09/18/2007
University of Florida Student Tasered at John Kerry Event
Andrew Meyer, a student at the University of Florida, was pulled from a microphone by police and led away before being tackled and tasered in front of an auditorium full of students as Senator John Kerry urged the audience to "cool down".
Other students in the auditorium can be heard objecting to the tasering and shouting "police brutality!"
Local 10 reports: "Meyer screams for help and asks "What did I do?" as he tries to break away from officers. He is forced to the ground and officers order him to stop resisting. Meyer says he will walk out if the officers let him go. As Kerry tells the audience he will answer the student's "very important question," Meyer struggles on the ground and yells at the officers to release him, crying out, "Don't Tase me, bro," just before he is Tasered. He is then led from the room, screaming, 'What did I do?' Meyer was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, according to Alachua County jail records. No bond had been set. Meyer was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning, a jail official said."
Says Lane Hudson in the Huffington Post: "He's clearly upset that Bush's Administration is clearly ripping the Constitution to threads, edging towards ANOTHER ill-conceived war, and that Kerry could have stopped it if he had forced the issue on the 2004 voter suppression reports. If more people were this passionate, then we might have a chance at bringing this country back from a state of absolute apathy in the face of corrupt government. This guy made the people in the room feel uncomfortable because of his passion and tough questions. Because of the uber sensitive environment that George Bush's 'free speech zone' society has created, everybody is on edge and thinks that free speech has gone away. I'm not sorry to say that most of America needs a reality check. Serious issues are before us and sober conversation with polite head nodding isn't gonna make anything better."
UPDATE: Meyer to be released by police.
UPDATE: John Kerry released this statement on the incident: "In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way. I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody. I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building. I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted."
Student from Weston Tasered at John Kerry forum [miami herald]
Andrew Meyer [website]
Posted 9:48 AM EST by Andy in Crime, Florida, John Kerry, News | Permalink
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it's a shame that Meyer has a prank punk'd-style blogsite... sadly that will take the seriousness away from this brutality.
Posted by: A.J | Sep 18, 2007 9:59:46 AM
Though it shouldn't of course as he is well within his right to have such a website. And he clearly had no business being treated that way. Lucky for him it seems there is plenty of footage of this supression of his right to free speech.
The police should not have the right to manhandle and treat someone like that.
Posted by: B | Sep 18, 2007 10:09:34 AM
Meyer clearly went too far by rushing the mic, acting combative, and going off on his diatribe. However, the reaction of the police was way out of line. They escalated it well beyond what was necessary.
Posted by: Ian | Sep 18, 2007 10:14:02 AM
Politicians are public servants, not royalty; they can and MUST be called on their nonsense.
It wouldn’t matter to me if this man's website was dedicated to Pee Wee Herman - his questions were timely and his candor and spirit are a credit to him.
How has it come to the point that - in the land of the free -legitimate public criticism is now countered with a taser gun?
Posted by: FASTLAD | Sep 18, 2007 10:15:57 AM
If a liberal is a conservative who's been arrested, what is a liberal who's been arrested?
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Sep 18, 2007 10:16:05 AM
This is UNBELIEVABLE. What country do we live in?
I am at a loss on how to support this man and show my outrage towards the police that day. Anyone know what can be done?
Posted by: A | Sep 18, 2007 10:23:41 AM
This is just shocking.
Posted by: davitydave | Sep 18, 2007 10:32:24 AM
Wow is this the extent of my civil liberties in Gainsville? I completely sympathize with Mr. Meyer. Weston is a pro family diverse community made of influential south florida families, when one knows this, his political awareness becomes apparent. Weston can be viewed on the up and coming MTV's reality show "The Paper" which ironically follows a high school(Cypress Bay High) student's publication, lets just hope they don't get tasered upon political engagements.
Posted by: Rafael | Sep 18, 2007 10:32:24 AM
I'm especially impressed at the number of students who didn't leave their seats and just sat by and watched it happen; that, and the wimpy "protests" of John Kerry, who could have stopped the entire thing, had he simply walked up the aisle and gotten involved. George Orwell was so right; and the numbing of America continues....
Posted by: kile Ozier | Sep 18, 2007 10:34:24 AM
This makes me glad NOT to be an American!
Posted by: Luke Kennedy | Sep 18, 2007 10:39:35 AM
This makes me glad NOT to be an American!
Posted by: Luke Kennedy | Sep 18, 2007 10:39:52 AM
Did you notice how long it takes for Kerry to mumble any kind of protest?
Posted by: Mike | Sep 18, 2007 10:48:03 AM
I can't help connecting "the state of absolute apathy" of the country that Lane Hudson mentions; with the reaction of the guys that can be seen in the clip behind the police, sitting in the back, and who are just laughing and remain sitting while Meyer, a student and a citizen like them, is being victimized with a clear abuse of power like that, right in front of their noses. What is everybody else doing? What is the politician (the "public servant", as FASTLAD accurately remarks in comment above) hosting the room doing?
Posted by: Cristian | Sep 18, 2007 10:48:34 AM
This kid disrupted Kerry's speech or whatever he was giving. When removed from the microphone he began struggle against officers to the point that they determined an escalation of force was necessary to subdue him. You retards and all of your pathetic “outrage” are a joke, this kid got exactly what he deserved. And to Luke Kenedy, get the f**k out of the country then, you and people like you are the pestilence rotting our country from the inside out.
Posted by: Bryce | Sep 18, 2007 10:52:47 AM
And that, my friends, is why John Kerry was not elected as president.
Directly in front of him a citizen is having his rights taken away, violently, and he does nothing.
And we all wanted this asshole to be president? Sick.
Posted by: Kyle | Sep 18, 2007 11:07:53 AM
He was not initially being arrested, he was being escorted away because he decided to take the Q&A over. Then he became beligerent and resisted the police escort. If he had calmed down, not initiated physical resistence against the police, and walked away, nothing more would have happened.
This is the same reason people get shot running from the police when all they have to fear is a traffic charge or even some stupid drug possession charge. When are people going to stop resisting police, stop running from the police, and escalating things further than they need to be? They can always sort things out later when they comply with officers. Its just that simple...
Posted by: Geoff Hammerle | Sep 18, 2007 11:10:50 AM
Bryce, you are as perceptive as a blind man in a sandstorm...what makes you think Luke Kennedy is writing this from WITHIN the United States? They do have Internet and elecricity (and civil rights!) in other countries, you know. And if he is, you should know (since you seem to be such an expert on the constitution) that free speech rights extend to ANYONE inside our borders, be they citizen or no. Put down the remote control and go take a civics class.
The police created a situation by which he would be forced to resist arrest. He was not a danger to the Senator nor to anyone else in the crowd. He was expressing his displeasure in passionate terms. Nothing illegal about that.
Posted by: Mike | Sep 18, 2007 11:14:30 AM
first of all, this kid is constantly seeking attention. maybe he was abused as a child, i don't know - but he's nothing more than a glorified Bart Simpson or a female stripper crying "do you love me now, daddy? do you love me now??"
THAT BEING SAID... in watching the whole video, he really didn't do anything to deserve the reaction of the police. John Kerry wanted to answer the question (even though it wasn't serious or appropriate). John Kerry tried to calm everything down in the background.
STILL, the police started moving, and then couldn't back down (maybe from pride - but it wasn't out of security). the kid made it worse because he kept yelling, the police clearly telling him to shut up.
i think the police were totally wrong in this case... using entirely WAY too much force.
still, i don't think daddy is proud.
Posted by: James P. | Sep 18, 2007 11:16:18 AM
I suppose you see what you want to see, Bryce.
Posted by: kile Ozier | Sep 18, 2007 11:18:23 AM
Bryce, this note was written in South Africa. We have the Internet here. So do all the other countries of the world. Just so you know.
Posted by: JOACHIM | Sep 18, 2007 11:30:46 AM
Mike,
That would entail Bryce getting his fat ass up from the computer, having to watch his Cheetos-stained hands, and asking his mom permission to go play outside.
We're seeing more and more reports of police brutality across the nation. In Chicago alone we've had at least 5-6 accounts of police brutality in the past six months. In fact, there was one just reported over the weekend. Something needs to be done.
Posted by: Tread | Sep 18, 2007 11:32:21 AM
I wish people would also take responsibility in their own part in things. If you say its totally the police's fault??? If he just walked away with them, nothing more would have happened. But once he physically resisted things escalated.
Whatever happened to having respect for people in a police uniform??? I am not a police officer but they have a hard enough job without dealing with idiots like this.
Posted by: GEOFF HAMMERLE | Sep 18, 2007 11:32:58 AM
I agree with you Geoff that he should have been respectful to the police. It's a shame his behavior distracted from the questions that he asked.
Posted by: Jeff | Sep 18, 2007 11:38:29 AM
Why were the police already standing behind the podium before Meyers even began to speak? Seems as though the UDP were already a bit trigger happy. Was it meant as intimidation for any speaker to voice uncomfortable questions? We as a society have become so numb by worthless MSM 'journalists' bobbing feather like questions to politicians without any true follow-up to obvious lies-that when anyone does actually dare to speak the truth, they are considered un-American or a threat. Plus, unfortunatly Kerry comes off as a weak prick just as we all had secretly thought.
Posted by: Andrew | Sep 18, 2007 11:38:44 AM
Geoff, again: what law did he break prior to the cops manhandling him?
I have respect for police officers who know how to protect and defend (part of their oath, I believe) people's rights.
They had no business interjecting themselves into this situation. They were the ones who created it. They are the ones who deserve criticism.
Posted by: Mike | Sep 18, 2007 11:39:13 AM
Geoff, your opinion doesn't surprise me one bit considering the fact that you just endorsed police shooting people IN THE BACK for running away from a traffic charge or a drug possession charge.
Are you serious? Do you REALLY think people should be subjected to being shot and killed for running away from a traffic charge or a drug POSSESSION charge or did you just have a brain fart?
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 18, 2007 11:44:21 AM
Just one more thing. Has anyone phoned Senator Kerry's office to see if he has a statement regarding the incident. Unfortunately I am unable to today, so just curious.
Posted by: Andrew | Sep 18, 2007 11:45:10 AM
I think there is more to the story than this video shows, and why the police ended up behind him.
I am all for free speech, voicing the truth, no matter how hard it is to hear, but if you do it in this way, become tangled up in a confrontation with the police, you need to be prepared to deal with the consequences.
I guess thats the way to really get your voice heard, make a spectacle of it, we would never heard about it otherwise, but like I said, don't cry foul on the police.
Posted by: Geoff Hammerle | Sep 18, 2007 11:47:22 AM
Geoff, sorry to beat a dead horse here, but your statement, "become tangled up in a confrontation with the police" suggests he invited the police action. It's like referring to a woman as having "gotten herself raped" or saying a shooting victim "got in the way of a bullet."
Not to equate what happened to a rape or a murder, but your language clearly suggests that he invited the police to act in this way BEFORE they laid a hand on him. Which is to say he did something illegal or posed an imminent threat to the Senator's safety. Neither could be said by anyone who watched that video.
Posted by: Mike | Sep 18, 2007 11:52:51 AM
WOW Zeke! I have never endorsed shooting people in the back for taffic or drug charges. I like how you twist things around. Nice try though.
Usually people end up running for stupid reasons, like having an ounce of some controlled substance in their car, when the police are just pulling them over some minor traffic violation. Then when they bail, a foot pursuit ensues, and in the darkness, there is always some confusion, the person is seen making a move that looks threatening to the officers (i.e. reaching into their pants or jacket) and the person ends up getting shot. This seems a mistake on all sides... And all resulting from the person running for to protect themselves from some minor viloation.
Mike, he was not necessarily breaking any law, but he wasn't being arrested initially, just being escorted out because he hijacked the Q & A. I'm sure if I'm holding some event or whatever, I have a right to throw someone out of it if they are disrupting it. If I'm getting married and someone comes barging into the church and yells, screams, etc. I'm sure I would be in my right to call the cops and have the person removed. I don't know any of the legalities in this case, since it was on a public campus, etc. etc.
But it still boils down to the kid's physical confrontation with the police.
Posted by: Geoff Hammerle | Sep 18, 2007 11:57:55 AM
Did he help matters by yelling and making a scene,no? But when did it become the rule that when a police officer says something we should all go quietly out of the room and be escorted away like sheep. We are American citizens who by nature are suppose to question everything. We are an armed soceity not because we love to hunt but because we are the final check against any government going too far in taking away our rights. Whatever happened to the sayings " Live Free or Die" now it is "Be Safe First and Free Hopefully Later"? This is a sad state of affairs when the people who should be standing on the highest platform screaming in protest are the ones yelling "if you don't like it get out of the country". Who are the real Americans anymore?
Posted by: Ian | Sep 18, 2007 11:58:33 AM
This is nothing short of an outrage. Seriously, whats wrong with this country?
Does anyone remember what the constitution is and what it stands for? We have men and women in Iraq fighting and dying to protect these same rights that the government is ignoring. In this case, freedom of speech.
Does anyone else feel like history is repeating itself?
Posted by: Marie | Sep 18, 2007 12:08:59 PM
Andrew, According to some of the articles like the school paper the student rushed the microphone taking it away from another student and he was using profanity. That would be reason for security to be concerned.
That said, I know videos can be deceptive and this one is missing the beginning but I also don’t see where he cooperated with security. Also maybe no one helped because they saw the whole thing unfold and have a different perspective of what actually happen.
Posted by: EMO | Sep 18, 2007 12:17:18 PM
Bryce is an all American idiot. On a different note, I'm not a republican but all it takes is to listen to a Ron Paul speech to see the contrast of the times and how our civil liberties are for lack of a better term lost.
Posted by: Rafael | Sep 18, 2007 12:17:51 PM
It's a shame that with only one student surrounded by 4 or 5 police officers still felt they had to tazer him while he was on the ground and immobilized. That's just too much.
Posted by: john doe | Sep 18, 2007 12:18:03 PM
I live in Britain. Our police do not carry guns or tasers and we are treated by them with equal respect. We are not afraid of police in our country. They don't fight or beat us - yet they solve crimes faster and better than any other country in the world. We're protected and respected. We have the same terrorism issues as America. Our police are fighting jihadists and suicide bombers, not students learning their voices. I think America could learn a lot from the British Police Constables and Scotland Yard.
Posted by: Luke Kennedy | Sep 18, 2007 12:22:02 PM
EMO, point taken. However, in the video you can clearly hear Sen. Kerry address Mr. Meyer, and ask him for his question. The only 'profanity' that I heard was 'blowjob'. If you want to hear real profanity, please pick up a copy of the Starr Report.
Sen. Kerry's office will be issuing a statement soon.
Posted by: Andrew | Sep 18, 2007 12:25:07 PM
I wonder if these same police would have tasered Kerry if he went over his time limit on his response?
This whole situation is ridiculous on so many levels. The police were way out of line... an abuse of power. Hopefully the officers involved will be punished, but I doubt it, they will probably be dubbed heroes.
This could have been prevented in so many ways.
Andrew could have prevented this from happening by being more concise in his questioning, and actually listening at the end, (Kerry was answering him) instead of yelling.
As someone already said, Kerry could have prevented this, by getting involved, calling the cops off, etc... but he didn't. He and the prospective candidates are under such scrutiny, I'm not surprised. (We all remember what a big deal the right media made out of Dean's "yell", don't we? It was the beginning of his undoing)
And finally, the cops could have prevented this... by letting Andrew talk for another minute, or telling him quietly to listen to Kerry's answer, or by a hundred other ways than didn't involve force and a taser gun. Are the cops a little force-happy and like using their power? Duh. Have you ever met any in the US that aren't?
It's a really sad day in the US when the citizens a brutalized for asking questions, when the "free speech zone" at any Bush speech is ten blocks away from where Bush is, and all the audiences are hand-picked. How many mothers of soldiers killed in Iraq have been arrested this same way, for just wearing a shirt with a disparaging remark? We're living in a different US now than we were eight years ago.
-N.
Posted by: Norm | Sep 18, 2007 12:34:47 PM
As a UF grad, University Auditorium has been the site where many politicians are invited to speak. This was handled poorly by Kerry; he should have jumped in and agreed to answer the tough questions Meyer was asking. This forum has a long history, especially going back to the Vietnam War, of verbal confrontation. He certainly should not have been tasered. He was not combative physically nor was he threatening. Kerry should have diffused the situation. I remember in the early 1970's Hubert Humphrey being booed out of the hall because of his political stand to continue the Vietnam War. They would not dare to have done this then. Our rights to free speech have been eroded with Bush.
Posted by: Priscilla | Sep 18, 2007 12:38:38 PM
Thanks Andrew, I’ve been meaning to read that Starr report I bet it’s good. There seems to be a over reaction on both side in the video.
Security could have handled the situation better but I’m not judging either side because it could come out that this kid was looking for headlines. Being punked is the “in” thing these days.
I'm so over Kerry.
Posted by: EMO | Sep 18, 2007 12:43:13 PM
Dude deserved to be Tazed. I wanted to beat on him far earlier. Not because I disagreed with what he was saying - he wasn't saying anything meaningful. But because he was childishly disruptive.
Police brutality is a real issue - nonsense like this is like the boy who cried wolf. He resisted legal commands of the police, and then resisted arrest.
Its possible to be against George Bush, think John Kerry ran a useless campaign, and still be against gits like this.
And for the idiot above who thinks british police don't beat people, what planet do you live on? Read the Guardian for christs sake.
Posted by: Charles | Sep 18, 2007 12:49:59 PM
Whenever I see cops on the street or on the road, I try to avoid them.
Posted by: GT | Sep 18, 2007 12:51:19 PM
WELCOME TO THE SOVIET STATES OF AMERICA!
a few observations:
1) Kerry is a whimp. I have to admit the GOP was right on that
2) The studen'ts question was stupid but "inciting a riot?" Give me a break!
3) This demonstrates the adverse selection in the police force: those who have a propensity for violence and power tripping are the most likely to apply for the job,.
Posted by: ReasonBased | Sep 18, 2007 12:51:36 PM
This fool got his attention that he wanted. He was being a fool and didn't handle the situation in a way that left any room for the police to do anything other than what they did.
He failed miserably at making any point. He wanted and got attention. "Are you skull & crossbones?" A few too many late nights on teh internets for this one...
His 15 minutes will be short.
Posted by: Stilson | Sep 18, 2007 12:54:52 PM
“This is the same reason people get shot running FROM the police when all they have to fear is a traffic charge or even some stupid drug possession charge.” -- GEOFF HAMMERLE
Did I misquote you Geoff? Are these not YOUR words?
If these are in fact your words HOW exactly did I twist your words?
Would you care to explain to me just how a police officer can shoot a person running away from them without shooting them in the back?
If that’s not what you INTENDED to say, or MEANT to say, that’s YOUR problem. Don’t get pissy with me just because I challenged what you SAID instead of what you MEANT to say.
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 18, 2007 1:02:23 PM
I have been arrested for civil disobediance. I knew going in that I was doing the wrong thing for the right reason and that I had a very good chance of being arrested. Andrew Meyer had to know that his breaking of the rules would not be tolerated and was willing to pay the price for the publicity. People will now hear his questions and think about them.
People must be willing to take the consequences of their actions. Instead of belittleing the police for reacting to him, be proud that he was willing to break the law and be thrown in jail for what he believed in.
Posted by: Mark Hastings | Sep 18, 2007 1:06:11 PM
Where's the first part of this video? That's the question we should be asking, how do we know who went too far when we only see the portion of the video meant to create angry feelings toward the police? give us the whole video
Posted by: Rob | Sep 18, 2007 1:17:25 PM
Zeke, I think I explained myself well enough in the follow up e-mail the situations I was thinking of when I made my initial post. I do not condone people being shot, shot in the back, or wherever, for minor violations. Just think about all the situations we hear about that occur where the police end up shooting someone after a situation escalates when the person runs from them.
I agree with Mark Hastings. Express your opinions, beliefs, etc. but you have to be prepared to live with any of the consequences from however you do it.
I am very concerned there were five officers there and they still could not control him and had to tase him. That is definitely a failing on there part.
In the end, the situation could have been handled better by ALL the parties involved.
Posted by: Geoff Hammerle | Sep 18, 2007 1:17:27 PM
Kerry Statement on Florida Campus Incident
WASHINGTON D.C. – Sen. John Kerry issued the following statement today, in response to the arrest of a student at the University of Florida.
“In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way. I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody. I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building. I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted."
Really? Sen. Kerry didn't notice Mr. Meyer being tasered? Really?
Posted by: Andrew | Sep 18, 2007 1:19:12 PM
There is no freedom of speech in United States. Public's passive response to the student's cries for help is a clear sign of brainwash we all get from our government through media. I am sure that FOX is not going to discuss this issue. They would rather yap about OJ Simpson or some other meaningless story. This is exactly what the COMMUNISTS did in Russia (USSR). It is an outrage!!! Kerry must apologize, and police should be disciplined. All Americans need to wakeup and see what is happening around us. This is the wakeup call.
Posted by: Jack Craftsman | Sep 18, 2007 1:20:10 PM
To all the faux-news watching, log-cabin, right-wing self-hating fags on this forum who cannot distinguish between preventing a real threat and brutally attacking someone who had finished asking question: I hope you get tasered during one of your GOP rallies. After the incident in LA and now this, it is becoming increasingly more likely.
Posted by: ReasonBased | Sep 18, 2007 1:29:06 PM
So he is not in America comment still stands. Half of you appear to share his view point. Welcome to the Soviet States of America...really? So from the posts above we are led to believe that it is perfectly acceptable to be a public nuisance and then when restrained by the police it is also acceptable to resist and then bitch when you get beat down? Bravo people, but fortunately for us people like you will never lead this country.
Posted by: Bryce | Sep 18, 2007 1:48:55 PM
Andrew,
Thanks for the update with Kerry. I’m over Kerry but I think he’s tough enough to have handled this without the security if he wanted.
Zeke,
I must be missing something here. If you don’t mind, could you please clarify this Geoff conversation you two are having? The board has a lot of comments and I may have misunderstood something?
You said: “Geoff, your opinion doesn't surprise me one bit considering the FACT that you just ENDORSED police shooting people IN THE BACK for running away from a traffic charge or a drug possession charge”
You seem to have made this statement because Geoff said (copied from your post) “This is the same reason people get shot running FROM the police when all they have to fear is a traffic charge or even some stupid drug possession charge.” -- GEOFF HAMMERLE
If Geoff was ENDORSING police shootings wouldn’t he have used words like “people DESERVE to get shot running from police” or like “people SHOULD BE shot from running etc”.
As is said I may have missed something and there are so many comments on this subject. I’m not sure what to think about this subject yet.
Please excuse my grammatical errors. I’m not a prolific writer as I’m sure you can see. I do enjoy reading the pros and cons
Thanks
Posted by: EMO | Sep 18, 2007 2:10:01 PM
Bryce, there used to be a time when the majority of Americans did NOT share your authoritarian views. However, judging from the posts here, it seems to me that too many people have been brainwashed by the propaganda machine.
His question may have been silly and he might have taken too long to pose it. SO FUCKING WHAT? Kerry stated he wanted to answer the question and the guy was WALKING AWAY FROM THE MIKE when they attacked him. Moreover: police guidelines apparently state that TASERS can ONLY be used if the life of the arresting officers is in danger.
This guy was on the ground with FIVE officers on top of him, handcuffed and with one of the huge officers having his knee on him. ONLY THEN did they applied electroshock therapy. For apparently taking too long to ask a possibly silly question!
Sorry but if someone is a nuisance, we do not ELECTROCUTE THEM in this country, or well, we used to think it was wrong.
I am disgusted by some of you people
Posted by: ReasonBased | Sep 18, 2007 2:53:05 PM
Resistance is futile. You will comply.
Posted by: Princess Superstar | Sep 18, 2007 3:37:03 PM
As someone who works side by side with the police everyday, I have to admit the police handled this very poorly. Regardless of whether the young man was disrupting the presentation or even committing a crime, the officers in the video did not do what all police officers are trained to do -- defuse the situation.
I've seen good police officers talk someone drugged up with a history of violence down without the need to use any type of force. This is one of the reasons, I am nervous about the use of "less than lethal" weapons such as the Taser. While in many situation it is useful, I think as in this video, it starts to be used as not when it is appropriate but when it is just more expedient to solve the problem.
Undoubtedly, the police in this case were motivated by feeling pressures to eliminate the disruption as quickly as possible as well as the students challenge to their authority in such a public venue. As a result, they didn't appear to try to talk to the student at all or make any effort to create a peaceful end to the situation
I think in any other venue, this whole situation would have been handled differently. I know it could've been because I've seen police with much more disruptive individuals handle similar situations without the need to escalate it the way the police in the video did.
Posted by: Ed | Sep 18, 2007 3:50:34 PM
To Reasonbased and many others because I had the same questions:
The YouTube video is getting the shit banged out of it right now because of this, but this is the writeup of a particular post from the video excerpt and it does indeed explain what went on before it would appear he was so innocently asking general questions.
"I couldnt get to my camera in time to record his entrance, but this guy basically comes running in with 4 or 5 cops in tow and says he has been running around trying to get in to ask a question and the cops are going to arrest him for it. they almost do it then but Sen. Kerry says he will answer it. he then answers a previous question someone else asked (i cut that part out because it isnt important to this video) then the guy asks his questions and when he is done all hell breaks lose. to the cop haters: i have no doubt the cops were going exactly by the book, the problem isnt them, its the book! they were doing their job and looked just as confused as this kid (this isnt something that they deal with often)."
Posted by: FizziekruntNT | Sep 18, 2007 3:53:03 PM
The police were doing the right thing. This man ran into the building and up to the mic when he was clearly out of line. I'm sure the police weren't arresting him, but merely escorting him out of the room. For his benefit, he should have left without hesitiation when he shouldn't have been in there the first place. Then he was resisting the officers, causing a scene, and was, in fact, disturbing the peace. The officers have a right to use the taser if the person is resisting arrest. The officers even warned him to calm down or he would be tased. Don't act like he didn't have a choice, because he did.
Posted by: Kat | Sep 18, 2007 4:11:19 PM
Thanks for the clarification GEOFF. You did explain your statement better in your subsequent comment. Of course that was after you accused me of twisting your words for challenging what you actually said in the first comment, as opposed to what you meant. That was the point of my second comment.
EMO, see above. Maybe I should have said "tacitly endorsed" instead of "endorsed". Otherwise, I stand by my statement.
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 18, 2007 4:14:06 PM
OK, This guy is definitely resisting arrest. Probably (but can't say for certain) disturbing the peace. You can always say your peice; you can't always interrupt a presentation, elbow your way to the front of the line, and start yelling like a lunatic when they shut your microphone off. The only thing worse than this guy's manners are his manners. Did he deserve to be tasered? Depends, but he definitely should have left rather than breaking the grip of the PO and trying to force his way back down the walkway at the end. I'd have a lot more respect for what he was saying if it didn't come out his ass like it did.
Posted by: Patrick | Sep 18, 2007 4:17:59 PM
FIZZIKRUNTNT, thanks for that update.
That does make the police actions seem a bit less outrageous although I still think they over reacted with the tazer.
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 18, 2007 4:19:03 PM
NONE - NONE of this justified electrocuting a student for asking a question for too long! What part of "police guidelines state that tasers should only be used when the lives of the arresting officers are in danger" do you, KAT, not understand??? At which point was ANYONE's life in danger after all five of these officers were on top of the cuffed student?
people like you should live in North Korea.
Posted by: ReasonBased | Sep 18, 2007 4:23:14 PM
One: Police guidelines state that GUNS should only be used when the lives of the arresting officers are in danger."
Get your facts straight.
Two: Like I said, the kid had a choice. He should have complied and not resisted arrest. AND they warned him.
Three: People get shot by tasers everyday. Somehow, this one made top news. Why aren't you out protesting every single one of those shootings since you seem to be such an avid humanist.
It seems to be, you'd rather be on the computer all day complaining about one that you'll probably forget in a week.
Posted by: Kat | Sep 18, 2007 4:28:38 PM
Luke Kennedy makes the UK police seem like a bunch of peaceful hippies. But they get carried away and engage in unjustified attacks, too. All police do this, in every country.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/08/378936.html
Posted by: chrisk | Sep 18, 2007 4:36:16 PM
Actually, Kat, police use of force policies on Tasers vary dramatically between departments and states.
He is a sample of seven departments from GAO report:
The placement of the Taser on the use-of-force continuums of the agencies
varied. Specifically, we found that the seven agencies placed the Taser at
three different levels on their use-of-force continuums. As shown in table 1,
two agencies—the Sacramento Police Department and the Sacramento
Sheriff’s Department—permit the use of Tasers when a police officer
perceives the situation as potentially harmful, as when a subject engages in
assaultive behavior that creates a risk of physical injury to another. Impact
weapons, such as night sticks and batons, can also be used in these
situations. They include, for example, instances in which a subject attacks
or threatens to attack an officer by fighting and kicking.
Four other police departments—the Austin Police Department, the Ohio
Highway Patrol, the Phoenix Police Department, and the San Jose Police
Department—allow the use of Tasers at a lower level in the use-of-force
continuum in situations that the officer perceives as volatile. This occurs,
for example, when a subject is actively resisting arrest but not attacking the
officer. The use of chemical sprays to subdue the subject is another
option in such a situation. Finally, one agency—the Orange County Sheriff’s
Department—allows the use of Tasers in situations that an officer
perceives as tactical, such as when a subject is “passively resisting” by not
responding to the lawful, verbal commands of the officer.
The report also has a lot of other interesting information on Tasers.
Ed
Posted by: Ed | Sep 18, 2007 4:37:29 PM
I forgot the link to the GAO article:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05464.pdf
One other comment from the report:
Officials we interviewed in all seven law enforcement agencies stated that
they developed procedures and guidelines to help ensure the safe use of
Tasers. The officials told us that they make every effort to use the Taser as
safely as possible but cautioned that it can still be dangerous. As an
official from the Ohio Highway Patrol stated, any time a Taser is used,
“…the officer runs the risk of injuring the intended target. A Taser is by nature a weapon and carries with it inherent dangers.”
Posted by: Ed | Sep 18, 2007 4:40:09 PM
There also seems to be some variation in how the student got to the mic. This is from http://joemygod.blogsport.com
"According to witness accounts, Meyer was in line at the microphone set to be the last to give Kerry a question, but he protested when the moderator told the person in line in front of Meyer that his would be the last question taken by Kerry. Meyer complained and Kerry agreed to an additional question. When Meyer exceeded his time limit but would not relinquish the microphone, the police attempted to remove him. As seen in the video, Meyer resisted, resulting in his arrest."
Posted by: Ed | Sep 18, 2007 4:44:12 PM
No excuse for tasering college kids / reads like a Fox comedy show, "American Dad" anyone? sad :(
Posted by: Richard S | Sep 18, 2007 5:31:02 PM
very "A Clockwork Orange"
Posted by: Richie | Sep 18, 2007 6:08:13 PM
I feel bad for the kid, but if they felt he was being disruptive or trying to "rabblerouse" they have a right to remove him, which is all they were trying to do - escort him out. Which is not in and of itself bad, but you have to deal with the consequences. However when he starts to fight officers, they had to subdue him somehow. He should have just walked out and they would not have tased him.
Posted by: Matt | Sep 18, 2007 6:41:51 PM
Welcome to America, baby.
Posted by: Joe in CA | Sep 18, 2007 6:43:35 PM
I saw it differently.
I saw a kid boiling over with near anger at the mess our politicians - those so-called "public servants" - have made of this country.
Then I see a police force using excessive force on a now riled up kid. Who gave them the nod to move on this kid? Somebody did! So what if he ran Kerry's Q&A over 10 or even 20 minutes. Who cares?
And then there is Kerry. He has a stage and a microphone. Why didn't he use it to take control? Where was his authority? Leadership? He doesn't even raise his fucking voice!
Standing there in his conservative grey, botonany 500, with his limp dick in his hand...oh wait...that was his spine! (And I actually voted for this war "hero"!)
As for the whole "spirit of the times" >>
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
Posted by: Mark | Sep 18, 2007 7:21:40 PM
Sure looks like someone didn't want everyone to hear what he had to say.. Hmmmmm Paid leave? Isn't that more like a vacation?
Posted by: Jason | Sep 18, 2007 7:33:17 PM
Once upon a time, John Kerry was THISCLOSE to being president. He couldn't command a mic and a stage enough to get those officers to back down? He should have shouted for Meyer to ask his damn question, answered it and then if Meyer still couldn't shut up, they could haul him off. But to stand by and do nothing? Shameful!
Posted by: Mary | Sep 18, 2007 7:38:22 PM
So the guy with the biggest mouth willing to push people aside to take the Mic should be allowed too? All he had to do was stop and let Kerry answer his question. No officer should risk being punched or kicked because the kid won't stop throwing a fit. That idiot took the the right of free speech away form all the people he cut in front of and talked over. Those are the actions of a spoiled brat that needed some attention. He wasn't zapped because he spoke. He was zapped because he didn't know when to shut-up. He wanted to be shocked and you guys have all bought it hook, line and sinker
Posted by: Greg | Sep 18, 2007 7:43:12 PM
Seems to be a lot of confusion here. Here'a bunch of different video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bVa6jn4rpE&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCBcOQkUNjI&NR=1
Here's what happened outside of the auditorium:
http://www.liveleak.com/player2.swf?token=3ec_1190097717
Posted by: Rob | Sep 18, 2007 8:41:36 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaiWCS10C5s
and another video with the full thing where he was asking the question
Posted by: gabriel | Sep 18, 2007 8:48:17 PM
dirtyword.net
when you need protection from
university of florida campus cops, theres:
'don't tase me, bro.'
and
'what did i do?'
shirts, hats, buttons, stickers and more.
available now at:
dirtyword.net
(look in the 'catch phrases' section)
Posted by: dirtyword.net | Sep 18, 2007 8:56:40 PM
Is that a joke Mary? Even if he did do that did he deserve that type of treatment in a school environment. It was not like he was posing an immediate treat to Sen. Kerry. Furthermore, all he did was make an unwanted statement and adding criticism. It was a forum, and the purpose of Kerry being there was to ask questions and provide criticism ..I'm pretty sure there wasn't a restriction put on the types of questions you were allowed to ask..even at that Kerry was about to answer his question and yet the police decide to infringe on his right of speech.. Were the police officers out of options when they went up at to mic and began dragging Meyer out. Since when did legitimate criticism entail that sort of action taken by police officers that day. I'm shocked to see that this sort of sh#@ happen in this country, it's pathetic at how wrongly police reacted..The President of the University of Florida stated in response to the incident, '... the free exchange of ideas can occur. Civil discourse and civil debates are hallmarks of universities...It's fundamental that we preserve an environment so that (discourse and debates) can occur whenever and where ever it needs to happen.' Nice to see how our rights can be violated just like that. And I loved how the students just sat and watched when they were hauling him out. Joe you also have a good point at how stupid and idiotic Kerry was through the entire thing. I guess he was glad he didn't have to answer Meyer's question or comment to his statements.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 18, 2007 9:16:43 PM
First of all what happened to freedom of speach? The student has the right to ask the question and was doing just that. There was no reason to treat him that way!! Why are the "police" suspended with pay after taking a person down like that? It's scary that someone can't ask a question without being taken down like that! The "police" went overboard on this one!!! Way out of line!! To Byrce, from what I have read so far, you need to think before you speak!!! the internet is everwhere, not just in USA, HELLO!!!
Posted by: jackie | Sep 18, 2007 9:21:05 PM
Mmmmm I feel like going to USA, to liberate you poor guys from fascism and tyrany... then again We dont have enought smartBombs and we dont fell like being IDE when occupaying your country... mmmmmmm...we are smater than you ...
mao tse tung ...Comunist Republick of China.
Posted by: mao tse tung | Sep 18, 2007 9:32:22 PM
This guy was an idiot and was resisting arrest as well as making a general ass out of himself. What a crybaby. If you are going to make a show, be a man about it. Tase him again.....
Posted by: kp | Sep 18, 2007 9:47:46 PM
Liberals eat cheetos too. They're yummy. But seriously, what did you guys want the other people to do? Stand up and attack the cops? It would only have further escalated the situation? Even if Kerry had spoken up it would be shown on FOX news as Kerry up there berating a police officer for "doing their jobs". That will really win over the bible belt. Can't attack "heroes"; according to FOX news and Nancy Grace you're a hero if you can graduate from a police academy. Kerry's political cred would have plummeted in Washington, more innocent people would have been tasered, or worse. The people who sat there did the best thing they could. If it comes out in the courts that they suppressed his free speech they'll have a civil rights lawsuit on their hands, the cops will be dismissed, to join the ranks of mall cops everywhere, and this guy still got what he wanted, his face and opinions all over the evening news. It will be interesting to see if he takes the 2 mill he'll get for a book and the settlement from his civil rights lawsuit and donates them to charity, or just pockets them and becomes just what he seemed to want to protest.
Posted by: andrew | Sep 18, 2007 10:01:21 PM
Bad boys, bad boys... whatcha gonna do?
And Mao, you must be the "smatest" one of them all. Yep, your smates are asmazing. (smate, smater, smatest)
Posted by: Jason | Sep 18, 2007 10:01:38 PM
uh kp..i would expect the students to say something when their fellow classmate is being dragged away for nothing.. that's better than just sitting there with a silent grin.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 18, 2007 10:39:57 PM
I came across this article because it was a headline on CNN through Google Seems to me that both the overzealous student and probably nervous police made very bad decisions. I should not have even got sucked into the thread, but the gentleman's comment from South Africa sucked me right in. As usual with many video clips and news articles, we probably aren't getting the whole story. I hate to think that all the police out there who do such and amazing job are being clumped into a pile of "civil liberty killers." For those of you posting from outside the United States (S. Africa), I'm sorry you think we're all so terrible. We really aren't all like Bush (or Kerry)-I promise. In fact, most of us could probably trash them ten times worse than you ever could. You complain about out media, yet you believe everything you read and see in it? Seems like your words contradict your actions and beliefs. For those of you posting inside the United States, when you get out of college you'll see that nothing, n is as black and white as you think.Not even the Freedom of Assembly mentioned in the First Ammendment (did you even know that was where it was from?) This also goes for those of you who get to sit at a desk at cushy jobs all day and not actually work with people in the public sector everyday (I saw when you posted to the thread). Yes, we need to fight to keep our civil liberties. We always have-remember the backlash to McCarthyism? In the mean time I plan to keep speaking out, but also letting my actions reflect my beliefs which is why I'm going to bed now so I can get up in the morning and make a difference at my job and not spend all day at a desk wasting my time posting trivial messages. Must be nice to have a job where you can goof around all day. Let your actions reflect your beliefs and get lives that make a difference.
Posted by: Hil | Sep 18, 2007 11:15:44 PM
Watch yourselves out there everyone. Remember, you're armed.
Preserve your Constitution.
Posted by: Rob | Sep 18, 2007 11:42:17 PM
I don't think a Q & A situation usually permits speechifying. (Other clips of this event show that Andrew Meyer was at the mic for a considerable time.) By taking more time at the mic than his share, this jerk was denying others of their right to ask questions within a reasonably-alloted time. This jerk also resisted arrest as he was being escorted out of the room while disturbing the peace. This jerk was obviously looking for trouble and he found it. If he could only had mastered the skill of artfully asking a question or two, he could have relinquished the mic and waited for his answer, he could have embarrassed Kerry, and there would have been no problem.
Posted by: Vigilante | Sep 19, 2007 12:01:01 AM
The kid brought it upon himself, what kind of person thinks its OK to act like that at a public forum with a Senator? He rushes the stage, refuses to leave, resists physically when the officers try and escort him by the arm. All he would have had to do is stand still and raise his arms for like 30 seconds and the situation could have been avoided.
Posted by: jacknasty | Sep 19, 2007 12:58:23 AM
I hope the student sues the ass off off the police and uses the money to get the message out !!!
Posted by: Lou | Sep 19, 2007 1:11:32 AM
SAY NO TO GEORGE BUSH"S POLICE STATE!
Posted by: NO POLICE STATE | Sep 19, 2007 1:40:21 AM
I think it is funny, this idiot Andrew Meyer had the intention of causing a problem, NOT asking legitimate questions. He rushed the mic, cutting in line, then excitedly asked questions one after another without giving Kerry a chance to respond.
Bottom line, he was looking for an "episode" and he got it. Did he deserve to be tasered, probably not...... just thrown out on his dumb ass.
If he had just asked the questions in a civil manor, one at a time allowing for an answer, he could have been successful. SO, don't tell me this was his civil rights violated, and blah, blah, blah.... he asked for it, AND GOT more than he bargoned for.
Now he'll sue, and the University will waste good money defending their renta-cops actions, and all the sissy liberals will keep the rhetoric going in a frenzy.
Posted by: SOMEONEWHOTHINKSITSFUNNY | Sep 19, 2007 7:12:29 AM
I think it is funny, this idiot Andrew Meyer had the intention of causing a problem, NOT asking legitimate questions. He rushed the mic, cutting in line, then excitedly asked questions one after another without giving Kerry a chance to respond.
Bottom line, he was looking for an "episode" and he got it. Did he deserve to be tasered, probably not...... just thrown out on his dumb ass.
If he had just asked the questions in a civil manor, one at a time allowing for an answer, he could have been successful. SO, don't tell me this was his civil rights violated, and blah, blah, blah.... he asked for it, AND GOT more than he bargoned for.
Now he'll sue, and the University will waste good money defending their renta-cops actions, and all the sissy liberals will keep the rhetoric going in a frenzy.
Posted by: SOMEONEWHOTHINKSITSFUNNY | Sep 19, 2007 7:18:02 AM
Oh fuck off, SOMEONEWHOTHINKSITSFUNNY!! Being told to leave or calm down is one thing, being tasered, handcuffed and arrested is another. Hmm,let's see, are you a Bush/conservative crone in disguise?! Creep
Posted by: Nikko | Sep 20, 2007 4:01:52 AM