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Authorities Arrest Activists Instead of Those Responsible For CA Gas Leak (inhabitat.com)
MikeChino writes: The California State Patrol has arrested two people in connection with the massive methane leak in Southern California's Aliso Canyon. Instead of busting company executives and engineers that caused the leak, the CSP arrested protesters who had draped banners on the headquarters of the California Public Utilities Commission. The banners highlighted the lax regulatory environment that enabled the spill.
I think you mean the California Highway Patrol
This suggests something about the quality of the source's and the submitter's fact checking ability.
The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
Authorities aren't going to arrest themselves.
Because the corporation has already been charged. What's your point here? You're saying if somebody does something illegal, everybody else gets a free pass to do illegal things to them? That's stupid.
Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
Also taking out your frustrations on random people, isn't a valid legal defense.
What the fuck is this story doing on Slashdot? How is this, in any way, tech related?
sig: sauer
Yeah, I'm sure multimillionaires that make big donations to leading politicians are going to be totally prosecuted.
We all know what will happen. Some pathetic middle manager will be set up as the bad guy, while the board and senior executives get off, likely without a warning, and after executives have been rewarded vast bonuses because, you know, no matter how incompetent or evil an MBA is, they attract money like a black hole attracts matter.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
The California State Patrol has arrested two people... instead of busting company executives and engineers that caused the leak, the CSP arrested protesters who had draped banners on the headquarters of the California Public Utilities Commission.
In other words, exactly the right people? On the one hand you have "company executives and engineers" that are responsible for the loss of control over an industrial process; which has been clearly documented, who are currently the subject of state and federal investigation, and which is sure to lead to fines and punishment to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. On the other hand you have a bunch of self-righteous protesters, with no understanding of the real facts of what it takes to provide for millions of lives, who trespassed and possibly defaced/damaged private property. The local authorities have dealt with the local violations. The state/federal authorities are dealing with the state/federal violations. In other words, exactly what is suppose to be happening.
I expect (hope) the police will enforce the laws, and arrest people who have violated the laws, and not those who have not done so. The laws may be bad or biased in various ways, but it is not the job of the police to change laws - that is the function of the legislature.
Well, for fuck's sake, what do you expect?
Complex violations of the law require more proof and investigation than simple everyday offenses.
The case against any executives from the responsible company would involve proving that they were negligent, violated some codes, transmitted false information, etc. etc. etc. Duh. Do you even know what specific offenses they would be charged under? I'm guessing not.
The protesters climbed on a building that wasn't theirs. Even I can figure out what laws that violates.
The execs probably will eventually be charged. It just takes more time, but the wheels of justice do turn.
There were in fact California State Police, but they were rarely seen outside Sacramento, the state capitol, as their duty was to protect the state buildings, and our elected officials. The California Highway patrol are tasked with patrolling the freeways and highways that cross county jurisdictions, with the stated purpose of traffic enforcement and assisting with incidents that cross county lines. There are also California State park police, aka Rangers, who are full on police but generally limited to, guess what, state parks and some county park/open space areas that contract to the state for such services.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
In the US we don't normally arrest people for honest mistakes, assuming they actually made mistakes, even if it's a result of incompetence. Unless someone has evidence to the contrary, it's perfectly reasonable to arrest the protesters without arresting anyone at the company.
I really, really don't like this idea that someone has to go to jail every time something goes wrong. It's corrosive, and it will end up shielding people who really do belong in jail.
socialism is public libraries, public healthcare, public roads, public schools, public parks
if you are really a pure libertarian, all that should be private.
or perhaps you are a little libertarian, and a little socialist, and you like some public services, but not all.
There is no pure capitalist, libertarian or socialist government. Governments built on fixed ideology fail quickly.
Pasadena Star News has a far better write-up on this. One, is was the California Highway Patrol. Two, the building they trespassed on is owned by the California Public Utilities Commission, which is a .gov so it's probably property belonging to the State of California ("after scaling state building" in the headline). Three, the protesters are quoted "we are occupying the PUC".