale occupation of 2362 02:15:39,240 --> 02:15:43,320 Speaker 1: a North American city. The first real action police took 2363 02:15:43,360 --> 02:15:47,440 Speaker 1: against the occupation was on the evening of Sunday, February six, 2364 02:15:48,160 --> 02:15:51,840 Speaker 1: demonstrators were gathering for dinner than dozens of officers in 2365 02:15:51,960 --> 02:15:56,040 Speaker 1: riot gear carrying munitions launchers raided a camp after footage 2366 02:15:56,040 --> 02:16:00,240 Speaker 1: of stockpiles and gas cans went viral days previous, in 2367 02:16:00,240 --> 02:16:03,080 Speaker 1: an attempt to cut the supply route. Police say they 2368 02:16:03,120 --> 02:16:06,640 Speaker 1: seized around three thousand and seven hundred liters of fuel 2369 02:16:07,080 --> 02:16:11,000 Speaker 1: and two vehicles, including a diesel tank, but within hours 2370 02:16:11,040 --> 02:16:14,280 Speaker 1: of the raid, protesters from the camp broadcast reassurance to 2371 02:16:14,320 --> 02:16:18,760 Speaker 1: their supporters and continue to organize just goodalizing smarter tactics. 2372 02:16:19,560 --> 02:16:23,080 Speaker 1: The day after the police raid, protesters continued to deliver 2373 02:16:23,120 --> 02:16:26,840 Speaker 1: fuel to downtown truckers as they executed a coordinated effort 2374 02:16:26,880 --> 02:16:31,480 Speaker 1: to exhaust police resources. Hundreds of demonstrators carried fuel cans, 2375 02:16:31,520 --> 02:16:35,039 Speaker 1: some empty, some not, just right past officers who mostly 2376 02:16:35,200 --> 02:16:38,480 Speaker 1: stood watched as hundreds of people trolled them with decoy 2377 02:16:38,600 --> 02:16:42,680 Speaker 1: cans while others smuggled in more fuel within the safety 2378 02:16:42,720 --> 02:16:45,240 Speaker 1: of the large crowd right in the middle of the day. 2379 02:16:45,680 --> 02:16:49,760 Speaker 1: Ottawa Police Deputy Chief Steve Bell said the demonstrators were 2380 02:16:49,800 --> 02:16:53,480 Speaker 1: filling cast cans with water to distract officers attempting to 2381 02:16:53,520 --> 02:16:56,760 Speaker 1: subvert their efforts, and that one officer was swarmed by 2382 02:16:56,800 --> 02:17:00,840 Speaker 1: the crowd while trying to confiscate fuel. To date, police 2383 02:17:00,879 --> 02:17:04,240 Speaker 1: have made around thirty arrests and issued thousands of tickets, 2384 02:17:04,640 --> 02:17:08,480 Speaker 1: launched more than eighty criminal investigations, and four hundred plus 2385 02:17:08,520 --> 02:17:12,680 Speaker 1: hate incidents are also being investigated. Earlier this week, Peter 2386 02:17:12,800 --> 02:17:15,400 Speaker 1: slowly said that the force would turn up the heat 2387 02:17:15,480 --> 02:17:18,120 Speaker 1: as the police started to crack down on anyone bringing 2388 02:17:18,160 --> 02:17:22,320 Speaker 1: material aid such as fuel to protesters. Police is mentled 2389 02:17:22,360 --> 02:17:26,120 Speaker 1: a protest camp near the Redeau Canal downtown and a 2390 02:17:26,160 --> 02:17:29,280 Speaker 1: fuel operation on the Coventry Road east of the Core, 2391 02:17:29,879 --> 02:17:33,760 Speaker 1: but some trucks and demonstrators continued to occupy downtown streets 2392 02:17:34,720 --> 02:17:38,760 Speaker 1: and the staging area on Coventry. Police say that they 2393 02:17:38,800 --> 02:17:43,160 Speaker 1: need an additional eighteen hundred more reinforcements from federal and 2394 02:17:43,200 --> 02:17:47,560 Speaker 1: provincial governments to help end the crisis. The entire Ottawa 2395 02:17:47,560 --> 02:17:50,959 Speaker 1: Police Force numbers only twelve hundred, but it's been supplemented 2396 02:17:51,040 --> 02:17:54,560 Speaker 1: with several hundred officers from the Ontario Provisional Police and 2397 02:17:54,640 --> 02:17:57,880 Speaker 1: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as well as local police 2398 02:17:57,879 --> 02:18:02,440 Speaker 1: forces elsewhere in Ontario over the past few weeks. Near 2399 02:18:02,480 --> 02:18:05,600 Speaker 1: the end of the second week of occupation, dug Ford, 2400 02:18:05,680 --> 02:18:08,920 Speaker 1: the Premier of Ontario, declared a state of emergency for 2401 02:18:09,000 --> 02:18:12,760 Speaker 1: the entire province, warning protesters demanding an end to pandemic 2402 02:18:12,800 --> 02:18:15,560 Speaker 1: restrictions that if they do not disband, there will be 2403 02:18:15,640 --> 02:18:19,120 Speaker 1: consequences and they will be severe. He said that those 2404 02:18:19,160 --> 02:18:21,840 Speaker 1: who continue to impede the movement of people and goods 2405 02:18:21,920 --> 02:18:25,000 Speaker 1: could face fines of up to one hundred thousand Canadian dollars, 2406 02:18:25,160 --> 02:18:28,080 Speaker 1: up to a year in prison, and the revocation of 2407 02:18:28,120 --> 02:18:32,279 Speaker 1: their driver's license. During the cold morning of Sunday, February, 2408 02:18:33,440 --> 02:18:36,800 Speaker 1: police largely cleared the portion of the self styled freedom 2409 02:18:36,760 --> 02:18:40,760 Speaker 1: of Convoy blocking the Ambassador Bridge US Canada border crossing 2410 02:18:41,160 --> 02:18:45,680 Speaker 1: on the road between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit. The clearing 2411 02:18:45,720 --> 02:18:49,840 Speaker 1: marked a week since the border blockade had begun. Police 2412 02:18:50,000 --> 02:18:52,879 Speaker 1: made several arrests and towed vehicles in connection to the 2413 02:18:52,920 --> 02:18:56,000 Speaker 1: demonstration that had disrupted traffic and the flow of goods. 2414 02:18:56,480 --> 02:18:59,959 Speaker 1: After law enforcement enforced the injunction enacted two days prior or, 2415 02:19:00,040 --> 02:19:04,000 Speaker 1: ring truckers and our supporters to leave anticketed and towed vehicles. 2416 02:19:04,040 --> 02:19:07,320 Speaker 1: A defined core of some two dozen protesters had remained 2417 02:19:07,360 --> 02:19:11,440 Speaker 1: on foot as temperatures dropped below freezing, but around nine 2418 02:19:11,480 --> 02:19:14,240 Speaker 1: thirty local time, police had mostly cleared the streets to 2419 02:19:14,280 --> 02:19:18,800 Speaker 1: the bridge and were deployed around the area. It was unclear, however, 2420 02:19:18,959 --> 02:19:21,800 Speaker 1: how large police presidents would remain to prevent vehicles and 2421 02:19:21,840 --> 02:19:25,840 Speaker 1: demonstrators from returning there. Meanwhile, in the capital of Ottawa, 2422 02:19:26,000 --> 02:19:29,000 Speaker 1: police grappled with an influx of anti government and anti 2423 02:19:29,120 --> 02:19:33,320 Speaker 1: vaccine mandate demonstrators for a third straight weekend. Despite both 2424 02:19:33,400 --> 02:19:37,680 Speaker 1: local and provincial officials declaring states of emergency, law enforcement 2425 02:19:37,720 --> 02:19:40,720 Speaker 1: appeared to be unsuccessful in attempts to get the Freedom 2426 02:19:40,760 --> 02:19:45,080 Speaker 1: Convoy protesters to leave by threatening them with fines, prison time, 2427 02:19:45,360 --> 02:19:48,200 Speaker 1: and loss of their licenses. Police have not made any 2428 02:19:48,280 --> 02:19:51,200 Speaker 1: large effort to asrupt to the convoys in Ottawa, similar 2429 02:19:51,240 --> 02:19:55,400 Speaker 1: to what they did on Sunday in Windsor, Ontario. Ottawa 2430 02:19:55,400 --> 02:19:58,400 Speaker 1: police say that over four thousand demonstrators were in this 2431 02:19:58,480 --> 02:20:03,680 Speaker 1: city throughout the day. However, on Monday, February fourteenth, police 2432 02:20:03,800 --> 02:20:06,880 Speaker 1: action was taken against the blockade at the Coots border 2433 02:20:06,920 --> 02:20:10,240 Speaker 1: crossing that had shut down cross border travel. For almost 2434 02:20:10,280 --> 02:20:13,400 Speaker 1: three weeks. The RCNP said in a press release early 2435 02:20:13,440 --> 02:20:16,040 Speaker 1: Monday morning that they became aware of a small organized 2436 02:20:16,040 --> 02:20:19,160 Speaker 1: group within the larger protest at Coots, which led to 2437 02:20:19,280 --> 02:20:22,400 Speaker 1: eleven arrests. They say that they hit information that the 2438 02:20:22,440 --> 02:20:25,600 Speaker 1: group had access to a cash of firearms and ammunition 2439 02:20:25,680 --> 02:20:30,400 Speaker 1: in three trailers. During the raid, officers seized long guns, handguns, 2440 02:20:30,480 --> 02:20:33,520 Speaker 1: multiple sets of body armor, a machete, and a large 2441 02:20:33,560 --> 02:20:39,039 Speaker 1: commantity of ammunition and some high capacity magazines. Later that day, 2442 02:20:39,080 --> 02:20:42,040 Speaker 1: to other arrests were made in connection to the blockade. 2443 02:20:42,760 --> 02:20:46,200 Speaker 1: Following the police raid and the thirteen arrests, some other 2444 02:20:46,280 --> 02:20:49,519 Speaker 1: organizers of the protest said a decision was reached voluntarily 2445 02:20:49,640 --> 02:20:53,800 Speaker 1: to leave the Coots area. Around Tuesday morning. The organizers 2446 02:20:53,840 --> 02:20:56,879 Speaker 1: made a statement saying, quote, we were infiltrated by an 2447 02:20:56,879 --> 02:21:00,200 Speaker 1: extreme element. Our objective was to be here piece really 2448 02:21:00,640 --> 02:21:03,160 Speaker 1: to keep that message going. We want to peacefully leave 2449 02:21:03,240 --> 02:21:08,920 Speaker 1: Coots and return to our families. As of Tuesday, both 2450 02:21:09,080 --> 02:21:12,160 Speaker 1: the border crossing at the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit and 2451 02:21:12,240 --> 02:21:15,440 Speaker 1: the Coot Sport of entry to Montana are open once again, 2452 02:21:16,000 --> 02:21:19,680 Speaker 1: as the border opened back up in Coots. The previous blockade, 2453 02:21:19,680 --> 02:21:25,920 Speaker 1: protesters and police embraced each other with hugs and handshakes. Meanwhile, 2454 02:21:25,959 --> 02:21:30,280 Speaker 1: on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergency's Act 2455 02:21:30,320 --> 02:21:33,080 Speaker 1: for the first time in Canadian history to give the 2456 02:21:33,120 --> 02:21:37,439 Speaker 1: federal government and police extra powers to handle the ongoing 2457 02:21:37,520 --> 02:21:42,359 Speaker 1: blockades and protests against pandemic restrictions. Here's how the measures 2458 02:21:42,480 --> 02:21:46,240 Speaker 1: were taking today will help get the situation under control. 2459 02:21:47,400 --> 02:21:51,240 Speaker 1: The police will be given more tools to restore order 2460 02:21:51,280 --> 02:21:56,360 Speaker 1: in places where public assemblies can constitute illegal and dangerous activities, 2461 02:21:56,600 --> 02:22:00,480 Speaker 1: such as blockades and occupations as seen in Ottawa, the 2462 02:22:00,520 --> 02:22:06,879 Speaker 1: Ambassador Bridge and elsewhere. These tools include strengthening their ability 2463 02:22:06,959 --> 02:22:13,720 Speaker 1: to impose fines or imprisonment. The government will designate secure 2464 02:22:13,840 --> 02:22:17,840 Speaker 1: and protect places and infrastructure that are critical to our 2465 02:22:17,879 --> 02:22:24,280 Speaker 1: economy and people's jobs, including border crossings and airports. We 2466 02:22:24,440 --> 02:22:31,000 Speaker 1: cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue. 2467 02:22:32,280 --> 02:22:35,840 Speaker 1: The Emergencies Act will also allow the government to make 2468 02:22:35,840 --> 02:22:39,760 Speaker 1: sure essential services are rendered, for example, in order to 2469 02:22:39,760 --> 02:22:46,640 Speaker 1: tow vehicles blocking roads. In addition, financial institutions will be 2470 02:22:46,720 --> 02:22:51,680 Speaker 1: authorized or directed to render essential services to help address 2471 02:22:51,760 --> 02:22:56,320 Speaker 1: the situation, including by regulating and prohibiting the use of 2472 02:22:56,400 --> 02:23:03,360 Speaker 1: property to fund or support illegal blockades. Finally, will enable 2473 02:23:03,520 --> 02:23:08,439 Speaker 1: the RCMP to enforce municipal by laws and provincial offenses 2474 02:23:09,120 --> 02:23:15,640 Speaker 1: were required. This is what the Emergencies Act does. The 2475 02:23:15,680 --> 02:23:19,200 Speaker 1: Emergencies Act, which replaced the War Measures Act in the 2476 02:23:19,320 --> 02:23:23,920 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties, defines a national emergency as a temporary, urgent, 2477 02:23:24,040 --> 02:23:28,160 Speaker 1: and critical situation that seriously endangers the lives, health, or 2478 02:23:28,240 --> 02:23:31,840 Speaker 1: safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature 2479 02:23:32,160 --> 02:23:35,800 Speaker 1: as to extend the capacity of authority of a province 2480 02:23:35,879 --> 02:23:39,720 Speaker 1: to deal with it. The unprecedented deployment of the Emergencies 2481 02:23:39,720 --> 02:23:43,039 Speaker 1: Act gives police quote more tools to restore order in 2482 02:23:43,080 --> 02:23:46,600 Speaker 1: places where public assembly is constitute illegal and dangerous activities, 2483 02:23:46,760 --> 02:23:51,240 Speaker 1: such as blockades and occupations. According to Trudeau, but the 2484 02:23:51,320 --> 02:23:54,760 Speaker 1: thing is police already had all the tools they needed. 2485 02:23:55,040 --> 02:23:58,480 Speaker 1: The illegal occupations and blockades were already illegal, They just 2486 02:23:58,520 --> 02:24:01,560 Speaker 1: didn't want to enforce it. You can look at how 2487 02:24:01,720 --> 02:24:05,080 Speaker 1: the coots, protesters and the police are hugging right. This 2488 02:24:05,160 --> 02:24:08,200 Speaker 1: isn't a matter of having not enough tools. All this 2489 02:24:08,320 --> 02:24:11,880 Speaker 1: does is set a terrible precedent for using this type 2490 02:24:11,879 --> 02:24:14,880 Speaker 1: of extra power in the future to respond to protests. 2491 02:24:15,080 --> 02:24:17,680 Speaker 1: Because the cops are still going to take a very 2492 02:24:17,720 --> 02:24:20,600 Speaker 1: gentle approach if they ever are forced to take physical 2493 02:24:20,640 --> 02:24:24,600 Speaker 1: action against the Ottawa occupation while using the extra powers 2494 02:24:24,680 --> 02:24:28,160 Speaker 1: of the Emergencies Act. The Finance Minister of Canada also 2495 02:24:28,200 --> 02:24:31,959 Speaker 1: announced on Monday a broadening of the laws regarding financing 2496 02:24:32,040 --> 02:24:37,039 Speaker 1: of crime and terrorism to now include crowdfunding and also 2497 02:24:37,160 --> 02:24:40,320 Speaker 1: extra surveillance measures against people who donate and use crowd 2498 02:24:40,320 --> 02:24:45,280 Speaker 1: funds for criminal acts, including legal protests. As part of 2499 02:24:45,320 --> 02:24:52,120 Speaker 1: invoking the Emergencies Act, we are announcing the following immediate actions. First, 2500 02:24:52,640 --> 02:24:56,040 Speaker 1: we are broadening the scope of Canada's anti money laudering, 2501 02:24:56,200 --> 02:25:01,839 Speaker 1: laundering and terrorist financing rules so that they cover crowdfunding 2502 02:25:01,959 --> 02:25:07,640 Speaker 1: platforms and the payment service providers they use. These changes 2503 02:25:07,720 --> 02:25:14,920 Speaker 1: cover all forms of transactions, including digital assets such as cryptocurrencies. 2504 02:25:16,120 --> 02:25:20,800 Speaker 1: The illegal blockades have highlighted the fact that crowdfunding platforms 2505 02:25:21,400 --> 02:25:25,280 Speaker 1: and some of the payment service providers they use are 2506 02:25:25,400 --> 02:25:29,480 Speaker 1: not fully captured under the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist 2507 02:25:29,520 --> 02:25:35,240 Speaker 1: Financing Act. Our banks and financial institutions are already obligated 2508 02:25:35,360 --> 02:25:39,960 Speaker 1: to report to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center 2509 02:25:40,120 --> 02:25:47,039 Speaker 1: of Canada or FINTRACK. As of today, all crowdfunding platforms 2510 02:25:47,520 --> 02:25:52,600 Speaker 1: and the payment service providers they use must register with fintrack, 2511 02:25:53,360 --> 02:25:59,080 Speaker 1: and they must report large and suspicious transactions to fintrack 2512 02:26:00,320 --> 02:26:04,679 Speaker 1: h This will help mitigate the risk that these platforms 2513 02:26:04,840 --> 02:26:10,880 Speaker 1: receive illicit funds, increase the quality and quantity of intelligence 2514 02:26:10,959 --> 02:26:16,560 Speaker 1: received by fintrack, and make more information available to support 2515 02:26:16,640 --> 02:26:22,760 Speaker 1: investigations by law enforcement into these illegal blockades. That's kind 2516 02:26:22,800 --> 02:26:25,440 Speaker 1: of all the information I have at the time of recording. 2517 02:26:25,680 --> 02:26:28,280 Speaker 1: So now I'm going to talk more about the potential 2518 02:26:28,360 --> 02:26:31,720 Speaker 1: political effects that this protest could have, not just on Canada, 2519 02:26:32,120 --> 02:26:35,680 Speaker 1: but also in how we view protest in general. So 2520 02:26:36,160 --> 02:26:39,440 Speaker 1: the actual result of liberal media framing this type of 2521 02:26:39,480 --> 02:26:44,560 Speaker 1: protest as scary terrorism is laying the groundwork for brutal 2522 02:26:44,640 --> 02:26:49,360 Speaker 1: police actions against massive, mostly non violent, and tactically smart 2523 02:26:49,400 --> 02:26:54,680 Speaker 1: protests to be more normalized across Canada, and extremely brutal 2524 02:26:54,720 --> 02:26:58,200 Speaker 1: police response and harsh charges are unlikely to be leveled 2525 02:26:58,240 --> 02:27:01,800 Speaker 1: against a protest made up of these conservatives, but will 2526 02:27:01,840 --> 02:27:06,279 Speaker 1: absolutely happen to any future progressive social justice cause, especially 2527 02:27:06,280 --> 02:27:10,440 Speaker 1: if they use occupy style tactics. The more powers police 2528 02:27:10,480 --> 02:27:13,440 Speaker 1: obtain and the legal precedents that are set well of 2529 02:27:13,600 --> 02:27:17,360 Speaker 1: long lasting implications with legal consequences that will always come 2530 02:27:17,360 --> 02:27:19,840 Speaker 1: down harder on the left than they do on the right. 2531 02:27:20,480 --> 02:27:24,120 Speaker 1: Police will do a bare minimum to resolve this conservative 2532 02:27:24,240 --> 02:27:27,640 Speaker 1: so called freedom protest, but then we'll use it as 2533 02:27:27,640 --> 02:27:31,600 Speaker 1: a justification to grab greater resources and power and use 2534 02:27:31,680 --> 02:27:36,640 Speaker 1: this movement to justify severe preventative protest suppression in the future. 2535 02:27:37,520 --> 02:27:41,359 Speaker 1: If liberals can widely celebrate and thirst for harsh crackdowns 2536 02:27:41,360 --> 02:27:44,920 Speaker 1: of a protest made up of white conservatives and their families, 2537 02:27:45,280 --> 02:27:48,800 Speaker 1: calling the entire movement a criminal enterprise, and cheering on 2538 02:27:48,840 --> 02:27:52,120 Speaker 1: as police steal property of the protesters despite what the 2539 02:27:52,120 --> 02:27:55,039 Speaker 1: majority of these protesters are doing, just being kind of 2540 02:27:55,080 --> 02:27:57,640 Speaker 1: camping onside of a street. Think of all of the 2541 02:27:57,680 --> 02:28:00,720 Speaker 1: ways that consent it can be manufactured to clamped down 2542 02:28:00,720 --> 02:28:04,640 Speaker 1: on any future large scale protest, especially when the movement 2543 02:28:05,160 --> 02:28:07,440 Speaker 1: isn't made up of a bunch of regular white people 2544 02:28:07,520 --> 02:28:10,720 Speaker 1: and their kids, and instead of actually challenges the underlying 2545 02:28:10,760 --> 02:28:13,880 Speaker 1: power structures that prop up white Canada, instead of just 2546 02:28:13,959 --> 02:28:17,520 Speaker 1: reinforcing it like the Convoy does. I have a similar 2547 02:28:17,560 --> 02:28:20,800 Speaker 1: issue around all of the hubbub around the fundraisers right. 2548 02:28:21,360 --> 02:28:25,720 Speaker 1: Restricting where crowdfunded resources can come from will only result 2549 02:28:25,800 --> 02:28:30,080 Speaker 1: in future political social justice causes to be negatively impacted, 2550 02:28:30,360 --> 02:28:33,760 Speaker 1: whether that be bail funds or supporting indigenous blockades from 2551 02:28:33,760 --> 02:28:37,840 Speaker 1: out of country. On February ten, the Canadian federal government 2552 02:28:37,840 --> 02:28:42,119 Speaker 1: effectively shut down the Freedom Convoys Gives end Go fundraiser, 2553 02:28:42,440 --> 02:28:44,600 Speaker 1: making it illegal for the funds to be used in 2554 02:28:44,640 --> 02:28:48,359 Speaker 1: any way. Government's setting the precedent for shutting down protest 2555 02:28:48,400 --> 02:28:51,920 Speaker 1: crowdfunding is not a good thing now. Any future of 2556 02:28:52,000 --> 02:28:55,279 Speaker 1: protest bail funds and crowdfunding for the set In blockade 2557 02:28:55,400 --> 02:28:58,879 Speaker 1: will always be in jeopardy, and by no means saying 2558 02:28:58,920 --> 02:29:03,039 Speaker 1: that action against a generally hateful, anti democratic, and dangerously 2559 02:29:03,120 --> 02:29:08,280 Speaker 1: conspiratorial protest isn't justified, but just when governments start using 2560 02:29:08,280 --> 02:29:12,480 Speaker 1: it as reasons for more power and creating new precedents 2561 02:29:12,560 --> 02:29:15,720 Speaker 1: for years in jail and hundreds of thousands of dollars 2562 02:29:15,720 --> 02:29:19,440 Speaker 1: and fines for an occupation. Protest like that shouldn't be 2563 02:29:19,520 --> 02:29:22,320 Speaker 1: cheered on because those things will only come back to 2564 02:29:22,400 --> 02:29:25,320 Speaker 1: bite progressive causes a lot harder than they will be 2565 02:29:25,440 --> 02:29:30,240 Speaker 1: used against the conservative convoyers. There has increasingly been attempts 2566 02:29:30,240 --> 02:29:34,040 Speaker 1: at counter protesting the Ottawa Convoy and the various Convoy 2567 02:29:34,080 --> 02:29:37,520 Speaker 1: inspired protests around the country. Many of which faced harsher 2568 02:29:37,520 --> 02:29:40,440 Speaker 1: police response than any of the convert protests have up 2569 02:29:40,520 --> 02:29:45,360 Speaker 1: until this point, but those community led counterprotesting efforts are vital. 2570 02:29:45,840 --> 02:29:49,959 Speaker 1: The ram Ranch resistance actions are still ongoing. On Sunday night, 2571 02:29:50,080 --> 02:29:52,519 Speaker 1: the u r L for the Gifts Send Go fundraiser 2572 02:29:52,800 --> 02:29:55,520 Speaker 1: was hacked by activists who redirected the page to a 2573 02:29:55,640 --> 02:29:59,039 Speaker 1: video of the frozen song let It Go, accompanying a 2574 02:29:59,080 --> 02:30:03,360 Speaker 1: manifesto condemning the fundraiser and the Convoy. And that's great, 2575 02:30:03,400 --> 02:30:06,600 Speaker 1: and that is wonderful counter protesting. That is very in 2576 02:30:06,680 --> 02:30:09,840 Speaker 1: terms of effective ways to shut down fundraising efforts for 2577 02:30:10,360 --> 02:30:15,960 Speaker 1: basically pseudo fascist you know, anti anti democratic conspiracy lad movement. 2578 02:30:16,800 --> 02:30:19,720 Speaker 1: That's great, right, And this was hours after it was 2579 02:30:19,760 --> 02:30:23,080 Speaker 1: officially confirmed to via data leaks that around fifty percent 2580 02:30:23,240 --> 02:30:26,040 Speaker 1: of gibsend Go donations for the Convoy came from the 2581 02:30:26,120 --> 02:30:30,279 Speaker 1: United States, around came from Canada, and then two percent 2582 02:30:30,400 --> 02:30:33,400 Speaker 1: came from the UK. Although I think it's worth mentioning 2583 02:30:33,480 --> 02:30:36,200 Speaker 1: that for the initial ten million dollar go fund me, 2584 02:30:36,760 --> 02:30:40,080 Speaker 1: we only have confirmation that around thirty three thou dollars 2585 02:30:40,120 --> 02:30:43,680 Speaker 1: came from the United States. To understand how the Convoy 2586 02:30:43,720 --> 02:30:47,440 Speaker 1: flash blockade is working. It's useful to get away from 2587 02:30:47,560 --> 02:30:52,480 Speaker 1: painting all the participants themselves as extremists, because the fact 2588 02:30:52,560 --> 02:30:55,840 Speaker 1: that regular Canadian right wingers are what's making this possible 2589 02:30:56,200 --> 02:30:58,879 Speaker 1: has a whole bunch of other implications that people aren't 2590 02:30:58,879 --> 02:31:02,160 Speaker 1: really talking about. I'm seeing a lot of Canadians who 2591 02:31:02,160 --> 02:31:05,359 Speaker 1: are just really upset about how the convoys affecting cities 2592 02:31:05,600 --> 02:31:08,720 Speaker 1: and the country as a whole, which, you know, reasonable, 2593 02:31:08,840 --> 02:31:11,280 Speaker 1: I am, it is a thing to be upset about. 2594 02:31:11,560 --> 02:31:14,840 Speaker 1: But then just jumping to insist that it must be inorganic, 2595 02:31:15,240 --> 02:31:18,840 Speaker 1: I think is kind of faulty. Focusing instead on theories 2596 02:31:18,879 --> 02:31:23,080 Speaker 1: around foreign influences and ashtarf organizing elements of which have 2597 02:31:23,240 --> 02:31:26,480 Speaker 1: been present, sure, but also the impact in which is 2598 02:31:26,520 --> 02:31:29,160 Speaker 1: I think kind of been overblown. But even if those 2599 02:31:29,200 --> 02:31:33,600 Speaker 1: things are completely true and major factors, that still overlooks 2600 02:31:33,600 --> 02:31:36,840 Speaker 1: the fact that there are thousands of real Canadians from 2601 02:31:36,840 --> 02:31:40,560 Speaker 1: around the country camped up in Ottawa, and the majority 2602 02:31:40,600 --> 02:31:43,560 Speaker 1: of those Canadians sitting in the streets are not Nazis 2603 02:31:43,720 --> 02:31:47,120 Speaker 1: right or really even extremists, and most of those people 2604 02:31:47,200 --> 02:31:51,320 Speaker 1: are not receiving personal funding from dark money billionaires. They 2605 02:31:51,360 --> 02:31:56,080 Speaker 1: consider themselves regular, working class, freedom loving Canadians. It's much 2606 02:31:56,120 --> 02:32:00,120 Speaker 1: harder to reconcile a homegrown movement full of participants that 2607 02:32:00,160 --> 02:32:02,039 Speaker 1: have slid further to the right over the past two 2608 02:32:02,120 --> 02:32:05,960 Speaker 1: years due to rampant online misinformation coupled with ineffectual government 2609 02:32:06,040 --> 02:32:09,560 Speaker 1: support during the pandemic. It's easy to point to so 2610 02:32:09,640 --> 02:32:14,040 Speaker 1: called organizers who are definitely more fashion, large scale sketchy donations, 2611 02:32:14,280 --> 02:32:16,440 Speaker 1: and far right media figures who are trying to jump 2612 02:32:16,560 --> 02:32:20,560 Speaker 1: support for the convoy. But those things alone don't get 2613 02:32:20,600 --> 02:32:23,440 Speaker 1: many of thousands and thousands of people and their kids 2614 02:32:23,640 --> 02:32:26,279 Speaker 1: to drive across country for a cause that they earnestly 2615 02:32:26,320 --> 02:32:30,760 Speaker 1: believe in the years of political alienation and disenfrantisement that 2616 02:32:31,000 --> 02:32:33,840 Speaker 1: caused that to happen is a lot harder to solve 2617 02:32:33,879 --> 02:32:38,640 Speaker 1: than just cracking down on organizers and donations. Watching homegrown 2618 02:32:38,720 --> 02:32:42,200 Speaker 1: reactionary street politics that one day can grow into an 2619 02:32:42,240 --> 02:32:45,920 Speaker 1: actual far right, populist and fascist movement is a lot 2620 02:32:45,959 --> 02:32:50,600 Speaker 1: more frightening than the idea of overseas astroturft organizing. Not 2621 02:32:50,680 --> 02:32:53,080 Speaker 1: that those things are mutually exclusive always, but I'm just 2622 02:32:53,080 --> 02:32:56,280 Speaker 1: trying to make a good point here. Despite cries to 2623 02:32:56,360 --> 02:33:00,440 Speaker 1: make this, Canada's January six in a way, the convoys 2624 02:33:00,480 --> 02:33:03,400 Speaker 1: more effective than January six in terms of the evolution 2625 02:33:03,800 --> 02:33:07,400 Speaker 1: of valid political action. It's pushed the boundary on what 2626 02:33:07,560 --> 02:33:10,880 Speaker 1: is deemed as acceptable and even possible for large scale 2627 02:33:10,920 --> 02:33:15,040 Speaker 1: occupations and supply line blockades. In the major North American 2628 02:33:15,280 --> 02:33:19,840 Speaker 1: urban setting, people who would never consider themselves militant are 2629 02:33:19,879 --> 02:33:24,320 Speaker 1: now involved in multiple border crossing blockades. That's cost hundreds 2630 02:33:24,360 --> 02:33:26,600 Speaker 1: of millions of dollars, and to get to this point, 2631 02:33:27,080 --> 02:33:31,160 Speaker 1: so many things need to happen. COVID isolation offered fertile 2632 02:33:31,240 --> 02:33:34,120 Speaker 1: ground for people's politics to unknowing these slide more to 2633 02:33:34,200 --> 02:33:37,400 Speaker 1: the extreme, the many in person connections that help prevent 2634 02:33:37,440 --> 02:33:41,080 Speaker 1: people from falling prey to conspiratorial thinking ceased to exist. 2635 02:33:41,760 --> 02:33:45,640 Speaker 1: General frustration at Trudeau and the perceived notion of liberalism 2636 02:33:45,640 --> 02:33:49,760 Speaker 1: and elitism has been steadily growing since, and all that 2637 02:33:49,840 --> 02:33:53,680 Speaker 1: mounted up frustration is now being released, and as a result, 2638 02:33:53,760 --> 02:33:57,879 Speaker 1: the invisible Overton window of acceptable political action has shifted 2639 02:33:58,000 --> 02:34:02,000 Speaker 1: right in regular conservatives. My means, and a movement like 2640 02:34:02,040 --> 02:34:05,960 Speaker 1: this is hard to dissolve. Police actions have the chance 2641 02:34:06,000 --> 02:34:10,240 Speaker 1: of escalating the situation and elongating people's willingness to protest, 2642 02:34:10,760 --> 02:34:13,960 Speaker 1: and even if more mandates get removed. That doesn't mean 2643 02:34:13,959 --> 02:34:17,360 Speaker 1: the protests will stop either. Removing the Alberta mandates didn't 2644 02:34:17,400 --> 02:34:20,560 Speaker 1: stop the Coots border blockade, for instance, because you know, 2645 02:34:20,720 --> 02:34:23,680 Speaker 1: even if all the mandates in Canada get rescinded, which 2646 02:34:23,680 --> 02:34:26,440 Speaker 1: whish they won't and whish they shouldn't, but even if 2647 02:34:26,480 --> 02:34:29,680 Speaker 1: they did, that would still leave the US's Vaccine Board 2648 02:34:29,760 --> 02:34:33,240 Speaker 1: requirements which are preventing on vaccinated truckers from entering the 2649 02:34:33,240 --> 02:34:37,720 Speaker 1: States anyway. Similar tactics and protests inspired by the Canadian 2650 02:34:37,760 --> 02:34:42,240 Speaker 1: convoy have broken out overseas in recent weeks. The convoy 2651 02:34:42,280 --> 02:34:45,080 Speaker 1: and blocking inspired protests in New Zealand have led to 2652 02:34:45,200 --> 02:34:48,680 Speaker 1: frequent clashes with police outside New Zealand's Parliament building. For 2653 02:34:48,680 --> 02:34:52,279 Speaker 1: the past two weeks, French protesters formed their own Freedom 2654 02:34:52,320 --> 02:34:56,480 Speaker 1: Convoy against the government's vaccine mandates. The convoy converged on 2655 02:34:56,560 --> 02:35:00,560 Speaker 1: the Shawn's Aliz in Paris on February second, where protesters 2656 02:35:00,560 --> 02:35:04,320 Speaker 1: were met by seven thousand police members and tear gas. 2657 02:35:04,959 --> 02:35:08,119 Speaker 1: Unlike Canada, where the government failed to stop a blockade 2658 02:35:08,200 --> 02:35:11,040 Speaker 1: at the U S border, French authorities got way ahead 2659 02:35:11,040 --> 02:35:13,879 Speaker 1: of this protest by stopping at least five hundred vehicles 2660 02:35:13,879 --> 02:35:16,800 Speaker 1: before they even got to Paris. Only a few dissent 2661 02:35:16,840 --> 02:35:19,160 Speaker 1: cars made it to the Schanz al Liz and the 2662 02:35:19,160 --> 02:35:22,760 Speaker 1: police ticketed three hundred protesters who were present at the demonstration. 2663 02:35:23,440 --> 02:35:27,080 Speaker 1: Protests against government coronavirus restrictions have cut on in Europe 2664 02:35:27,120 --> 02:35:29,640 Speaker 1: and other parts of the world in recent days, but 2665 02:35:29,720 --> 02:35:33,680 Speaker 1: they remained more subdued than the Canadian demonstrations. A convoy 2666 02:35:33,680 --> 02:35:36,320 Speaker 1: of about five hundred vehicles, mostly from France, who are 2667 02:35:36,360 --> 02:35:38,800 Speaker 1: borrowed from entering Brussels of just a few days ago, 2668 02:35:39,240 --> 02:35:42,280 Speaker 1: leaving several hundred protesters to gather on foot at a 2669 02:35:42,360 --> 02:35:46,920 Speaker 1: city square instead. Another convoy of several hundred vehicles blocked 2670 02:35:46,959 --> 02:35:49,520 Speaker 1: access to the seat of the Netherlands government in the 2671 02:35:49,600 --> 02:35:53,880 Speaker 1: Hague on February twelve, And of course many political figures 2672 02:35:53,920 --> 02:35:57,119 Speaker 1: in the US are really trying to get a convoy 2673 02:35:57,280 --> 02:36:01,280 Speaker 1: esque protest kicked off here. In the United States, Tucker 2674 02:36:01,280 --> 02:36:05,040 Speaker 1: Carlson and Fox News in general has covered the convoy NonStop, 2675 02:36:05,200 --> 02:36:08,240 Speaker 1: giving it tons and tons of support. Tucker has said 2676 02:36:08,280 --> 02:36:12,160 Speaker 1: that the Canadian trucker convoy is the single most successful 2677 02:36:12,440 --> 02:36:16,600 Speaker 1: human rights protestant in a generation. Senator Rand Paul So 2678 02:36:16,720 --> 02:36:19,840 Speaker 1: that he hopes the truckers come to America and specifically 2679 02:36:19,879 --> 02:36:23,199 Speaker 1: two clog up cities. At least nine members of Congress, 2680 02:36:23,240 --> 02:36:26,279 Speaker 1: all Republicans, have all publicized their support for the convoy 2681 02:36:26,320 --> 02:36:30,720 Speaker 1: participants on Twitter. Self appointed organizers for a US based 2682 02:36:30,760 --> 02:36:35,400 Speaker 1: convoy have found quick support from conservative outlets. US convoy 2683 02:36:35,520 --> 02:36:39,000 Speaker 1: organizer Brian Brace has been making the rounds on Fox 2684 02:36:39,040 --> 02:36:42,120 Speaker 1: News sitting Down with Carlson, as well as the networks 2685 02:36:42,160 --> 02:36:45,480 Speaker 1: Fox and Friends Morning Show. Brace says that he hoped 2686 02:36:45,480 --> 02:36:49,480 Speaker 1: to organize a cross country convoy from California to Washington, 2687 02:36:49,560 --> 02:36:54,000 Speaker 1: d C starting around March fourth. Routes to converge on 2688 02:36:54,080 --> 02:36:56,920 Speaker 1: d C from across the country are being planned, while 2689 02:36:56,959 --> 02:37:01,080 Speaker 1: the group's telegram channel was actively soliciting volunteers and donations 2690 02:37:01,120 --> 02:37:05,240 Speaker 1: of items like tents, generators, and p A systems. I 2691 02:37:05,320 --> 02:37:07,640 Speaker 1: kind of hope people on the left can look at 2692 02:37:07,720 --> 02:37:11,000 Speaker 1: the tactics being used in Canada, some that have worked 2693 02:37:11,000 --> 02:37:13,760 Speaker 1: and some that have faltered. But in terms of like 2694 02:37:13,840 --> 02:37:17,039 Speaker 1: anti capitalist action, you can't do much better than causing 2695 02:37:17,120 --> 02:37:20,039 Speaker 1: hundreds and millions of dollars and losses to international trade 2696 02:37:20,240 --> 02:37:24,320 Speaker 1: between two of the biggest countries in the world. Right now, 2697 02:37:24,600 --> 02:37:28,840 Speaker 1: no protest movement can be replicated, But any movement can 2698 02:37:28,879 --> 02:37:32,800 Speaker 1: be analyzed and that can inform how folks approach future 2699 02:37:32,840 --> 02:37:36,640 Speaker 1: movements as they spontaneously arise, and I, at the very 2700 02:37:36,720 --> 02:37:39,120 Speaker 1: least help you have a better idea now of how 2701 02:37:39,160 --> 02:37:41,800 Speaker 1: only a few thousand people can totally choke out a 2702 02:37:41,840 --> 02:37:45,360 Speaker 1: major city, because we've talked about this possibility before. You know, 2703 02:37:45,840 --> 02:37:48,760 Speaker 1: a group of people overwhelming local law enforcement and taking 2704 02:37:48,800 --> 02:37:51,560 Speaker 1: over and shutting down a sizeable portion of a popular 2705 02:37:51,560 --> 02:37:55,400 Speaker 1: metropolitan area, not to mention simultaneously blocking off supply lines, 2706 02:37:55,640 --> 02:37:59,760 Speaker 1: trade routes, and international border crossings. The evolution of these 2707 02:37:59,840 --> 02:38:03,680 Speaker 1: medium scale anti government resistance tactics is something we all 2708 02:38:03,720 --> 02:38:07,200 Speaker 1: should be paying attention to as the political tensions continue 2709 02:38:07,200 --> 02:38:10,840 Speaker 1: to rise right outside our doorstep, because it's always too 2710 02:38:10,879 --> 02:38:14,320 Speaker 1: late when you realize the calls coming from inside the house. 2711 02:38:30,240 --> 02:38:39,640 Speaker 1: What's incapable of being racist? People joking about Canadians can't 2712 02:38:39,640 --> 02:38:42,240 Speaker 1: do it to Canada. Can't do it to Canada? Or 2713 02:38:42,280 --> 02:38:45,080 Speaker 1: the Princisi could happen here the French. We can be 2714 02:38:45,160 --> 02:38:50,080 Speaker 1: racist against the French. Yeah, speaking of speaking that makes 2715 02:38:50,160 --> 02:38:53,080 Speaker 1: Quebec angrier. But like speaking of racism, Chris, what's our 2716 02:38:53,120 --> 02:38:57,400 Speaker 1: topic today? Yeah, today's episode is about why I hate 2717 02:38:57,400 --> 02:39:01,680 Speaker 1: the cops. Hell. Yeah, specifically it is about is about 2718 02:39:01,760 --> 02:39:05,520 Speaker 1: Chicago Police Department and the many, many, many, many many 2719 02:39:05,600 --> 02:39:09,640 Speaker 1: crimes they have committed. Uh, we're gonna talk about well, okay. 2720 02:39:09,879 --> 02:39:12,800 Speaker 1: To lead us in to explain what we're doing here today, 2721 02:39:12,959 --> 02:39:14,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to read a quote from from the late 2722 02:39:14,720 --> 02:39:19,240 Speaker 1: anthropologist David Grabery from this book The Democracy Project. For 2723 02:39:19,360 --> 02:39:21,480 Speaker 1: my own part. I find what I call the rape 2724 02:39:21,520 --> 02:39:24,960 Speaker 1: torture and Murder test very useful. It's quite simple when 2725 02:39:24,959 --> 02:39:27,480 Speaker 1: presented with the political entity of some kind or another, 2726 02:39:27,560 --> 02:39:30,560 Speaker 1: whether a government, a social movement, a guerilla army, or 2727 02:39:30,600 --> 02:39:33,240 Speaker 1: really any other organized group, and trying to decide whether 2728 02:39:33,760 --> 02:39:37,480 Speaker 1: they deserve condemnation or support. First ask do they commit 2729 02:39:37,720 --> 02:39:40,360 Speaker 1: or do they order others to commit acts of rape, 2730 02:39:40,400 --> 02:39:43,920 Speaker 1: torture or murder. It seems a self evident question. But again, 2731 02:39:44,000 --> 02:39:47,880 Speaker 1: it's surprising how rarely, or better, how selectively it is applied. 2732 02:39:48,480 --> 02:39:51,400 Speaker 1: Or perhaps it might seem surprising until one starts applying 2733 02:39:51,440 --> 02:39:54,040 Speaker 1: it and discovers conventional wisdom. When many will political issues 2734 02:39:54,080 --> 02:39:57,600 Speaker 1: instantly turned upside down. In two thousand six, for example, 2735 02:39:57,720 --> 02:39:59,680 Speaker 1: most people in the United States read about the Mexican 2736 02:39:59,720 --> 02:40:03,560 Speaker 1: government sending federal troops to quell a popular revolt initiated 2737 02:40:03,560 --> 02:40:06,160 Speaker 1: by a teachers union against notoriously corrupt governor in the 2738 02:40:06,200 --> 02:40:09,200 Speaker 1: southern state of Wahaka. In the US media, this was 2739 02:40:09,280 --> 02:40:11,879 Speaker 1: universally presented as a good thing, a restoration of order. 2740 02:40:11,959 --> 02:40:15,160 Speaker 1: The rebels, after all, were violent, having thrown rocks and 2741 02:40:15,200 --> 02:40:17,720 Speaker 1: Molotov cocktails, even if they only threw them at heavily 2742 02:40:17,800 --> 02:40:20,800 Speaker 1: armed police, causing no serious injuries. No one, to my knowledge, 2743 02:40:20,800 --> 02:40:24,560 Speaker 1: has ever suggested that the rebels raped, tortured, or murdered anyone. Neither, 2744 02:40:24,600 --> 02:40:27,680 Speaker 1: as anyone who knows anything about the events in questions 2745 02:40:27,680 --> 02:40:30,080 Speaker 1: seriously contested the fact that forces loyal to the Mexican 2746 02:40:30,120 --> 02:40:32,160 Speaker 1: government had raped, tortured, and murdered quite a number of 2747 02:40:32,200 --> 02:40:35,760 Speaker 1: people in suppressing the rebellion. Yet somehow such acts, unlike 2748 02:40:35,800 --> 02:40:38,720 Speaker 1: the rebels stone throwing, cannot be described as violent at all, 2749 02:40:39,080 --> 02:40:41,480 Speaker 1: let alone as rape, torture, or murder, but only appear, 2750 02:40:41,560 --> 02:40:45,400 Speaker 1: if at all, as accusations of human rights violations, or 2751 02:40:45,400 --> 02:40:51,480 Speaker 1: in some similarly bloodless legalistic language. Yeah, and that that's 2752 02:40:51,520 --> 02:40:53,520 Speaker 1: the framework that I want to take the Chicago Police 2753 02:40:53,520 --> 02:41:01,240 Speaker 1: Department so people can understand why and how and just 2754 02:41:01,240 --> 02:41:03,560 Speaker 1: just sort of get people can get a taste of 2755 02:41:03,560 --> 02:41:06,760 Speaker 1: of the sheer horror that anti police organizers and just 2756 02:41:06,800 --> 02:41:09,039 Speaker 1: like regular people in Chicago are fighting every day because 2757 02:41:09,120 --> 02:41:13,240 Speaker 1: Chicago Police Department fails the rape torture murder test again 2758 02:41:13,400 --> 02:41:16,800 Speaker 1: and again and again and again. And so we are 2759 02:41:16,879 --> 02:41:19,640 Speaker 1: going to tell four stories of torture, rape, and murder 2760 02:41:19,680 --> 02:41:25,119 Speaker 1: by the Chicago Police Department. That seems fun. It's gonna 2761 02:41:25,160 --> 02:41:30,120 Speaker 1: be great. Happy pants on, kids, go for a cruise, 2762 02:41:30,360 --> 02:41:33,920 Speaker 1: you know, take the top down. Um, it's it's time 2763 02:41:34,120 --> 02:41:40,120 Speaker 1: for a good old fest. So our our first story 2764 02:41:40,160 --> 02:41:42,120 Speaker 1: of torture, rape and murder by the CPD is the 2765 02:41:42,120 --> 02:41:45,640 Speaker 1: story of Chicago's infamous torture ring, led by a man 2766 02:41:45,760 --> 02:41:50,360 Speaker 1: named John Burch. Yeah. Now, John Bird has been a 2767 02:41:50,360 --> 02:41:53,520 Speaker 1: military police sergeant working at a pow camp in Vietnam. 2768 02:41:53,640 --> 02:41:55,760 Speaker 1: So so immediately you have a guy who's not only 2769 02:41:55,800 --> 02:41:58,879 Speaker 1: a troop cop, but he's he's he's a troop cop 2770 02:41:58,920 --> 02:42:00,840 Speaker 1: while he was a troop and then he becomes a 2771 02:42:00,879 --> 02:42:06,960 Speaker 1: cop and you know, nothing, nothing good can possibly come 2772 02:42:07,000 --> 02:42:09,800 Speaker 1: from that. And the other thing and nothing good can 2773 02:42:09,800 --> 02:42:11,960 Speaker 1: possibly come from is the fact that while Burge was 2774 02:42:12,000 --> 02:42:14,640 Speaker 1: in Vietnam, the US was doing some just really six 2775 02:42:14,640 --> 02:42:18,000 Speaker 1: ships of Viennamese prisoners, including rape, getting rape, rape with 2776 02:42:18,040 --> 02:42:21,600 Speaker 1: hard objects, and rape followed by murder. Uh. The electric 2777 02:42:21,680 --> 02:42:25,120 Speaker 1: shock called the Bell telephone hour rendered by attaching wires 2778 02:42:25,120 --> 02:42:27,760 Speaker 1: to the genitals and keep your keep that one in mind. 2779 02:42:27,800 --> 02:42:29,840 Speaker 1: We have not seen the last of that. Uh. And 2780 02:42:29,959 --> 02:42:32,400 Speaker 1: rape using eels and snakes, as we have talked about 2781 02:42:32,920 --> 02:42:35,959 Speaker 1: on bastards of it before. Um. They're also like they're 2782 02:42:35,959 --> 02:42:38,280 Speaker 1: also a huge water boarding fans. So this this is, 2783 02:42:38,320 --> 02:42:40,520 Speaker 1: this is the environment that Burge is sort of you know, 2784 02:42:40,560 --> 02:42:42,720 Speaker 1: being trained as a copy in right, He's he's one 2785 02:42:42,760 --> 02:42:46,280 Speaker 1: of those these these PRW camps and he gets the 2786 02:42:46,280 --> 02:42:48,600 Speaker 1: purple heart for his service. Now when when he comes 2787 02:42:48,640 --> 02:42:53,320 Speaker 1: back to the US and he becomes a cop, and 2788 02:42:53,440 --> 02:42:56,040 Speaker 1: within about three years Burge and his white cop buddy 2789 02:42:56,080 --> 02:43:00,359 Speaker 1: start just absolutely beating the crap out of black suspects. UM. 2790 02:43:00,440 --> 02:43:04,920 Speaker 1: One of these prisoners, a man named Anthony Holmes, was 2791 02:43:04,959 --> 02:43:07,800 Speaker 1: repeatedly tortured with electric shocks and almost suffocated a death 2792 02:43:07,840 --> 02:43:10,600 Speaker 1: of a bag put over his head. Holmes was tortured 2793 02:43:10,640 --> 02:43:12,680 Speaker 1: so badly he literally thought he was going to die, 2794 02:43:12,959 --> 02:43:14,600 Speaker 1: so he confessed to a crime he didn't commit. And 2795 02:43:14,680 --> 02:43:17,760 Speaker 1: spent thirty years in prison. Yeah. I actually interviewed one 2796 02:43:17,800 --> 02:43:21,320 Speaker 1: of the people tortured by Burge who was had his 2797 02:43:21,360 --> 02:43:25,360 Speaker 1: testicles electrocuted. Yeah. Yeah, we're gonna get into that. But yeah, 2798 02:43:25,400 --> 02:43:29,000 Speaker 1: it's it's it's horrible. It's it's pretty the worst things 2799 02:43:29,040 --> 02:43:34,840 Speaker 1: I've ever read. Uh. Yeah, And Holmes, this case is 2800 02:43:34,879 --> 02:43:38,640 Speaker 1: particularly grim because so he tells his lawyers that he's 2801 02:43:38,640 --> 02:43:42,240 Speaker 1: been tortured, and his lawyers don't believe him, and so 2802 02:43:42,720 --> 02:43:47,840 Speaker 1: you know, he yeah, he he wented to spending thirty 2803 02:43:47,879 --> 02:43:50,720 Speaker 1: years in prison that he didn't do Um those shocks. 2804 02:43:51,920 --> 02:43:55,959 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, so okay, So that they have this box, right, 2805 02:43:56,000 --> 02:43:59,720 Speaker 1: it's his box as a handcret generator. Burge calls at 2806 02:43:59,720 --> 02:44:04,400 Speaker 1: the end word box. Uh. And he just attaches people's 2807 02:44:04,440 --> 02:44:06,320 Speaker 1: like it's just attaches it to people. I wonder what, 2808 02:44:07,360 --> 02:44:09,879 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, no, it's he's all of these people are 2809 02:44:11,600 --> 02:44:17,920 Speaker 1: so indescribably racist. It's like, yeah, he he just like 2810 02:44:17,959 --> 02:44:20,840 Speaker 1: he keeps this box like on his desk at at 2811 02:44:20,840 --> 02:44:22,720 Speaker 1: the Chicago Police Department. Like it's just on his desk 2812 02:44:22,760 --> 02:44:26,039 Speaker 1: at work. Um. Now. The other thing is notable about 2813 02:44:26,080 --> 02:44:27,680 Speaker 1: this is that he he and the people around him 2814 02:44:27,680 --> 02:44:30,560 Speaker 1: would call just electrocuting people by touching alligator lamps of 2815 02:44:30,640 --> 02:44:32,560 Speaker 1: them and putting nine thousand two under vaults into them. 2816 02:44:32,840 --> 02:44:35,039 Speaker 1: They called it the Vietnamese treatment because I guess what 2817 02:44:35,120 --> 02:44:38,400 Speaker 1: he learned this in Vietnam. Um. Now Burge is so 2818 02:44:38,480 --> 02:44:40,879 Speaker 1: called Midnight Crew, had had an incredibly high rate of 2819 02:44:40,920 --> 02:44:42,920 Speaker 1: solving crimes, and he has an incredibly high rate of 2820 02:44:42,959 --> 02:44:45,600 Speaker 1: quote unquote solving crimes because he's just torturing random black 2821 02:44:45,600 --> 02:44:50,080 Speaker 1: people until they confess um. And you know, it's it's 2822 02:44:50,120 --> 02:44:52,200 Speaker 1: it's not like people don't know he's doing this. There's 2823 02:44:52,240 --> 02:44:55,080 Speaker 1: there's a detective in the seventies who like walks in 2824 02:44:55,240 --> 02:44:58,400 Speaker 1: on Burde torturing a guy, and he goes through superiors 2825 02:44:58,400 --> 02:45:00,920 Speaker 1: and it's like Burgess, Burgess torturing these people, and that 2826 02:45:00,959 --> 02:45:04,160 Speaker 1: detective gets reprimanded and were reprimanded for like reporting the 2827 02:45:04,200 --> 02:45:07,680 Speaker 1: torture and transferred to another area. So Burde gets promoted 2828 02:45:07,720 --> 02:45:09,600 Speaker 1: to sergeant in nineteen seventy seven and then again to 2829 02:45:09,600 --> 02:45:11,560 Speaker 1: lieutenant in nineteen eighty, and he gets he gets put 2830 02:45:11,560 --> 02:45:15,240 Speaker 1: in charge of the newly formed violent Crimes unit, and 2831 02:45:15,600 --> 02:45:18,519 Speaker 1: from from from this position, his rate of terror intensifies, 2832 02:45:19,760 --> 02:45:24,280 Speaker 1: and so so in nineteen eight two, someone shoots two 2833 02:45:24,280 --> 02:45:28,039 Speaker 1: white cops. And you know, this is one of one 2834 02:45:28,080 --> 02:45:30,000 Speaker 1: of the sort of classic police things. Anytime a cop 2835 02:45:30,120 --> 02:45:34,359 Speaker 1: dies the the see the police department just goes fucking ballistic. 2836 02:45:35,640 --> 02:45:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. And and in this case with with with 2837 02:45:39,240 --> 02:45:42,560 Speaker 1: Burge in charge, he basically turns the entire South Side 2838 02:45:42,560 --> 02:45:45,920 Speaker 1: into what can only be described as a fascist police state. Um, 2839 02:45:46,000 --> 02:45:49,080 Speaker 1: here's this is. This is from the Chicago police torture scandal, 2840 02:45:49,080 --> 02:45:53,760 Speaker 1: illegal and political history. In in Cuney's Law Review, police 2841 02:45:53,840 --> 02:45:56,720 Speaker 1: kicked down doors and terrorized scores of African Americans. And 2842 02:45:56,760 --> 02:46:01,560 Speaker 1: what Jesse Jackson of Operation Push Push and Raynald Robinson 2843 02:46:01,600 --> 02:46:04,640 Speaker 1: if the Afro American policely condemned as quote martial law 2844 02:46:04,720 --> 02:46:08,360 Speaker 1: that smacked of Nazi Germany. Thirteen witnesses were smothered with 2845 02:46:08,400 --> 02:46:11,240 Speaker 1: bags and threatened with bolt cutters and Burgeoness detectives took 2846 02:46:11,240 --> 02:46:13,640 Speaker 1: several young men who they wrongly suspected to be the 2847 02:46:13,720 --> 02:46:17,440 Speaker 1: killers to police headqure horders and tortured them. And I 2848 02:46:17,440 --> 02:46:19,600 Speaker 1: mean they're just like you know that they're buzzing down 2849 02:46:19,600 --> 02:46:21,600 Speaker 1: people's doors or dragging people away out in the middle 2850 02:46:21,600 --> 02:46:23,760 Speaker 1: of the night. They do this for about five days before, 2851 02:46:23,760 --> 02:46:27,240 Speaker 1: they arrest two brothers and who again had nothing to 2852 02:46:27,280 --> 02:46:29,080 Speaker 1: do with this. They just decided that these two were 2853 02:46:29,120 --> 02:46:34,040 Speaker 1: the guys and tortured just the absolute shit out of him. Um. 2854 02:46:34,160 --> 02:46:36,560 Speaker 1: One of the brothers, Andrew Wilson. But before birds even 2855 02:46:36,560 --> 02:46:38,440 Speaker 1: gets there, because this is the everything about birds. It's 2856 02:46:38,480 --> 02:46:41,240 Speaker 1: not just birds, right, like everyone he's like around him, 2857 02:46:41,280 --> 02:46:44,080 Speaker 1: he is also a torturer. It's just birds sort of, 2858 02:46:44,840 --> 02:46:47,400 Speaker 1: you know, but birds the guy like directing a lot 2859 02:46:47,400 --> 02:46:50,480 Speaker 1: of it. So even before he gets there, yea, like 2860 02:46:50,720 --> 02:46:53,440 Speaker 1: Wilson gets like he's burden with a cigarette lighter. He 2861 02:46:53,480 --> 02:46:55,160 Speaker 1: gets strangled with the bag over his head again, and 2862 02:46:55,160 --> 02:46:57,560 Speaker 1: they just like beat him a bunch of times. And 2863 02:46:57,600 --> 02:47:03,240 Speaker 1: then it gets even worse. Um Burgs like, you know, 2864 02:47:03,280 --> 02:47:05,200 Speaker 1: but birds, that's the thing where where he likes he 2865 02:47:05,240 --> 02:47:07,400 Speaker 1: straps him to the to the electric box, right, but 2866 02:47:07,440 --> 02:47:10,200 Speaker 1: he also straps him against the radiator. And you know 2867 02:47:10,240 --> 02:47:12,920 Speaker 1: these are like old Chicago steam radiators, right, if you touch, 2868 02:47:13,000 --> 02:47:15,160 Speaker 1: if you like touch them even briefly, you get burned. 2869 02:47:15,760 --> 02:47:18,400 Speaker 1: And so yeah, he straps into a radiator and every 2870 02:47:18,400 --> 02:47:21,480 Speaker 1: time he like gets shocked, he jerks back into the radiator. 2871 02:47:21,520 --> 02:47:23,560 Speaker 1: It gets burned. Yeah, I have a friend who get 2872 02:47:23,560 --> 02:47:26,039 Speaker 1: a second degree burned dripped from like briefly touching one 2873 02:47:26,040 --> 02:47:29,600 Speaker 1: of those things. Yeah, yeah, I mean it's basically it's 2874 02:47:29,640 --> 02:47:32,640 Speaker 1: basically tying someone to an oven that's turns. Yeah, I 2875 02:47:32,720 --> 02:47:39,039 Speaker 1: mean it's it is breasttaking in humanity on a scale 2876 02:47:39,200 --> 02:47:45,800 Speaker 1: that is yeah, um pop esque. Yeah, yeah, it's it's 2877 02:47:45,840 --> 02:47:49,400 Speaker 1: it's it's real. It's real. Cops shit. Um, it's for sure, 2878 02:47:49,480 --> 02:47:53,480 Speaker 1: real cop shit. Yeah. So here here, here's an interview, 2879 02:47:53,840 --> 02:47:57,600 Speaker 1: uh with Wilson. There's an extractive one from from the 2880 02:47:57,600 --> 02:48:00,680 Speaker 1: book Writings from the World of Policing. Wilson said that 2881 02:48:00,720 --> 02:48:03,400 Speaker 1: Bird cranked the generator, sending nine thousand, two hundred volts 2882 02:48:03,400 --> 02:48:06,279 Speaker 1: of electricity into his body. He put it on my fingers, 2883 02:48:06,280 --> 02:48:08,400 Speaker 1: Wilson explained, one of the clamps on one finger and 2884 02:48:08,400 --> 02:48:10,400 Speaker 1: one of the other finger, and then he kept cranking 2885 02:48:10,400 --> 02:48:12,560 Speaker 1: it and cranking it. And I was hollering and screaming. 2886 02:48:12,800 --> 02:48:15,840 Speaker 1: I was calling for help. My teeth was grinding, flickering 2887 02:48:15,879 --> 02:48:19,120 Speaker 1: in my head. Pain. It hurts, Wilson continued, But it 2888 02:48:19,120 --> 02:48:21,200 Speaker 1: stays in your head. Okay, it stays in your head, 2889 02:48:21,200 --> 02:48:25,680 Speaker 1: and it grinds your teeth. It grinds constantly, grinds constantly. 2890 02:48:25,800 --> 02:48:28,560 Speaker 1: The pain just stays in your head and your teeth 2891 02:48:28,600 --> 02:48:32,360 Speaker 1: cut constantly. Grinds and grinds and grinds and grinds and 2892 02:48:32,400 --> 02:48:37,840 Speaker 1: grinds and grinds. Now Wilson, They do this to Wilson 2893 02:48:37,879 --> 02:48:40,640 Speaker 1: for like a day, and he doesn't confess. He he 2894 02:48:40,680 --> 02:48:43,800 Speaker 1: refuses to confess because he didn't do it, and so 2895 02:48:43,920 --> 02:48:47,040 Speaker 1: he goes to like they bring him in front of 2896 02:48:47,040 --> 02:48:50,600 Speaker 1: a family prosecutor and Wilson tells the prosecutor that he's 2897 02:48:50,600 --> 02:48:53,000 Speaker 1: being tortured, and you know, it's incredibly obvious he's being tortured, 2898 02:48:53,040 --> 02:48:56,119 Speaker 1: like there's just there's marxal Lover's body, like his his 2899 02:48:56,120 --> 02:48:59,879 Speaker 1: face is destroyed. And the prosecutor sends him back to Bird, 2900 02:49:00,160 --> 02:49:04,440 Speaker 1: who tortures him more. And but by the time the 2901 02:49:04,520 --> 02:49:07,520 Speaker 1: Burge is done with him, Wilson is so visibly fucked 2902 02:49:07,560 --> 02:49:11,560 Speaker 1: up that the police lock up keeper like takes a 2903 02:49:11,560 --> 02:49:13,000 Speaker 1: look at it, like takes one look at him and goes, 2904 02:49:13,200 --> 02:49:14,280 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be a part of this and 2905 02:49:14,320 --> 02:49:17,880 Speaker 1: refuses to put him in lock up cook Cook County Jails, 2906 02:49:17,920 --> 02:49:22,000 Speaker 1: Like Director of Medical Services UM sends a letter going 2907 02:49:22,040 --> 02:49:24,320 Speaker 1: like this man was tortured to the police. We found 2908 02:49:24,320 --> 02:49:26,760 Speaker 1: a human being. Yeah, yeah, well you know, and it's 2909 02:49:26,800 --> 02:49:30,360 Speaker 1: like every one once every like, I don't know, maybe 2910 02:49:30,400 --> 02:49:33,039 Speaker 1: like a hundred pages of reading about this, you find 2911 02:49:33,120 --> 02:49:36,760 Speaker 1: one person who is a normal human being. Unfortunately, the 2912 02:49:36,760 --> 02:49:40,640 Speaker 1: state's attorney, instead of prosecuting Burge for again attaching attaching 2913 02:49:40,640 --> 02:49:42,760 Speaker 1: a man's balls to a hand create generator and then 2914 02:49:42,760 --> 02:49:47,000 Speaker 1: electrocuting him. Uh, the state prosecutor and the police superintendent 2915 02:49:47,120 --> 02:49:52,240 Speaker 1: both publicly congratulate Birds for his work. Yeah, and Andrew Wilson, 2916 02:49:52,240 --> 02:49:54,600 Speaker 1: mean while died in prison in two thousand seven, because 2917 02:49:55,600 --> 02:50:04,879 Speaker 1: this world is just the worst. Yeah. Now, you might 2918 02:50:04,920 --> 02:50:07,240 Speaker 1: be asking yourself, how does he get away with this? 2919 02:50:07,400 --> 02:50:10,120 Speaker 1: And the answer is that the CPD is complicit in 2920 02:50:10,120 --> 02:50:13,520 Speaker 1: burges torture at literally every level. Every attempt to stop 2921 02:50:13,520 --> 02:50:16,480 Speaker 1: Burge is derailed directly by the departments. And not only 2922 02:50:16,560 --> 02:50:19,440 Speaker 1: is he not stopped, he's repeatedly praised and promoted for 2923 02:50:19,480 --> 02:50:26,400 Speaker 1: his actions. And yeah, I mean that's how it goes. Yep, 2924 02:50:26,480 --> 02:50:31,800 Speaker 1: It's it's great, it's it's it's an institutionalized system of torture, 2925 02:50:31,879 --> 02:50:35,080 Speaker 1: rape and murder. That yeah, it's like that we have 2926 02:50:35,160 --> 02:50:39,039 Speaker 1: us a little abbo grade right at home, but yeah, 2927 02:50:39,160 --> 02:50:41,400 Speaker 1: I don't worry. Well, well, I guess we won't actually 2928 02:50:41,400 --> 02:50:43,760 Speaker 1: get to with grades specifically, but I can, I can do, 2929 02:50:43,800 --> 02:50:45,320 Speaker 1: I can I can do an upgrade tie in at 2930 02:50:45,320 --> 02:50:50,800 Speaker 1: the end of this part. So the CPD has something 2931 02:50:50,800 --> 02:50:52,800 Speaker 1: they call the Code of Silence, and we'll talk about 2932 02:50:52,920 --> 02:50:56,360 Speaker 1: this more later, but basically, the core of the code 2933 02:50:56,360 --> 02:50:59,400 Speaker 1: of Silence is that just no matter what crimes, what atrocities, 2934 02:50:59,440 --> 02:51:01,400 Speaker 1: which is in him in Pig Horrors, you see cops 2935 02:51:01,400 --> 02:51:05,440 Speaker 1: committing you, stay silent. Now this code you know, it's 2936 02:51:05,480 --> 02:51:07,600 Speaker 1: it's it's a code that everyone sort of knows right 2937 02:51:07,600 --> 02:51:12,040 Speaker 1: in the police, but it's also directly enforced um and 2938 02:51:12,160 --> 02:51:14,080 Speaker 1: and it's enforced by the stuff Burge would you do, 2939 02:51:14,280 --> 02:51:16,680 Speaker 1: like just to other cops, Like he would do things 2940 02:51:16,680 --> 02:51:18,640 Speaker 1: like if there was a cop who was like unhappy 2941 02:51:18,680 --> 02:51:20,879 Speaker 1: with him, he would like walk up behind them when 2942 02:51:20,879 --> 02:51:22,640 Speaker 1: they're opening a file cabinet and point a gun at 2943 02:51:22,680 --> 02:51:25,160 Speaker 1: their head and then go like bang and then do 2944 02:51:25,240 --> 02:51:27,440 Speaker 1: this like a thing that I can really only describe 2945 02:51:27,440 --> 02:51:30,360 Speaker 1: as a supervillain monologue about how like the projects are 2946 02:51:30,400 --> 02:51:34,400 Speaker 1: a dangerous place, maybe you're gonna turn up dead. It's 2947 02:51:34,879 --> 02:51:37,400 Speaker 1: he also he has these street files that he keeps 2948 02:51:37,440 --> 02:51:41,760 Speaker 1: on like other cops families so that if another cop 2949 02:51:41,879 --> 02:51:44,000 Speaker 1: like goes after him, he can have their family arrested 2950 02:51:44,000 --> 02:51:49,720 Speaker 1: and then plant evidence on them. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, 2951 02:51:48,840 --> 02:51:51,640 Speaker 1: It's it's like, you know, like in a certain like 2952 02:51:51,680 --> 02:51:55,160 Speaker 1: he's doing this to other cops, and it's like, well, okay, 2953 02:51:55,200 --> 02:51:59,040 Speaker 1: like you know what, like what what possible? Like system 2954 02:51:59,120 --> 02:52:02,680 Speaker 1: of of of accountability quote on court or police reform 2955 02:52:02,879 --> 02:52:04,720 Speaker 1: is like ever going to do anything to a guy 2956 02:52:04,760 --> 02:52:09,760 Speaker 1: who will just do this two cops like and you know, 2957 02:52:10,000 --> 02:52:12,160 Speaker 1: with the CPD actively backing him, there's there's nothing that 2958 02:52:12,160 --> 02:52:14,560 Speaker 1: can stop Burge. And I should mention here that there's 2959 02:52:14,600 --> 02:52:18,600 Speaker 1: persistent rumors that Burge as a klansmen um I I 2960 02:52:18,640 --> 02:52:21,840 Speaker 1: couldn't find like firm confirmation of it. He's he's certainly 2961 02:52:21,920 --> 02:52:23,960 Speaker 1: racist enough, but but I think, yeah, but like why 2962 02:52:23,959 --> 02:52:26,640 Speaker 1: would he why would he spend like That's that feels 2963 02:52:26,680 --> 02:52:29,039 Speaker 1: like almost he would be like why would I waste 2964 02:52:29,040 --> 02:52:32,119 Speaker 1: my time doing that like talking about being racist when 2965 02:52:32,120 --> 02:52:34,720 Speaker 1: I can go out and torture people because I'm a 2966 02:52:34,800 --> 02:52:38,720 Speaker 1: racist every day? Like the clan already got it going on. Yeah, 2967 02:52:38,760 --> 02:52:41,439 Speaker 1: And I think it's sometimes like, yeah, the question is immaterial. 2968 02:52:41,480 --> 02:52:43,640 Speaker 1: He is a member of the Chicago Police Department and 2969 02:52:43,800 --> 02:52:46,160 Speaker 1: organization is systematic racial terror, the likes of which the 2970 02:52:46,200 --> 02:52:50,080 Speaker 1: modern clan can only dream of. Yeah that's whatever. Yeah, Yeah, 2971 02:52:50,120 --> 02:52:53,400 Speaker 1: it's like who cares he's he's he's jumped burge. Honestly, 2972 02:52:53,400 --> 02:52:55,640 Speaker 1: if he were spending time at clan matings at least 2973 02:52:55,640 --> 02:53:01,879 Speaker 1: he wouldn't be torturing people during the time. Yeah, it's yeah, 2974 02:53:02,120 --> 02:53:05,600 Speaker 1: love love your police. When if he was a klansman 2975 02:53:05,640 --> 02:53:07,920 Speaker 1: that might have been slightly better. I mean, that's the 2976 02:53:07,959 --> 02:53:10,680 Speaker 1: big thing with like this type of like liberal response 2977 02:53:10,720 --> 02:53:13,560 Speaker 1: to the type of extremism. It's like they only view 2978 02:53:13,600 --> 02:53:16,400 Speaker 1: it as a problem if you're like explicitly part of this, 2979 02:53:16,879 --> 02:53:20,640 Speaker 1: you know, Like it's like very obvious to everyone white 2980 02:53:20,680 --> 02:53:23,600 Speaker 1: nationalist group. Right, they can watch a cop do all 2981 02:53:23,640 --> 02:53:25,840 Speaker 1: these horrible things. It's fine because that's just a cop. 2982 02:53:26,040 --> 02:53:28,680 Speaker 1: But if he's a clan member, then that's a problem. 2983 02:53:29,280 --> 02:53:32,200 Speaker 1: Like they can excuse all this horrible torture and not 2984 02:53:32,280 --> 02:53:34,840 Speaker 1: really be concerned about it. But if but if he 2985 02:53:34,879 --> 02:53:38,360 Speaker 1: had a robots closet, then it's suddenly this big issue. 2986 02:53:38,400 --> 02:53:40,720 Speaker 1: It's like, no, like the issue is that he was 2987 02:53:40,760 --> 02:53:43,400 Speaker 1: doing all this torture anyway, and he doesn't like this. 2988 02:53:43,840 --> 02:53:47,879 Speaker 1: You don't need to focus on like just the like 2989 02:53:48,040 --> 02:53:52,600 Speaker 1: just that identity, like that weird identity aspect of it. Yeah, 2990 02:53:52,680 --> 02:53:56,560 Speaker 1: the the clan is old enough, and where's a uniform 2991 02:53:56,600 --> 02:53:59,760 Speaker 1: that is distinct enough that everybody recognizes is it as racist? 2992 02:54:00,040 --> 02:54:04,360 Speaker 1: And though the Chicago Police Department is actually much more 2993 02:54:04,400 --> 02:54:07,800 Speaker 1: of a threat in terms of racism than the clan today, 2994 02:54:08,120 --> 02:54:10,560 Speaker 1: uh and was at that point in time. But you know, 2995 02:54:10,600 --> 02:54:13,280 Speaker 1: they're the cops. And if you're a suburban white liberal, 2996 02:54:13,440 --> 02:54:16,160 Speaker 1: they're there too, you know, help help keep your lawn 2997 02:54:16,200 --> 02:54:18,600 Speaker 1: safe or whatever. Um, So you don't you don't see 2998 02:54:18,640 --> 02:54:23,039 Speaker 1: them as the same inherently racial organization exactly, even though 2999 02:54:23,040 --> 02:54:25,560 Speaker 1: they are. Yeah, and even though I mean they're dragging 3000 02:54:25,560 --> 02:54:29,039 Speaker 1: people out of their homes and like just electrocuting them, 3001 02:54:29,480 --> 02:54:32,600 Speaker 1: like this is you know, this is this something also 3002 02:54:32,680 --> 02:54:34,280 Speaker 1: that I was very annoyed about when I was reading 3003 02:54:34,280 --> 02:54:36,400 Speaker 1: this was like you read a lot of this stuff 3004 02:54:36,440 --> 02:54:38,200 Speaker 1: and then and you'll you'll get descriptions of it that 3005 02:54:38,200 --> 02:54:40,800 Speaker 1: are like, ah, this is something that like only happens 3006 02:54:40,800 --> 02:54:42,879 Speaker 1: in the pressure regimes like Kazakhstan, and it's like, have 3007 02:54:43,040 --> 02:54:45,920 Speaker 1: you read anything about picture of the US like this 3008 02:54:46,200 --> 02:54:49,720 Speaker 1: is like yeah, like we we have the officers over 3009 02:54:49,760 --> 02:54:52,600 Speaker 1: to other countries that often teach their police how to 3010 02:54:52,640 --> 02:54:55,959 Speaker 1: do ship like this that happens. But when you were 3011 02:54:56,000 --> 02:54:58,480 Speaker 1: describing a whole bunch of stuff in the past, like 3012 02:54:58,680 --> 02:55:00,959 Speaker 1: you know, twenty minutes, I was thinking in my head 3013 02:55:01,000 --> 02:55:03,959 Speaker 1: and like, oh, yeah, this is just like stormtrooper ship. 3014 02:55:04,080 --> 02:55:06,400 Speaker 1: But the thing is, it isn't like this just is 3015 02:55:06,480 --> 02:55:09,680 Speaker 1: cops shit, and like, like the thing like the fact 3016 02:55:09,680 --> 02:55:13,040 Speaker 1: that like elevating it in my brain to it being 3017 02:55:13,080 --> 02:55:15,640 Speaker 1: like something other than cops is incorrect. You know, like 3018 02:55:15,720 --> 02:55:19,160 Speaker 1: this just is police stuff. It's not it's not necessarily 3019 02:55:19,160 --> 02:55:22,080 Speaker 1: stormtrooper ship. It's just is police ship. And the fact 3020 02:55:22,120 --> 02:55:24,440 Speaker 1: that those things are so synonymous that should be the 3021 02:55:24,440 --> 02:55:27,800 Speaker 1: part that's actually like upsetting is that yeah, it's actually 3022 02:55:27,840 --> 02:55:31,560 Speaker 1: there is really no difference and you shouldn't necessarily resort 3023 02:55:31,640 --> 02:55:34,440 Speaker 1: to calling it stormtrooper stuff because it is just what 3024 02:55:34,480 --> 02:55:37,560 Speaker 1: the police do all the time. There's this whole model 3025 02:55:37,600 --> 02:55:39,480 Speaker 1: you see people talking about it where they talk about 3026 02:55:39,520 --> 02:55:43,000 Speaker 1: like like the police are using unnecessary force and like 3027 02:55:43,040 --> 02:55:45,240 Speaker 1: they're there there there's like a certain threshold where if 3028 02:55:45,240 --> 02:55:48,240 Speaker 1: you go past it, like you know, sort of like 3029 02:55:48,240 --> 02:55:49,920 Speaker 1: like even you know, like I'm Gonna'm gonna read like 3030 02:55:49,920 --> 02:55:52,240 Speaker 1: that Birch has a lot of like when he winds 3031 02:55:52,280 --> 02:55:54,920 Speaker 1: up in court, like the judges look at this and 3032 02:55:54,920 --> 02:55:56,720 Speaker 1: the are like, oh my god, this is unacceptable. How 3033 02:55:56,720 --> 02:55:59,320 Speaker 1: could this have happened? And you know, you get some 3034 02:55:59,360 --> 02:56:01,880 Speaker 1: good descriptions of it. I'm gonna this is a district 3035 02:56:01,920 --> 02:56:04,160 Speaker 1: judge court describing what Burge is doing. In the early eighties, 3036 02:56:04,760 --> 02:56:07,280 Speaker 1: there existed, in two in the City of Chicago, a 3037 02:56:07,360 --> 02:56:10,440 Speaker 1: de facto policy practice and or customer of Chicago police 3038 02:56:10,440 --> 02:56:15,360 Speaker 1: officers exacting unconstitutional revenge and punishment against persons who they 3039 02:56:15,360 --> 02:56:18,359 Speaker 1: alleged had killed or injured a fellow officer. This revenge 3040 02:56:18,360 --> 02:56:22,359 Speaker 1: and punishment included beating, kicking, torturing, shooting, and or executing 3041 02:56:22,400 --> 02:56:24,440 Speaker 1: such a person for the purpose of inflicting pain, to 3042 02:56:24,480 --> 02:56:27,080 Speaker 1: injury and punishment on that person, and also for the 3043 02:56:27,120 --> 02:56:30,160 Speaker 1: purpose of forcing that person to make it. Coupled tory 3044 02:56:30,240 --> 02:56:38,800 Speaker 1: statements exculpatory yeahculptor yeah, inculpatory yeah yeah yeah. You know, 3045 02:56:38,879 --> 02:56:40,879 Speaker 1: and you you get stuff like there's there's there's an 3046 02:56:40,879 --> 02:56:43,520 Speaker 1: FBI report than from the Chagol Tepem. I'm going to 3047 02:56:43,600 --> 02:56:48,400 Speaker 1: read because it's he left one bullet in the center 3048 02:56:48,520 --> 02:56:51,080 Speaker 1: and the cylinder and spun it. A report quoted the 3049 02:56:51,120 --> 02:56:54,720 Speaker 1: inmate is saying about Burge in the nineteen incident. He 3050 02:56:54,840 --> 02:56:59,800 Speaker 1: then said, you talk, will blow your black EXPELTI presumably 3051 02:56:59,800 --> 02:57:03,240 Speaker 1: the end word brains out. Bergs then got up from 3052 02:57:03,240 --> 02:57:05,560 Speaker 1: his desk, walked over to the inmate, put the muzzle 3053 02:57:05,560 --> 02:57:07,800 Speaker 1: of the revolver against the center of the inmate's forehead 3054 02:57:07,840 --> 02:57:11,119 Speaker 1: and pulled the trigger. He spun the cylinder and placed 3055 02:57:11,160 --> 02:57:16,440 Speaker 1: it back against his forehead and pulled the trigger again. So, yeah, 3056 02:57:16,520 --> 02:57:21,000 Speaker 1: he's just playing Russian Roulette with people. Like he's playing it. 3057 02:57:21,120 --> 02:57:26,520 Speaker 1: I don't I don't think. Yeah, yeah, well he's pulling 3058 02:57:26,560 --> 02:57:28,480 Speaker 1: up one in the sixth chance of murdering them. They 3059 02:57:28,520 --> 02:57:33,920 Speaker 1: are in terror. Uh. There's also a lot of like 3060 02:57:34,480 --> 02:57:40,879 Speaker 1: he does like you sexually abuses people. He like after testicles. Yeah, 3061 02:57:41,000 --> 02:57:43,280 Speaker 1: he he like he electrocuted Like well, I mean he's 3062 02:57:43,280 --> 02:57:48,080 Speaker 1: also like is like like basically like raping people. Um, 3063 02:57:48,160 --> 02:57:51,440 Speaker 1: he like electrocut is a thirteen year old child. And 3064 02:57:51,480 --> 02:57:56,840 Speaker 1: you know this is like it's it's it's just so 3065 02:57:57,000 --> 02:57:59,520 Speaker 1: bleak that like, I mean, there's so there's a very 3066 02:57:59,520 --> 02:58:01,680 Speaker 1: famous art club about this by Chicago Journalist's called the 3067 02:58:01,720 --> 02:58:05,520 Speaker 1: House of Screams. But you know, like like Burge isn't 3068 02:58:05,520 --> 02:58:08,000 Speaker 1: the only guy doing this, Like one of his loyalists 3069 02:58:08,000 --> 02:58:11,280 Speaker 1: is lieutenant, Like is a guy named Byron. He's like 3070 02:58:11,320 --> 02:58:13,920 Speaker 1: in charge of the midnight shift at that the area 3071 02:58:13,959 --> 02:58:17,960 Speaker 1: true violent crimes. And they become known internally as burgess 3072 02:58:17,959 --> 02:58:20,640 Speaker 1: ask kickers at the A team because this is just 3073 02:58:21,000 --> 02:58:28,600 Speaker 1: who these people are culturally, and yeah, sure sure, but yeah, um, 3074 02:58:28,760 --> 02:58:33,360 Speaker 1: these guys start uh like putting like guns and prisoners mouths. 3075 02:58:34,120 --> 02:58:35,440 Speaker 1: But they have one thing where they they stick a 3076 02:58:35,480 --> 02:58:37,480 Speaker 1: shotgun in a guy's mouth and they pull the trigger 3077 02:58:37,520 --> 02:58:39,160 Speaker 1: and it's not loaded. But there's like they keep doing 3078 02:58:39,200 --> 02:58:43,080 Speaker 1: this thing. Yeah, it's it's that is by the way, 3079 02:58:43,320 --> 02:58:47,000 Speaker 1: illegal in international law, like internationally, that is a war 3080 02:58:47,080 --> 02:58:50,880 Speaker 1: crime if you're military to specifically, fake executions are a 3081 02:58:51,000 --> 02:58:54,519 Speaker 1: type of torture and a a war crime under international 3082 02:58:54,600 --> 02:58:58,520 Speaker 1: law based on treaties the United States is signed. Yeah, 3083 02:58:58,600 --> 02:59:01,160 Speaker 1: and and Byron also so if he does that a lot, 3084 02:59:01,200 --> 02:59:03,800 Speaker 1: and then that same guy, the same guy the shotgun 3085 02:59:03,840 --> 02:59:06,680 Speaker 1: thing too, he apparently didn't have the box, so he 3086 02:59:06,760 --> 02:59:08,440 Speaker 1: stripped the dude and shocked his balls with a cattle 3087 02:59:08,480 --> 02:59:11,280 Speaker 1: prod And this is the guy who Lorry Lightfoot sent 3088 02:59:11,360 --> 02:59:14,160 Speaker 1: her number two lawyer to defend in court by arguing 3089 02:59:14,200 --> 02:59:20,280 Speaker 1: the torture it never happens. Yeah, that's that's that's that's ability. Yep, 3090 02:59:20,840 --> 02:59:24,840 Speaker 1: that's the mayor of my city now life Lightfoot. Light 3091 02:59:24,879 --> 02:59:28,120 Speaker 1: Foot is on the record as saying that birds tortured 3092 02:59:28,240 --> 02:59:30,960 Speaker 1: over a hundred people. But once it came to you know, 3093 02:59:31,080 --> 02:59:33,400 Speaker 1: actually putting up or shutting up, she just goes to 3094 02:59:33,440 --> 02:59:35,600 Speaker 1: back for the cops. And if this happens in Chicago, 3095 02:59:36,040 --> 02:59:38,160 Speaker 1: just so many times with people who used to be 3096 02:59:38,200 --> 02:59:40,800 Speaker 1: like who you know who who in the moment you're like, oh, 3097 02:59:40,840 --> 02:59:43,000 Speaker 1: bird did torture. We need to reform the police. And 3098 02:59:43,080 --> 02:59:44,959 Speaker 1: it's you know, the when they get into power, they 3099 02:59:45,000 --> 02:59:47,240 Speaker 1: do this stuff. I mean there there's there's a bunch 3100 02:59:47,280 --> 02:59:51,600 Speaker 1: of like incredibly weird stuff that happens here. Like so 3101 02:59:53,080 --> 02:59:55,680 Speaker 1: that the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals at one point 3102 02:59:55,440 --> 02:59:59,800 Speaker 1: saul A like they saw a case over whether one 3103 03:00:00,080 --> 03:00:03,039 Speaker 1: and dollar settlement with a torture victim was fair and 3104 03:00:03,480 --> 03:00:08,640 Speaker 1: christ Yeah, in court it's like you read the transcas 3105 03:00:08,800 --> 03:00:11,240 Speaker 1: and it's like it's it's the most brutal demolishing of 3106 03:00:11,280 --> 03:00:16,120 Speaker 1: like a state's argument I've ever seen, Like they're they're, 3107 03:00:16,120 --> 03:00:18,400 Speaker 1: they're just like in court asking them like okay, like 3108 03:00:18,440 --> 03:00:20,800 Speaker 1: we're we're, we're This person's judge is supposed to have 3109 03:00:21,120 --> 03:00:24,240 Speaker 1: like known in court that he was also torturing other people, 3110 03:00:24,360 --> 03:00:28,520 Speaker 1: and like it's you know, the courts just like you know, 3111 03:00:28,520 --> 03:00:30,800 Speaker 1: they're turning them apart. And then when it comes time 3112 03:00:30,840 --> 03:00:33,879 Speaker 1: to decide the case, uh, the court tosses the case 3113 03:00:33,920 --> 03:00:39,400 Speaker 1: out inside with the state. Wow. Yeah, I don't know 3114 03:00:39,440 --> 03:00:46,280 Speaker 1: what's going on there. It's awful. Yep, this topic. I 3115 03:00:46,280 --> 03:00:48,720 Speaker 1: mean that that is the thing about the way the 3116 03:00:48,760 --> 03:00:51,400 Speaker 1: whole system works, which is that, you know, the police 3117 03:00:51,520 --> 03:00:54,920 Speaker 1: do horrific things. In Chicago, they torture, in Los Angeles, 3118 03:00:55,040 --> 03:00:56,960 Speaker 1: they have Nazi gangs. You know, there's a bunch of 3119 03:00:57,000 --> 03:00:59,800 Speaker 1: different horrible ship the police do. And then at some 3120 03:00:59,800 --> 03:01:02,320 Speaker 1: point point the FBI and the Justice Department come in 3121 03:01:02,400 --> 03:01:07,000 Speaker 1: and they provide incredibly They send in very talented investigators 3122 03:01:07,000 --> 03:01:09,960 Speaker 1: who produced incredibly detailed lists of all of the things 3123 03:01:10,000 --> 03:01:12,400 Speaker 1: that are being done. And then the court says, well, 3124 03:01:12,480 --> 03:01:15,240 Speaker 1: but nobody's gonna get punished, or maybe this one guy 3125 03:01:15,280 --> 03:01:17,400 Speaker 1: will get punished and then we'll go on back to 3126 03:01:17,440 --> 03:01:20,000 Speaker 1: doing things and that the system is supposed to work, 3127 03:01:20,160 --> 03:01:22,000 Speaker 1: although we're we're going to read a story about the 3128 03:01:22,040 --> 03:01:26,320 Speaker 1: FBI not doing that in the next episode. So yeah, yeah, 3129 03:01:26,360 --> 03:01:29,400 Speaker 1: I mean they don't know. We don't always get a report. Yeah, 3130 03:01:29,600 --> 03:01:33,199 Speaker 1: I just I have become increased, Like it's very frustrating 3131 03:01:33,240 --> 03:01:36,680 Speaker 1: because having these FBI reports on police abuses um is 3132 03:01:36,760 --> 03:01:39,160 Speaker 1: useful again for talking to liberals because they tend to 3133 03:01:39,160 --> 03:01:42,280 Speaker 1: trust the FBI. But it's also like, boy, I've read 3134 03:01:42,320 --> 03:01:44,879 Speaker 1: a lot of detailed FBI reports about how bad police 3135 03:01:44,920 --> 03:01:47,199 Speaker 1: departments are, and it seems like nothing ever gets done. 3136 03:01:47,520 --> 03:01:49,440 Speaker 1: Like it seems like they just write a thing saying yeah, 3137 03:01:49,440 --> 03:01:54,600 Speaker 1: it's bad, and then everything continues forever and it's you know, 3138 03:01:55,040 --> 03:01:59,840 Speaker 1: this this case, Like so the reason we even know 3139 03:02:00,000 --> 03:02:02,280 Speaker 1: any of this is through what I like, what I 3140 03:02:02,280 --> 03:02:06,000 Speaker 1: will say, like the a genuinely heroic, decades long campaign 3141 03:02:06,040 --> 03:02:07,960 Speaker 1: run by the People's Law Office on behalf of birde 3142 03:02:08,040 --> 03:02:10,959 Speaker 1: victims and these people, like they say people's lives like 3143 03:02:11,000 --> 03:02:14,080 Speaker 1: that there are people who birdge tortured, who ended up 3144 03:02:14,120 --> 03:02:17,240 Speaker 1: on death row for it, and you know, like this 3145 03:02:17,240 --> 03:02:19,160 Speaker 1: stuff is so bad that when it comes out, the 3146 03:02:19,160 --> 03:02:21,880 Speaker 1: Supreme Court does a ruling on it, and it like 3147 03:02:22,000 --> 03:02:24,480 Speaker 1: establishes new precedents for like how people can prove they've 3148 03:02:24,520 --> 03:02:27,600 Speaker 1: been tortured. Like you know, it's so bad that like 3149 03:02:27,959 --> 03:02:30,280 Speaker 1: Illinois stops running the death pet like we had the 3150 03:02:30,320 --> 03:02:32,080 Speaker 1: death penalty and like we still tend to get ethic 3151 03:02:32,120 --> 03:02:33,840 Speaker 1: have it, but like we just stopped doing it, Like 3152 03:02:33,879 --> 03:02:38,640 Speaker 1: we stopped we stopped executing people because like a Republican governor, 3153 03:02:39,320 --> 03:02:42,560 Speaker 1: like on air, gave a giant thing about how this 3154 03:02:42,560 --> 03:02:47,160 Speaker 1: system was broken and like this is this is John Ryan, right, 3155 03:02:47,200 --> 03:02:50,320 Speaker 1: like this is a man who like he he is 3156 03:02:50,360 --> 03:02:51,920 Speaker 1: like this is a man who was corrupted by the 3157 03:02:51,959 --> 03:02:55,440 Speaker 1: standards of of of an Illinois politician. And even he 3158 03:02:55,600 --> 03:02:58,680 Speaker 1: like on the air, is like yeah, this is like 3159 03:02:58,840 --> 03:03:00,640 Speaker 1: you know that this is this is broken. He he 3160 03:03:00,720 --> 03:03:05,280 Speaker 1: pardons some Burge victims and in nine three, faced with 3161 03:03:05,360 --> 03:03:08,640 Speaker 1: just irrefutable evidence of torture and ruling multiple higher ports 3162 03:03:08,879 --> 03:03:13,240 Speaker 1: higher courts, the Police Board finally released a report, although 3163 03:03:13,280 --> 03:03:16,280 Speaker 1: the report also doesn't call it torture and is a 3164 03:03:16,320 --> 03:03:19,520 Speaker 1: disaster that they finally have Burge fired and some of 3165 03:03:19,560 --> 03:03:21,840 Speaker 1: his colleagues who were also torturing people get suspended for 3166 03:03:21,879 --> 03:03:26,400 Speaker 1: fifteen months, but Burge isn't prosecuted for, you know, the 3167 03:03:26,440 --> 03:03:29,000 Speaker 1: crimes that we have multiple reports of him doing until 3168 03:03:29,040 --> 03:03:33,520 Speaker 1: two after the victims literally go to the United Nations 3169 03:03:34,480 --> 03:03:36,760 Speaker 1: with a campaign and go in front of the United 3170 03:03:36,840 --> 03:03:38,600 Speaker 1: Nations and talk about how they are being systemically tortured 3171 03:03:38,600 --> 03:03:41,480 Speaker 1: by the Chicago Police Department. But of course by two ten, 3172 03:03:41,520 --> 03:03:43,520 Speaker 1: the statute of limitations on his crimes had run out, 3173 03:03:43,640 --> 03:03:46,039 Speaker 1: so uh, he winds up going to jail for three 3174 03:03:46,920 --> 03:03:49,800 Speaker 1: stations on torture. Yeah, that's definitely one of the ones 3175 03:03:49,800 --> 03:03:52,240 Speaker 1: we should have a cap Yeah, definitely. It's great. It's 3176 03:03:52,280 --> 03:03:54,880 Speaker 1: it's it's a great system. Um. And I'm going to 3177 03:03:54,920 --> 03:03:57,160 Speaker 1: read something from the Chocolate Tribune that was a description 3178 03:03:57,240 --> 03:04:00,720 Speaker 1: of of this. Uh quote. While the jury was out, Burge, 3179 03:04:00,760 --> 03:04:03,840 Speaker 1: still unrepentant, allegedly asked the courtroom reserve or whether you 3180 03:04:03,879 --> 03:04:08,360 Speaker 1: thought the jury would quote believe a bunch of n words. Wow, dye, 3181 03:04:09,520 --> 03:04:13,920 Speaker 1: it's good. Burge Bridge tortured at least a hundred and 3182 03:04:13,920 --> 03:04:16,480 Speaker 1: twenty five people. That's almost certainly an under account. Undred 3183 03:04:16,520 --> 03:04:19,000 Speaker 1: twenty five is the number of people who we have 3184 03:04:19,040 --> 03:04:21,520 Speaker 1: who have come forward. A lot of those people probably 3185 03:04:21,520 --> 03:04:26,080 Speaker 1: have like people he tortured have probably died by now. Um, yeah, 3186 03:04:26,120 --> 03:04:28,240 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, you'll never will never get an accurate 3187 03:04:28,240 --> 03:04:30,959 Speaker 1: account of all the people who were Yeah, and and 3188 03:04:31,240 --> 03:04:33,360 Speaker 1: Burge died a freeman and has never served a day 3189 03:04:33,520 --> 03:04:37,039 Speaker 1: for his actual crimes. Now, Burge and his crew are 3190 03:04:37,040 --> 03:04:40,000 Speaker 1: the most famous of the eighties and seventies and eighties torturers, 3191 03:04:40,000 --> 03:04:42,800 Speaker 1: but they're by no means the only one. And we're 3192 03:04:42,800 --> 03:04:45,920 Speaker 1: gonna talk about one more in this torture section. Uh 3193 03:04:46,120 --> 03:04:49,920 Speaker 1: if you did you know Richard Zuli? Mm hmm okay, 3194 03:04:49,920 --> 03:04:52,600 Speaker 1: so yeah, Zuli's Zulie is the one that people tend 3195 03:04:52,640 --> 03:04:55,360 Speaker 1: not to know. M Zuli was also a Vietnam War vet. 3196 03:04:55,640 --> 03:04:59,400 Speaker 1: He becomes a detective in nine. Um, what's interesting about him? 3197 03:04:59,560 --> 03:05:02,760 Speaker 1: Zuli is never part of Burgess Candre Right Burgess Cadres 3198 03:05:02,879 --> 03:05:04,920 Speaker 1: working out Verrea too. They're on the south Side. They're 3199 03:05:04,959 --> 03:05:08,040 Speaker 1: in an overwhelmingly black part of the south Side. Zuli 3200 03:05:08,080 --> 03:05:10,320 Speaker 1: works in areas three and six on the north side. 3201 03:05:11,000 --> 03:05:12,480 Speaker 1: You know what what what what I want need to 3202 03:05:12,480 --> 03:05:14,480 Speaker 1: mention off the bat is that Zuli is no less 3203 03:05:14,560 --> 03:05:17,000 Speaker 1: racist than Burge is. He wants to rested a black 3204 03:05:17,080 --> 03:05:19,560 Speaker 1: dude for just like having a car and wearing a 3205 03:05:19,640 --> 03:05:23,519 Speaker 1: watch and like like those are both felonies in the 3206 03:05:23,600 --> 03:05:26,240 Speaker 1: city of Chicago. Right, well, if you famously never know 3207 03:05:26,280 --> 03:05:29,480 Speaker 1: what time it is because you're a law abiding citizen. Yeah, 3208 03:05:29,520 --> 03:05:32,800 Speaker 1: well law abidings isn't. And also don't be black while 3209 03:05:32,840 --> 03:05:37,840 Speaker 1: doing this because yeah, he throws him in a cell. Yeah, 3210 03:05:38,040 --> 03:05:41,560 Speaker 1: well it gets it gets you. Zuli screaming no end 3211 03:05:41,600 --> 03:05:45,199 Speaker 1: word is supposed to live like this? Oh boy, oh boy, 3212 03:05:46,360 --> 03:05:50,600 Speaker 1: it's you know we we people like talk about cops 3213 03:05:51,000 --> 03:05:53,920 Speaker 1: doing stuff for that reason, but it's it's, you know, 3214 03:05:54,480 --> 03:05:57,720 Speaker 1: they're so racist. Just get a direct quote. Yeah, Like 3215 03:05:58,520 --> 03:06:03,320 Speaker 1: I can't emphasize it, Like they're just they're so racist. 3216 03:06:03,400 --> 03:06:06,600 Speaker 1: It's like ingrained into the d like the cop d NA. Yeah, 3217 03:06:06,600 --> 03:06:09,279 Speaker 1: they're just saying the loud part loud. Yeah, like they're 3218 03:06:09,320 --> 03:06:11,320 Speaker 1: just scribby like that. We're going to do with One 3219 03:06:11,320 --> 03:06:13,040 Speaker 1: of the things in the next episode is the cops 3220 03:06:13,040 --> 03:06:15,160 Speaker 1: will just drive around like blasting the end. We're out 3221 03:06:15,160 --> 03:06:21,000 Speaker 1: of their out of their like cops stereos because Christ. Yeah, now, 3222 03:06:21,320 --> 03:06:23,280 Speaker 1: Zuli in a lot of ways is a more modern 3223 03:06:23,320 --> 03:06:25,880 Speaker 1: torture than birdges. You know, bird is very big on 3224 03:06:25,959 --> 03:06:28,560 Speaker 1: your like overt physical violence, right, you're beating. Your execution 3225 03:06:28,560 --> 03:06:31,400 Speaker 1: is suffocation. The problem with these techniques from a torture 3226 03:06:31,400 --> 03:06:34,400 Speaker 1: of perspectives that they leave incredibly obvious marks. And you know, 3227 03:06:34,640 --> 03:06:36,800 Speaker 1: this is how birde goes down, right, It's it's too 3228 03:06:36,840 --> 03:06:38,720 Speaker 1: obvious what he's doing. There are people who can just 3229 03:06:38,760 --> 03:06:40,720 Speaker 1: like show up to a court and be like, hey, 3230 03:06:40,800 --> 03:06:43,480 Speaker 1: look at my neck, like here are all these burns. 3231 03:06:44,360 --> 03:06:46,640 Speaker 1: Zuli is much smarter about it. Um, you know she 3232 03:06:46,680 --> 03:06:48,760 Speaker 1: I mean, she does some beatings because cops are literally 3233 03:06:48,800 --> 03:06:50,800 Speaker 1: animals and are incapable of resisting the urge to beat 3234 03:06:50,800 --> 03:06:52,640 Speaker 1: the living share of anyone who falls into their grasp. 3235 03:06:53,280 --> 03:06:56,360 Speaker 1: But you know, mostly what he does is he does 3236 03:06:56,400 --> 03:06:58,080 Speaker 1: things like he'll just shackle so much to a wall 3237 03:06:58,120 --> 03:07:01,800 Speaker 1: for twenty four hours, and you know, and he'll be like, okay, 3238 03:07:01,800 --> 03:07:03,680 Speaker 1: like I'm gonna shock you to this wall and until 3239 03:07:03,680 --> 03:07:05,320 Speaker 1: you sign this confession, I won't let you leave. And 3240 03:07:05,320 --> 03:07:06,880 Speaker 1: also you can't talk to anyone. You can't talk to 3241 03:07:06,879 --> 03:07:09,760 Speaker 1: you lawyer, you can't talk to h like, you can't 3242 03:07:09,760 --> 03:07:12,240 Speaker 1: talk to your family. And in the next episode we're 3243 03:07:12,360 --> 03:07:14,480 Speaker 1: say this, this this is how modern CPD torture works, except 3244 03:07:14,600 --> 03:07:18,560 Speaker 1: Zuli is doing this in the eighties. Now, zuli Is 3245 03:07:18,560 --> 03:07:21,240 Speaker 1: is a naval intelligence officer who's he's so he's still 3246 03:07:21,240 --> 03:07:24,080 Speaker 1: technically in the reserves when he joins the cops. And 3247 03:07:24,160 --> 03:07:27,000 Speaker 1: that meant when the CIA's torture is like Autnomo base 3248 03:07:27,040 --> 03:07:30,320 Speaker 1: stalled out, they needed a hero and that hero was 3249 03:07:30,400 --> 03:07:34,800 Speaker 1: zuli Um. Zuli Is was the most active. Like that. 3250 03:07:34,920 --> 03:07:37,880 Speaker 1: The thing is the most active in is the torture 3251 03:07:38,040 --> 03:07:40,920 Speaker 1: of Mohammad o old Sali, who is famously known as 3252 03:07:40,959 --> 03:07:46,440 Speaker 1: the most tortured manic autonomo Um. He's yeah, at least 3253 03:07:46,440 --> 03:07:51,959 Speaker 1: he gotten a guinness. Yeah, he yeah. They do sleep deprivation. 3254 03:07:52,240 --> 03:07:54,400 Speaker 1: I mean they some of it's like the standards sort 3255 03:07:54,440 --> 03:07:57,080 Speaker 1: of like get most stuff, which is like they don't 3256 03:07:57,120 --> 03:07:59,440 Speaker 1: let you sleep. They blast like sounds until you sell 3257 03:07:59,520 --> 03:08:02,959 Speaker 1: all the time him. They like beat you. There's molestations 3258 03:08:03,640 --> 03:08:05,959 Speaker 1: and but there's also stuff that's like like you know 3259 03:08:06,000 --> 03:08:07,840 Speaker 1: the tharnt of attack by dogs, but like the wh'll 3260 03:08:07,879 --> 03:08:12,680 Speaker 1: do things like like he'll like soap people like get 3261 03:08:12,720 --> 03:08:16,480 Speaker 1: soaked in ice water or like they stuffed him in 3262 03:08:16,480 --> 03:08:19,200 Speaker 1: this like straight jacket thing that didn't let him breathe 3263 03:08:19,200 --> 03:08:24,320 Speaker 1: properly and then stuffed full of ice and then Zuli also, yeah, yeah, 3264 03:08:24,360 --> 03:08:26,800 Speaker 1: it's it's it's bad. And he also like threatens to 3265 03:08:26,879 --> 03:08:30,000 Speaker 1: kidnap his mother and have recent to Guantanamo to be 3266 03:08:30,000 --> 03:08:34,400 Speaker 1: braved because these people are again jazz monsters. And yeah, 3267 03:08:34,480 --> 03:08:37,600 Speaker 1: Zuli is still alive today and romes the streets as 3268 03:08:37,600 --> 03:08:41,240 Speaker 1: a freeman, having received literally no consequences whatsoever for being 3269 03:08:41,280 --> 03:08:43,720 Speaker 1: a torturer. So good in the CPD that the CIA 3270 03:08:43,920 --> 03:08:45,760 Speaker 1: was like, we're gonna bring this guy into the torture. 3271 03:08:46,240 --> 03:08:52,240 Speaker 1: That's great, it's great. It's yep yep ah. And and 3272 03:08:52,280 --> 03:08:57,840 Speaker 1: that that that brings us to our first interlude, which 3273 03:08:57,920 --> 03:09:01,000 Speaker 1: is every year Chicago Police Office go to the grave 3274 03:09:01,080 --> 03:09:03,560 Speaker 1: of the Deputy Chairman of the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton's, 3275 03:09:03,560 --> 03:09:05,640 Speaker 1: who they assassinated in a police rate after drug the 3276 03:09:05,720 --> 03:09:08,240 Speaker 1: n um. They go to his grave to shoot his 3277 03:09:08,320 --> 03:09:12,040 Speaker 1: fucking tombstone. They do this literally every year. The families 3278 03:09:12,280 --> 03:09:14,640 Speaker 1: they keep getting you tombstones, they shoot them every They 3279 03:09:14,640 --> 03:09:17,480 Speaker 1: shoot them every year. It just doesn't matter. Uh, the 3280 03:09:17,480 --> 03:09:20,080 Speaker 1: CPD just keeps shooting it. And there's a quote from 3281 03:09:20,080 --> 03:09:22,960 Speaker 1: the Great Trinity Daddy and marchis historian C. L. R. James, 3282 03:09:23,000 --> 03:09:26,120 Speaker 1: And I think about a lot that goes when history 3283 03:09:26,200 --> 03:09:27,879 Speaker 1: is written as it ought to be written. It is 3284 03:09:27,879 --> 03:09:30,320 Speaker 1: the moderation and long patience of the masses at which 3285 03:09:30,320 --> 03:09:34,680 Speaker 1: people will will wonder, not their ferocity. Yep. I really 3286 03:09:34,720 --> 03:09:39,360 Speaker 1: hope there's a moment of people doing things to cops 3287 03:09:39,520 --> 03:09:43,400 Speaker 1: that makes generations in the future marvel at their ferocity. Yeah. 3288 03:09:43,440 --> 03:09:46,680 Speaker 1: I think I can say that without it legally being incitement. Yes. 3289 03:09:47,040 --> 03:09:49,160 Speaker 1: I'll make one other fun note, which is that five 3290 03:09:49,240 --> 03:09:52,879 Speaker 1: Chicago police officers died last year from COVID. So that's good. Yeah, 3291 03:09:54,360 --> 03:09:57,720 Speaker 1: let's make it fifty officer Dad. Look, they're working on it. 3292 03:09:58,080 --> 03:10:01,040 Speaker 1: They don't they won't wear masks. Back to critical support 3293 03:10:01,080 --> 03:10:03,960 Speaker 1: to the Chicago police who don't wear masks. They're they're 3294 03:10:04,040 --> 03:10:06,680 Speaker 1: they're they're they're they're they're having their police Academy exams 3295 03:10:06,680 --> 03:10:10,400 Speaker 1: in person. Now, oh that's good, that's good. You know what, 3296 03:10:12,040 --> 03:10:16,800 Speaker 1: critical support spend more time indoors together without masks. Guys, 3297 03:10:16,840 --> 03:10:24,920 Speaker 1: avoid those vaxes. Yeah, yeah, great, will happen. Okay, So 3298 03:10:25,200 --> 03:10:30,199 Speaker 1: story two, which is a shorter one but no less bleak. 3299 03:10:30,360 --> 03:10:36,360 Speaker 1: I think. On October fourteen, officer Jason Van Dyke fired 3300 03:10:36,440 --> 03:10:40,040 Speaker 1: sixteen shots at Lakwon McDonald, who had turned around and 3301 03:10:40,160 --> 03:10:43,240 Speaker 1: was walking away from him. Here's from the people of 3302 03:10:43,280 --> 03:10:47,720 Speaker 1: the state of Illinois. Walking away aggressively, Chris, Yeah, oh boy, 3303 03:10:47,879 --> 03:10:54,200 Speaker 1: violently exiting. Yeah, I walking away while black, which I 3304 03:10:54,240 --> 03:10:57,160 Speaker 1: guess in the minds of like half of the United States. 3305 03:10:57,400 --> 03:11:02,039 Speaker 1: Is someone at defended legal right to shoot people in 3306 03:11:02,080 --> 03:11:06,320 Speaker 1: the back who are trying to a way. Yeah, it's yeah, 3307 03:11:06,440 --> 03:11:09,800 Speaker 1: great country, We're nailing it. From the Chicago Tribune and 3308 03:11:09,879 --> 03:11:12,120 Speaker 1: analysis of the video. This is this is from the 3309 03:11:12,480 --> 03:11:15,120 Speaker 1: court case, but in the child Tribune. An analysis of 3310 03:11:15,160 --> 03:11:18,640 Speaker 1: the video establishes that fourteen to fifteen seconds passed from 3311 03:11:18,640 --> 03:11:22,240 Speaker 1: the time the defendant Van Dyke fired his first shot 3312 03:11:22,560 --> 03:11:25,920 Speaker 1: to clear visual confirmation of the final shot. For approximately 3313 03:11:25,920 --> 03:11:28,800 Speaker 1: thirteen of those seconds, McDonald is lying on the ground, 3314 03:11:29,680 --> 03:11:32,960 Speaker 1: so he he fires literally every bullet in he's gone 3315 03:11:32,959 --> 03:11:36,360 Speaker 1: at a man who is, by those like second shot, 3316 03:11:36,600 --> 03:11:38,360 Speaker 1: lying dead, like well it's not quite dead yet, but 3317 03:11:38,640 --> 03:11:42,720 Speaker 1: like lying on the ground. It's just Yeah. From the 3318 03:11:42,760 --> 03:11:46,360 Speaker 1: cops perspective, like why not like that? That's like that, 3319 03:11:46,480 --> 03:11:48,760 Speaker 1: like like they have the ability to do that. If 3320 03:11:48,800 --> 03:11:50,840 Speaker 1: they get the chance, Oh I get to kill a 3321 03:11:50,920 --> 03:11:54,040 Speaker 1: black person and it doesn't matter, then why like you know, 3322 03:11:54,280 --> 03:11:56,360 Speaker 1: that's like if you if you you have to, you 3323 03:11:56,400 --> 03:12:01,800 Speaker 1: have to think through like what they're actually processing this as. 3324 03:12:01,920 --> 03:12:03,760 Speaker 1: And they don't see them as like a they don't 3325 03:12:03,760 --> 03:12:06,280 Speaker 1: see them as like an equivalent human life. So it 3326 03:12:06,400 --> 03:12:09,560 Speaker 1: doesn't like it's it's they don't it doesn't like you 3327 03:12:09,600 --> 03:12:13,480 Speaker 1: can't like apply the same rules of civility that like 3328 03:12:13,879 --> 03:12:17,440 Speaker 1: we should all kind of agree upon because cops have 3329 03:12:17,480 --> 03:12:21,560 Speaker 1: such a higher hierarchical viewpoint that with them at the top, 3330 03:12:21,840 --> 03:12:25,160 Speaker 1: that they can never actually exist within any kind of 3331 03:12:25,320 --> 03:12:30,959 Speaker 1: humane society. That's why again unspeakable ferocity of the masses 3332 03:12:31,200 --> 03:12:35,920 Speaker 1: fingers crossed one day. Yeah, yeah, well you know, and 3333 03:12:36,200 --> 03:12:39,720 Speaker 1: I think that the thing, you know, Okay, so look, 3334 03:12:39,760 --> 03:12:42,199 Speaker 1: if this is the price of a liberal democracy, right, 3335 03:12:42,240 --> 03:12:43,960 Speaker 1: if if you're going to if you're going to live 3336 03:12:44,040 --> 03:12:47,520 Speaker 1: in a society that has like you know that that 3337 03:12:47,640 --> 03:12:49,760 Speaker 1: where laws are enforced by the police, the police are 3338 03:12:49,760 --> 03:12:51,960 Speaker 1: going to murder people like that's that that that's what 3339 03:12:52,000 --> 03:12:54,560 Speaker 1: you're signing on for. And I think that I think 3340 03:12:54,560 --> 03:12:57,160 Speaker 1: that's an absolutely unacceptable price. And but we shouldn't do this. 3341 03:12:57,959 --> 03:13:01,600 Speaker 1: Um Now. The other aspect of this is because you 3342 03:13:01,640 --> 03:13:05,480 Speaker 1: have to keep all of these just absolutely like just 3343 03:13:06,000 --> 03:13:10,120 Speaker 1: bloodthirsty burderers on the leash. And because also all the 3344 03:13:10,160 --> 03:13:13,879 Speaker 1: people who are actually in the governments are just genuinely 3345 03:13:13,879 --> 03:13:17,840 Speaker 1: the asplicable human beings. Uh. Immediately after I mean, like 3346 03:13:18,000 --> 03:13:20,640 Speaker 1: really before the shots have stopped firing, like, there's a 3347 03:13:20,640 --> 03:13:23,959 Speaker 1: coper up that stretches from like includes everyone from the 3348 03:13:24,000 --> 03:13:25,600 Speaker 1: officers on the scene all the way up to may 3349 03:13:25,720 --> 03:13:28,800 Speaker 1: Raw Emmanuel. So for example, mysteriously none of the multiple 3350 03:13:28,879 --> 03:13:31,640 Speaker 1: dashboard cameras on the scene we're recording audio for reasons 3351 03:13:31,640 --> 03:13:36,160 Speaker 1: only the discerning listener can guess at yep, Like everyone 3352 03:13:36,200 --> 03:13:38,720 Speaker 1: across the entire chain of command again going right up 3353 03:13:38,760 --> 03:13:41,640 Speaker 1: to the mayor's office immediately goes we we cannot let 3354 03:13:41,640 --> 03:13:45,280 Speaker 1: this video get out because it's it's so bad that 3355 03:13:45,840 --> 03:13:49,840 Speaker 1: even the CPD s like this is gonna look bad 3356 03:13:49,879 --> 03:13:52,480 Speaker 1: for us. Because the thing gets out, then people will 3357 03:13:52,520 --> 03:13:55,199 Speaker 1: want to do bad things to cops and they can't 3358 03:13:55,200 --> 03:14:00,080 Speaker 1: have that. And you know, so this this, this is 3359 03:14:00,760 --> 03:14:03,960 Speaker 1: this tape is concealed for over a year until the 3360 03:14:04,000 --> 03:14:08,520 Speaker 1: journalist Brandon Smith like literally gets a like sues them 3361 03:14:08,520 --> 03:14:11,000 Speaker 1: and literally gets the judge to like order the state 3362 03:14:11,040 --> 03:14:13,240 Speaker 1: to release it. And while this is going on, that 3363 03:14:13,280 --> 03:14:15,880 Speaker 1: the cops are doing this massive pr blitz featuring this 3364 03:14:16,000 --> 03:14:19,480 Speaker 1: just like incredible pack of racist lies, including that McDonald 3365 03:14:19,480 --> 03:14:21,560 Speaker 1: had lunge for it yet Van Dyke with a knife. No, 3366 03:14:21,640 --> 03:14:23,680 Speaker 1: he didn't, He was literally walking away from them. That 3367 03:14:23,800 --> 03:14:26,960 Speaker 1: McDonald had a gun, which is initiesting one because not 3368 03:14:27,040 --> 03:14:29,120 Speaker 1: only like they didn't even have time to like plant 3369 03:14:29,160 --> 03:14:31,000 Speaker 1: like they killed him so fast, they didn't have time 3370 03:14:31,000 --> 03:14:33,480 Speaker 1: to plant a gun on him, like there's no gun. 3371 03:14:33,640 --> 03:14:35,879 Speaker 1: But the multiple officers will are are like you can 3372 03:14:35,920 --> 03:14:37,520 Speaker 1: you can find news things of them talking about how 3373 03:14:37,560 --> 03:14:38,880 Speaker 1: this guy, oh, he had a gun. It's like there's 3374 03:14:38,879 --> 03:14:42,840 Speaker 1: no gun. Um. Yeah. The classic one is that like 3375 03:14:42,879 --> 03:14:46,240 Speaker 1: Van Dyke feared for his life and uh, no he didn't. 3376 03:14:46,320 --> 03:14:50,000 Speaker 1: He probably should now, but he does not. Yeah, he 3377 03:14:50,000 --> 03:14:53,280 Speaker 1: should never. He should never live awaking or sleeping moments 3378 03:14:53,520 --> 03:14:56,440 Speaker 1: where he's not in constant fear of someone cutting his 3379 03:14:56,520 --> 03:14:59,000 Speaker 1: head off, just as like in terms of the horror 3380 03:14:59,080 --> 03:15:02,240 Speaker 1: that should be viewed inside people who do these things, 3381 03:15:02,440 --> 03:15:04,360 Speaker 1: they should never like they shouldn't have been able to 3382 03:15:04,360 --> 03:15:07,720 Speaker 1: like sit down and be comfortable. The closest we've ever 3383 03:15:07,760 --> 03:15:10,200 Speaker 1: gotten in to justice for one of these guys is 3384 03:15:10,240 --> 03:15:14,880 Speaker 1: when that mob surrounded Uh, Derek Chauvin's house. Yeah, and 3385 03:15:15,440 --> 03:15:17,800 Speaker 1: it would have been actual justice if they had gotten 3386 03:15:17,800 --> 03:15:23,440 Speaker 1: through the door. Yep, yeah, it's yeah, so you know 3387 03:15:23,480 --> 03:15:25,760 Speaker 1: all and you ever like so there's all there's there's 3388 03:15:25,760 --> 03:15:28,080 Speaker 1: this huge coterie of cops. We're all just lying about this. 3389 03:15:28,560 --> 03:15:30,800 Speaker 1: They're lying in the press. They're lying just there lying. 3390 03:15:30,840 --> 03:15:34,599 Speaker 1: They they start they lie like on the stand um. 3391 03:15:34,680 --> 03:15:36,880 Speaker 1: And you know, the strategy works for a while because 3392 03:15:36,879 --> 03:15:39,080 Speaker 1: this country is just the racist tellhole until the court 3393 03:15:39,080 --> 03:15:41,840 Speaker 1: forces him to release the video. And when it becomes 3394 03:15:41,879 --> 03:15:43,040 Speaker 1: clear of the video is going to come out, the 3395 03:15:43,040 --> 03:15:45,680 Speaker 1: state immediately charges him, like they charged him, and then 3396 03:15:45,760 --> 03:15:47,959 Speaker 1: later that day they released a video. Now, now keep 3397 03:15:47,959 --> 03:15:50,840 Speaker 1: this in mind, they had this video for a fucking year. 3398 03:15:51,840 --> 03:15:55,040 Speaker 1: It's what it's all. It's all fake and you know, yeah, 3399 03:15:55,040 --> 03:15:57,320 Speaker 1: and they only charged him with the alternative was literally 3400 03:15:57,360 --> 03:15:59,320 Speaker 1: being run into the sea by an entire mob of 3401 03:15:59,360 --> 03:16:03,040 Speaker 1: the totally the entire population of Chicago. Um. So, Van 3402 03:16:03,080 --> 03:16:05,240 Speaker 1: Dyke is suspended without pay, right, but he immediately gets 3403 03:16:05,280 --> 03:16:10,400 Speaker 1: hired by the by the police union. Yeah yeah, yeah, 3404 03:16:11,120 --> 03:16:13,680 Speaker 1: and and Van Dyke Van Dyke eventually, i mean he 3405 03:16:13,720 --> 03:16:16,120 Speaker 1: goes down. Eventually he gets convicted of you know, of 3406 03:16:16,160 --> 03:16:19,840 Speaker 1: second green murder and sixteen counts of battery. But you know, 3407 03:16:19,879 --> 03:16:21,880 Speaker 1: there's a there's a later report that describes the involvement 3408 03:16:21,920 --> 03:16:24,879 Speaker 1: of sixteen other officers in the cover up. Uh. Four 3409 03:16:24,920 --> 03:16:27,840 Speaker 1: officers were eventually fired for lying about the case, three 3410 03:16:27,840 --> 03:16:29,840 Speaker 1: were tried for the cover up and acquitted, and four 3411 03:16:29,879 --> 03:16:32,840 Speaker 1: officers were given a one week suspension for the mysterious 3412 03:16:32,920 --> 03:16:41,080 Speaker 1: lack of camera audio. Honestly, more is more than usually happens. Yeah, well, 3413 03:16:41,080 --> 03:16:43,920 Speaker 1: I mean this is like this video is so bad 3414 03:16:44,040 --> 03:16:46,199 Speaker 1: that like this video is so I mean, Raw Emmanuel 3415 03:16:46,879 --> 03:16:49,440 Speaker 1: doesn't really mean he that the consequence he suffers is 3416 03:16:49,480 --> 03:16:51,920 Speaker 1: that he decides not to run again because it will 3417 03:16:51,959 --> 03:16:55,920 Speaker 1: be bad for him. But Raw Emmanuel is currently now 3418 03:16:56,120 --> 03:16:58,560 Speaker 1: that his his consequence is that he's the American ambassador 3419 03:16:58,560 --> 03:17:03,000 Speaker 1: of Japan and death. You know, I I will also 3420 03:17:03,000 --> 03:17:05,360 Speaker 1: say this, the people of Japan do not deserve Raw Emmanual. 3421 03:17:05,520 --> 03:17:07,840 Speaker 1: The Liberal Democratic Party, on the other hand, are maybe 3422 03:17:07,879 --> 03:17:09,920 Speaker 1: the only people on earth who actually deserve him. Like, 3423 03:17:09,959 --> 03:17:12,119 Speaker 1: if you didn't want us to palm row Mammanuel off 3424 03:17:12,280 --> 03:17:14,080 Speaker 1: on you, you shouldn't have taken all that CIA money 3425 03:17:14,120 --> 03:17:15,480 Speaker 1: in the fifties and sixties and let them run your 3426 03:17:15,480 --> 03:17:19,440 Speaker 1: political campaigns. So Liberal Democratic Party, lie down with dogs, 3427 03:17:19,480 --> 03:17:23,920 Speaker 1: get fleas um. But yeah, Jason van Dyke was released 3428 03:17:23,920 --> 03:17:26,080 Speaker 1: from prison two weeks ago after serving less than half 3429 03:17:26,080 --> 03:17:33,160 Speaker 1: a sentence. Mcwam McDonald's remains dead. Yeah. I mean the 3430 03:17:33,200 --> 03:17:35,800 Speaker 1: really depressing part is that that is more consequences than 3431 03:17:35,920 --> 03:17:41,320 Speaker 1: usually ever happens, and that that only happened because of, 3432 03:17:41,720 --> 03:17:44,280 Speaker 1: you know, like an incredible amount of organization, and like 3433 03:17:44,320 --> 03:17:46,520 Speaker 1: I think of all of the times where there is 3434 03:17:46,560 --> 03:17:48,520 Speaker 1: no video, Think of all the times where there's nothing 3435 03:17:48,640 --> 03:17:51,879 Speaker 1: and things just happened, no one watches it, and then 3436 03:17:52,040 --> 03:17:56,120 Speaker 1: dead bodies get kicked into a ditch um. And that's 3437 03:17:56,200 --> 03:17:59,000 Speaker 1: way more common than anything where there's a type of 3438 03:17:59,000 --> 03:18:01,200 Speaker 1: like recordings or even where there needs to be cover ups. 3439 03:18:01,959 --> 03:18:04,320 Speaker 1: You know, you you both are probably too young for 3440 03:18:04,360 --> 03:18:06,720 Speaker 1: this movie. But in one of the Transformers movies, after 3441 03:18:06,760 --> 03:18:12,200 Speaker 1: they beat all the bad Transformers, okay, you know where 3442 03:18:12,200 --> 03:18:14,400 Speaker 1: the navy lifts them all up and drops them into 3443 03:18:14,400 --> 03:18:16,920 Speaker 1: the sea. Yes, what if we did that with the 3444 03:18:17,000 --> 03:18:21,840 Speaker 1: Chicago Police Department. Just drop him in the sea, big old, 3445 03:18:21,920 --> 03:18:25,840 Speaker 1: big them up, drop him in the sea. Yea, Now 3446 03:18:25,879 --> 03:18:28,040 Speaker 1: we put them in a bag. There's no swimming Okay, 3447 03:18:28,240 --> 03:18:32,200 Speaker 1: that's fair. Look, look they one one, they get one 3448 03:18:32,240 --> 03:18:35,080 Speaker 1: bag individual, each individual against one bag for each bag. 3449 03:18:35,120 --> 03:18:37,280 Speaker 1: They put over someone's head and strangled them with I 3450 03:18:37,320 --> 03:18:40,320 Speaker 1: think that's fair, and then right into the sea and 3451 03:18:41,720 --> 03:18:45,360 Speaker 1: solves all problems. The blessing, like I do, I do 3452 03:18:45,480 --> 03:18:48,480 Speaker 1: genuinely want to say, is that like if if you 3453 03:18:48,560 --> 03:18:51,560 Speaker 1: read this story over and over and over and over again, 3454 03:18:51,600 --> 03:18:53,959 Speaker 1: you get people who are like you get the governor 3455 03:18:54,040 --> 03:18:56,400 Speaker 1: going like the system is fundamentally broken to must reformat. 3456 03:18:56,400 --> 03:18:58,360 Speaker 1: You get the courts saying the system is fundamentally broken 3457 03:18:58,360 --> 03:19:02,720 Speaker 1: and blush reformat and it never changes. They just keep 3458 03:19:02,760 --> 03:19:05,480 Speaker 1: killing people, they keep inslaving people, they keep doing like, 3459 03:19:05,520 --> 03:19:08,800 Speaker 1: they keep troaturing people, they keep murdering people, they keep 3460 03:19:08,840 --> 03:19:12,320 Speaker 1: raving people, and this will not end until you abolish 3461 03:19:12,360 --> 03:19:16,080 Speaker 1: the police. Like there is no alternative if you if 3462 03:19:16,120 --> 03:19:20,480 Speaker 1: your car is fun is broken on a fundamental level, 3463 03:19:20,959 --> 03:19:23,720 Speaker 1: you can't you can't reform your car to make it better. 3464 03:19:24,000 --> 03:19:26,480 Speaker 1: There's a certain point where it's total and you're like, well, 3465 03:19:26,640 --> 03:19:30,400 Speaker 1: I guess that kind It's like Asian block is shattered 3466 03:19:30,400 --> 03:19:33,080 Speaker 1: and you're like, we fixes the tires, so it ought 3467 03:19:33,120 --> 03:19:36,280 Speaker 1: to go now. No, It's like if it's broken on 3468 03:19:36,320 --> 03:19:39,520 Speaker 1: the fundamental level, you can't reform it. Those words like 3469 03:19:39,560 --> 03:19:43,600 Speaker 1: those words don't go together, yea, like throw out, throw 3470 03:19:43,640 --> 03:19:47,000 Speaker 1: out your car and build a train. That's that's what 3471 03:19:47,040 --> 03:19:55,360 Speaker 1: you have to do. Walk to get a bicycle, honestly, Like, yeah, 3472 03:19:55,440 --> 03:19:57,800 Speaker 1: I stuck a bottle onto the rail of my A 3473 03:19:57,959 --> 03:20:00,680 Speaker 1: R fifteen. So it's not a gun anymore. No, it's 3474 03:20:00,800 --> 03:20:07,280 Speaker 1: it's still is gone. Um. Yeah, this is really really 3475 03:20:07,320 --> 03:20:13,000 Speaker 1: sad um and it's good stuff. Pretty depressing. Um. Anyway, 3476 03:20:13,040 --> 03:20:15,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go watch Two Eights The Dark Night and 3477 03:20:15,920 --> 03:20:22,640 Speaker 1: feel feel great about myself. Yeah all right, Well that's 3478 03:20:22,640 --> 03:20:24,400 Speaker 1: gonna do it for us, and it could happen here 3479 03:20:24,440 --> 03:20:30,840 Speaker 1: today until next time. Uh, hope that more Chicago police 3480 03:20:30,879 --> 03:20:34,360 Speaker 1: officers get COVID there there is that. There's that fun 3481 03:20:34,440 --> 03:20:37,080 Speaker 1: scene in the Dark Knight where the Joker goes into 3482 03:20:37,160 --> 03:20:40,080 Speaker 1: the Chicago Police building and blows up the prison block 3483 03:20:40,120 --> 03:20:42,200 Speaker 1: with all those cops inside. That is that is a 3484 03:20:42,240 --> 03:21:02,480 Speaker 1: fun scene. Yeah anyway, Um, oh my goodness, it's could 3485 03:21:02,560 --> 03:21:06,959 Speaker 1: happen here. All right. Well that's the introduction. I'm Robert 3486 03:21:06,959 --> 03:21:11,040 Speaker 1: Evans and my work's done for today. Chris, Yeah, it's me. 3487 03:21:11,120 --> 03:21:13,880 Speaker 1: It's Christopher. We are We are back with two more 3488 03:21:13,920 --> 03:21:17,000 Speaker 1: stories of rape, torture, and murder from the Chicago Police Department. 3489 03:21:18,400 --> 03:21:23,720 Speaker 1: Yeah we have Yeah, well you know, okay, this one, this, 3490 03:21:23,760 --> 03:21:26,960 Speaker 1: this one will be more fun than last time because okay, 3491 03:21:26,959 --> 03:21:29,320 Speaker 1: so basically, since since I started showing up on this show, 3492 03:21:29,400 --> 03:21:31,680 Speaker 1: I have made a case. I have been dropping references 3493 03:21:31,680 --> 03:21:34,279 Speaker 1: to the fact that Chicago Police Department is literally a cartel, 3494 03:21:34,800 --> 03:21:37,680 Speaker 1: and today I am finally telling the story of how 3495 03:21:37,840 --> 03:21:42,240 Speaker 1: this is a little unfair. But yeah, also, also I 3496 03:21:42,240 --> 03:21:44,200 Speaker 1: didn't mention this before we go win. There's also a 3497 03:21:44,240 --> 03:21:46,400 Speaker 1: bonus cartel because while I was doing research on one 3498 03:21:46,400 --> 03:21:48,240 Speaker 1: of the cartels, I realized that I couldn't actually talk 3499 03:21:48,280 --> 03:21:51,360 Speaker 1: about it without talking about the other cartel. So there's two. 3500 03:21:51,959 --> 03:21:55,560 Speaker 1: There are two completely unrelated CPD cartels that are will 3501 03:21:55,560 --> 03:21:59,600 Speaker 1: show up in this story. Uh yeah, it's great. So 3502 03:22:00,520 --> 03:22:04,960 Speaker 1: all right, this is the story of Ronald Watts. Now, 3503 03:22:05,080 --> 03:22:08,160 Speaker 1: Ronard Wats joined the CPD in nine after serving in 3504 03:22:08,200 --> 03:22:10,680 Speaker 1: the Army, making him yet another example of the fabled 3505 03:22:10,720 --> 03:22:13,720 Speaker 1: troop cop combination that produces the worst people on earth. 3506 03:22:14,480 --> 03:22:18,480 Speaker 1: Um what. Wats was assigned to patrol Chicago's old public 3507 03:22:18,520 --> 03:22:24,360 Speaker 1: housing like projects now wants is from housing himself. Um, 3508 03:22:24,520 --> 03:22:28,879 Speaker 1: there's okay. So some of the people who knew him 3509 03:22:28,920 --> 03:22:32,440 Speaker 1: before he went into the police claimed that, like he 3510 03:22:32,560 --> 03:22:34,960 Speaker 1: was just always like a drug dealer, and that he 3511 03:22:35,000 --> 03:22:38,080 Speaker 1: went into the police too like drug deal more. I 3512 03:22:38,120 --> 03:22:40,840 Speaker 1: don't know if that's true, because I mean, he's also 3513 03:22:40,879 --> 03:22:43,840 Speaker 1: in the army for a while, so I I don't know. 3514 03:22:43,879 --> 03:22:47,920 Speaker 1: It's sort of unclear. But you know, he's for the projects. 3515 03:22:47,920 --> 03:22:49,680 Speaker 1: He he knows that terign well, and that's why he 3516 03:22:49,720 --> 03:22:51,960 Speaker 1: was an extremely effective agent of terror in a place 3517 03:22:51,959 --> 03:22:54,560 Speaker 1: where officers would regularly drive by blasting the N word 3518 03:22:54,600 --> 03:22:56,640 Speaker 1: and other racial slurs out of their cop car speakers. 3519 03:22:57,440 --> 03:23:01,080 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, here here, here's the intercept describing what like 3520 03:23:01,160 --> 03:23:04,360 Speaker 1: Chicago cops are just doing at the projects. They were 3521 03:23:04,360 --> 03:23:06,600 Speaker 1: officers who found it amusing to toy with those under 3522 03:23:06,640 --> 03:23:09,400 Speaker 1: their power, arranging the foot race of heroin addics determined 3523 03:23:09,400 --> 03:23:11,680 Speaker 1: who would go to jail, for example, or forcing a 3524 03:23:11,680 --> 03:23:13,320 Speaker 1: woman they had searched on the street to walk home 3525 03:23:13,400 --> 03:23:17,240 Speaker 1: naked from the waist down. It's yeah, people who find 3526 03:23:17,320 --> 03:23:19,880 Speaker 1: joint exerting their power over other people and they think 3527 03:23:19,879 --> 03:23:24,680 Speaker 1: it's funny. Yeah, why they become cops. Yep. Well, and 3528 03:23:24,720 --> 03:23:26,400 Speaker 1: you know and the other reason to become a cop 3529 03:23:26,520 --> 03:23:29,560 Speaker 1: is is the the second thing that they do constantly, 3530 03:23:29,600 --> 03:23:31,440 Speaker 1: which is they just walk into the lobbies of these 3531 03:23:31,440 --> 03:23:34,920 Speaker 1: buildings just start taking everyone's money. And like they literally 3532 03:23:34,920 --> 03:23:37,400 Speaker 1: call the lobbies of the public housing buildings like quote 3533 03:23:37,400 --> 03:23:41,680 Speaker 1: their ATM machine. So they're just doing this constantly. There's 3534 03:23:41,680 --> 03:23:43,680 Speaker 1: also cops and this is not every cop that they're 3535 03:23:43,680 --> 03:23:46,120 Speaker 1: specific cops you do this who would show up on 3536 03:23:46,480 --> 03:23:48,320 Speaker 1: the first and the fifteenth of the month, wait for 3537 03:23:48,320 --> 03:23:51,959 Speaker 1: everyone to catch their paychecks and then rob them. And 3538 03:23:52,280 --> 03:23:54,200 Speaker 1: you know, and the thing I think is important about 3539 03:23:54,240 --> 03:23:56,800 Speaker 1: this is that, Okay, so like WATS and like the 3540 03:23:56,840 --> 03:23:59,120 Speaker 1: specific cartels do this, but this isn't just WATS. This 3541 03:23:59,160 --> 03:24:01,080 Speaker 1: is like, this is everyone who's working at these projects 3542 03:24:01,160 --> 03:24:04,520 Speaker 1: is just walking up like to like the poorest people 3543 03:24:05,000 --> 03:24:10,200 Speaker 1: in Chicago and just robbing them constantly. Um yeah, like 3544 03:24:10,240 --> 03:24:11,400 Speaker 1: this is this is you know, this this is just 3545 03:24:11,440 --> 03:24:13,920 Speaker 1: how regular policing works. And the elite units are even worse. 3546 03:24:14,480 --> 03:24:17,200 Speaker 1: So Cartel number one or I guess, I guess you're 3547 03:24:17,200 --> 03:24:19,440 Speaker 1: trying about choose since we've introduced WATTS. But so there 3548 03:24:19,520 --> 03:24:22,360 Speaker 1: used to be an elite unit in the Chicago Police 3549 03:24:22,360 --> 03:24:25,800 Speaker 1: Force called the Special Operations Section or s OS. And 3550 03:24:25,879 --> 03:24:28,160 Speaker 1: these guys, these guys are different because they you know, 3551 03:24:28,200 --> 03:24:30,480 Speaker 1: they're they're they're not attached to like an area or 3552 03:24:30,520 --> 03:24:32,400 Speaker 1: certific you know, they're they're just completely their own thing. 3553 03:24:32,480 --> 03:24:35,640 Speaker 1: They're just like they're the Special Response Team. And s 3554 03:24:35,680 --> 03:24:39,720 Speaker 1: OS would just go into projects and just ransacked the 3555 03:24:39,840 --> 03:24:42,240 Speaker 1: entire building like they would go room by room like 3556 03:24:42,320 --> 03:24:45,200 Speaker 1: taking people stuff and just looting it and then just 3557 03:24:45,280 --> 03:24:48,160 Speaker 1: like walking out. And you know, it's not even like 3558 03:24:48,200 --> 03:24:50,440 Speaker 1: there's not just that they're taking cash, like they're taking TVs. 3559 03:24:51,200 --> 03:24:52,600 Speaker 1: And I mean the thing that the thing the thing 3560 03:24:52,600 --> 03:24:54,080 Speaker 1: you if when you when you read interview some people 3561 03:24:54,080 --> 03:24:56,440 Speaker 1: who lived through this, like they're not just taking like 3562 03:24:56,600 --> 03:24:58,480 Speaker 1: stuff that's like you know, let's use that are expensive there. 3563 03:24:58,480 --> 03:25:00,920 Speaker 1: They'll take people's like lamps, like they're just walk out 3564 03:25:00,959 --> 03:25:04,760 Speaker 1: with anything like literally anything they can sell um. And 3565 03:25:04,800 --> 03:25:06,360 Speaker 1: you know, I get like these are these are the 3566 03:25:06,640 --> 03:25:10,320 Speaker 1: people living in these projects are like huge, like a 3567 03:25:10,360 --> 03:25:13,240 Speaker 1: lot a lot of these postures literally like segregation era, right, 3568 03:25:13,280 --> 03:25:16,880 Speaker 1: and so they're they're almost entirely black and they're just 3569 03:25:16,959 --> 03:25:20,480 Speaker 1: take like they're just getting robbed, but constantly by both 3570 03:25:20,560 --> 03:25:24,199 Speaker 1: regular cops a special operation section, and there's not even 3571 03:25:24,240 --> 03:25:28,160 Speaker 1: like you know, like cops nowadays have like they have 3572 03:25:28,240 --> 03:25:30,800 Speaker 1: like civil asset forfature where there's this like pseudo legal 3573 03:25:30,840 --> 03:25:32,400 Speaker 1: framework and no, no no, no, there's like they're not even 3574 03:25:32,879 --> 03:25:34,360 Speaker 1: this is the nights, They're not even doing that. They're 3575 03:25:34,400 --> 03:25:37,640 Speaker 1: just literally walking in and robbing these people at gunpoint. Um. 3576 03:25:37,920 --> 03:25:40,240 Speaker 1: S OS like they eventually get shut down deals and 3577 03:25:40,280 --> 03:25:44,720 Speaker 1: seven after so there's a series of scangles about them. 3578 03:25:44,879 --> 03:25:47,480 Speaker 1: They they steal like hundreds of thousands of dollars and people, 3579 03:25:47,480 --> 03:25:52,160 Speaker 1: they do shakedowns with drug dealers, they start kidnapping people. Um. 3580 03:25:52,240 --> 03:25:54,120 Speaker 1: At one point in s OS, dude like tried to 3581 03:25:54,200 --> 03:25:56,320 Speaker 1: hire his coworker to do a hit on someone who 3582 03:25:56,400 --> 03:26:00,520 Speaker 1: was like going to report them to the Feds. And yeah, 3583 03:26:00,560 --> 03:26:03,760 Speaker 1: but s OS isn't the main story today because Watts 3584 03:26:03,879 --> 03:26:07,920 Speaker 1: is writing is running an even larger version of this operation. Um, 3585 03:26:07,959 --> 03:26:10,560 Speaker 1: and you know, well I's proways researching this. I had 3586 03:26:10,600 --> 03:26:12,400 Speaker 1: the realization that, like, so I've talked to people in 3587 03:26:12,480 --> 03:26:15,960 Speaker 1: Chicago about like the CPD Cartel's right, and I had 3588 03:26:15,959 --> 03:26:18,039 Speaker 1: the realization that there are conversations that I've had people 3589 03:26:18,080 --> 03:26:20,480 Speaker 1: where we've been we've both been talking about different ones, 3590 03:26:20,840 --> 03:26:22,640 Speaker 1: and we both we both thought we were talking about this, 3591 03:26:22,640 --> 03:26:24,840 Speaker 1: Like I've had people talking backwards like oh, they were 3592 03:26:24,840 --> 03:26:26,480 Speaker 1: talking about the West. I was like, no, No No, I 3593 03:26:26,560 --> 03:26:32,199 Speaker 1: met the Watts one. It's it's it's great. It's love 3594 03:26:32,400 --> 03:26:40,600 Speaker 1: love our institutionalized just robbery system. Yeah. So the other 3595 03:26:40,640 --> 03:26:44,520 Speaker 1: thing I want to mention because so the intercepted like 3596 03:26:44,720 --> 03:26:47,880 Speaker 1: really good, like four like huge four part series on 3597 03:26:47,879 --> 03:26:52,920 Speaker 1: on the Watts. H like cartel. But I think it's 3598 03:26:52,920 --> 03:26:55,080 Speaker 1: worth mentioning that, Like even you know that there's like 3599 03:26:55,120 --> 03:26:57,960 Speaker 1: two quote unquote good cops who like go after Watts 3600 03:26:58,680 --> 03:27:00,560 Speaker 1: and for years and they've met your him down. But 3601 03:27:00,560 --> 03:27:03,360 Speaker 1: like even those cops are doing things that are objectively horrifying. 3602 03:27:03,840 --> 03:27:05,920 Speaker 1: Like most of the actual cop work in this story 3603 03:27:06,120 --> 03:27:09,480 Speaker 1: is done by is literally just the good cops. Like 3604 03:27:09,840 --> 03:27:12,959 Speaker 1: they know a homeless guy they called Chewbaka who they 3605 03:27:13,280 --> 03:27:15,800 Speaker 1: paid to be an informant in like blankets, sleeping bags 3606 03:27:15,840 --> 03:27:21,840 Speaker 1: and food and like it's like it should be fair 3607 03:27:21,920 --> 03:27:25,320 Speaker 1: Chebaca like genuinely like likes the two of them, But 3608 03:27:25,560 --> 03:27:27,920 Speaker 1: Cheubaca is the guy who does all of the work here, 3609 03:27:27,959 --> 03:27:31,480 Speaker 1: Like what Wastz gets like like he's the guy who's 3610 03:27:31,520 --> 03:27:33,600 Speaker 1: like wearing the wire. He's the guy who knows everything 3611 03:27:33,600 --> 03:27:36,880 Speaker 1: the cops. The cops don't know anything, and Chibaka has 3612 03:27:36,920 --> 03:27:39,359 Speaker 1: known that everything that was going on from the beginning. 3613 03:27:40,000 --> 03:27:43,160 Speaker 1: They just don't ask him for years. But like in 3614 03:27:43,560 --> 03:27:47,040 Speaker 1: Chiubaca like goes to prison at one point because Wats Okay, 3615 03:27:47,040 --> 03:27:49,920 Speaker 1: so what Watson Wats is just like a drug dealer, right, 3616 03:27:50,720 --> 03:27:55,440 Speaker 1: um so wants and uh so so Cheebaca would like, 3617 03:27:55,640 --> 03:27:56,720 Speaker 1: you know, he he was like he was like a 3618 03:27:56,760 --> 03:27:59,080 Speaker 1: sort of low level like runner. Right, you'd get a bag, 3619 03:27:59,120 --> 03:28:02,600 Speaker 1: he'd like move it sometimes times And one time in 3620 03:28:02,720 --> 03:28:05,400 Speaker 1: Watchaws these new for informations. So one time, like Watts 3621 03:28:06,080 --> 03:28:07,680 Speaker 1: was like trying to get information on where a drug 3622 03:28:07,720 --> 03:28:10,240 Speaker 1: stash was we could rob it and then like well 3623 03:28:10,360 --> 03:28:12,280 Speaker 1: time so he could do a police raid on it 3624 03:28:12,280 --> 03:28:14,279 Speaker 1: and then take the drugs and sell them. And Chibaka 3625 03:28:14,360 --> 03:28:16,680 Speaker 1: just like didn't know. So Wat's just like through be 3626 03:28:16,680 --> 03:28:20,360 Speaker 1: in prison for two years and it's just like you know, 3627 03:28:21,280 --> 03:28:23,320 Speaker 1: this this stuff this time happens constantly. That there are 3628 03:28:23,320 --> 03:28:26,760 Speaker 1: so many people who are just you know, like people 3629 03:28:26,800 --> 03:28:30,200 Speaker 1: trying to survive in the city and then oh, hey, 3630 03:28:30,240 --> 03:28:33,080 Speaker 1: you don't have the exact specific information that this cop 3631 03:28:33,160 --> 03:28:34,720 Speaker 1: wants on this drug thing. So we're just gonna send 3632 03:28:34,760 --> 03:28:37,480 Speaker 1: you to prison for two years. And Chivaca, who like 3633 03:28:37,600 --> 03:28:40,000 Speaker 1: risks his life wearing a wire and brings down one 3634 03:28:40,040 --> 03:28:41,760 Speaker 1: of the biggest cartels in the CPD, as best I 3635 03:28:41,800 --> 03:28:44,120 Speaker 1: can tell, is still living on the street because the 3636 03:28:44,160 --> 03:28:48,920 Speaker 1: society is just broken in ways that like are difficult 3637 03:28:48,959 --> 03:28:55,800 Speaker 1: to comprehend and incredibly bleak. Yeah mm hmm. Yeah. So okay, 3638 03:28:55,800 --> 03:28:58,400 Speaker 1: back to Watch this operation. Watts has this thing called 3639 03:28:58,400 --> 03:29:01,200 Speaker 1: the Watts Tax, and the Watch tex is if you 3640 03:29:01,280 --> 03:29:03,440 Speaker 1: run drugs, you pay the tax to Wats and this 3641 03:29:03,560 --> 03:29:05,560 Speaker 1: this tax gives you production from the police. If if if 3642 03:29:05,680 --> 03:29:07,240 Speaker 1: you don't pay the Watch tax, the cops show up, 3643 03:29:07,280 --> 03:29:08,960 Speaker 1: they put you in prison, they take all your cash, 3644 03:29:08,959 --> 03:29:11,000 Speaker 1: they raid your drugs, and then Watch resolves your drugs 3645 03:29:11,000 --> 03:29:13,600 Speaker 1: that are profit I mean that is like objectively, that 3646 03:29:13,720 --> 03:29:15,920 Speaker 1: is a decent grift, Like in terms of it's pretty 3647 03:29:15,920 --> 03:29:20,080 Speaker 1: good logistical plans, like yeah, okay, I can I can 3648 03:29:20,120 --> 03:29:22,360 Speaker 1: see how how this would actually be very profitable. Yeah, 3649 03:29:22,360 --> 03:29:25,040 Speaker 1: it's genius and like and and the other thing about 3650 03:29:25,080 --> 03:29:27,560 Speaker 1: these taxes, like these taxes are enormous amounts of money, 3651 03:29:27,600 --> 03:29:30,640 Speaker 1: Like if if so, if if, if you're running a drug, 3652 03:29:30,800 --> 03:29:33,480 Speaker 1: that's like, okay, so you have a drug that you 3653 03:29:33,560 --> 03:29:37,440 Speaker 1: move and the drugs I've I've ran drugs for thirty years, 3654 03:29:37,480 --> 03:29:41,080 Speaker 1: I know. Yeah, so the tax for the for that 3655 03:29:41,200 --> 03:29:43,840 Speaker 1: single drug can be as high as fifty dollars a week. 3656 03:29:44,959 --> 03:29:47,040 Speaker 1: So he is he is making a lot of money, 3657 03:29:47,200 --> 03:29:50,840 Speaker 1: so much money, just an incomprehensible amount of money off 3658 03:29:50,879 --> 03:29:55,440 Speaker 1: of this, I guess, I guess you would have to 3659 03:29:55,440 --> 03:29:59,520 Speaker 1: become cops. I have an idea for a pivot. Do 3660 03:29:59,560 --> 03:30:02,240 Speaker 1: it in the car, tell pivot. This is how we give, 3661 03:30:02,360 --> 03:30:03,480 Speaker 1: this is how we get funded by this in a 3662 03:30:03,480 --> 03:30:06,320 Speaker 1: lower care And we've always been a cartel, but that's well, 3663 03:30:06,400 --> 03:30:09,560 Speaker 1: when we moved from podcasting into drugs, we can partner 3664 03:30:09,600 --> 03:30:11,560 Speaker 1: with our friends at the scene, a lower cartel. Yea 3665 03:30:11,600 --> 03:30:15,600 Speaker 1: would be great. Eventually, there's a guy named Big Shorty 3666 03:30:15,640 --> 03:30:20,039 Speaker 1: who's another like player in the scene. And yeah, all 3667 03:30:20,040 --> 03:30:22,520 Speaker 1: the people in this name of this great names. Yeah 3668 03:30:22,520 --> 03:30:26,520 Speaker 1: it's great. So Big Shorty is like, I'm not paying 3669 03:30:26,800 --> 03:30:29,560 Speaker 1: like fifty k a week per drug to do this anymore. 3670 03:30:29,600 --> 03:30:32,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go to the Feds and so so be 3671 03:30:32,879 --> 03:30:34,360 Speaker 1: short like he threatens to go to the feeds and 3672 03:30:34,360 --> 03:30:35,680 Speaker 1: he goes to the d A and then like a 3673 03:30:35,720 --> 03:30:38,000 Speaker 1: couple of days later, she's gunned down the street by 3674 03:30:38,120 --> 03:30:42,920 Speaker 1: yeah you never yeah no, like yeah, well if you do, 3675 03:30:43,040 --> 03:30:46,520 Speaker 1: you have to make sure they like disappear you because uh, 3676 03:30:46,840 --> 03:30:49,320 Speaker 1: you never threaten it, like that's the yeah, yeah, yeah 3677 03:30:49,320 --> 03:30:53,560 Speaker 1: you don't. These worlds you mentioned like cops and going 3678 03:30:53,640 --> 03:30:56,360 Speaker 1: to in any combination, and everyone around you just like, 3679 03:30:56,360 --> 03:30:58,160 Speaker 1: all right, well, this person's got to be dead. That's 3680 03:30:58,200 --> 03:31:01,720 Speaker 1: just how that's gotta go. Yeah, it's it's not it's 3681 03:31:01,720 --> 03:31:06,400 Speaker 1: not the best move I've ever seen. It's yeah, so 3682 03:31:06,800 --> 03:31:08,840 Speaker 1: you know, And and this is when this is when 3683 03:31:08,879 --> 03:31:11,560 Speaker 1: the cops, the two cops are gonna bring Watch down, 3684 03:31:11,560 --> 03:31:14,199 Speaker 1: like actually started to take notice because literally for years, 3685 03:31:14,280 --> 03:31:15,960 Speaker 1: I mean they're they're all sorry about this, like people 3686 03:31:15,959 --> 03:31:18,880 Speaker 1: they'd be locking people up and people would say things 3687 03:31:18,879 --> 03:31:20,760 Speaker 1: like why are you going after me for two bags? 3688 03:31:20,760 --> 03:31:22,480 Speaker 1: And Watts is running the dope and just no one 3689 03:31:22,520 --> 03:31:25,560 Speaker 1: believes them, Like the cops are being told constantly for 3690 03:31:25,680 --> 03:31:27,480 Speaker 1: years like that the cops who aren't in on the 3691 03:31:28,400 --> 03:31:30,560 Speaker 1: on the intel I being told literally for years that 3692 03:31:30,720 --> 03:31:33,680 Speaker 1: that this whole thing is you know that that oh yeah, 3693 03:31:33,680 --> 03:31:35,959 Speaker 1: well why why are you bothering me? Watts is running 3694 03:31:35,959 --> 03:31:40,760 Speaker 1: this operation. They don't believe them, and they don't they 3695 03:31:40,760 --> 03:31:44,040 Speaker 1: don't believe them basically until Big Shorty gets shot. Because 3696 03:31:45,040 --> 03:31:48,520 Speaker 1: when when Big Shorty goes down like another they get 3697 03:31:48,520 --> 03:31:50,000 Speaker 1: another guy who's like pretty big in the scene, the 3698 03:31:50,040 --> 03:31:52,080 Speaker 1: guy's like, oh, yeah, no, he got shot by Wats, 3699 03:31:52,120 --> 03:31:57,280 Speaker 1: and they're like, wait, hold on now, the cops go 3700 03:31:57,360 --> 03:32:00,000 Speaker 1: to the FBI, and the FBI, it turns out, of 3701 03:32:00,000 --> 03:32:01,840 Speaker 1: has been trying and failing to put again put together 3702 03:32:01,879 --> 03:32:04,120 Speaker 1: a case against Watts for so long that like they're 3703 03:32:04,120 --> 03:32:06,320 Speaker 1: on there like second like agent who they've had in 3704 03:32:06,440 --> 03:32:08,879 Speaker 1: charge of the case because the first guy, like I 3705 03:32:08,879 --> 03:32:10,120 Speaker 1: just could do it and laugh. And so they had 3706 03:32:10,120 --> 03:32:15,400 Speaker 1: another guy and almost immediately after this, uh there's there's 3707 03:32:15,400 --> 03:32:18,520 Speaker 1: another guy. There's another dealer named Fears who he has 3708 03:32:18,560 --> 03:32:21,120 Speaker 1: this Fierce has this great grift which is like all 3709 03:32:21,160 --> 03:32:22,920 Speaker 1: of his people wear Obama shirts just like just like 3710 03:32:23,000 --> 03:32:26,920 Speaker 1: you do eight but he doesn't know, doesn't seven or something? 3711 03:32:27,120 --> 03:32:28,800 Speaker 1: But yeah, so like that, all all the people doing 3712 03:32:28,800 --> 03:32:31,080 Speaker 1: this thing, they wear Obama shirts and they call the 3713 03:32:31,120 --> 03:32:34,280 Speaker 1: drugs like Obama and so what everyone they have their 3714 03:32:34,280 --> 03:32:37,720 Speaker 1: lines called Hope. So and like this this this actually 3715 03:32:37,760 --> 03:32:41,000 Speaker 1: works on the FBI, Like the FBI doesn't understand that 3716 03:32:41,000 --> 03:32:43,039 Speaker 1: they're running drugs because they think that they're that Like 3717 03:32:43,040 --> 03:32:45,000 Speaker 1: all the Messa references of Obama are just like they're 3718 03:32:45,000 --> 03:32:49,880 Speaker 1: talking about like Obama. It's like there's there's so many, 3719 03:32:50,240 --> 03:32:53,560 Speaker 1: there's so many great like FBI weird incompetences to the 3720 03:32:53,600 --> 03:32:56,120 Speaker 1: story like that. There's one point where the cops are 3721 03:32:56,160 --> 03:32:57,880 Speaker 1: going through the documents and they see the word they 3722 03:32:57,920 --> 03:33:02,040 Speaker 1: see Lou, and it's just Lose, a short for lieutenant, right, 3723 03:33:02,040 --> 03:33:04,320 Speaker 1: But the FBI thinks that Lou is like a name, 3724 03:33:04,520 --> 03:33:06,600 Speaker 1: and so they kind of tracked down this guy named Lou, 3725 03:33:07,120 --> 03:33:15,840 Speaker 1: which is just it's it's ah, just baffling, incredible and 3726 03:33:15,879 --> 03:33:21,360 Speaker 1: coms never thrilled when they have to investigate cops. Yeah, yeah, 3727 03:33:21,520 --> 03:33:24,959 Speaker 1: even though it is literally their job. Yep. But hey, 3728 03:33:25,000 --> 03:33:29,360 Speaker 1: I hate doing my job too, so please continue, Chris. So, 3729 03:33:29,360 --> 03:33:31,800 Speaker 1: so if that fears guy who choose doing the Obama thing, 3730 03:33:31,920 --> 03:33:34,720 Speaker 1: like take seventeen rounds to the chest, and so the 3731 03:33:34,800 --> 03:33:37,360 Speaker 1: FBI number rounds to take to the chest, Yeah, that's 3732 03:33:37,360 --> 03:33:40,080 Speaker 1: a lot. It's it's it's interesting number two right, because 3733 03:33:40,080 --> 03:33:44,480 Speaker 1: like like it does difficult significance. Guess yeah. What would 3734 03:33:44,520 --> 03:33:49,200 Speaker 1: also like like is did they like reload, Like do 3735 03:33:49,280 --> 03:33:54,000 Speaker 1: they have a gun that has seventeen round man? Yeah? No, no, 3736 03:33:54,080 --> 03:33:56,760 Speaker 1: there's yeah, there's that's not that's not it. Is it 3737 03:33:56,840 --> 03:33:59,600 Speaker 1: like a handgun or is it a rifle? I think 3738 03:33:59,640 --> 03:34:04,480 Speaker 1: it's a gun, yeah, or like Baltimo people with hangdguns 3739 03:34:04,720 --> 03:34:10,080 Speaker 1: block seventeens have seventeen round magazines. That makes sense, yeah, yes. 3740 03:34:10,160 --> 03:34:14,160 Speaker 1: So so after this, the FBI investigation intensifies, and so 3741 03:34:15,240 --> 03:34:18,000 Speaker 1: the FBI goes to the Internal Affairs Division or i 3742 03:34:18,120 --> 03:34:20,480 Speaker 1: a D, who are like the most hated cops of 3743 03:34:20,560 --> 03:34:22,600 Speaker 1: all cops by other cops, because there're people who are 3744 03:34:22,600 --> 03:34:26,480 Speaker 1: supposed investigate the police and you know, so, so they 3745 03:34:26,959 --> 03:34:28,480 Speaker 1: tell that you guys who are going after watch, they're 3746 03:34:28,480 --> 03:34:31,480 Speaker 1: going to be protected. And this works for like a 3747 03:34:31,600 --> 03:34:33,600 Speaker 1: year and then the head of a I D changes 3748 03:34:33,800 --> 03:34:36,280 Speaker 1: and it's like a cop cop guy instead of so 3749 03:34:36,320 --> 03:34:38,320 Speaker 1: they had this like they brought an FBI guy who 3750 03:34:38,320 --> 03:34:39,640 Speaker 1: had been had of a D and that he gets 3751 03:34:39,680 --> 03:34:41,480 Speaker 1: kicked out and they bring in like a cop and 3752 03:34:41,560 --> 03:34:45,160 Speaker 1: that cop just immediately tells literally everyone that that the 3753 03:34:45,200 --> 03:34:48,360 Speaker 1: two cops are running an investigation. It gives Watts, and 3754 03:34:48,440 --> 03:34:52,000 Speaker 1: so uh do they die with the next few months 3755 03:34:52,000 --> 03:34:57,640 Speaker 1: there studdingly no, I espect. I can tell Watts seemed 3756 03:34:57,640 --> 03:34:59,320 Speaker 1: to have thought that like they wouldn't just wouldn't be 3757 03:34:59,360 --> 03:35:02,480 Speaker 1: able to get him see too much protection, which worked 3758 03:35:02,480 --> 03:35:05,800 Speaker 1: for a while. Um yeah, it's yeah, he has a 3759 03:35:05,840 --> 03:35:07,840 Speaker 1: lot of power. Yeah. Well, and also, I mean the 3760 03:35:08,120 --> 03:35:09,960 Speaker 1: other thing about this is she just like his stuff, 3761 03:35:09,959 --> 03:35:12,880 Speaker 1: starts getting wilder. So he goes after this guy. He 3762 03:35:12,920 --> 03:35:14,959 Speaker 1: tries to go after the drugs of this guy named Monk, 3763 03:35:15,200 --> 03:35:16,920 Speaker 1: and like Muk is carrying a bunch of drugs, he's 3764 03:35:16,920 --> 03:35:19,039 Speaker 1: trying to He's trying to rob bunk Um from the 3765 03:35:19,080 --> 03:35:21,560 Speaker 1: intercept a wild car chase and suit on the Dan 3766 03:35:21,680 --> 03:35:24,400 Speaker 1: Ryan Expressway like Sure Drive, and ultimately into the Hyde 3767 03:35:24,400 --> 03:35:27,000 Speaker 1: Park neighborhood, where Monk lost control of the car and 3768 03:35:27,040 --> 03:35:30,120 Speaker 1: crashed in a park. He fled on foot. Watson his 3769 03:35:30,160 --> 03:35:32,520 Speaker 1: team seized the dope and cash. They didn't even check 3770 03:35:32,520 --> 03:35:34,959 Speaker 1: on the condition of the women and infant who remained 3771 03:35:34,959 --> 03:35:39,439 Speaker 1: in the car, which is great. And also that's that's standard. 3772 03:35:39,600 --> 03:35:42,120 Speaker 1: That that's that that's like standard CPD procedure. I have 3773 03:35:42,240 --> 03:35:44,800 Speaker 1: literally seen this happen like in Hyde Park, like I 3774 03:35:45,160 --> 03:35:47,640 Speaker 1: have there. When I was in college, I almost got 3775 03:35:47,680 --> 03:35:49,280 Speaker 1: run over in his seat and like the CPD almost 3776 03:35:49,320 --> 03:35:50,840 Speaker 1: ran me over in this like car chase that went 3777 03:35:50,879 --> 03:35:54,039 Speaker 1: bad and this giant multi car crash and like there's 3778 03:35:54,080 --> 03:35:57,560 Speaker 1: like sixteen cops, right, they all just run past the 3779 03:35:57,600 --> 03:35:59,720 Speaker 1: car crash after the two guys are chasing and like 3780 03:36:00,080 --> 03:36:02,080 Speaker 1: have to go make sure no one died. And I 3781 03:36:02,160 --> 03:36:05,080 Speaker 1: was like, I, this is great. You have just almost 3782 03:36:05,160 --> 03:36:07,440 Speaker 1: murdered me. And then also you're not checking on all 3783 03:36:07,480 --> 03:36:09,400 Speaker 1: of these people in this car even in the wreck. 3784 03:36:09,600 --> 03:36:15,240 Speaker 1: I Oh, I hate a CPD. I hate them a lot. 3785 03:36:15,680 --> 03:36:18,520 Speaker 1: This took the sound. This sound nice. Yeah, it's great 3786 03:36:18,640 --> 03:36:23,360 Speaker 1: there there. Yeah, this just happens like all the time, 3787 03:36:23,680 --> 03:36:26,200 Speaker 1: like often enough that like literally in the same place, 3788 03:36:28,360 --> 03:36:31,440 Speaker 1: which like all of these big because you've got like 3789 03:36:31,440 --> 03:36:34,360 Speaker 1: a few really big, shitty, big city police departments. You've 3790 03:36:34,360 --> 03:36:35,960 Speaker 1: got your l A p D, You're n Y p D, 3791 03:36:36,560 --> 03:36:40,000 Speaker 1: You've got your Chicago Police Department. By god, you've got St. 3792 03:36:40,040 --> 03:36:44,080 Speaker 1: Louis cops. And they're all they're all shitty and simultaneously 3793 03:36:44,160 --> 03:36:47,000 Speaker 1: the same in different ways. Like there there, it's the 3794 03:36:47,040 --> 03:36:51,800 Speaker 1: same basic idea. It's brutality, it's violence, it's robbery. Um, 3795 03:36:51,840 --> 03:36:55,680 Speaker 1: but they they find unique ways to do those shitty things, 3796 03:36:55,760 --> 03:36:59,600 Speaker 1: which is fascinating. Yeah, Like I've always like like they 3797 03:37:00,120 --> 03:37:02,320 Speaker 1: n y p DS, like they're big thing is if 3798 03:37:02,360 --> 03:37:04,320 Speaker 1: you get a large number of people together, the NYPD 3799 03:37:04,400 --> 03:37:06,720 Speaker 1: is just going to annihilate you, like l A p 3800 03:37:06,840 --> 03:37:09,840 Speaker 1: D has like the Nazi gangs. CPD thing. CPDS thing 3801 03:37:09,920 --> 03:37:15,840 Speaker 1: just seems to be crime torture. It's torture and yeah St. 3802 03:37:15,879 --> 03:37:19,120 Speaker 1: Louis Police Department will attack you with dogs if you're 3803 03:37:19,240 --> 03:37:22,959 Speaker 1: not a white person. Like, yeah, they've all got they've 3804 03:37:23,200 --> 03:37:30,680 Speaker 1: they've they've they've chosen their cops subclass. Yeah. Now okay, 3805 03:37:30,680 --> 03:37:33,240 Speaker 1: so but back in the investigation, the two cops in 3806 03:37:33,240 --> 03:37:36,840 Speaker 1: investigating Watts are like even so basically all the researchers 3807 03:37:36,879 --> 03:37:39,280 Speaker 1: get cut off. It's literally just them to watch. Note 3808 03:37:39,360 --> 03:37:42,400 Speaker 1: like basically knows that he's they're coming from them, and 3809 03:37:42,440 --> 03:37:46,080 Speaker 1: they almost get him anyways, because cops are just not 3810 03:37:46,560 --> 03:37:49,560 Speaker 1: very smart. Um, and you know they're about to get 3811 03:37:49,600 --> 03:37:52,840 Speaker 1: him on a sting for drug running and then right 3812 03:37:52,879 --> 03:37:54,920 Speaker 1: before like look, I think it's like the day of 3813 03:37:54,959 --> 03:37:57,360 Speaker 1: that they're running the sting, they suddenly get like transferred 3814 03:37:57,400 --> 03:37:59,920 Speaker 1: to the police academy, and they basically just like get 3815 03:38:00,040 --> 03:38:04,760 Speaker 1: attained in this police academy for like weeks and it's 3816 03:38:04,800 --> 03:38:07,840 Speaker 1: it's purely weird. And eventually, like and you know, this 3817 03:38:07,879 --> 03:38:09,920 Speaker 1: is when like everything just completely comes apart with the 3818 03:38:09,959 --> 03:38:13,080 Speaker 1: liaison between the CPD and the FBI literally tells them 3819 03:38:13,120 --> 03:38:14,840 Speaker 1: they can't move on the case because if they move 3820 03:38:14,840 --> 03:38:16,520 Speaker 1: on the case, it's going to reveal that Watts murdered 3821 03:38:16,520 --> 03:38:19,840 Speaker 1: a dude, because well they so they don't have good 3822 03:38:19,879 --> 03:38:21,680 Speaker 1: evidence some big shorty, but they have they have evidence 3823 03:38:21,720 --> 03:38:24,840 Speaker 1: that they have good evidence that he killed Fears and 3824 03:38:25,720 --> 03:38:28,920 Speaker 1: h And the head of Internal Affairs basically tells them like, yeah, 3825 03:38:29,000 --> 03:38:31,640 Speaker 1: like I won't do anything about Watts because it comes 3826 03:38:31,640 --> 03:38:34,680 Speaker 1: out that another CPD unit had gone rogue after s OS, 3827 03:38:34,840 --> 03:38:37,200 Speaker 1: I'll be done for so I'm just gonna cover for them. 3828 03:38:37,520 --> 03:38:44,800 Speaker 1: The second cartel is too much. Only one cartels It's great, Um, 3829 03:38:44,959 --> 03:38:47,720 Speaker 1: I can excuse one cartel, but I try the line 3830 03:38:48,320 --> 03:38:53,040 Speaker 1: too but once you hit four cartels back too good, 3831 03:38:53,280 --> 03:38:55,440 Speaker 1: which is why I am such a big fan of 3832 03:38:55,480 --> 03:38:59,360 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Police Department. It's great, Look you got it, 3833 03:38:59,360 --> 03:39:01,080 Speaker 1: you got you got you just you just gotta get 3834 03:39:01,120 --> 03:39:03,760 Speaker 1: over the cartel hump and once you're over, Yeah, you got. 3835 03:39:03,760 --> 03:39:06,360 Speaker 1: It's like it's like growing out your your hair. Right, 3836 03:39:06,360 --> 03:39:08,359 Speaker 1: there's gonna be that period where it looks really awkward. 3837 03:39:08,400 --> 03:39:11,560 Speaker 1: That's when. That's when you've got two cartels, and then 3838 03:39:11,600 --> 03:39:15,640 Speaker 1: you get hot at four cartels. Then you're fuckable again. Yeah, 3839 03:39:15,680 --> 03:39:19,480 Speaker 1: it's great. So there's an interesting description from one of 3840 03:39:19,480 --> 03:39:20,959 Speaker 1: the two cops that don't want to read because it 3841 03:39:20,959 --> 03:39:23,400 Speaker 1: gets out how the code of Silence works. Um from 3842 03:39:23,400 --> 03:39:26,080 Speaker 1: the intercept he had, she said, this is about the 3843 03:39:26,080 --> 03:39:28,560 Speaker 1: the A A D. Guy he had, She said, made 3844 03:39:28,560 --> 03:39:31,240 Speaker 1: too many deals, there by neutralizing his ability to act, 3845 03:39:31,640 --> 03:39:34,840 Speaker 1: attributing her understanding of this dynamic largely the conversations with 3846 03:39:34,920 --> 03:39:38,800 Speaker 1: Rivera himself, conversations she denied ever occurred. She described him 3847 03:39:38,800 --> 03:39:41,160 Speaker 1: as ensnared in a web of mutual blackmail at which 3848 03:39:41,200 --> 03:39:43,760 Speaker 1: bosses have leverage over one another by virtue of their 3849 03:39:43,800 --> 03:39:47,160 Speaker 1: shared knowledge of the deals they've made. She gave an example, 3850 03:39:47,680 --> 03:39:49,800 Speaker 1: I'll make the cr get your guy go away if 3851 03:39:49,800 --> 03:39:52,080 Speaker 1: you promote my guy within your unit. The code of 3852 03:39:52,120 --> 03:39:56,480 Speaker 1: silence and cloud or thus entwined Rivera. She recalled once 3853 03:39:56,520 --> 03:40:00,080 Speaker 1: remarked to her that the bosses quote trade crs for 3854 03:40:00,160 --> 03:40:04,039 Speaker 1: favors like baseball cards. So yeah, this is this is 3855 03:40:04,040 --> 03:40:05,720 Speaker 1: what the code of silence is. It's it's it's an 3856 03:40:05,720 --> 03:40:09,800 Speaker 1: informal code sort of. That's also called the thin blue line, 3857 03:40:10,560 --> 03:40:13,959 Speaker 1: which is great, uh yeah, but basically it says that costs, 3858 03:40:14,040 --> 03:40:16,080 Speaker 1: you know, it's that cops will protect the road. But 3859 03:40:16,080 --> 03:40:18,240 Speaker 1: but it's more than that. If if if you if 3860 03:40:18,240 --> 03:40:19,960 Speaker 1: you cross the name blue line and you break the 3861 03:40:20,000 --> 03:40:22,880 Speaker 1: code of silence, you will be formally retaliated against by 3862 03:40:22,879 --> 03:40:25,440 Speaker 1: your commanders. And but when when when I say breaking 3863 03:40:25,480 --> 03:40:28,160 Speaker 1: the code of silence, what that means literally is if 3864 03:40:28,200 --> 03:40:31,279 Speaker 1: you take any action against another cop, like it literally 3865 03:40:31,280 --> 03:40:33,280 Speaker 1: doesn't like they can be torturing people, they could be 3866 03:40:33,360 --> 03:40:36,720 Speaker 1: literally running a cartel. It doesn't matter. If you say 3867 03:40:36,760 --> 03:40:39,760 Speaker 1: anything about them, you will be like formally retaliated against 3868 03:40:39,800 --> 03:40:42,760 Speaker 1: by every other cop. And so the two cops who 3869 03:40:42,760 --> 03:40:45,400 Speaker 1: are investigating wats like, they get arrested by internal affairs. 3870 03:40:46,080 --> 03:40:49,520 Speaker 1: Internal affairs like tries to like basically make a fake 3871 03:40:49,560 --> 03:40:53,280 Speaker 1: case against them, and they eventually get out, but their 3872 03:40:53,480 --> 03:40:55,520 Speaker 1: you know, their careers are over right because they you know, 3873 03:40:55,680 --> 03:40:59,480 Speaker 1: attempted to like do the thing sort of that cops 3874 03:40:59,480 --> 03:41:06,440 Speaker 1: are nominally supposed to do and they just immediately get arrested. Um, 3875 03:41:06,480 --> 03:41:07,600 Speaker 1: and you know, and they have a lot of other 3876 03:41:07,600 --> 03:41:09,520 Speaker 1: stuff happened to them. Like one of the two cops 3877 03:41:09,520 --> 03:41:11,600 Speaker 1: comes home to a bell box literally full of ship, 3878 03:41:11,640 --> 03:41:13,560 Speaker 1: with a note that says, since you like ship so much, 3879 03:41:13,600 --> 03:41:17,600 Speaker 1: thought you'd enjoy this amazing. Yeah, you know what I mean, 3880 03:41:17,680 --> 03:41:21,400 Speaker 1: Like that's fun. That's fun. That should happen more often, 3881 03:41:21,560 --> 03:41:25,760 Speaker 1: Just that should happen a lot more off other other scenarios. Yeah, yeah, 3882 03:41:25,840 --> 03:41:29,200 Speaker 1: it's it sucks that these are the cops that this 3883 03:41:29,280 --> 03:41:31,120 Speaker 1: is happening. Like, of all of the this is like 3884 03:41:31,160 --> 03:41:33,760 Speaker 1: the only time I like do not approve of like 3885 03:41:33,840 --> 03:41:37,720 Speaker 1: sending cops ship like this is this is the wrong 3886 03:41:37,760 --> 03:41:43,560 Speaker 1: reason for the wrong reason to sender. You're gone. That's true. 3887 03:41:43,840 --> 03:41:48,879 Speaker 1: They have probably stuff, they have done stuff. I will 3888 03:41:48,879 --> 03:41:52,680 Speaker 1: make sure it's better. It can be safer if it's 3889 03:41:52,800 --> 03:41:54,880 Speaker 1: If dogshit is used, then d N a K is 3890 03:41:54,959 --> 03:41:58,480 Speaker 1: harder to track anyone. You know what the safest ship 3891 03:41:58,600 --> 03:42:05,320 Speaker 1: of all to use. No, I don't ship, panther ship. 3892 03:42:05,720 --> 03:42:09,400 Speaker 1: Panther ship. See I can Yeah, I think I p 3893 03:42:09,480 --> 03:42:12,320 Speaker 1: I is never going to figure that one out. Yeah, 3894 03:42:12,320 --> 03:42:15,600 Speaker 1: I get the technology, get right on. I'll get right 3895 03:42:15,640 --> 03:42:18,840 Speaker 1: on that. Yeah, we're gonna go to go collect panther ship. 3896 03:42:19,200 --> 03:42:21,760 Speaker 1: We'll be gone for a month. It could be their 3897 03:42:21,840 --> 03:42:24,760 Speaker 1: unibomber for like fifteen years. They're trying to track down 3898 03:42:24,800 --> 03:42:27,280 Speaker 1: what kind of ship is getting put in people's mailboxes 3899 03:42:27,720 --> 03:42:30,800 Speaker 1: until your brother sends them a letter saying I know 3900 03:42:31,040 --> 03:42:33,240 Speaker 1: someone who has access to a lot of panther Ship 3901 03:42:33,640 --> 03:42:40,960 Speaker 1: and grudge tragic tail as time and then you can 3902 03:42:41,000 --> 03:42:44,440 Speaker 1: get uh an HBO miniseries where they make you like 3903 03:42:45,440 --> 03:42:49,720 Speaker 1: look slightly like you're in a boy band, only slightly. 3904 03:42:50,959 --> 03:42:54,000 Speaker 1: It's like you were in a boy band but aged out. Yeah, yeah, 3905 03:42:54,400 --> 03:43:02,080 Speaker 1: you were in. So the coat of silence also extends 3906 03:43:02,080 --> 03:43:05,560 Speaker 1: their friendly politicians. Here's some the Interset report. Soon after 3907 03:43:05,600 --> 03:43:07,879 Speaker 1: he came to the confidential section, he was given the 3908 03:43:07,920 --> 03:43:11,840 Speaker 1: assignment of investigating a deputy superintendent. The allegation was at 3909 03:43:11,879 --> 03:43:15,360 Speaker 1: the officer. The official lived outside the city. Mills worked 3910 03:43:15,360 --> 03:43:17,800 Speaker 1: on the case for months and concluded the allegation was true. 3911 03:43:17,840 --> 03:43:21,320 Speaker 1: He produced a thick file. Take months. I'm sorry I 3912 03:43:21,840 --> 03:43:28,199 Speaker 1: have to take months. There cops allowances for the caper 3913 03:43:28,240 --> 03:43:35,760 Speaker 1: of where does this guy who works here? Yeah? Very funny. 3914 03:43:36,080 --> 03:43:38,240 Speaker 1: The next day the file came back to him. It 3915 03:43:38,280 --> 03:43:40,680 Speaker 1: was mart There was a yellow post with the handwritten 3916 03:43:40,720 --> 03:43:47,120 Speaker 1: message and make it unfounded. So that's fun, awesome, amazing, Yeah, 3917 03:43:50,360 --> 03:43:55,160 Speaker 1: make it cops are cops are a breed of their 3918 03:43:55,160 --> 03:44:03,400 Speaker 1: own poetry. Poetry. Yeah. So actually, there there's a long 3919 03:44:03,480 --> 03:44:06,360 Speaker 1: history of like, yeah, politicians do something cops all the time. 3920 03:44:06,440 --> 03:44:12,240 Speaker 1: Like remember the story, right, like rama, Manuel's like nephew 3921 03:44:12,440 --> 03:44:14,760 Speaker 1: or something killed the guy in a car crash and 3922 03:44:14,920 --> 03:44:17,840 Speaker 1: the CPD he got Manuel got the CPD to just 3923 03:44:17,920 --> 03:44:21,720 Speaker 1: like that, never investigated it. They just were like, oh, 3924 03:44:21,920 --> 03:44:23,959 Speaker 1: someone died in the car crash and it just went away. 3925 03:44:24,520 --> 03:44:29,119 Speaker 1: It's it's real fun. Um. Yeah. So so eventually shortly 3926 03:44:29,120 --> 03:44:31,959 Speaker 1: after this sort of those two cops get like detained 3927 03:44:31,959 --> 03:44:34,440 Speaker 1: at the police academy. The FBI and the in the 3928 03:44:34,480 --> 03:44:39,680 Speaker 1: CPT move on wattson his partner Mohammed and no one else. Interestingly, 3929 03:44:39,800 --> 03:44:42,320 Speaker 1: because again, if you think about this for about five seconds, 3930 03:44:42,560 --> 03:44:44,840 Speaker 1: they were an enormous number of people who either know 3931 03:44:44,920 --> 03:44:48,400 Speaker 1: about this operation or are actively involved in running a 3932 03:44:48,400 --> 03:44:50,800 Speaker 1: fucking drug cartel that is one of the biggest players 3933 03:44:50,800 --> 03:44:53,360 Speaker 1: on the South Side, who are still just cops. And 3934 03:44:54,080 --> 03:44:57,320 Speaker 1: like the CPD goes after exactly two people, there are 3935 03:44:57,360 --> 03:45:00,240 Speaker 1: like dozens of people who were actively involved of them 3936 03:45:00,280 --> 03:45:04,680 Speaker 1: this who are still cops um and and you know, 3937 03:45:04,680 --> 03:45:07,160 Speaker 1: and the only real tradition to this is that the 3938 03:45:07,200 --> 03:45:09,760 Speaker 1: FBI and the CPD are complicit, which is that you know, 3939 03:45:09,840 --> 03:45:11,680 Speaker 1: I mean, so parts of the CPD want to keep doing, 3940 03:45:11,760 --> 03:45:15,360 Speaker 1: keep keep running the cartel. The FBI is like, both 3941 03:45:15,400 --> 03:45:16,960 Speaker 1: the FBI and the CBD also have an interest in 3942 03:45:17,000 --> 03:45:19,000 Speaker 1: keeping this covered up because they don't want like, you know, 3943 03:45:19,240 --> 03:45:20,680 Speaker 1: oh hey, look at the look at the loss of 3944 03:45:20,720 --> 03:45:22,880 Speaker 1: trust in in in law enforcement. It comes out that 3945 03:45:22,879 --> 03:45:25,760 Speaker 1: there were actually two cartels running in the same place 3946 03:45:25,840 --> 03:45:27,720 Speaker 1: at the same time, parallel to each other, and then 3947 03:45:27,760 --> 03:45:32,920 Speaker 1: we didn't catch them. Like yeah, but it's great because 3948 03:45:33,240 --> 03:45:35,920 Speaker 1: literally nothing happens to these people. They're still out there, 3949 03:45:36,000 --> 03:45:40,080 Speaker 1: they're still doing cops shit. Uh yeah, only two people 3950 03:45:40,120 --> 03:45:43,080 Speaker 1: went down for that, and yeah, so the cartel is 3951 03:45:43,160 --> 03:45:46,520 Speaker 1: just still there. It's that's good, it's still well. It 3952 03:45:46,600 --> 03:45:48,640 Speaker 1: proves that if you put in the work, you can 3953 03:45:48,680 --> 03:45:50,920 Speaker 1: really build something that lasts. And I think that's a 3954 03:45:51,000 --> 03:45:55,320 Speaker 1: lesson we all should be inspired by. Pull yourself up 3955 03:45:55,320 --> 03:46:03,560 Speaker 1: by your uh jack bootstraps, and oh yeah, that's good stuff. Okay, 3956 03:46:03,560 --> 03:46:07,720 Speaker 1: so so interlude number two. On May four, six, someone 3957 03:46:07,720 --> 03:46:09,800 Speaker 1: threw a stick of dynamite at some cops and Haymarket 3958 03:46:09,840 --> 03:46:12,000 Speaker 1: Square in Chicago, tree the general strike for the eight 3959 03:46:12,000 --> 03:46:15,480 Speaker 1: hour work day they started. The cops fired wildly into 3960 03:46:15,520 --> 03:46:17,240 Speaker 1: the crowd, and the state rounded up a bunch of 3961 03:46:17,280 --> 03:46:20,720 Speaker 1: completely random anarchists who, by their own admission, had nothing 3962 03:46:20,720 --> 03:46:23,360 Speaker 1: to do with it, and had them executed. Now the cops, 3963 03:46:23,360 --> 03:46:27,879 Speaker 1: for their part, built a statue for the cops at Haymarket. Now, 3964 03:46:27,959 --> 03:46:30,360 Speaker 1: the first of these statues were destroyed on May fourth 3965 03:46:31,800 --> 03:46:36,080 Speaker 1: by a guy who just right, so he he had 3966 03:46:36,440 --> 03:46:37,680 Speaker 1: he was like, he's a street car driver, right, and 3967 03:46:37,680 --> 03:46:39,560 Speaker 1: he had to like every single day he had to 3968 03:46:39,600 --> 03:46:42,039 Speaker 1: go past the statue of the Haymarket cop. And one 3969 03:46:42,120 --> 03:46:44,800 Speaker 1: day he was just like no, and he he ran 3970 03:46:44,959 --> 03:46:48,480 Speaker 1: his street car off of the on rails, right, He 3971 03:46:48,640 --> 03:46:51,880 Speaker 1: random off of the rails and rammed it into the statue. 3972 03:46:52,240 --> 03:46:58,119 Speaker 1: This guy rules dope. So the cops build another statue, 3973 03:46:58,120 --> 03:46:59,720 Speaker 1: and that that second statue was blown up by the 3974 03:46:59,720 --> 03:47:03,160 Speaker 1: weather Underground in October nineteen nine. Uh, the costs make 3975 03:47:03,200 --> 03:47:05,959 Speaker 1: another statue. The third statue is also blown up by 3976 03:47:05,959 --> 03:47:10,520 Speaker 1: the weather Underground in October. It was like that was 3977 03:47:10,640 --> 03:47:14,240 Speaker 1: less than a year later. Yep. Yeah, and so the 3978 03:47:14,520 --> 03:47:17,040 Speaker 1: continue they originally they rebuilt it again, right, and originally 3979 03:47:17,040 --> 03:47:18,800 Speaker 1: they have it under like a twenty four hour armed 3980 03:47:18,840 --> 03:47:22,080 Speaker 1: guard Jesus and then and then and then. But you know, 3981 03:47:22,120 --> 03:47:23,879 Speaker 1: even then they were like, okay, we can't protect it. 3982 03:47:23,920 --> 03:47:27,080 Speaker 1: So they moved it into an enclosed courtyard in the 3983 03:47:27,080 --> 03:47:30,120 Speaker 1: middle of the of Chicago Police Academy because they're too 3984 03:47:30,160 --> 03:47:34,080 Speaker 1: cowardly to show it in public. Awesome, that's good. That's 3985 03:47:34,080 --> 03:47:38,480 Speaker 1: a win. That's a win everyone so much that they 3986 03:47:38,480 --> 03:47:41,600 Speaker 1: have to hide the statue to the assholes who got killed. Yeah, 3987 03:47:41,640 --> 03:47:46,600 Speaker 1: that's great. One day, one day, that fourth statue will 3988 03:47:46,640 --> 03:47:51,800 Speaker 1: follow the first three. One day, one day by the 3989 03:47:51,879 --> 03:47:56,959 Speaker 1: mere cosmic forces of the universe, by entropy. The force 3990 03:47:57,040 --> 03:48:01,480 Speaker 1: of entropy will one day destroyed the statue. Yes, okay, 3991 03:48:01,560 --> 03:48:04,320 Speaker 1: So onto story number four. Story number four is the 3992 03:48:04,360 --> 03:48:08,720 Speaker 1: Chicago Police Department's black site. So the Chicago Police Department 3993 03:48:08,760 --> 03:48:11,760 Speaker 1: has a black site called Home and Square. Um. So, 3994 03:48:11,760 --> 03:48:14,199 Speaker 1: so normally, you know, you go to a police station 3995 03:48:14,320 --> 03:48:17,520 Speaker 1: and you get booked, right, they book you, they put 3996 03:48:17,520 --> 03:48:20,039 Speaker 1: you into the system, and you know, because you're in 3997 03:48:20,080 --> 03:48:25,360 Speaker 1: the system, like you know where Um, like people people 3998 03:48:25,400 --> 03:48:27,039 Speaker 1: can find you, right because you can just look someone up. 3999 03:48:27,040 --> 03:48:29,240 Speaker 1: You can look someone up in the system. Uh. At 4000 03:48:29,280 --> 03:48:31,320 Speaker 1: Home and Square, they don't book people if you just 4001 03:48:31,400 --> 03:48:33,560 Speaker 1: if you go there, you just disappear. There's no record 4002 03:48:33,600 --> 03:48:36,000 Speaker 1: of you. Uh, there's no there's no way to contact 4003 03:48:36,000 --> 03:48:38,840 Speaker 1: a lawyer if you're in there. Uh, your lawyer doesn't 4004 03:48:38,840 --> 03:48:40,680 Speaker 1: know where you are because again there's no records of 4005 03:48:40,720 --> 03:48:42,320 Speaker 1: where you are. You've just been grabbed off the street 4006 03:48:42,320 --> 03:48:45,879 Speaker 1: and taken to a building. Um. Yeah. And and this 4007 03:48:45,959 --> 03:48:50,920 Speaker 1: is a so store storage of people there tends to 4008 03:48:50,920 --> 03:48:53,600 Speaker 1: be pretty short. They don't tend to hold people longer 4009 03:48:53,640 --> 03:48:56,600 Speaker 1: than a couple of days. But what it's therefore is 4010 03:48:56,640 --> 03:48:58,840 Speaker 1: this is this is a confession machine. This is the 4011 03:48:58,840 --> 03:49:01,680 Speaker 1: way to force confessions have a UM by just you know, 4012 03:49:01,800 --> 03:49:06,000 Speaker 1: literally disappearing them uh and denying them access to lawyers 4013 03:49:06,160 --> 03:49:08,240 Speaker 1: or literally anyone knowing where they are. And they're just 4014 03:49:08,240 --> 03:49:11,400 Speaker 1: holding them until they confess. Uh. And also yeah, so 4015 03:49:11,400 --> 03:49:14,440 Speaker 1: so at Home and Square prisoners are routinely shackled for 4016 03:49:14,440 --> 03:49:18,240 Speaker 1: for hours, like like tens of hours, sometimes twenty four hours, beaten, 4017 03:49:18,320 --> 03:49:21,440 Speaker 1: denied phone calls, and robbed constantly. This is this is 4018 03:49:21,440 --> 03:49:24,720 Speaker 1: another fun sepety tradition is Yeah, they'll just take you 4019 03:49:24,800 --> 03:49:26,760 Speaker 1: to this black site and then rob you and then 4020 03:49:26,920 --> 03:49:29,200 Speaker 1: maybe they'll release you, but you know they've still robbed you. 4021 03:49:30,480 --> 03:49:33,280 Speaker 1: And yes, you know they do these beatings, and these 4022 03:49:33,280 --> 03:49:37,320 Speaker 1: beatings are incredibly intense, like you know that they're punching people. 4023 03:49:37,360 --> 03:49:39,440 Speaker 1: They're doing like knee strikes and doing elbow strikes. You're 4024 03:49:39,480 --> 03:49:43,080 Speaker 1: hitting people with batons. Sometimes they're tassering people. Uh. We 4025 03:49:43,080 --> 03:49:45,960 Speaker 1: we have a report that that the cops filed of 4026 03:49:46,320 --> 03:49:48,760 Speaker 1: listening listened as a cop being assaulted. And the thing 4027 03:49:48,800 --> 03:49:52,600 Speaker 1: that they're listening as a non it was like like 4028 03:49:52,720 --> 03:49:56,560 Speaker 1: non like fist assault. Was the guy spat blood? Yeah, 4029 03:49:56,640 --> 03:50:01,400 Speaker 1: well and they listened to as an assault blood on them. Yeah, 4030 03:50:01,560 --> 03:50:05,040 Speaker 1: it's great, it's yeah. They also do things like they 4031 03:50:05,280 --> 03:50:12,400 Speaker 1: put like flex cuffs around people's necks. Torture. Yeah yeah 4032 03:50:13,000 --> 03:50:16,920 Speaker 1: they Yeah, that's a way for someone to die. But 4033 03:50:16,960 --> 03:50:19,080 Speaker 1: it's almost like that's maybe part of the intention is 4034 03:50:19,080 --> 03:50:23,200 Speaker 1: that someone will quote accidentally die. Oh we'll get to that. Okay, 4035 03:50:23,360 --> 03:50:26,600 Speaker 1: well so not great, Yeah yeah, yeah, it's it's not 4036 03:50:26,720 --> 03:50:29,560 Speaker 1: it's it's bad. There's another guy who Okay, so the 4037 03:50:29,600 --> 03:50:34,080 Speaker 1: cops are completely convinced this guy who was completely innocent. Well, okay, 4038 03:50:34,160 --> 03:50:35,760 Speaker 1: I do want to say, like I'm gonna say a 4039 03:50:35,760 --> 03:50:37,760 Speaker 1: lot of people are innocent because they are. But also like, 4040 03:50:37,880 --> 03:50:41,560 Speaker 1: even if you're guilty, you no one deserves this, Like 4041 03:50:41,680 --> 03:50:43,760 Speaker 1: maybe the cops doing it deserve it. But even then 4042 03:50:44,000 --> 03:50:46,480 Speaker 1: it's I don't even think they do, Like yeah, you don't, 4043 03:50:46,600 --> 03:50:50,480 Speaker 1: yeah people, yeah, like so this guy, you might knock 4044 03:50:50,520 --> 03:50:52,960 Speaker 1: down a statue or three, but yeah, like you know, 4045 03:50:53,160 --> 03:50:57,880 Speaker 1: like it's yeah, it's it's really grim like yeah. So 4046 03:50:57,920 --> 03:51:00,440 Speaker 1: they hold this guy's mouth open with a pen, right, 4047 03:51:00,920 --> 03:51:03,480 Speaker 1: and then they keep elbowing him in the stomach until 4048 03:51:03,480 --> 03:51:06,120 Speaker 1: he throws up. Um. And so she tries to get 4049 03:51:06,120 --> 03:51:08,360 Speaker 1: medical attention because he keeps throwing up because he has asthma, 4050 03:51:08,400 --> 03:51:10,680 Speaker 1: I mean also because she just got elbowed in the 4051 03:51:10,680 --> 03:51:15,440 Speaker 1: stomach repeat his mouth yeah um. And instead of giving 4052 03:51:15,480 --> 03:51:18,200 Speaker 1: him medical treatment, even though he like easily could have died, 4053 03:51:18,240 --> 03:51:21,680 Speaker 1: the cops just beat him up for asking. There's another 4054 03:51:21,720 --> 03:51:25,040 Speaker 1: guy who gets uh sexually abused with the barrel of 4055 03:51:25,040 --> 03:51:27,600 Speaker 1: a gun, and when he starts screaming, the guard the 4056 03:51:27,640 --> 03:51:29,200 Speaker 1: gun goes on a ranch about how he needs to 4057 03:51:29,200 --> 03:51:32,880 Speaker 1: be careful or he might accidentally pull the trigger. Oh boy, 4058 03:51:33,400 --> 03:51:36,880 Speaker 1: it's it's bad. Um. This this is all within that 4059 03:51:37,000 --> 03:51:38,960 Speaker 1: specific yeah, this is this is this is this is 4060 03:51:38,960 --> 03:51:42,440 Speaker 1: all just in Homeland square. Um. He claims that like 4061 03:51:42,960 --> 03:51:45,240 Speaker 1: the cell he's being held in, he doesn't get any food, 4062 03:51:45,240 --> 03:51:47,240 Speaker 1: doesn't get any water. They keep him there for hours 4063 03:51:47,400 --> 03:51:50,400 Speaker 1: and the like the cell just smells like blood and 4064 03:51:51,160 --> 03:51:54,200 Speaker 1: like feces because yeah, they don't let people go to 4065 03:51:54,240 --> 03:51:58,720 Speaker 1: the bathroom to other individuals. Uh. Stephanie Martinez and Calvin 4066 03:51:58,720 --> 03:52:01,440 Speaker 1: Cofy described relieving themselves will shackled in a Home and 4067 03:52:01,480 --> 03:52:05,000 Speaker 1: Square and interrogation room. Martinez locked up with two thousand 4068 03:52:05,040 --> 03:52:07,000 Speaker 1: and six, was told by a guard that she did 4069 03:52:07,080 --> 03:52:08,920 Speaker 1: not have the key to Martinez has handcuffs and could 4070 03:52:08,960 --> 03:52:11,560 Speaker 1: not take her to the bathroom. Kofi, taken to Home 4071 03:52:11,600 --> 03:52:15,040 Speaker 1: and Square on the sixth of February two fifteen on 4072 03:52:15,520 --> 03:52:19,160 Speaker 1: suspicion of narcotic activity, defecated on the floor after two hours, 4073 03:52:19,200 --> 03:52:22,920 Speaker 1: fruitlessly requesting for the bathroom. A police officer made Calvin 4074 03:52:23,000 --> 03:52:25,400 Speaker 1: clean it up with his skull cap. The lawsuit alleges 4075 03:52:28,400 --> 03:52:33,720 Speaker 1: it's these people are sick there. It's it's yeah, yeah, yeah, 4076 03:52:33,840 --> 03:52:37,720 Speaker 1: they hate that it's like yeah, and you know the 4077 03:52:37,920 --> 03:52:40,760 Speaker 1: things they're holding children in here, like they have people 4078 03:52:40,800 --> 03:52:44,800 Speaker 1: as young as fifteen who are being literally everything about 4079 03:52:44,800 --> 03:52:47,080 Speaker 1: this is that when so sometimes sometimes you get sort 4080 03:52:47,080 --> 03:52:49,560 Speaker 1: of like arrested normally, although again I should mention that 4081 03:52:51,080 --> 03:52:54,240 Speaker 1: the Constitution does not exist, like it's it's fake, it's 4082 03:52:54,240 --> 03:52:56,600 Speaker 1: a lie. No one ever gets read the miranda rights. 4083 03:52:56,640 --> 03:53:01,360 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter because the constitution doesn't exist if you're poor. Yeah, 4084 03:53:01,840 --> 03:53:04,200 Speaker 1: it sort of exists if you're not, but I will 4085 03:53:04,200 --> 03:53:06,360 Speaker 1: guarantee you they're reading their miranda rights to people who 4086 03:53:06,360 --> 03:53:08,360 Speaker 1: look like they got yeah, yeah, yeah, no, these people 4087 03:53:08,480 --> 03:53:10,320 Speaker 1: there's actually a story of these two point rieking guys 4088 03:53:10,320 --> 03:53:13,200 Speaker 1: who got brought in and they like the cops are 4089 03:53:13,200 --> 03:53:14,440 Speaker 1: like trying to get them, give us something, and they 4090 03:53:14,480 --> 03:53:16,960 Speaker 1: just like they start name dropping like civil rights lawyers, 4091 03:53:16,960 --> 03:53:19,480 Speaker 1: and the cops are like, okay, okay, uh, we're good. 4092 03:53:19,640 --> 03:53:21,440 Speaker 1: We'll we'll we'll drive you back. If you don't talk, 4093 03:53:21,480 --> 03:53:23,600 Speaker 1: we'll we'll drive we'll drive you back to like where 4094 03:53:23,600 --> 03:53:28,040 Speaker 1: you came from. Yeah, it's yeah, it's it's extremely grim. Yeah. 4095 03:53:28,080 --> 03:53:30,600 Speaker 1: They just want to funk with people who can't defend themselves. Yeah. Yeah, 4096 03:53:30,680 --> 03:53:31,920 Speaker 1: and you know and then the way they do this right, 4097 03:53:31,960 --> 03:53:35,520 Speaker 1: like they they do these raids where like everyone's they're 4098 03:53:35,520 --> 03:53:38,000 Speaker 1: they're they're they're not wearing badges. Everyone's just like wearing 4099 03:53:38,040 --> 03:53:41,600 Speaker 1: matt like like black armor and like black masks. And 4100 03:53:41,600 --> 03:53:43,400 Speaker 1: so people describe getting like dragged out of their house 4101 03:53:43,400 --> 03:53:44,960 Speaker 1: and they don't know if they're getting robbed or like 4102 03:53:45,000 --> 03:53:47,160 Speaker 1: if they're being kidnapped. And then they are being kidnapped 4103 03:53:47,200 --> 03:53:49,520 Speaker 1: by just being kidnapped like by the cops, and they 4104 03:53:49,520 --> 03:53:51,720 Speaker 1: get dragged and then again they're they're dragging like fifteen 4105 03:53:51,800 --> 03:53:55,800 Speaker 1: year olds into into this thing. Uh. There there's one 4106 03:53:55,840 --> 03:54:00,640 Speaker 1: guy who gets found unresponsive in an interrogation room. Um, now, 4107 03:54:00,720 --> 03:54:03,360 Speaker 1: the police say that they died from heroin overdose. But 4108 03:54:04,080 --> 03:54:09,800 Speaker 1: this makes literally no sense. So the first reason why 4109 03:54:09,840 --> 03:54:11,640 Speaker 1: it doesn't make any sense is that the cops initially 4110 03:54:11,680 --> 03:54:13,600 Speaker 1: lie about where he about where he like had the 4111 03:54:13,640 --> 03:54:15,600 Speaker 1: overdose and died because they don't want to reveal that 4112 03:54:15,680 --> 03:54:18,400 Speaker 1: he uh you know, was in their secret black site, 4113 03:54:18,400 --> 03:54:19,880 Speaker 1: so they like lied and that he was another he 4114 03:54:19,920 --> 03:54:24,640 Speaker 1: was at another site. Now, the other thing you know 4115 03:54:24,680 --> 03:54:27,480 Speaker 1: that that contradicts the claimed that this guy was had 4116 03:54:27,480 --> 03:54:29,720 Speaker 1: a heroin overdose is that the hospital when he when 4117 03:54:29,720 --> 03:54:31,760 Speaker 1: when the hospital saw him, they wrote that he was sober, 4118 03:54:33,120 --> 03:54:35,080 Speaker 1: So I mean he could have he could have had 4119 03:54:35,080 --> 03:54:37,640 Speaker 1: a heroin overdose in terms of the cops injecting him 4120 03:54:37,720 --> 03:54:40,760 Speaker 1: full of yeah, like yeah, that's the most likely thing, 4121 03:54:41,240 --> 03:54:43,240 Speaker 1: Like it does nothing part of this. So so this 4122 03:54:43,280 --> 03:54:46,960 Speaker 1: guy was selling cocaine right, um, but again he's selling cocaine, 4123 03:54:47,000 --> 03:54:50,440 Speaker 1: not heroin. And the other and you know, his his partner, 4124 03:54:50,560 --> 03:54:52,480 Speaker 1: like there was another guy he was he was selling 4125 03:54:52,520 --> 03:54:55,960 Speaker 1: cocaine with like his partner, when everyone who knew him 4126 03:54:55,960 --> 03:54:57,480 Speaker 1: was completely insistant that you know he does he doesn't 4127 03:54:57,520 --> 03:55:00,200 Speaker 1: do drugs, right, he sells them because you know, do 4128 03:55:00,240 --> 03:55:03,920 Speaker 1: you sell drugs? But yeah, and and the cops and 4129 03:55:04,040 --> 03:55:05,400 Speaker 1: you know, there are things that the cops do. The 4130 03:55:05,400 --> 03:55:07,440 Speaker 1: comp thing where they they changed their story twice. So 4131 03:55:07,520 --> 03:55:11,920 Speaker 1: originally they said that he like committed suicide by heroin overdosing, 4132 03:55:12,400 --> 03:55:15,960 Speaker 1: and then they changed their story too. He died by accidents. Um. 4133 03:55:16,160 --> 03:55:19,800 Speaker 1: The The other thing that that indicates that he probably 4134 03:55:19,840 --> 03:55:21,880 Speaker 1: did not in fact die from heroin overdose is that 4135 03:55:21,920 --> 03:55:24,400 Speaker 1: there's bruises all over his face. He has a busted lip, 4136 03:55:24,800 --> 03:55:26,760 Speaker 1: his neck is super red, and none of that shows 4137 03:55:26,840 --> 03:55:30,360 Speaker 1: up in the in the police autopsy and yeah, yeah, 4138 03:55:30,360 --> 03:55:33,440 Speaker 1: and this all reads just like a standard Burge error interrogation, 4139 03:55:33,520 --> 03:55:34,920 Speaker 1: so that like they beat him, they put a bag 4140 03:55:34,960 --> 03:55:36,800 Speaker 1: over set to suffocate him, and then you plant heroin 4141 03:55:36,920 --> 03:55:40,680 Speaker 1: on him and you know, you you call him. Yeah, 4142 03:55:39,120 --> 03:55:42,680 Speaker 1: that's the day's work. Yeah yeah, and you know, and 4143 03:55:42,760 --> 03:55:44,800 Speaker 1: there's there's another thing that that that I should mention 4144 03:55:44,840 --> 03:55:47,800 Speaker 1: here about the story, which is that, Okay, so this 4145 03:55:47,800 --> 03:55:51,160 Speaker 1: guy is in a Chicago Police Department black site, right, 4146 03:55:52,800 --> 03:55:56,040 Speaker 1: how did he get heroin in? Like everyone in his 4147 03:55:56,080 --> 03:55:59,680 Speaker 1: black site is literally shackled to a wall, Like there's 4148 03:55:59,680 --> 03:56:01,400 Speaker 1: no the old, the oldly place the hair we could 4149 03:56:01,400 --> 03:56:03,680 Speaker 1: possibly have come from is the cops. So it's like, 4150 03:56:03,760 --> 03:56:07,320 Speaker 1: you know, and independent autopsy says he dies of hissphyxiation. 4151 03:56:07,720 --> 03:56:12,000 Speaker 1: Uh so yeah, I'm gonna read something from the Guardian 4152 03:56:12,080 --> 03:56:16,760 Speaker 1: about the guy who uh, the guy's partner who was 4153 03:56:16,760 --> 03:56:19,800 Speaker 1: in the next cell over. The other partner who requested 4154 03:56:19,840 --> 03:56:22,120 Speaker 1: to be cited as John Dowell. He rebuilds his life 4155 03:56:22,120 --> 03:56:25,280 Speaker 1: post conviction, was in a Home and Square interrogation room 4156 03:56:25,320 --> 03:56:28,480 Speaker 1: near Galvin's. While Dobe was unable to see inside, he 4157 03:56:28,520 --> 03:56:31,360 Speaker 1: told the Guardian he heard a lot of commotion, then 4158 03:56:31,400 --> 03:56:34,120 Speaker 1: booming and banging, and then a gagging sound coming from 4159 03:56:34,120 --> 03:56:38,880 Speaker 1: his friend's cell his partner. Yeah, so this this guy, 4160 03:56:39,120 --> 03:56:41,880 Speaker 1: uh like his partner, Like he's that guy's also like 4161 03:56:41,960 --> 03:56:45,200 Speaker 1: chained to a wall for like twelve hours. Um here 4162 03:56:45,280 --> 03:56:47,480 Speaker 1: here's he he's with them today. I heard a holler. 4163 03:56:47,560 --> 03:56:49,600 Speaker 1: I heard officers talking to him. After that, I just 4164 03:56:49,680 --> 03:56:52,560 Speaker 1: heard a lot of commotion like boom boom boom boom 4165 03:56:52,600 --> 03:56:55,520 Speaker 1: and banging boom boom, boom, boom boom, And then I 4166 03:56:55,560 --> 03:56:58,200 Speaker 1: didn't hear nothing after that. My door was kind of 4167 03:56:58,240 --> 03:57:00,280 Speaker 1: cracked and then they shut it. After that, they shut 4168 03:57:00,360 --> 03:57:03,240 Speaker 1: my door all the way before the police shut the 4169 03:57:03,280 --> 03:57:05,560 Speaker 1: door dozed, I heard a gagging sound like he makes 4170 03:57:05,560 --> 03:57:08,400 Speaker 1: a choking noise, like choking, like somebody was choking after 4171 03:57:08,440 --> 03:57:12,880 Speaker 1: the commotion, like choking. Yeah, oh yeah, it's it's very 4172 03:57:12,920 --> 03:57:16,000 Speaker 1: it's very obviously from the get go. Yeah. Yeah, like 4173 03:57:16,120 --> 03:57:19,560 Speaker 1: they tortured this guy to death and yeah, it's yeah. 4174 03:57:19,640 --> 03:57:21,560 Speaker 1: And and the other fun part about Homelod squares Homeles 4175 03:57:21,600 --> 03:57:25,160 Speaker 1: Square is also used to torture political prisoners. All right, So, 4176 03:57:25,480 --> 03:57:29,040 Speaker 1: Brian Brian Jacob Church is a member of the NATO three, 4177 03:57:29,040 --> 03:57:31,400 Speaker 1: which is a group of anti NATO protesters and twelve 4178 03:57:31,440 --> 03:57:34,280 Speaker 1: who got set up by an incredibly elaborate government entrapment 4179 03:57:34,320 --> 03:57:37,000 Speaker 1: scheme and arrested for it. Um and he was taken 4180 03:57:37,040 --> 03:57:39,600 Speaker 1: immediately to Homeland Square. He's never read his branda rights. 4181 03:57:39,760 --> 03:57:42,640 Speaker 1: He's cuffed to a bench for seventeen hours, um, and 4182 03:57:42,880 --> 03:57:44,840 Speaker 1: he he asked to call his lawyer because like a 4183 03:57:44,880 --> 03:57:47,000 Speaker 1: good leftist, he has the National Lawyers Field number written 4184 03:57:47,000 --> 03:57:50,760 Speaker 1: on his arm. And you know, this is something that's important. 4185 03:57:50,840 --> 03:57:53,400 Speaker 1: So the Guardian talked to like dozens of people who 4186 03:57:53,440 --> 03:57:57,120 Speaker 1: were held here right Um. Exactly two of them were 4187 03:57:57,160 --> 03:57:59,000 Speaker 1: able to contact a lawyer, and they were both white 4188 03:57:59,280 --> 03:58:01,160 Speaker 1: and church Church is one of them. And this is 4189 03:58:01,200 --> 03:58:04,480 Speaker 1: actually how uh part of how Home and Score goes 4190 03:58:04,520 --> 03:58:06,920 Speaker 1: public because Brian Jacob Church like talks to the press 4191 03:58:06,960 --> 03:58:10,320 Speaker 1: about it and Spencer Ackerman it's a great journalist, does 4192 03:58:10,360 --> 03:58:12,640 Speaker 1: a bunch of incredible reporting and like brings the black 4193 03:58:12,680 --> 03:58:16,760 Speaker 1: site to light. And so there's there's seven thousand and 4194 03:58:16,800 --> 03:58:19,480 Speaker 1: eighty five people we can prove we're taken to Home 4195 03:58:19,520 --> 03:58:22,320 Speaker 1: and Square. Uh, six thousand of those people are black. 4196 03:58:22,480 --> 03:58:25,560 Speaker 1: Less than one percent of those people had their rest logged, 4197 03:58:25,600 --> 03:58:28,560 Speaker 1: which means the cops just vanished them. Uh, it's almost 4198 03:58:28,600 --> 03:58:33,280 Speaker 1: certainly more people. Now, I'm going to read something about 4199 03:58:33,320 --> 03:58:36,360 Speaker 1: this from from the book Writings from the World of Policing. 4200 03:58:37,120 --> 03:58:39,040 Speaker 1: This Home and Score revelation seems to me to be 4201 03:58:39,080 --> 03:58:42,440 Speaker 1: an institutionalization of practices that date back more than forty years, 4202 03:58:42,880 --> 03:58:45,440 Speaker 1: said Flint Taylor, the civil rights lawyer and most associated 4203 03:58:45,480 --> 03:58:49,360 Speaker 1: with pursuing area to Commander John Burge. Back when I 4204 03:58:49,440 --> 03:58:52,480 Speaker 1: first started working on torture cases started representing criminal defense 4205 03:58:52,560 --> 03:58:56,320 Speaker 1: in the early nineteen seventies, Taylor continued. My my clients 4206 03:58:56,360 --> 03:58:58,400 Speaker 1: often told me they've been taken from one police station 4207 03:58:58,440 --> 03:59:00,280 Speaker 1: to another before ending up an area to where they 4208 03:59:00,320 --> 03:59:03,160 Speaker 1: were tortured. That way, the police prevent their families and 4209 03:59:03,200 --> 03:59:05,520 Speaker 1: lawyers from seeing them until they could coerci the torture 4210 03:59:05,560 --> 03:59:09,600 Speaker 1: or other means confession from them. So, yeah, that that's 4211 03:59:09,600 --> 03:59:12,320 Speaker 1: our fucking police reform. Instead of having a instead of 4212 03:59:12,360 --> 03:59:14,120 Speaker 1: taking the police station to police station, the police have 4213 03:59:14,160 --> 03:59:17,080 Speaker 1: now been reformed so that they have one institutionalized black 4214 03:59:17,120 --> 03:59:20,160 Speaker 1: site instead of multiple ones. Home and Square is still 4215 03:59:20,240 --> 03:59:22,440 Speaker 1: open to this day. That this came out in FI, 4216 03:59:23,040 --> 03:59:25,360 Speaker 1: there have been like over half a decade of protest 4217 03:59:25,400 --> 03:59:30,840 Speaker 1: against it. Um, so supposedly the rules have changed and 4218 03:59:30,880 --> 03:59:32,000 Speaker 1: if you get a rested they have to put you 4219 03:59:32,080 --> 03:59:35,360 Speaker 1: in the system. But square is still open. There's probably 4220 03:59:35,400 --> 03:59:38,680 Speaker 1: another one like somewhere that they've just they've they've they've 4221 03:59:38,760 --> 03:59:40,880 Speaker 1: they've switched which side they're doing their black sites on. 4222 03:59:42,240 --> 03:59:48,760 Speaker 1: And yeah, well, yeah, I have I have a have 4223 03:59:48,840 --> 03:59:53,520 Speaker 1: a closing statement. It is it is an inhuman crime 4224 03:59:54,000 --> 03:59:56,080 Speaker 1: that a single one of these fucking demons is allowed 4225 03:59:56,120 --> 03:59:58,040 Speaker 1: to roam our streets with the badge and the authority 4226 03:59:58,080 --> 04:00:00,360 Speaker 1: to rape, torture and murder us and the certainty system 4227 04:00:00,360 --> 04:00:02,360 Speaker 1: will beat us into a pulp if we attempt, even 4228 04:00:02,440 --> 04:00:05,440 Speaker 1: in the smallest way both symbolic way possible, to resist them. 4229 04:00:06,520 --> 04:00:08,960 Speaker 1: The police must be abolished. There is no alternative. For 4230 04:00:09,040 --> 04:00:11,360 Speaker 1: the sake of our survival, for the survival of children, 4231 04:00:11,360 --> 04:00:13,000 Speaker 1: and for the sake of every generation that is bore 4232 04:00:13,040 --> 04:00:15,520 Speaker 1: its horrors before us. We could only abolish the police, 4233 04:00:15,560 --> 04:00:17,400 Speaker 1: salt the earth upon which it stands, and drive the 4234 04:00:17,480 --> 04:00:19,800 Speaker 1: very concept of policing into a space of such infamy 4235 04:00:19,840 --> 04:00:21,840 Speaker 1: and terror that even the worst among us would not 4236 04:00:21,960 --> 04:00:25,120 Speaker 1: dare to even propose bringing it back. Also, get rid 4237 04:00:25,120 --> 04:00:29,120 Speaker 1: of that last statue. Yeah, that one destroyed. Let's knock 4238 04:00:29,160 --> 04:00:31,400 Speaker 1: that one out of there too. Yeah, I mean, I 4239 04:00:31,440 --> 04:00:34,480 Speaker 1: feel like everyone who's ever been to that site has 4240 04:00:34,640 --> 04:00:39,400 Speaker 1: should have the the the like universal right to take 4241 04:00:39,560 --> 04:00:42,560 Speaker 1: a hammer and maybe you know, maybe maybe an RPG 4242 04:00:43,120 --> 04:00:46,800 Speaker 1: and just like do whatever they want to that building. Yeah. 4243 04:00:46,880 --> 04:00:49,880 Speaker 1: I think the men who continued to like in women 4244 04:00:50,200 --> 04:00:54,120 Speaker 1: who continued to work in CPD, like anyone who was 4245 04:00:54,200 --> 04:00:57,720 Speaker 1: ever arrested by them or or otherwise brutalize them should 4246 04:00:57,760 --> 04:01:00,120 Speaker 1: just forever have the right to just give him like 4247 04:01:00,200 --> 04:01:03,760 Speaker 1: a solid shot to the balls, you know, like just 4248 04:01:04,040 --> 04:01:06,120 Speaker 1: just like they get to wear a little sign around 4249 04:01:06,160 --> 04:01:07,600 Speaker 1: their neck and it's like, oh that guy used to 4250 04:01:07,800 --> 04:01:10,240 Speaker 1: that guy was you know, it was one of Burgess dudes. 4251 04:01:10,680 --> 04:01:13,320 Speaker 1: So anybody who sees them can just give him, give 4252 04:01:13,360 --> 04:01:15,160 Speaker 1: him a little haymaker right in the right in the 4253 04:01:15,200 --> 04:01:20,040 Speaker 1: bread basket. That is a proposal, that is I'm running 4254 04:01:20,040 --> 04:01:22,480 Speaker 1: from the mayor of Chicago. I mean, I I'd look, 4255 04:01:22,680 --> 04:01:26,320 Speaker 1: our bears all suck, so you know, move move over here, 4256 04:01:26,440 --> 04:01:28,120 Speaker 1: and we we we we can propose a solution to 4257 04:01:28,160 --> 04:01:32,960 Speaker 1: this problem that is so unbelievably not proportionately violence to 4258 04:01:33,080 --> 04:01:36,440 Speaker 1: what the police have been doing that it boggles belief, 4259 04:01:37,320 --> 04:01:41,280 Speaker 1: and I'm pretty sure I can still manage to be corrupt. Yeah, yeah, 4260 04:01:41,400 --> 04:01:44,200 Speaker 1: I mean it's Chicago, you can't not. I mean, I guess. 4261 04:01:45,000 --> 04:01:47,360 Speaker 1: I mean life was sort of corrupt. Life's less corrupt 4262 04:01:47,400 --> 04:01:51,160 Speaker 1: than normal. She's just bad. But yeah, it's Chicago. You'll 4263 04:01:51,200 --> 04:01:58,440 Speaker 1: you'll find corrupt, corruption will be foisted upon you. I'm 4264 04:01:58,760 --> 04:02:07,960 Speaker 1: I'm actually fine with that. Well, another another uplifting episode 4265 04:02:08,000 --> 04:02:10,000 Speaker 1: of It could happen. Yeah, I will say this, like 4266 04:02:10,640 --> 04:02:14,440 Speaker 1: Garrison named it last yet earlier today, Hi, here's a 4267 04:02:14,520 --> 04:02:18,120 Speaker 1: problem by you know, and I will say any any time, 4268 04:02:18,200 --> 04:02:20,640 Speaker 1: any time someone tells you that, like, no, it's fine, 4269 04:02:20,640 --> 04:02:22,920 Speaker 1: we're going to reform the police, just like remind them 4270 04:02:22,960 --> 04:02:25,760 Speaker 1: that reforming the Chicago Police Department went was that the 4271 04:02:26,040 --> 04:02:28,160 Speaker 1: reform was that we don't have black sites. We do 4272 04:02:28,360 --> 04:02:32,800 Speaker 1: have we don't have consulidated the black We were from 4273 04:02:32,880 --> 04:02:35,160 Speaker 1: multiple black sites to one black site. And also they 4274 04:02:35,200 --> 04:02:38,680 Speaker 1: probably moved it again just you just have to get 4275 04:02:38,800 --> 04:02:45,360 Speaker 1: rid of that is the essence of police report. Yeah. Anyway, Yep, 4276 04:02:45,560 --> 04:03:01,040 Speaker 1: there's a problem. Okay, bye bye. Hey, We'll be back 4277 04:03:01,120 --> 04:03:04,280 Speaker 1: Monday with more episodes every week from now until the 4278 04:03:04,320 --> 04:03:06,840 Speaker 1: heat Death of the Universe. It Could Happen Here is 4279 04:03:06,840 --> 04:03:09,520 Speaker 1: a production of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from 4280 04:03:09,560 --> 04:03:12,240 Speaker 1: cool Zone Media, visit our website cool zone media dot 4281 04:03:12,320 --> 04:03:14,360 Speaker 1: com or check us out on the I Heart Radio app, 4282 04:03:14,400 --> 04:03:17,720 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can 4283 04:03:17,800 --> 04:03:20,440 Speaker 1: find sources for it could Happen Here, updated monthly at 4284 04:03:20,480 --> 04:03:23,720 Speaker 1: cool zone Media dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.