A YouTube has sparked an investigation within the Chicago Police
Department. (YouTube here.) About 15 cops in riot gear at the Pittsburgh G20 'beat down' of civil liberties are shown posing a university student in front of them, forcing him to his knees in the middle of a "pig ring" as though he were a trophy; it is reminiscent of trophy photos from Vietnam in which terrified and sometimes dead villagers were posed beside grinning GIs. (Note: the Chicago police are involved because a slew of 'em volunteered for riot duty in Pittsburgh. Also note: this not a few rogue cops; supervisors are standing by as the student is shoved to his knees for the photo-op.)

Ahhhhh, you say, the fellow must have been a particularly offensive protestor! Kyle Kramer was not a protestor at all; no one is alleging that. Kyle was on his way home from visiting a pizza parlor when he encountered authority. Predictably, authority charged him with the crime of last resort -- you know, the one they get you on when it is clear you have done nothing, nothing whatsoever wrong -- namely, refusing to genuflect to authority. That's when a peaceful, decent person neglects to drop to their kness and say "YES SIR!!!, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER SIR!!!" when a policeman snaps his fingers. And, so, Kramer was charged with a misdemeanor -- yep, walking home from getting a pizza is now a misdemeanor. As his attorney Cristopher Hoel stated, "He was a college student arrested for walking on campus."

I am not altogether happy with the fact that the best commentary on the trophy travesty comes from a police source; frankly, at this point, I'd like to feel a collective rage at all things blue-and-unbeautiful. But credit where credit is due. Second City (Chicago) Cop blog seems to be run by an insider who thinks cops ought to "serve and protect." He seems to think being a police can be an honorable profession that upholds civil liberties.The Second City Cop comments on the Pittsburgh trophy photo,