This video will tell you how you can help the injured officer.

The next video shows the horrific assault as it took place. Warning, this video is not for the feint of heart. You may not want to watch this at work where others might be offended by scenes of graphic violence. If you’re impatient, the assault takes place approximately 3 minutes and 20 seconds in.

I didn’t hear the conversations myself, but my understanding is some police were complaining about the lack of respect they were receiving at a recent protest regarding cannabis in Keene Central Square. I have some thoughts for cops who don’t understand why you are becoming so universally despised.

It used to be somewhat safe to target young people. There were plenty of folks from an older generation when police were primarily peace officers, before you transitioned more and more into “law enforcement” officers and started viewing everyone, especially younger people, as potential law breakers instead of as the people you were trying to protect from a small number of truly dangerous criminals in the population. You had easy brownie points with that older generation. Many of them didn’t fit the profile for your law enforcement and when they hear about police abuse, they tend to assume it’s an isolated case. When mostly younger people are targeted for victimless crimes, they assume they deserved it.

Times have changed and they will continue to change. Those older generations who remember the good ole days are passing away. They’ve been replaced by people who have been targeted for petty harassment over victimless crimes many times or at least know people who have. They see you as predators rather than protectors, and rightly so. They are merely following a healthy instinct for self-preservation when they fear you, and when they fear you, they naturally hate you. I try not to hate you myself, but I admit it takes effort.

I would like for a dialogue to remain open between police and the growing numbers in the population who disapprove of what you have become. I know it sounds insincere considering I make fun of people in my comics, but I generally stick to representative fictional characters unless a particular individual has earned special recognition. Generally, while I stand up for my rights, I try to show respect in hopes that the same respect will one day be returned.