“the vandalism also could have been caused by activist groups working against the war on drugs”

That’s what pro-Drug War prosecutors are saying about a billboard near the El Paso border which is widely seen as a threat by the drug cartels:

Two frightening incidents of vandalism in El Paso near the Mexican border in Texas have been interpreted as warnings from drug cartels.

In both instances, a mannequin wearing a suit and tie was tied to a billboard with a noose and messages were scrawled over the placards.

Local station KHOU reports that one of the signs reads ‘Plata o Plombo’ which translates to ‘silver or lead’, a threat used commonly against police officers effectively warning that if they do not accept the cartel’s bribes then they will be shot. 

[…]

‘This symbol has historically been used by Mexican drug cartels to threaten or intimidate Mexican citizens, business owners and government officials; however, we have never experienced this in El Paso,’ local police said in a press release about the vandalism.

[…]

The mannequins were a particularly jarring image for many familiar with the drug war, as some of the most violent drug lords south of the border regularly hang offenders off highway overpasses.

While a warning from drug lords seems like one of the most likely prospects, KHOU reports that prosecutors have another theory that the vandalism also could have been caused by activist groups working against the war on drugs.

Here’s the billboard:

plataoplomo

And the caption:

Threat: The translation of the painted vandalism means ‘silver or lead’ which is meant to mean that police officers and business owners should either accept bribes or expect gunshots

“Activist groups”? Which activist group(s) might be putting up a poster with such an obvious veiled threat from the drug cartels?

I want to know, dammit!

Does it look like the work of the sinister Cato Institute? How about Reason Magazine? Or maybe High Times?

In our search for the truth, we should leave no turn unstoned.

 


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2 responses to ““the vandalism also could have been caused by activist groups working against the war on drugs””

  1. Simon Avatar

    I was just reading a comment by Randy on the subject:

    http://classicalvalues.com/2014/05/they-shoot-dogs-dont-they/#comment-114988

    and then added one of my own:

    http://classicalvalues.com/2014/05/they-shoot-dogs-dont-they/#comment-114994

    Alcohol prohibition had similar results. Police were held in low regard well into the 50s. Bribery being the most commonly imputed offense. Cops were always good for a laugh on TV.

    And just as police were getting their reps back the WOD ramps up. Which was good for their reps at first and now has turned into a debacle.

  2. Stan Avatar
    Stan

    Those libertarians are always threatening violence, despite the non-aggression principle.

    Or so the narrative goes.