Police say they were 'authorized by McDonald's' to arrest protesters, suit claims

[FiveGoodMen]

Source: The Guardian

Police claimed they had “authorization from the president of McDonald’s” to arrest protesting fast food workers, according to a civil rights lawsuit filed on Wednesday against the city of Memphis, Tennessee.

The suit alleges that local police engaged in a “widespread and illegal campaign of surveillance and intimidation” against a local chapter of the Fight for $15 fast-food worker organization as it campaigned for an increase in the minimum wage and union rights for fast food workers.

Officers followed organizers home after meetings, ordered workers not to sign petitions and blacklisted organizers from city hall, according to the suit. They claimed to have been authorized by McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast food chain, and in one incident a McDonald’s franchisee joined police in tailing protesters.


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/01/mcdonalds-fight-for-15-memphis-police-lawsuit

[Orrex]

1. McCops.

"I'm tasin' it!"

[eShirl]

2. Was McDonald's paying their salaries?

or were taxpayers?

[Iggo]

3. "...authorization from the president of McDonalds..."

I'm sure that sounded okay in their head.

But when the words actually come out of their mouth, they've gotta hear it too, right?

[Judi Lynn]

4. The police in no way should have been even remotely involved in this intimidation for McDonald's.

This is something you might have heard happening around the first part of the industrial revolution, when companies used cops and private armies to terrorize struggling workers.

What's next, beatings or worse?

[NWProf]

16. Police,Pinkertons, it has been done before...

Jason "Jay" Gould’s (May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) most famous quote was: I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half.

Gould was a leading American railroad developer and speculator. He was one of the ruthless robber barons of the Gilded Age, whose success at business made him one of the richest men of his era. He was hated and reviled.

Gould, like Trump, like the owner of Micky Ds was obscenely rich and privileged and the following quote could apply to all three.

Gould, with his seventy millions, was one of the colossal failures of our time. He was a purely selfish man. His greed consumed his charity. He was like death and hell - gathering in all, giving back nothing. To build up an immense fortune for one's self by fraud is a disgrace to the age, a mockery to virtue, a menace to public welfare. The love of money was the root of all evil in him. The motive that softens the footsteps of the burglar, that nerves the arm of the highwayman, was the same that prompted Gould to break his neighbor up to build himself up.
-Rev. Inglehart, pastor of the Park Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church
(4 December 1892), quoted in Stead, "Jay Gould: A Character Sketch"

[Mendocino]

5. McDonalds Militia

Wonder if these cops are union members or "right to work" brownshirts?

[murielm99]

13. Neither.

They are all running around dressed like Ronald McDonald. Or they should be!

[Mendocino]

14. Or the Hamburglar

[dlk]

6. This is Par for the Course With the History of Union Busting

This is mild compared to what was has been done by business throughout the history of the labor movement. Workers have been beaten, tortured, jailed and even killed. More needs to be done to keep this history alive so workers understand what they are truly up against, and can plan accordingly.

[Stargazer99]

7. I'd say it is time to boycott McDonald's and let the public know why

[KingBob]

8. The new Pinkertons. n/t

[shenmue]

9. What the?!

[Jim__]

10. McDonald's president can authorize the police to violate my civil rights? Really?

[Demsrule86]

11. So McDonalds tells the police what to do these days?

If you still eat their shitty food...don't.

[malthaussen]

12. Boy, did they blow that disclaimer...

... or else they spoke the exact truth.

-- Mal

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. The definintion of Fascism