Protesters Violently Opposed to the Iraq War

I must have walked down the wrong block.

Turning onto St. Peter’s Street in St. Paul, Minn., last night, I saw more than 50 police officers lined up. Some were on bikes, others in riot gear. Those on the front line were wearing gas masks.

“Sir, you do not want to be on this corner,” one officer told me. “We expect the protesters to charge us and we may have to use tear gas.”

Not possessing Griff Jenkins’s predilection for being surrounded by angry mobs, I moved a safe distance away. I could soon hear the cacophonous noise of protesters coming down the street.

As they arrived at the corner of Seventh and St. Peter’s streets at approximately 7:40 p.m., the protesters abruptly stopped. You’ve seen the footage on television countless times, but it is rather jarring to see up close.

Which is strange, because — while their chants and shouts were full of rage and hate, while they taunted the police officers, spitting and throwing objects at them, and while they made incoherent yet rhyming political arguments while using language that would have made Redd Foxx blush (so much for civil discourse …) — all they were saying is give peace a chance.

Holy mixed messages, Batman!