Student gets tasered for asking Senator John Kerry a question

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Student hit with Taser at John Kerry speech
By Tom Leonard in New York
Last Updated: 3:55am BST 21/09/2007

An investigation has been launched by university authorities in Florida after a student was dragged out of a meeting with the US Senator John Kerry and shot with a Taser stun gun.

Full coverage of the US elections
Video of the incident shows university campus police officers dragging Andrew Meyer to the back of a lecture hall and stunning him with the Taser gun when he protested his innocence.


Video footage of the incident was rapidly circulated on the internet
During a question-and-answer session at the University of Florida, Mr Meyer fired questions at the former Democrat presidential challenger and refused to give up the microphone when he was told his allotted time was up.

As campus police then attempted to hustle him out of the room, Mr Kerry said: “That’s alright, let me answer his question”, and continued to answer Mr Meyer’s question about why he didn’t contest the controversial 2004 presidential election result.

Student applause at his separation from the microphone turned to cries of concern as Mr Meyer, 21, a journalism student, scuffled with up to six officers, crying for help and repeatedly shouting: “What did I do?”

He was forced to the ground and cried out: “Don’t Tase me, bro”, just before he was shot with the gun, which fires small dart-like electrodes with attached metal wires that connect to the gun.

The fracas was recorded by several students at the meeting and video footage rapidly circulated on the internet, prompting accusations of police brutality and suppression of free speech.

Mr Meyer was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, but students at the university instead demanded that the police be suspended and that Tasers never again be used on campus.

The university said campus police would conduct an internal inquiry into whether the officers used unnecessary force.

A university spokesman said of Mr Meyer: “He apparently asked several questions - he went on for quite a while - then he was asked to stop.” “He had used his allotted time. His microphone was cut off, then he became upset.”

But the spokesman added: “The police department does have a standard procedure for when they use force, including when they use a Taser. That is what the internal investigation would address - whether the proper procedures were followed, whether the officers acted appropriately.”



This has been in the press for a while now.

Completely ignores the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Nothing surprises me in America :nono:

I wonder what would have happened to the student that threw a custard pie at Jeremy Clarkson, when he visited Oxford Brookes (bad example, I know). Electric chair? ???
 


Djmiles

Barndoor Holroyd
Dec 1, 2005
12,064
Kitchener, Canada
F.......:lol:
 






Djmiles

Barndoor Holroyd
Dec 1, 2005
12,064
Kitchener, Canada
I did look, but couldn't find it. :shrug:

I think someone put on of the links to the video in a random thread to be fair.

Haven't seen one of the videos...and haven't searched I couldn't find it either!
 


hart's shirt

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
11,083
Kitbag in Dubai
I think he may ask his question slightly quicker next time.
 






BlueWhite

Member
Dec 28, 2003
165
What is the most incredible thing is that no one lifts a finger to help him. Some cheer him being arrested for asking a question.

Democracy in the USA.
 


That's Florida for you.

My lad spent much of 2005 working with the legendary Def Leppard on a tour of US stadiums. He was part of a team that was responsible for preparing and projecting video images on to the giant screens behind the band. At a gig in Florida, they beamed up a short sequence of images featuring George Dubya. The reaction from the audience? Outrage.
 






Fixtures

New member
Aug 12, 2007
267
Completely ignores the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Nothing surprises me in America :nono:

What baloney. The First Amendment doesn't guarantee open-ended Q&A sessions and it has nothing to do with people who want to hog the microphone at others' expense. The guy was almost a professional stirrer. He went over the time allotted and he interrupted another student but was still allowed to speak (at John Kerry's insistence) despite the fact it had already been announced the Q&A session was over. He then, in my opinion, behaved in a way designed to provoke just the reaction he got. They played right into his hands.
 




The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
What baloney. The First Amendment doesn't guarantee open-ended Q&A sessions and it has nothing to do with people who want to hog the microphone at others' expense. The guy was almost a professional stirrer. He went over the time allotted and he interrupted another student but was still allowed to speak (at John Kerry's insistence) despite the fact it had already been announced the Q&A session was over. He then, in my opinion, behaved in a way designed to provoke just the reaction he got. They played right into his hands.

Yes, I've always thought being persistently electrocuted while having eight people manhandle you and then sit on you is the best way to get someone to belt up.
 




Fungus

Well-known member
NSC Patron
May 21, 2004
7,160
Truro
I'm speechless. Perfectly good question about the election. What was the "secret society" thing about? Sounds like an interesting conspiracy theory! Kerry could have done more - not sure what the other students could have done without turning it into a full-scale riot. Were they cheering the student or the cops? What/who do the cops think they were protecting?

Lucky the guy wasn't black - Springsteen song about a true story:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2kCbXkYbI6o
Cops wanted to ban Bruce concerts for singing that!
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
I'm speechless. Perfectly good question about the election. What was the "secret society" thing about? Sounds like an interesting conspiracy theory! Kerry could have done more - not sure what the other students could have done without turning it into a full-scale riot. Were they cheering the student or the cops? What/who do the cops think they were protecting?

Quite. Next time there's an Albion fans' forum, remember to keep your questions short...
 




Yorkie

Sussex born and bred
Jul 5, 2003
32,367
dahn sarf
What is the most incredible thing is that no one lifts a finger to help him. Some cheer him being arrested for asking a question.

Democracy in the USA.

Didn't an OAP get thrown out of the Labour party conference last year for daring to question the government?
Democracy in the UK?
 








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