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Update: As I’ve predicted the Officers involved in this incident have been cleared and are returning to duty. Take a poll here.
I’ve posted a few videos on YouTube concerning the Andrew Meyer Taser incident. Now I knew I would not be popular with my position on the incident. After all the majority of the YouTube users are young liberals, many of which love a good conspiracy theory. At least that’s been my experience. However, I was astonished at the response I have received. In addition to the obligatory “your a fascist”, “troll alert”, “you’re part of Skull & Bones” and “you’re a Bush lover” comments, I’ve also received a few dozen messages threatening my life. Now of course I don’t take these seriously, mainly due to the all caps and mangling of the English language.
Anyway, I’ll get to the point. Amongst all of the controversy, insults and now death threats I have had some productive conversations with a rare few.
Some of whom have requested more information or explanations of the information I have presented. Rather then continue to try and provide a condensed version that fits withing the 500 character limit of the YouTube comments that also wont allow URLs to be posted, I have decided to simply post what I can here. With any luck someone will find it useful.
Additional information relevant to a few viewers and a few people participating in the discussion (comments)…
A decent overview of the “Use of Force Continuum”
What the witnesses say:
I know several students at University of Florida. I emailed them seeking information as soon as I learned of this incident. Of the responses I received one person was present at the incident [Rachel] and another put me in contact with a student who was also there [Teresa].
Rachel was seated directly behind Meyer while he was at the microphone. (I am still seeking additional information from anyone able to provide it.)
I have verified what I can with the six videos available:
After the speech the audience was informed that Senator Kerry would answer about 6 questions, time permitting. Microphones had been set up on both sides of the room and lines formed of people wanting to ask questions. There were about 18 - 20 people in line to ask questions. The questions lasted about half an hour and the event personnel advised the remaining people in line that no more questions could be taken because they were out of time. The lines dissipated at this time.
After the last question was asked and the staff cleared the lines Meyer was seen arguing with event personnel who then waved a police officer over to them. As Kerry was giving the answer to the last question Meyer moved toward the stage and started yelling obscenities, he stated “Why wont you answer my questions? You’ve been talking in circles for 2 hours! These officers are going to arrest me.” There were two or three police officers[1] going after him, trying to get him to stop. He was yelling until Senator Kerry told him to calm down and he would take his question when he finished the answer he giving.
Meyer yelled again stating that Kerry would answer him because he had been listening to his crap for hours. He also was talking to a woman with a camera around this time asking her something about being ready and making sure she got it all. At this point there were several police officers with Meyer at the microphone. The witnesses did not hear what the officers were saying but heard Meyer yell “I don’t have to tell you!” and “What?”
As Senator Kerry finished answering the previous question he then pointed at Meyer and addressed him. Although he started politely Meyer was very loud and asked several questions, mostly he seemed to be insulting and accusing to Kerry and would not let him answer. There was a man from the production company that organized the event with the officers at the microphone giving hand signals to someone and talking with the police. When Meyers was yelling about impeaching Bush and blowjobs the organizer made a cutting motion across his throat[2] and then said something to the police officers who talked to each other for a moment before Meyers microphone went off. Before the microphone was cut Senator Kerry tried several times to get Meyer to move on and ask a question stating
When the microphone went off Meyer turned and yelled at the officers who then started to escort him towards the exit. Meyer picked up the female officer and swung around at one of the males. Neither witness was sure if he tried to hit the officer or was trying to push them away.
When Meyer and the officer went into the isle Meyer pushed away from the officers and landed in the seats on top of at least one of the people in the audience.[3] Meyer resisted the officers and tried to run at one point running into a man at the back of the room at which time the officers took him to the ground. He kept yelling and screaming “HELP ME” “They’re arresting me”. The officers repeatedly tried to contain Meyer and he continued to resist, rolling on the floor and kicking at the officers. He was told over and over again to stop resisting and to give his other hand to the officers. He was told three or four times that he would be tased if he did not stop resisting. He replied “Don’t tase me bro” “Don’t tase me” but still fought the officers.
Both witnesses stated a small crowd was forming near the officers yelling to let him go and that he had not done anything. A female was screaming stop it loudly and was pushed back by a police officer.
One witness stated a a female officer tased Meyer, while the other witness could not see who used the taser but could hear it. Meyer screamed during and for a while after the taser was used. The officers were able to arrest him and remove him.
One witness remained in the auditorium and could provide nothing further, the other followed the police and Meyer out of the auditorium where Meyer refused to go down the elevator. While they went down the stairs Meyer repeatedly stated he was going to be killed or given to the government and stating there were people that knew where he was so they could not kill him. He also asked for his camera several times. When no cameras were visible Meyer was fairly calm but when the news camera was present in a hallway he started going on about being killed or given to the government again.
At one point Meyer stated “This is gonna be big… bigger than the Iranian”
Notes & Links…
[1] One witness stated 2 officer and the other witness stated three officers.
[2] Verified on the full video from Gainesville Sun at 01:30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Qef8oPmag
[3] Verified on video at 02:33 from NBC 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Nrvtj3p5M
[4] Verified on the full video from Gainesville Sun at 01:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Qef8oPmag
Another YouTube user states the following in his video description , it seems to be consistent with the two people I spoke with. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag
“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).”
I’ll post some more about this later, however I have to work on something else for now.
Some additional facts:
The woman who Meyer asked to film the incident is Clarissa Jessup. According to the police report she did not know Meyer. However, with hours of the incident the video taken with Meyer’s camera had been submitted to CNN’s iReport with credit given to “Clarissa Jessup”.
“Tasered at Kerry event 3:33
I-Reporter Clarissa Jessup shot University of Florida student Andrew Meyer being hit by a Taser during a John Kerry event.• CNN.com - I-Reports Spotlight
Source: CNN | Added September 18, 2007″
Here is a shot of the Video on CNN, you’ve probably already seen it but it has the name of the person who submitted it and the date of submission as well. Feel free to compare that with the police report that states Jessup did not know Meyer. I wonder how one could explain her submitting video that is clearly property of someone she did not know and who had just been arrested - even asking for his camera back while being taken away by police. This was either planned or she has submitted material for which she does not own the copyright.
Of course she does not “own the copyright.” There is no copyright on home videos!!! Andrew Meyer for President!!!
ScoobyD,
I wold appreciate people being informed of what they are talking about prior to posting commentary on the subject.
“In the United States, copyright has been made automatic (in the style of the Berne Convention) since March 1, 1989, which has had the effect of making it appear to be more like a property right. Thus, as with some forms of personal property, a copyright need not be granted or obtained through official registration with any government office. Once an idea has been reduced to tangible form, for example by securing it in a fixed medium (such as a drawing, sheet music, photograph, a videotape or a letter), the copyright holder is entitled to enforce his or her exclusive rights.”
As such as soon as the video was recorded on video tape at Meyer’s request he automatically owned a copyright on said work, and as such he would have either had to grant permission for it’s use and release or Clarissa Jessup violated the copyright protection by using and releasing said work without said consent.
He was just rude !!
Police did a great job.
The problem isn’t the book, the problem is a young man acting foolishly and resisting the officers directions. One thing cops are taught is that when someone ignores a command, there is a high probability an assault is imminent. This is especially true when someone is acting irrational.
Thankfully, the young man learned his lesson and apologized
[From YouTube]
lysel3I sense that you have not kept up on this incident or it’s resolution.Comparing these officers to Nazis is asinine & only serves to cloud the severity of what happened in Nazi Germany. Like “fascism” the word “Nazi” and the many references are overused to the point it’s just sickening.It would be similar to me calling you a Nazi for attempting to insult me simply because you disagree with me.
[From YouTube]
lysel3You (& others) seem intent on twisting this conversation towards Bush. BDS is getting old. The Presidency is a public office, one who holds it is held to a very high standard & open to criticism that most are not.But are you forgetting the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-338) signed by Bill Clinton? making it the law and policy of the US to remove Saddam Hussein from power?Even with that aside, where is the “blood” on Bush?
[From YouTube]
“The Presidency is a public office, one who holds it is held to a very high standard” …WOW, 935 LIES to start an ILLEGAL WAR — threats of “Mushroom clouds”; “weapons of mass destruction”; forged “Niger” documents; “SHOCK & AWE” to kill & wound Iraq CIVILIANS — AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE “VERY HIGH STANDARDS”? Fuck, we’ve got serial killers in PRISON, WITH HIGHER STANDARDS THAN THE LYING NeoCONS!SELL IT TO A FELLOW MORON!
[From YouTube]
AGAIN, YOU HAVE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND — and let me INFORM you, I was born in post WWII Germany. My parents were POW’s in NAZI GERMANY!I AM WELL AWARE OF WHAT FASCISM IS — AND WHAT HAPPENS TO ITS VICTIMS, SO DON’T EVEN ATTEMPT TO DEFINE EITHER OF THOSE TERMS!WE ARE TALKING ABOUT POLICE BEATING, MACING, AND TASERING PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH THEM — & THE NEW FASCIST LAWS PASSED BY THE ROGUES IN OFFICE - SUBVERT THE CONSTITUTION, & LET THEM ABUSE US WITH IMPUNITY!FASCIST NAZIS!
[From YouTube]
AH, YES, THE FIRST AMENDMENT! ONLY YOU ARE ALLOWED TO EXPRESS YOURSELF, BUT ANDREW MEYER “deserved to be TASERED” for asking a few questions, AT THE UNIVERSITY HE PAYS THOUSANDS TO ATTEND!UNRULY ACTION?? WTF — HE WAS ASKING QUESTIONS AT A UNIVERSITY — HE WAS UNARMED, unless you consider a book a weapon … SO HE WAS PEACEABLY ASSEMBLED!YOURSELF, YOU PICK AND CHOOSE WHO THE CONSTITUTION APPLIES TO! THAT IS NEITHER PATRIOTIC NOR APPROPRIATE! IT IS TYRANNICAL!
[From YouTube]
I will quote a truly GREAT AMERICAN who understood this concept. Perhaps YOU might learn something –”He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” — Thomas Paine –Your obvious contempt for Andrew Meyer, and anyone who defends him, indicates you need an education in civics!
[From YouTube]
Perhaps you prefer führer, Meine Liebchen? American Heritage Dictionary:füh·rer also fueh·rer –n. A leader, especially one exercising the powers of a tyrant.Thank you for the pseudo-compliment; glad you enjoyed my repartee! Now, I have to write lesson plans on the REAL fight for freedom, grade some exams, prepare a lecture, etc.DO study Thomas Jefferson, and try to understnad WHY we are in grave danger!DO READ: Naomi Wolfe, “Fascist America in Ten Easy Steps” …TaTa for now.
[From YouTube]
Perhaps you prefer führer, Meine Liebchen? American Heritage Dictionary:füh·rer also fueh·rer –n. A leader, especially one exercising the powers of a tyrant.Thank you for the pseudo-compliment; glad you enjoyed my repartee! Now, I have to write lesson plans on the REAL fight for freedom, grade some exams, prepare a lecture, etc.DO study Thomas Jefferson, and try to understnad WHY we are in grave danger!DO READ: Naomi Wolfe, “Fascist America in Ten Easy Steps” …TaTa for now.
[From YouTube]
“”I’m not sure how that would or could be considered a parapraxis.” …Perhaps you believe ANYONE who disagrees with you causes a “disturbance” & requires removal? Fatigue, Migraine, brought on by those who ABSOLUTELY refuse to budge on the Constitution, a check of Police powers, RETURN to Rule of Law — whereby, our elected leaders are HELD ACCOUNTABLE?
[From YouTube]
“being tried against Bush now” Are you telling me you think Impeachment proceedings against the Bush Admin. are NOT justified?? There is AMPLE evidence to prove that they ALL knowingly LIED to get us into war; RAIDED our treasury — leaving future Americans to pay off a 3 TRILLION $ debt; killed & maimed American troops, left families grieving/struggling with disabilities, destroyed Iraq, gave no-bid contracts to Cheney cronies, etc, etc.I thought you were smarter than that!
[From YouTube]
I DISMISS IT BECAUSE: 1) IT FAILS TO ADDRESS THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES Involved — namely the Bill of Rights2)DENIES 1st Amendment protection to Andrew Meyer & fellow Americans (those I agree & disagree with) 3) DEFENDS POLICE Electrocuting US Citizens who ask ?’s”The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.” ~ Thomas Jefferson ~___________________________________
[From YouTube]
1) WHAT SLANDER? He cited PUBLIC INFORMATION, including the book he brought w/him2) As a student, PAYING $1,000s to attend FU, he had a RIGHT to attend, and ASK QUESTIONS! By WHAT AUTHORITY WERE THEY SUBVERTING THE 1ST AMENDMENT?!3) “Using FORCE against the officers”??? one slender, UNARMED STUDENT — HOW MANY ARMED OFFICERS!? Utter RUBBISH!”THUSLY WAS TAZERED” ? NO JUSTIFICATION FOR ELECTROCUTING US CITIZENS WHATSOEVER!UNCONSTITUTIONAL, INVALID ARGUMENT! Thomas Jefferson must weep!
[From YouTube]
“The police are right to escort him when told by the organizer”NO - Police are supposed to ENFORCE the law — ESPECIALLY the CONSTITUTION OF THE US, Supreme LAW of the LAND!The ORGANIZER VIOLATED THE LAW — and the Police should have said: “NO, he has the CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to ask questions, since it is covered as “protected speech” - Removing him violates the Constitution!They lacked KNOWLEDGE & COURAGE!TASERS ARE NOT MINIMAL FORCE — HUNDREDS HAVE DIED FROM THIS ELECTROCUTING DEVICE!
[From YouTube]
lysel3 if you have not noticed yet, I thrive on people who disagree with me. The more you and others comment the more this video is watched. As for fatigue & migraine, that was brought on by work & nothing more.All of which, however, has nothing to do with this video.
[From YouTube]
You could simply us my Nom de plume, or if you prefer (as it seems to suit your perception of me) my nom de guerre - which is Malagent.Perhaps you already know it’s origin if you really are in education. If not simply look it up under one of it’s original spellings: Maleagant/Malagant/Malagaent or go back even further in Welsh Arthurian legend to Melwas.My pseudonym is assumed for a non-fraudulent purpose & is a legal name, usable as my true name.
[From YouTube]
lysel3, do you show your students Al Gore’s movie & push your political ideology on them as well? What about your hatred of the President and conservatives in general? What if a student made a statements such as I have? What then - would you simply call that student a Nazi or a fascist?That is exactly why my children will never set foot in a public school - EVER!Pushing your ideology on captive impressionable students is more like fascism than arresting someone for causing a disturbance.
[From YouTube]
lysel3 don’t you have a code pink meeting to attend or something?
[From YouTube]
“The DUMB FUCK who made this video, gets an F-YOU FAIL ALL OF THE ABOVE, MISERABLY! CRETIN!”This is precisely why I can’t take people like you seriously.
[From YouTube]
re “PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE LAST CLAUSE - “The RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE”"You’re good at using all caps and “Copy & Paste” - maybe you should study the definition of “Peaceably” Somehow I don’t think it includes disorderly conduct. Or most of what people do in “protest” now a days.
[From YouTube]
re “ORGANIZER VIOLATED THE LAW”I’m not going to argue this over and over again. I’ll let you argue with yourself for a while in between you rants & calling everyone you don’t agree with a “fascist”re: taser deathsCompletely false, find me one single link to prove any one person has ever been killed by a taser. Come one, show me one.
[From YouTube]
re “Starting with yourself and your mindless video!”Mindless because it differs from your opinion? Oh that’s right, I’m a mindless fascist because I express my opinion.
[From YouTube]
re “DISMISS IT BECAUSE”I think you dismiss it because you think we live in a police state and you think that people have a right to violate the law and be disruptive and even cause harm to others, so long as they agree with you. But when they don’t agree you want to silence & ridicule them.Go ahead, spew some more “fascist” rhetoric about me.
[From YouTube]
re: ImpeachmentNot even remotely justified1, if you impeached every politician who lied there would be none left (maybe not such a bad thing) but not practical - all people lie.2, Iraq war is legal & it did not start under this admin, it started on 2 Aug 1990. The war resulted in UN Resolution 687, Which Hussein repeatedly violated. No lies, real or perceived, were required to resume the conflict due to said violations.
[From YouTube]
re “FUCKING DOUBLE STANDARD!”If you’re going to post stats use accurate ones. And get back to the topic of the video, you can argue Impeachment and bitch about the war elsewhere.
[From YouTube]
re “FASCIST NAZIS!”There you go again, is that your response to everything? Of course it’s more reliable in all caps.
[From YouTube]
To be “peaceably assembled” he would have to follow the rules of the forum, you know like when to ask questions and how long he would have to ask them as well as not using terms like “blow job”And he deserved to be removed for not following the rules. The taser was justified, not due to the questions he asked, but due to his resistance of police.I don’t care what questions he asks, he can stand there and make himself look foolish for ever as far as I’m concerned.
[From YouTube]
malagent is right, there are and always have been kooks out there who want to twist the Constitution to whatever suits them so that it is interpreted as absolute freedom to do whatever they want, and claim opression when someone has force upon them by the police
[From YouTube]
Geez, I’ve been saying this all along. We already have enough REAL incidents of abusive law enforcement, we don’t need people bellyaching about some guy who violated the rules of the forum, resisted being led out (if he’d done that, he likely wouldn’t have been arrested), then screamed for “help,” which is also inciting a riot in an attempt to thwart a lawful arrest, and resisted being arrested. Fighting with an officer is never wise.
[From YouTube]
To add to that, malagent, he was asked to be removed at the request of the event organizers, not simply at the whim of the officers, as some of our posters here and on other subject vids imply. This isn’t “supressing free speech,” or other such behavior. It’s a fool acting like one—who’d already made his point when he was removed, resisted being removed, then resisted being arrested when none of his resistance was even necessary.
[From YouTube]
To anyone interested in the truth, Bill Clinton was impeached because he perjored himself (lied under oath) to deny a woman her day in federal court under a law he signed. It wasn’t over his few moments with Ms. Lewinsky. You lie under oath, it’s an impeachable offense. Like it or not.
[From YouTube]
Lysel, in attending UF, he signed the UF student code of conduct, where he agreed VOLUNTARILY to abide by conduct rules at University sponsored events. The event organizers had every right to have someone who violated those rules removed, and to request police to do so. He’d made his point, if he’d simply went without resisting, he wouldn’t have been arrested–at most, the University would have sent him a letter reminding him of that code of conduct. He resisted, and that’s where he went wrong.
[From YouTube]
he was only talking for like a minute
[From YouTube]
malagent, have you seen the video titled WUFT Video Andrew Meyer by hsaive? Yes, the one by KingHeathen is a very well thought out & logically articulated commentary on this events. I’ve had that one in my favorites for some time & have added yours as well. Glad to see people that are willing to do a little digging into the situation & that don’t jump on the “OMFG! Those fucking pigs violated his God given right to free speech!” idiots only bandwagon. Keep up the good work!
[From YouTube]
redrumrob,I have not seen that one but I will look it up now.The way I see things we all have to think for ourselves & question everything.My views don’t tend to make me very popular but thats not what I’m after.Thank you for your comment & recommendation.
[From YouTube]
heh sure thing. It’s not my views so much as my mouth that people tend to have problems with. Don’t get me wrong, people most often don’t want to hear the truth about this but I have very little patience for people that call me an idiot when I tell them he wasn’t arrested for what he said & that ACCENT setting & enforcing rules, or the Officers removing him, do NOT violate his 1st amendment rights. I have about the least self control of any of the people talking about the facts I’ve seen.
[From YouTube]
I watched that video. I had some of that footage already but not the longer version like that. I do not agree with the person posting the video or with their description of the events but I’m glad they had & posted the longer video.
[From YouTube]
I agree completely. I had some guy a while back saying that hsaive’s description of the video was proof that I was wrong & that there was obvious Police brutality. It made me laugh & shake my head at the same time.
[From YouTube]
It’s truly amazing what some call “evidence” or “proof”I’ve never had a problem with people disagreeing with me - it’s good really, I have been wrong before and others have opened my eyes to different perspectives that allowed me to come to better conclusions.I’m always willing to debate an issue of importance - that is until it turns silly.I was checking out your channel and noticed you don’t have any videos - do you plan on making any? I think they might turn out interesting if you do.
[From YouTube]
Yes, when people start stating things as if they were fact when they can be easily disproved, often times with the very video that the thread is on, it just boggles the mind. I’ll never understand the ones who say, “Fucking pigs! They violated his God given 1st amendment rights!” then when I point out the errors with their statement they follow that with “Fuck you, I’m entitled to my opinion”. ?!?! I guess some people don’t understand the difference. As to videos, I don’t like the lense either;)
[From YouTube]
Redreamknob: lol! You are hilarious, seriously. KingHeathen’s video is the MOST edited piece I have seen surrounding this incident. Even so, its the least convincing. You loony-rights and your ridiculous points of protocol. If you were smart you would be way more concerned about the nature of the questions Meyer was asking, rather than attempting to convince people that the four cops (too weak to escort one man from a room without a taser) are not culpable.
[From YouTube]
a 0:15 you stated that he was not tased and cuffed…and he was lol.
[From YouTube]
My statement is correct. AM was not restrained when tazed. Only one hand was in a cuff and he was actively resisting the officers’ attempts to fully restrain him. The news reports had been stating that he “was handcuffed, then tazed” implying he was restrained when the force was used, which was not the case.The video clearly shows his other arm was free during and immediately after the taser was applied.
[From YouTube]
Yeah your right, but they didnt have to use such force on the guy. All they should have done after pulling him away from the mic was tell him to take a seat…thats all. Some of the actions in which they took right after they cut his mic was very much not worth it.
[From YouTube]
rhysfawr4″Redreamknob:” Oh that’s hilarious. Did you think that up all by youreslf? Of course you’re to fucking stupid to understand that this is a piece using numerous pieces of footage to make the points clear unlike the way some of these asshole posting videos try to say it’s “complete” or try to pass it off as not being edited. Did malagent ever try to say he used only one video to put this together? As to your idiotic contention that this is the “MOST edited piece” LOL yeah right. Idiot.
[From YouTube]
I think red rum is a little dick fucker
[From YouTube]
re “four cops (too weak to escort one man from a room without a taser)”The point behind using several officers to handle a situation is to resolve the situation safely. Same with the taser. It’s worth noting that no one was injured in any significant way.Of course one officer may be able to restrain a suspect on their own, but the likelihood of injury becomes much greater.
[From YouTube]
rhysfawr4, why don’t you get 4 of your friends and a pair of handcuffs, try and take eachother down while resising and fighting and get them to lay on their stomach and handcuff them behind their back with out any use of force on the people taking the person into custody. See how easy it is, then get back to me and comment on 4 cops to weak to escort one man out of the room.
[From YouTube]
“WUFT Video Andrew Meyer Taser UF police violence brutality”also this video titled above posted here on youtube shows a lot more of his behavior before the popular videos here.
[From YouTube]
You think? Do me a fucking favor. Shut up, listen, and learn. redrumrob is a person that actually took the time to look into the details of this incident and investigate the circumstances why this shithead was tasered and arrested. He looked at the police reports and witness statements of people that were actually there. SO until you research a topic, don’t think you’re an expert on it. But since you’re commenting on dick fucking, I guess you must be an expert in that field.
[From YouTube]
No they didn’t, he was ejected from the forum, and that’s what they were doing. Ejecting him, and he started acting like an ass.