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There's probably a good reason Cambridge isn't our nation's capital
By adamg on Thu, 08/29/2013 - 2:24pm
For the past several days, Cantabrigians have been complaining about motorcades of black vehicles screaming around town. Or as Monica Anne Higgins put it today:
Why is a police motorcade screaming back and forth on Broadway/Cambridge? & Creepy SUV of men lunging out windows with rifles?
Or maybe it's just move-in week at Harvard.
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How have Harvard students already annoyed the locals enough to organize drive-bys? This seems way too quick.
Tuesday Evening
Same thing - cop at Binney and Main pushing traffic through on the red, clearing the way for a black-SUV motorcade following down Broadway to Main.
What is up?
Cambridge Police say put your mind at ease, citizen
They reply:
"Can't share specifics"
In one word - Lame!
If you see something say something
but if it's an SUV full of armed men, it's probably nothing
yeah, there certainly IS cause for concern
We can't share specifics, but we can say there's no cause for concern or threat to public safety.
Really? I'm pretty concerned about armed teams driving dangerously around my city in unmarked vehicles, bringing automatic weapons into my community, and my police department refusing to tell me why.
I don't care if you're the princess of Japan or some minister from Korea. Your ass can sit in traffic just like everyone else, instead of delaying thousands of other people. This isn't the middle ages where VIPs care carted around past 'commoners', and I'll be damned if my taxes are going to pay for this.
wake up
America is like this, and your taxes are paying for it. The best part is that their taxes probably aren't paying for it because of some tax loophole put in by their buddies at Harvard!
This is standard dignitary protection practice.
The host country provides escorts for those who need them.
And no, you don't get a right to know, as this might compromise the security of those involved.
They pay for details for
They pay for details for their escorts. If you're willing to pay for enough police details, they'll clear intersections and pull you through as well.
The state department pays for it all
The other countries don't pay.
Elizabeth Warren running an errand?
With this Syria thing, I hope she says "tomahawk" on video for use as a sound clip. Tomahawk, as in cruise missile.
Washington D.C. legislators are on summer break, so could be doing their back to school shopping too.
And a 1 and a 2 ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg
I've seen the same thing,
I've seen the same thing, Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon, heading down Broadway toward Harvard. A friend of mine theorizes that it's for Princess Kako, who is apparently in town.
We are in the presence of royalty, people
Princess Kako to have homestay in Massachusetts:
And it's her first time abroad by herself!
Any Hello Kitty stickers on the black SUVs?
How come nobody told her she has to ride a bicycle in Cambridge, walk, or take the T? Carpooling isn't a mode promoted by Livable Streets or MassDOT.
"All by herself"??
Seems she is bringing along 530 of her closest friends.
Scott Brown meeting with
Scott Brown meeting with Kings and Queens (and a princess)?
I saw them go down Broadway
I saw them go down Broadway around lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (including a school bus both days!), and then saw them all (including the bus!) parked on Cambridge Street a block or two down from the underpass. I'm sure it's some lame/swanky Harvard thing, but why all the secrecy? I mostly just want to know why a school bus is included in a motorcade...
School bus is for perhaps for
School bus is for perhaps for Tactical Operations .
Testing out new school security procedures
Post Newtown etc.
Could also be a prisoner transfer given the school bus.
Dignitary at CGIS
High police presence is due to a Vietnamese political dignitary[ies] visiting the CGIS South building this week. I work in the north building and they have secret service and state troopers around both buildings.
Oh, of course, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc!
Deputy PM visits Boston for Harvard leadership programme:
Where else would someone go?
but from the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the People's Republic of Cambridge. Seems even more like they ought to be using bicycles, motor-scooters, or cyclos than big, black SUVs.
Just showed your age
by writing Viet Nam.
Sigh. I thought that was a joke name
until I looked more closely.
Not sure whether this proves that I'm a dumbass or that Vietnamese and English just make for weird cognates. Probably both.
Compare Cambridge and Boston City Councils...
Compare Cambridge http://rwinters.com and Boston City Councils http://anopenbostoncitycouncil.blogspot.com
I am guessing this is related
I am guessing this is related to the tons of black SUVs, State Police and crazy-looking security I've been seeing in front of the Hyatt Regency on Mem Drive every morning on the way to work?
This isn't the middle ages
except that it is.
It's pretty normal
I think it's a pretty normal thing, and something that any normal Bostonian should be used to (we do live in a somewhat world class city with frequent visits from domestic and foreign dignitaries). Our diplomats and politicians get special police escort/security here and in other countries, and their dignitaries should get the same when visiting.