Today's News July 11, 2016: Bad day for cops

We are still in "bad day for cops" mode in the U.S.

CNN:
Calls for calm as hundreds arrested in protests nationwide

Authorities, protest leaders and the mother of one of the victims have appealed for calm as over 300 demonstrators, angry at the latest killings of black men by police officers, were arrested in a weekend of intense, sometimes violent nationwide protests.

Late Sunday and into Monday morning, almost fifty protesters were bundled into the back of police vans in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while a handful in Atlanta, Georgia were also arrested.

The mayor of Memphis, TN, another city where demonstrators took to the streets over the weekend, said he remained "hopeful" that his city's peaceful protests Sunday would signal a willingness of Black Lives Matter activists and police to hold a "respectful" dialog.

"We are here to fully support those conversations -- and my door has always been open," Mayor Jim Strickland said Sunday night in a statement.

"But we want to do it in a legal way, as well. Let me be clear: you can exercise your First Amendment rights without breaking the law."

Message to Mayor Strickland: Of course they can exercise their First Amendment rights without breaking the law. But will anyone notice? In a country where Hillary Clinton can break the law for selfish reasons and get off without even a wrist slap, why should the black community respect the law after their brothers get shot by police for minor crimes?

Fox News:
Police may change tactics at protests after Dallas shooting

You didn't see this coming?

In the wake of protests in Ferguson, Missouri, where authorities were criticized for what some called heavy-handed tactics against demonstrators, many departments took a more restrained approach. 

Now, after the shooting deaths of five officers at a Dallas protest decrying last week's police killings of two more black men, some experts are suggesting it's possible the pendulum could swing from hugs back to flash-bang grenades and mass arrests. 

After days of peaceful protests in St. Paul, officers in riot gear met protesters who blocked Interstate 94 late Saturday in the biggest confrontation between police and demonstrators since an officer fatally shot a black man during a suburban Twin Cities traffic stop last week. About 100 people were arrested — half during the highway standoff and the other half early Sunday in another part of St. Paul. 

Twenty-one law enforcement officers were hurt during the protests, including six state troopers. Police Chief Todd Axtell called the pelting of officers with rocks, bottles, firecrackers and other objects "a disgrace." 

Police used smoke bombs to clear the crowd of more than 200 people blocking the interstate. 

Generals always fight the last war, just as police always deal with the last protest. To put it another way, you don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

Speaking of gun fights...

Reuters:
Dallas sniper plotted bigger assault, taunted officers -police chief

The U.S. military veteran who fatally shot five Dallas police officers was plotting a larger assault, authorities said on Sunday, disclosing how he also taunted negotiators and wrote on a wall in his own blood before being killed. 

...[Dallas Police Chief David] Brown said a search of [Micah X.] Johnson's home showed the gunman had practiced using explosives, and that other evidence suggested he wanted to use them against law enforcement. 

"We're convinced that this suspect had other plans," he said, adding that last week's fatal police shootings of two black men in Minnesota and Louisiana led the 25-year-old Texas shooter to "fast-track" his attack plans.

In other words, we should be thankful he moved his plans forward. It might have been much worse if he hadn't rushed his plans.

ENH:
Mex President threatens: If Trump wins we will call back our citizens

I don't know if this is a serious news story, but I have to include it because it's just so gosh-darned funny!

The President of Mexico threatened at the world economic summit grave consequences if Trump gets the Presidential seat: all the Mexicans in the USA will be going back home to Mexico. 

The Mexican government announced they will close their borders to Americans in the event that Donald Trump is elected President of the United States. President Enrique Peña Nieto announced the country fears Americans will flood their country and bring violence and chaos to their streets. “Many Americans have expressed a desire to relocate to our country in the event that Donald Trump becomes President. We cannot have Mexico flooded with criminals and rapists,” he said. 

In an interview with Telemundo, Nieto also announced that “further action will be taken by the Mexican government to ensure every single citizen of Mexico currently residing in the United States is brought home safely.”