The guy who took over my Riot Platoon in Newark was manning a State Police roadblock on the edge of the riot area. A car pulled up with six guys in it, the driver got out and yelled at the Trooper, "Why you pig MFs stopping us?" The Trooper backhanded him across the mouth and teeth flew, the guy went down with blood pouring from his nose and mouth. Holy cow, my guy thought, this must be the strongest cop in the world. He asked the Trooper about it and the cop smiled, showed him his hands -- sap gloves filled with BB shot.

They cuffed the guy and tossed him in the Jeep, the cops followed to the detention center and yanked him out. The detention area was in a basement with a long flight of concrete steps leading down to it, maybe 20. The Troopers dragged him to the top and threw him down. His head bounced off about every other step, he landed in a heap at the bottom unconscious. They all returned to the roadblock.