USA - Outcome Of Tasering Freedom of Speech:

[Panthers007]

Police cleared in Taser incident

October 25, 2007

GAINESVILLE - University of Florida police were justified in using a Taser against a student who refused to stop questioning Senator John Kerry on campus last month, according to a state investigation released yesterday. Some had questioned the use of force against student Andrew Meyer, leading to the probe by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Two officers who were placed on administrative leave were reinstated yesterday. (a large news agency censored out to avoid a lawsuit)

Reputation Comments on this post:

Troubling times, glad you followed up on this story though, I was really curious where this was going.

[MrG]

So let me get this right, this student was armed with a weapon right?

He had a gun?

Knife?

Pepper spray even?

Did he outnumber the cops perhaps?

[FuBai]

No, he was talking when people wanted him to shut up. I don't know the exact nature of the incidence but I would be inclined to give the police man the benefit of doubt, seeing as enthusiasm often boils over into harassment, especially in students. If the chap wouldn't shut up then he should have been removed - if he put up a struggle then it may have been necessary to Tazer him. Don't let your own political inclinations allow you to see others of similar beliefs with rose tinted spectacles - one of the things I like about American Dad is that both the conservative republican and liberal democrat positions are ridiculed in equal measure, even though I suspect that the writers are of a strongly liberal inclination. It may well be that the student was harassing the senator during what was meant to be a productive visit, we don't know because the article is so short. Really what we need is more information before we come to a definitive judgement as interested by standers.

[x cynic x]

Watch the video http://youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for the link.

[stoneinfocus]

I just head a record of the speech on AFN-the eagle,´when he was saying "don´t taser me" and than an "aaaargh", from what I´ve heard, he was not overboiling and very human and kind in this situation of "excitement" I didn´t expected, from my knowledge of people, he was putting up a fight, maybed he was just too disturbing...

There was a similar scenario on german tv, when the former pseudo "social" cancellor G. Schröder, was driving by in a car, of cheering visitors and a young, ~19years old guy, in short sleaves, thin t-shirt and very slim with his arms up souted, he was making a war i n bosnia, built on lies and thas what it was, and he was a liar, and fucking with the social system, but then he was pulled down and arrested by two police officers.

[FuBai]

If that happened in Britain the officer would have been demoted at least, and most probably would have faced a far worse punishment. There seems to be such a current of violence amongst American police. Anyway, I was wrong - often students get out of hand, I was at one conference where students threw stuff at the then secretary of defence Jeff Hoon. Now, I hate Jeff Hoon, but I felt like apologising to him afterwards just because of the god-awful way the audience treated him, but apparently this case was much different, although it is still difficult to work out exactly what happened.

[MrG]

Man, I just watched the video and you know what? They tasered him because he used bad language. It was only when he mentioned Clinton's blow-job at the mic that they got all stroppy with him and it was only when he dropped the F bomb when they had him pinned down that they tasered him.

Christ, how could they possibly justify that? He had already said that he would simply get up and leave. He raised absolutely valid points (I like the question about whether the guy had been a member of "Skull and Bones"!), he wasn't being abusive and they very clearly wanted to shut him up.

It is a disgrace that the cops have been cleared of any wrong doing. Shit, one of the cops looked big enough to be a linebacker for the Dolphins and they still believe this guy was posing enough of a physical threat that they had to taser him?

FUBAR.

[stoneinfocus]

Originally Posted by MrG

got all stroppy with him and it was only when he dropped the F bomb
FUBAR.

that´s what I´m talking about, how they fuckin our brains and all the media plays along and it just looks like they´re on our side, when they´re laughing on how our freedom is being abused and cut, by mechanisms that they farthered and implied.

That John Kerry was replying didnßt even matter, that´s how it goes, itr doesn´t matter who´s reigning anymore, we´re fucked, todays student´s parties are like the one´s my mother would have organizerd. *lol*

[Panthers007]

John Kerry allowed him to have the microphone. It was consenting. But it was Florida.

[Bikelbees]

I guess there is a fine line between ruining a meeting with outbursts and illuminating them with spontaneous contributions. In this case you just want the guy to keep talking and to get support from the audience, probably few had the bottle to offer words of support to him at the time. The command came from someone in charge to take him down, just watch the police increasing frustration and finally the cut (throat) sign as the command to shut him up is given.

[dr ACE]

you've got to love this ideal they call democracy,is'nt there some law allowing people freedom of speach?,

[Panthers007]

I reiterate: It was Florida.

The same state where Gov. Jeb Bush (presidents brother) had the State Rolice set up roadblocks to keep minority voters from voting during the presidential election. Amongst other Dirty Tricks that would have made Richard Nixon blush.