By By Brian Bohl

The heart wrenching stories are still pouring in from Louisiana. Afghanistan is prepared to hold parliamentary elections later next week. Suicide bombings and civilian deaths are still significant stories in Iraq. All these developments and more have filled the news landscape recently, unfortunately shifting the new developments in the Jean Charles de Menezes saga to a mere sidebar.

Menezes was the Brazilian electrician who was mistaken for a terrorist by London authorities last month. For the crime of running to make a train, this English citizen was executed by the Metropolitan Police. At the time of the incident, it was reported that Menezes was wearing a heavy coat and acting “suspiciously.” Those accounts are now said to be false. Citing new evidence provided by closed-circuit television footage, the Associated Press reports Menezes wore a denim jacket and acted normal.

While the actions of the police department were inexcusable, even if Menezes wore a heavy coat, the mistake could be attributed in part to the heightened sense of alert on the heels of the four failed transit bombings the day prior. But with this new evidence, citizens in London and all over the world should be demanding answers: from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, all the way to Prime Minister Tony Blair. Authorities have been frustratingly quiet during this whole affair. Public pressure should ensure the men and policies responsible for Menezes’s murder are brought under warranted scrutiny.

Recently, the police in London have adopted a shoot-to-kill policy. This type of hasty procedure contributed to the killing of Menezes, and if left unchecked, threatens to do the same to others. These new procedures should be questioned and prodded by the public and the UK media.

Cressida Dick was placed in charge of Operation Kratos, a policy that instructs law enforcement officers to shoot to kill any potential suicide bombers. Dick was the police commander directly responsible for ordering Menezes’s death with her shoot to kill order and now faces an inquiry in front of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The commission needs to discipline Dick. Innocent loss of life cannot be tolerated, and by holding officials responsible, the United Kingdom will take a positive first step towards upholding the democratic ideals the free world is built upon.

Contrary to the claims of Barry Goldwater, extremism in the defense of liberty is never an excuse. What was done to Menezes cannot be changed, but the only way to prevent future tragedies is to now make an example of the culpable parties. It is up to the people to let our leaders know terrorism concerns is not a free pass to target anyone at will without any type of substantial evidence.

Compassion and respect for others is what separates the rational world from the terrorists and extremists. Yes, law enforcement and government agencies should be diligent, but that does not give them free reign in their actions. Killing or injuring innocents due to misunderstandings or mistakes is not acceptable, and the people who are responsible should be investigated and reprimanded accordingly. Exchanging liberty and due process of law for added “security” will only take the civilized world down a horrible path in the future, one forewarned by Benjamin Franklin.

Brian Bohl is a sophomore print journalism major. You may email him at [email protected]