RoverPundit

An idea

Putzing around on the InnerNut, I came across this story on todays protests in NYC. They're basically covering themselves in fake blood and lying down in the middle of the street, stopping traffic and causing widespread disturbances. About 150 have been arrested.

We endured something similar in Ft. Fun a few days ago, and an interesting idea has been floating around since then. The core of the idea is that it costs a fair amount of money to have 20-30 police officers protect these mental infants, making sure no one gets hurt and that they don't hurt anyone else. So, all those who abuse the police protection (eg. picking fights with cops or bystanders, laying down in the street, throwing up on the sidewalk, hurling shit at buildings, starting riots, destroying private or public property, et cetera) should be arrested and slapped with a fine large enough to cover the cost of having the police babysit them instead of doing their regular patrols as well as pay to repair the damage the protests caused.

Protesters who peacefully assemble and present their views would not be considered for this treatment unless they crossed the line I mentioned above. Those that do cross the line would probably find themselves financially strapped after only a few incidents, leaving those who are serious about winning minds and hearts to do the protesting. I've read several interviews with peace protesters who were upset with the violent fringe. They claimed, rightfully so IMO, that the fringes were distracting from the message they were trying to deliver. A fine system such as this would help the serious protesters as much as it would those trying to occupy the same planet as them.

I didn't come up with this idea, but the more I examine it the more I like it. Any opinions from readerland?