GAINESVILLE - U.S. Sen. John Kerry's speech at the University of Florida came to a dramatic close Monday, shortly after a vocal audience member was hauled off by police and shot with a Taser gun.
The audience member was preliminarily identified by UF officials as Andrew Meyer, a UF student in the College of Journalism and Communications.
Toward the conclusion of Kerry's UF forum, Meyer approached an open microphone at the University Auditorium and demanded Kerry answer his questions. The student claimed that University Police Department officers had already threatened to arrest him, and then proceeded to question Kerry about why he didn't contest the 2004 presidential election and why there had been no moves to impeach President Bush.
A minute or so into what became a combative diatribe, Meyer's microphone was turned off and officers began trying to physically remove him from the auditorium. Meyer flailed his arms, yelling as police tried to restrain him.
He was then pushed to the ground by six officers, at which point Meyer yelled, "What have I done? What I have I done? Get away from me. Get off of me! What did I do? ... Help me! Help."
Police threatened to user a Taser on Meyer if he did not "comply," but he continued to resist being handcuffed. He was then Tased, which prompted him to scream and writhe in pain on the floor of the auditorium.
After the incident, Capt. Jeff Holcomb of the UPD said Meyer had been charged with disrupting a public event and placed in the Alachua County Jail. Holcomb said there would be an investigation into whether the officers used force appropriately, adding that employing a Taser gun would only be justified in a case where there was a threat of physical harm to officers.
As Meyer was escorted away, he was followed by several students, including Matthew Howland, 20. Howland, a UF senior who said he didn't know Meyer, said he was "appalled" by the way UPD officers handled the situation. Howland acknowledged that Meyer had acted inappropriately by "rushing" the microphone and forcing a question on Kerry.
"It's a perfect example of when officers take something to a level that is not necessary," he said. "The officers escalated that situation."
Throughout the incident, Kerry urged the audience to "cool down" and acknowledged that Meyer had raised an important question. As officers escorted Meyer from the auditorium into the lobby, Kerry went on to explain that he did not think there was sufficient evidence of voter suppression to justify contesting the 2004 election.
"We just couldn't do it in good conscience because we didn't have that evidence," he said.
warning he gets tazered but its not that bad you just hear him but if you dont want to hear it dont watch but it is clearly stupid he did nothing wrong? cops strongly overreacted
kerry says after they turn of the mic,,, " thats ok let me answer his question"
Now can you please tell me what in the name of God this has to do with George Bush?
I dont even like Bush and i was wondering the same thing.
"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it."- Thomas Jefferson on Freedom of Speech
Quote: Tasering him after he was in handcuffs wasn't necessary, 6 or 7 cops had him surrounded and handcuffed, he was unarmed...
Now can you please tell me what in the name of God this has to do with George Bush?
Actually, if you watch the video, right before the taser goes off, you can see his other hand wasn't handcuffed. He was actively resisting. They warned him multiple times, should've just shut his mouth.
Uh ... Disturbing the peace? Disorderly conduct? Resisting arrest? Everyone seems to forget the "peacefully" part of the first amendment. They also seem to think the freedom of speech entitles them to a freedom to be listened to.
So the kid goes to this event with his cameraman in tow to embarrass Kerry.
The kid sounds off, mic in hand, for over a minute and is asked to stop...he doesn't...the mic is cut...which is a common occurrance when an unwanted filibuster occurs.
The planner of this event asks campus security to remove him...he refuses to leave and continues to play to the cameraman. After wrestling gingerly with the wuss the cops finally put him on the ground and tell him to cease resisting[ which is a crime]...when he won't they threaten him with a taser gun.
He cries out like a sisy boy pleading to be spared the life threatening agony of the deadly taser gun. He gets tased and screams and whines like a 12 year old girl ...not once but 7 times he screams...MY VAGINA HURTS, MY VAGINA HURTS,MY VAGINA HURTS etc.......
He then settles down and tells the cops he has no hard feeling that they just did their job and asks them if MORE CAMERAS WILL BE AT THE POLICE STATION!!!
The First Amendment angle is bogus also since the First Amendment protects citizens from Congress passing any laws restricting free speech[ and even tho Sen. Kerry was there he was not hindering anyone's speech] not from allowing a gathering to police itself and it's guests.
What a sissy boy!!
The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, .
It has nothing to do with Bush. I think its funny seeing you guys get all hot and bothered when he is mentioned in here
I don't think he should have been arrested... At least the officers could answer his question when he was asking what he did... He was out of line however and should have been removed from the proceedings. Should have been arrested? Probably not... Should he have been tazered, NO,definitely not.
I was "shocked" when I saw this on tv but what really got me "charged up" was the fact that it took seven (7) cops to hold him down. The "electricity" was flowing through me when I saw him in court but what really "burned" me up was that little smirk on his face when he was released and "connected" with his friends off camera....
Quote: I was "shocked" when I saw this on tv but what really got me "charged up" was the fact that it took seven (7) cops to hold him down. The "electricity" was flowing through me when I saw him in court but what really "burned" me up was that little smirk on his face when he was released and "connected" with his friends off camera....
Quote: At least the officers could answer his question when he was asking what he did... He was out of line however and should have been removed from the proceedings. Should have been arrested? Probably not... Should he have been tazered, NO,definitely not.
Had he peacefully exited the room, I'm sure the cops would have answered his question in the lobby where it wasn't disrupting the event, then they probably would have let him go....
But as soon as they began to escort him out he started screaming about being arrested... he wasn't being arrested at that point..
I did especially like the "Help me! Help me!" screams... like he was being taken to Gitmo, never to be heard from again...
It does look an awful lot like a publicity stunt, from the very aggressive way he asks the questions without giving Kerry time to answer, to the way he flails around after the cops try to escort him out.... I don't know if the camera man was there to film the whole speech or if this guy brought him.. if this guy brought him, then I'm glad they tazered him....
It looked like to me, he interrupted Kerry. He got up there, and started spouting off info that for one, is in the past, and two because its in the past theres nothing that can be done of it. It sounds like he had vested some time in trying to get Kerry elected and he felt like his volunteered time went for naught.
The guy seemed to get up there with the purpose of screwing with the event. He got what was coming. There were 200 or so other people there that probably didn't appreciate the distraction he caused.
Tasering him was completely unnecessary. These cops should feel ashamed. The kid was a complete deuche bag but nothing he did warranted an arrest or a tase... in fact, kerry said he would answer his questions and asked them to stop. I don't know why they asked him to stop asking questions in the first place...
From what I have read the guy didn't bring the camera but did ask the girl that had it if she would film him. He also waited until she was filming to start his questions. And supposedly once the camera was off he calmed down immediately and was laughing about the whole thing.
And from what I've read he has pulled pranks like this before. Although, obviously to a lesser degree.
"People who drink light 'beer' don't like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot."
Quote: Tasering him after he was in handcuffs wasn't necessary, 6 or 7 cops had him surrounded and handcuffed, he was unarmed...
Now can you please tell me what in the name of God this has to do with George Bush?
I agree.... I didn't agree with him getting taser... don't know the reasoning behind it... but how the hell does Bush have anything to do with it? give me a friggin break
Quote: Tasering him was completely unnecessary. These cops should feel ashamed. The kid was a complete deuche bag but nothing he did warranted an arrest or a tase... in fact, kerry said he would answer his questions and asked them to stop. I don't know why they asked him to stop asking questions in the first place...
Overzealous campus cops....
Eventually, cops can only ask you to comply for so long. After that, you get what you get. In this case, he didn't want to comply after repeated attempts, so he got the snot shocked out of him.
He earned it.
If he had just chilled, he wouldn't have been arrested, and he wouldn't have been shocked. In all liklihood, he'd have been taken downtown, then released or given a ticket. But no, he had to pull his little stunt, and forced the cops hand.
PS: It's not a good idea to drop F-bombs on a cop
***Gordon, I really didn't think you could be this stOOpid, but you exceeded my expectations. Wussy. Manziel, see Josh Gordon. Dumbass.***
ok... just watched it... he deserved to be tazered... the cops kept telling him to calm down and he didn't... they told him he'd be tazered if he didn't calm down and he didn't... .
I love the girl yelling 'why did you do that'... because the dude wouldn't calm down... the guy personally looked a little on edge/high while asking his questions... hopfully just lack of sleep or something.
Sad to see... but he'll probably get a lot more face time for acting like an idiot and forcing the cops to do their job.
as I said... he was a deuche bag... no doubt about it. But if 5+ cops couldn't handcuff a scrawny terd college student they have something wrong with them. He was not fighting them. Being defiant? Sure... as most people would have been because they really didn't do anything wrong...
Quote: as I said... he was a deuche bag... no doubt about it. But if 5+ cops couldn't handcuff a scrawny terd college student they have something wrong with them. He was not fighting them. Being defiant? Sure... as most people would have been because they really didn't do anything wrong...
I agree to a point... the guy was putting up one heck of a fight against the cops... trying to get away... cursing... and I would guess the cops warned him before he got shocked.
After watching the clip from a few different angles. You can easily tell this was a "choreographed" move by this punk to get attention. From the looks of it, some of the cops may have been down with it too...
"Sure... as most people would have been because they really didn't do anything wrong... "
Unfortunately for the kid he must have been absent when the teacher explained that his opinion of what is right or wrong doesn't matter to anyone.
The cops alternative was the baton beatdown and it is much worse than the single taser shock...the taser does no permanent damage other than ruining his bikini trim.
The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, .
Quote: Why is he putting up such a fight, he didn't have to? Is he trying to start somekind of riot or something?
No he's hoping to cause a commotion, so that he can cry "look! they are taking my freedom of speech." And hordes of people who have no idea how to interpret the bill of rights will rally around him.
Quote: as I said... he was a deuche bag... no doubt about it. But if 5+ cops couldn't handcuff a scrawny terd college student they have something wrong with them. He was not fighting them. Being defiant? Sure... as most people would have been because they really didn't do anything wrong...
Here's the problem though. Sure, those five cops could have overpowered him, but then they ran the risk of breaking his arm.
Now what's worse: Stunning him so that they can get the cuffs on, or snappin' some bones and causing pain and medical expenses, and possibly a lawsuit?
If they'd have roughed him hard to get the cuffs on, this wouldn't be a discussion about cops being too aggressive, it'd be a discussion of pure police brutality.
The cops were well within their rights. They gave him ample opportunty and warning.
As noted, droppin' the F-bombs didn't help. And I have to wonder if he was calling the black cop "Bro"
***Gordon, I really didn't think you could be this stOOpid, but you exceeded my expectations. Wussy. Manziel, see Josh Gordon. Dumbass.***
Quote: It sounds like he had vested some time in trying to get Kerry elected and he felt like his volunteered time went for naught.
He looked like he was about 22 years old... therefore the 2000 election would have happened when he was 15... I doubt he was doing any vigorous campaigning....
Quote: the guy was putting up one heck of a fight against the cops... trying to get away... cursing... and I would guess the cops warned him before he got shocked.
See from what I saw, he was NOT trying to get away, he was trying to make a scene for the camera... he was putting up just enough of a fight to keep the cops engaged.... He wasn't cooperating and he wasn't putting in an all-out effort to get away, somewhere in between, just enough to make a show of it...
Quote: Why is he putting up such a fight, he didn't have to? Is he trying to start somekind of riot or something?
No he's hoping to cause a commotion, so that he can cry "look! they are taking my freedom of speech." And hordes of people who have no idea how to interpret the bill of rights will rally around him.
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I dont even like Bush and i was wondering the same thing.![[Linked Image from ps3gc.com]](http://www.ps3gc.com/pics/Bigswoll61.png)
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