This is very disturbing. A student at the University of Florida asked John Kerry some questions and ultimately got Tasered and arrested. Sure the kid was annoying the way he asked the barrage of questions, but as Americans we should have a long-forgotten right called the Freedom of Speech. Kerry was trying to answered the student’s question while several university police officers dragged him away from the microphone and Tasered him. Excessive force was used, especially since the kid had his hands up and there were at least six officers trying to restrain him. All the while the student was asking why he was being arrested, and he was not given a reason until much later when he was in handcuffs. The LiveLeak video below shows that part.
YouTube video 1 of the incident
YouTube video 2 of the incident
LiveLeak Video: Kerry Taser Incident….raw footage of after he was tasered and led away
John P. at One Man’s Blog also has an excellent post about this incident and Tasering in general.
I sincerely hope that some disciplinary action is taken on the involved UF police officers involved in this. Freedom of speech needs to make a comeback.
So what do you think? Was the use of a Taser justified or excessive? Leave your comments below.
Note: The original story that I saw was on Slashdot.
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making war all over the world to export “democracy” and blocking people in this way…… I’m really shocked.
“but as Americans we should have a long-forgotten right called the Freedom of Speech”
He has his freedom of speech, he can say whatever he wants, but organizers of this event prohibited abusing this freedom and after all this is their right – they own the place. It’s the same as in court where you cannot lie when under oath even if you have ‘freedom of speech’.
Notice that public aplauded police when they tried to move this looney out, it’s clear that majority did not want him. Police started very peacefully, but sadly they had to use force. Excessive? Dunno.
mt: use of a taser is excessive. It is one step below using a gun. John Kerry said he’d answer the question, and the police tried to remove the guy. I would not be surprised if this guy wins a million dollar lawsuit against the police involved.
Are they even police or just campus police….. Remember people the police force has throughout the time in America been used as a private force against the people they are meant to protect.
“Notice that public aplauded police when they tried to move this looney out, it’s clear that majority did not want him. Police started very peacefully, but sadly they had to use force. Excessive? Dunno.”
So just because the majority do not want him its ok? Talk about history for you.
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