Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Campus Police Harass Student

Of Interest to the Patriot:

Some Fucked Up Shit

Word is spreading fast about the violation of free speech during a question and answer session at a campus forum with John Kerry. The incident was captured on camera by at least two observers, both of whose videos are now being bandied about the web. If you notice in the video, the cops grab Andrew Meyer, who is incidentally a student in Journalism and Communications (one wonders if this minor scrap won't make him consider plying his trade in some other, less repressive country) as he's just standing there, seconds after delivering his question about the skull and crossbones and his mic is cut. He does not become upset before the cops manhandle him, as UF spokesman Steve Orlando seems to imply in his statement to the press. Three disturbing, minor things: the audience actually applauds the assault on this guy's person, John Kerry seems completely befuddled (that's not a complete surprise, though), and I think I detect a smile on some of the faces of those nearest the police as they restrain Andrew Meyer and taser him. I don't really seriously think this is indicative of some larger trend of police brutality (we of course are tolerant of a certain constant, low level of it...) but what the fuck? Why are there police hovering around the mic in the first place? And why are the students cheering on this violent removal, even if it is warranted, even if he did become violent and unruly, which he clearly didn't?

3 comments:

Daniel said...

What exactly did he say or do? And also, I'd like to think that a crowd of people would do more than gawk and yell. I'd like to think that...

JadedHack said...

He asked why Kerry hadn't challenged the election results and whether he was a member of Skull and Crossbones

Daniel said...

I still don't see any legitimate or bullshit reason to make him cease and desist