UF student tasered by univ police

[dauphin]

CNNU campus correspondent Eunic Ortiz is a senior at the University of Florida. Ortiz attended the Sen. John Kerry event where a student was Tasered by police. CNNU is a feature that provides student perspectives on news and trends from colleges across the United States. The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of CNN, its affiliates or the schools where the campus correspondents are based.

GAINESVILLE, Florida (CNN) -- It has been 48 hours since college student Andrew Meyer was stunned with a Taser during a forum with Sen. John Kerry, and some students are still in shock over what happened.
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But other students at the University of Florida are already tired of hearing about it.

While about 350 students protested the incident Tuesday, the opinions on campus seem to be evenly divided over whether the officers acted properly.

On the popular online networking Web site Facebook.com, students from around the nation have already created more than 80 groups discussing what happened Monday. Even among those groups, the count is almost split between the number who oppose the police's action and those who support their decision.

"I was pretty horrified by what happened. I was shocked that the people we are supposed to trust would turn against us," said Vanessa Wood, a freshman who is majoring in psychology.

This is what I saw at the Kerry forum on Monday: Meyer, a 21-year-old telecommunications major, jumped up to the microphone already flanked by University Police.
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He interrupted another student's question, and although Kerry had earlier said he was taking no more questions, he told Meyer he'd take his comments next. Kerry asked the police to allow Meyer to speak.

When it was his turn, Meyer first asked about the 2004 presidential election and followed with statements about whether President Bush should be impeached.

At that moment the microphone was turned off and police began to take Meyer out of the auditorium. Meyer then started to struggle with the officers.

As they pulled him toward the exit, Meyer broke free and tried to get away. At that point, six officers tackled Meyer to the ground and told him to roll over.

He continued to yell for help and a female officer warned Meyer if he did not stop he would be Tased. He kept yelling and one of the other officers gave the order to Tase him.

The audience remained seated and watching the confrontation until they heard the loud zap of the Taser. Then several people at the event started yelling at the officers.

"I was startled by the noise, considering what was happening in front of me. And after they Tasered him there was a stench that was not overpowering but it was unsettling," said Ben Omar, a University of Florida graduate student.

The videotape of Meyer screaming as he was shocked quickly got the attention of news services and became a YouTube hit.

Campus rumors now circulate that Meyer, known as being a prankster, was simply trying to be obnoxious and get attention at the Kerry speech.

Meyer spent a night in jail on charges of disturbing the peace and resisting an officer. Later, the school's president, Bernard Machen, said two police officers involved were placed on administrative leave.

source (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/19/cnnu.tase/index.html?iref=newssearch)
video1
video2

It is pretty weird. That is all democracy about I think. You will be punished after you say everything what you wanted to say. And that happened in front of John Kerry..

[dauphin]

This one is the best among them

[ferghaner]

eventually, none of the systems is perfect none will take us to the life we wanna.

sometimes US breaks elementary democratic rules.

[melo]

The guy was clearly crazy and was just rambling in front of the microphone. I don't find it that strange that they removed him. If you came to see John Kerry speak would you sit there through some raving lunatic?

[JoJ]

...So he finally got what he deserved.

being arrested is what he deserved? :rolleyes:

[melo]

being arrested is what he deserved? :rolleyes:

the guy wasn't clearly crazy? :rolleyes: There does need to be additional security when a senator is in attendance.

[Hibiscus]

Yes! Democracy is not about doing whatever your heart pleases. If you disturb an event with a political figure present, and when asked to leave you refuse and begin to scream, try to fight with authorities than yes being arrested it is. He was aware that his actions will have consequences....


It's not only about being arrested, i think this guy got what he deserved, but it's about being tasered by the police authorities. As i understood there were 19 police officers, and it is strange that they couldn't deal with one guy without using taser! You could clearly hear taser, they even told him that they will use taser if he won't stop, which they did. But i agree guy was little annoying.

[melo]

It's not only about being arrested, i think this guy got what he deserved, but it's about being tasered by the police authorities. As i understood there were 19 police officers, and it is strange that they couldn't deal with one guy without using taser! But i agree guy was little annoying.

He seemed to be bigger than the security for some reason. :shock: And they clearly could not control him. I have been debating why the crowd cheered, but it seems like the crowd was actually cheering for the police to take him away. It is fairly strange for a crowd to cheer when police do anything in the US. That is enough evidence for me to say this guy was out of line.

Democracy is not about the right to act like an idiot in public. You have to be president to do that. ;)

[Hibiscus]

He seemed to be bigger than the security for some reason. :shock: And they clearly could not control him. I have been debating why the crowd cheered, but it seems like the crowd was actually cheering for the police to take him away. It is fairly strange for a crowd to cheer when police do anything in the US. That is enough evidence for me to say this guy was out of line.


Bigger than 19 police officers? I think 5 police officers would've been enough to calm that guy down.

[dauphin]

So this is interesting... I guess he did what he did for 15 min of fame. "An officer said in the police report that Meyer's "demeanor completely changed once the cameras were not in sight" and that he was "laughing" and "lighthearted" on the way to jail."

oh yeah, Let's try experiment. You will act against something and me and other four forum guys will arrest you and taser you. And we will how will you act after that:rolleyes:
Simple psychology. Negative feedback. Possibility of being punished makes you to do what they want you to do. It was experimented on dogs I think.

[melo]

oh yeah, Let's try experiment. You will act against something and me and other four forum guys will arrest you and taser you. And we will how will you act after that:rolleyes:
Simple psychology. Negative feedback. Possibility of being punished makes you to do what they want you to do. It was experimented on dogs I think.

He didn't do what they said on camera in the video. :rolleyes: It seems like he was warned to me. The more I read about him the more I am glad he got tasered. :lol:

[dilbert]

"As they pulled him toward the exit, Meyer broke free and tried to get away. At that point, six officers tackled Meyer to the ground and told him to roll over."

So when he broke free why didn't they let him run? Or should he have been arrested because he shouted using a microphone? :rolleyes:

All the excuses I read so far in this thread are really dodgy.

If the same lunatic would have done this in Russia or China he would be a hero and a firm fighter for democracy. But as he did it in God's own land of democrazy itself ... :lool:

[melo]

"As they pulled him toward the exit, Meyer broke free and tried to get away. At that point, six officers tackled Meyer to the ground and told him to roll over."

So when he broke free why didn't they let him run? Or should he have been arrested because he shouted using a microphone? :rolleyes:

All the excuses I read so far in this thread are really dodgy.

If the same lunatic would have done this in Russia or China he would be a hero and a firm fighter for democracy. But as he did it in God's own land of democrazy itself ... :lool:

The dude was a moron who does this kind of stuff all the time according to people on campus. Apparently on his webpage he had all kinds of weird crap he had done to try to get attention. And now he is laughing up all the attention he his getting.

Well in Russia or China I am sure it would be all over the news and the internet that some poor kid was arrested for being a moron. :? Maybe the next time a Chinese or Russian governmnet represenative goes to a college and address their questions. :lool: Oh wait- is that as stupid as it sounded???

[dauphin]

The dude was a moron who does this kind of stuff all the time according to people on campus. Apparently on his webpage he had all kinds of weird crap he had done to try to get attention. And now he is laughing up all the attention he his getting.
You missed about don't taser me bro caps that he is selling (http://www.cafepress.com/rightwingmike.171451998) :lool:
Do you know him? Because, you sound like you have something against him.

[dilbert]

The dude was a moron who does this kind of stuff all the time according to people on campus.


I think being a moron shouldn't deprive anybody from his civil rights.

Furthermore, even for doctor it shouldn't be easy to declare someone for a moron. If not abuse would be very easy. Simply declaring someone for a moron and he lost his civil rights? :rolleyes:

[studentaou]

source (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/19/cnnu.tase/index.html?iref=newssearch)
video1 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=mJbh2MlNHug)
video2 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=y90tjV_Va0o)

It is pretty weird. That is all democracy about I think. You will be punished after you say everything what you wanted to say. And that happened in front of John Kerry..
Yea, it is weird, and i guess that's what happens if you ask unwanted question. But i think many response posts are smell like a Uzbek-mentality;)

[melo]

You missed about don't taser me bro caps that he is selling (http://www.cafepress.com/rightwingmike.171451998):lool:
Do you know him? Because, you sound like you have something against him.

Just what I read. And if you visit a US college campus it is full of morons, so I have probably met many like him. But based on the story a crazy person interrupted everything, cut if front of everyone, and went on like a raving lunatic and now he as lots of friends just because people like to complain about authority. :rolleyes: Like I said, if the crowd there cheered because he left that should tell you more than anything else you could read or see. Unless everyone in the campus auditorium was in on this conspiracy theory of stealing an intelligent, inquisitive student's civil rights. :lool:

[SmIlIk]

The guy asked pretty good questions though. So what if he was a little emotional. But for Kerry standing there watching the guy being arrested in such manner was very dissapointing to me. I totally disagree with those who say that approach of the police was right.

[SmIlIk]

I still didn't get what his question was.:D

I used to have someone like him in my history class. But nobody arrested him. :)

Basically, what he meant is Kerry has been telling that Bush's policy is a disaster. Instead of spreading that why couldn't he just try to impeach Bush and does America try to impeach their president for blow job only :)

[melo]

The guy asked pretty good questions though. So what if he was a little emotional. But for Kerry standing there watching the guy being arrested in such manner was very dissapointing to me. I totally disagree with those who say that approach of the police was right.

I agree those were decent questions, but just seeing him on camera is taken out of context apparently.

I will answer those questions for you to the best of my understanding. :lol: The answer is that the Democrats are weak and won't stand up for themselves. That is why they are generally unelectable by the majority of the US public. Just look at the democratic Congress. :rolleyes: They are losers that just wanted to get elected apparently.

[Hibiscus]

Actually, Kerry answered all his questions while and after the arrest. You can hear him answering questions.

[SmIlIk]

First question:

“[Palast] said you won the 2004 election - isn’t that amazing?
There were multiple reports of disenfranchising of Black voters on the day of the election in 2004 in Florida and Ohio. … How could you concede the election on the day?”

http://www.gregpalast.com/

Thanks melo :) I kinda like this site

[SmIlIk]

Actually, Kerry answered all his questions while and after the arrest. You can hear him answering questions.

I didn't hear anything while (he said couple of words like "yeah," "well"), whatever he said after doesn't change what happened in that room with the student.