Paramilitary Police: Urban Warrior screening tonight at ATA

For years now, police forces in US cities have undergone a transformation from law enforcers to a paramilitary force of occupation. Under the guise of a 'War on Drugs,' or 'War on Crime,' police have developed units that are little different than Special Forces units in the military, and military units have been given greater latitude to be used against civilians. Since September 11, this trend has accelerated even faster. Urban Warrior is the first documentary to focus on this trend. Drawing on experts and witnesses, director Matt Ehling focuses on case studies including the Seattle WTO Ministerial, The Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, botched drug raids, and the attack on the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas to illustrate this alarming incursion into our civil liberties. Catch Urban Warrior in its Bay Area debut tonight (10/24) at ATA, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco @ 8 p.m. $5; benefiting SF-IMC & the Bay Area Social Forum.