"1. it was a PUBLIC meeting so anyone can show up, including the cops.
2. The photos in this thread show them sitting down, you must be paranoid if you find that hositile.
3. Its a parade meeting not an a.s.w.e.r. meeting.
4. security/law types were invited in the posting for the meeting."

It was an open meeting (at a private residence) for those organizing the parade. If the police had come in uniform, we would have politely asked them to leave and address any questions they had to our PR people. The parade organizers sought citizens (not cops) who might help with security and safety and possibly search as liaison to the police. Unequivocally, police were not welcome. They resorted to subterfuse to get the information they wanted.

Imagine if the police suspected you of a crime, instead of obtaining search warrents of your premises, they crashed one of your parties undercover. Or as a stranded motorist who needed to use a phone. Using undercover officers to gain information from groups engaged in protected first amendment expression and assembly is unconstitutional.

Additionally, our sourced in the department said that the police were concerned that parade organizers were anarchists. So yes, it is political.

Open your mind and stop baiting.