G20 demonstrations

which is why i referred specifically to articles about people who admit to breaking the law having a whinge about the standard police response to the laws they broke.

Where exactly in the articles you linked to do you find any evidence that the protesters concerned broke the law?

The closest I can find to that is Nicola Fisher stating that she pushed the officer who had first pushed her. Is that what you mean?

The police protecting property, and trying to keep the peace is "totaly un-kewl".

If you were suggesting that this is what was taking place that day, this would be rather naïve.

EDIT: tynan beat me to it.

Did Henry David Thoreau have a liberal media whinge when he didn't pay taxes to support the war? NO! He asked to be arrested because he had broken the law and that was the consequence. He would rather be incarcerated, then do something he found immoral, that is respectable.

I haven't read Thoreau on this, but will do so soon. A quick Google reveals Thoreau's essay to be readily available on-line:

http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil1.html

FYI the origins of this dilemma in world literature go back to the drama of Plato's Crito, in which Socrates is addressed by the personified laws of Athens (whose words he himself speaks). Socrates is in prison for various offences and is offered the chance to escape by his wealthy and influential associate Crito, but refuses.

It is often assumed that the reason why he refuses are the 'reasons' given in the speech by the laws, but there are a considerable number of reasons why this facile reading doesn't stack up. A bit too complex to relate here in full.

A quick superficial search of Thoreau's essay doesn't suggest that Plato is referenced, but I can't imagine that he wouldn't have been aware of the dialogue. I haven't gone looking for discussions of such an influence yet, but I'm sure there are many.