This article examines the nature of police violence in the context of social discord. Using the anti-World Trade Organization protests as a backdrop, it delineates and applies Stark's (1968) theory of police riots to explain the progression of police aggression in Seattle. The article also extends Stark's model by integrating it with a Gramscian understanding of the dynamics of ideological consent in late capitalist societies. Finally, the article demonstrates the dangers that result from official perceptions of protesters as members of the “dangerous class,” and from police displays of excessive and provocative force. It also illustrates how the increased militarization of the police encourages provocative policing practices that undermine fundamental democratic rights, particularly the right to participate in peaceful protests.
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