University of Florida Student Tasered for asking Kerry a Question

Where on earth is he tasered?

Maybe right after "don't taze me!" and during "ow, ow, ow, ow"? (towards the end)

This is your future today!

this is some fucked up shit!
i see all the people in the audience just watching this happen. in germany we once had the same mentality. i wonder when you start to burn books. this makes me sick to my stomach.

He is not tasered for asking a question. If he was, the clip would show him asking the question, then immediately being tasered afterwards, instead of showing him acting like a rabid monkey and refusing to leave the room when first asked, then forcefully removed, then told "you will be tasered", before he is tasered.

What's next, a man helping an old lady cross the road, then opening fire at the police, being shot and killed by the police, and Wired stating "man shot and killed for helping an old woman cross the road"?

I have a strong dislike towards people like him. You can tell he really fulfills himself when rudely yelling at other people and behaving like an ass, because he thinks he is "right". I can't say I feel sorry for him.

vietnam didnt learn kerry much ...
democracy in the usa is dead ...

1984 Wake up!!!!!!!

Why did nobody question what the police was doing?
Are americans that afraid of the police? It looks like they have to be...

Well, I don't know who called on the guards to intervene, but I think Kerry wanted to answer the question...?

Kerry is a wuss. He should of stopped that shit!! The audience should have stopped that shit!! The cops in this country are out of control!!

I think this is mostly about security people not being able to deal efficiently with a situation.

Ok so he's a bit loud and stuff, but he's not a security threat, just disruptive. Normally there will be mediator at such events who could just ask the guy to leave
if he's conduct was deemed inappropriate.

The security people did nothing to deflate the situation, instead they did exactly the wrong thing. Also they do not appear to be actual police officers, so they probably also overstepped their mandate to administer force.

Also, notice Carry trying to answer the question in the background.

(btw, is there an article on this somewhere)

Omg really disturbing. Audience did nothing and the authorize did something really wrong. 6-7 People for one guy and they have to teaser him? Go get some training... damn that is ridicoulious

Holy god. All of those cowards in the audience. to quote...

"When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out."

How can they possibly sit and watch that? Even John Kerry... so much for that purple heart.

First they came for the Jews but because I was not Jewish, I did nothing.......

Wow, impressive piece of Police over-reaction. Any decent Police chief would have the lot disciplined. What he did was clearly not criminal until they manhandled him-he is the public whose safety they should be protecting. I hope he gets a good lawyer and gives them a roasting.

Wow, impressive piece of Police over-reaction. Any decent Police chief would have the lot disciplined. What he did was clearly not criminal until they manhandled him-he is the public whose safety they should be protecting. I hope he gets a good lawyer and gives them a roasting.

The ONLY truth and sad reality is that he hurt American sensitivities by saying "blowjob", that made every one in the room unconfortable.

This makes me wonder why Americans are such purists, I mean, the country with the largest porn industry (producing-consuming) in the world.

You can see the other side of the video here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag&mode=related&search=

I don't think the audience would be able to see and hear what was going on as well as the camera did, we have the benefit of the guy's running commentary. He was quite an annoying person to deal with I bet, but that's his democratic right surely...

This was really sickening to watch. In the video the kid offers to leave and walk out on his own, but instead more and more of those officers try to force him on the ground and into handcuffs. What a horrible way to handle such a simple situation. The University and its police department should be ashamed of themselves and embarrassed of the way they looked in front of a US Senator. Totally unacceptable.

The US Senator is the one who should be embarassed. To hear his voice droning on while someone is arrested for asking a question is despicable. He should have stopped them. But I guess his embarassment was more important than that student's civil liberties.

I voted for Kerry. I still get emails from his campaign with headings like "Let's Take Back America". Now I have no respect for the man.

Land of the free? BLX! Have to ask why the some 100 people there didnt stand up to the filth?

You're all so lame. What the video and wired don't tell you is the guy had been going on and on and on and on and on and had been asked to stop and allow for an answer. The reason he stopped is the microphone was cut off which you can hear at the end of his questions.

This kind of stuff is what will get you forcibly removed from anywhere regardless of what the gathering is about or for. I'd challenge you to go into the most egalitarian environment, blather on and on even after you've been asked to stop and then start becoming disruptive the moment someone wants to escort you out for not being respectful of the other people there.

You might have noticed the APPLAUSE from people in the audience. Maybe they were sick of the guy?

That guy WANTED this to happen. The situation was created by him. It did not just occur. Don't feel sorry for him or express your shock. He got EXACTLY what he wanted.

Feel happy for him.

for JEMINI: you probably dislike these people because they have a courage and an independence that you'll never have. You're like the rest. I can't believe the world is being drained of its resources and wars are being fought just to allow masses of sheepish spoiled overweight American brats to carry on with their overconsuming lifestyles...that's what's really wrong about it all.

think about it Gio,
not just American but high class brats everywhere.

People like him are far from independent, they are oversocialized, politically correct herd animals that are out to get their father figure, the government. Independent, courageous people are not socialists. I don't know this person, but this is the MO that socialist activists like. Especially turning themselves into victims, which always solved the problem when they were kids, when Mom/Teacher/(insert other father figure) would help them. People like this always blame the father figure for any problem they come across, and on a global scale, the US is the father figure for them, so they hate the US, but still expect them solve every other country's problems. Hooray for independence and courage.

This is BULLSHIT! If someone can be arrested for simply asking questions where have our rights gone? And how can people in the audience be so afraid to not do anything to help the outspoken student. If we don't wake up NOW then we will all be ensalved to the NORTH AMERICAN UNION aka the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in 2010. Look it up on youtube or wikipedia or see this REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTARY @ ZEITGEISTMOVIE DOT COM before it's too LATE!!!!!

That's seriously fucked up. He gets arrested for asking a question. The U.S. is like fucking Communist China.

This is not how you handle this. What is amazing to me is the fact that he actually was building up a rediculous notion that voter disenfranchisement caused Kerry to lose the election.

If in today's America we are no longer free to speak our minds, and we do live in a "police state".

You know what is funny....I am the biggest Republican Bush supporter out there...and tazing a student is disgusting.

You cannot arrest this student for speaking his mind. He did not make a threat on Sen. Kerry one bit!

If the UF President doesn't have those officers fired...it is damn shame.

Who are the cops looking at between 2:11 and 2:14 on the video? They are looking at someone?

Correction. In the first few seconds of the video the cops look at someone at around 2:15 to 2:11. Could this be COINTELPRO?

This is great......follow orders and do not disrupt others and you won't get tasered. Phucking morons....

First, the guy was correct in asking a question to the good Senator. Then he became a little disruptive and kept rambling without giving time for an answer. The moderator was also correct in silencing his microphone after a period of time to allow for an answer.

Now...that's when the good Senator should have taken control of the conversation and offered an answer. If that was not sufficient for the young student, the Senator should have offered a bit of time later for some one-on-one.....after all, we're paying his salary.

During the verbal exchanges, the police (or campus security) were clearly seen in multiple videos conversing just behind the student. This would lead a reasonable person to believe that they were discussing his actions, and hopefully determining a quick and quiet solution if things continued to escalate.

The student does have rights, just as all American citizens do, but he must also exercise diplomacy and tact in a public forum. He lost his arguement by resisting the escort away from the microphone. Right or wrong for asking him to leave, his actions (resistance) are not justified. Two wrongs do not make a right here. Come on folks, I was upset too that he didn't ask a question. I wanted to hear the Senator's answer and explanation about the 2004 election. That's what our country was founded on, and we continue to lose sight of that.

Finally, the police (city, state, or campus) completely lost sight of their duties during the removal of a fairly harmless individual. By his clothing, he obviously wasn't concealing some automatic weapon. Come on...there were at least a half dozen police against some college student. They should have simply picked up his lazy body and taken him outside.

What really gets my blood boiling is that the kid definitely deserved to be removed from the forum because he was getting unruly. That being said, when there are at least 6 cops on his back, why taze him?

I carry a concealed weapon and all of the education I am required to take tells me that you only use a weapon (including tazers) when you definitely feel that great bodily harm can come to you. Did the kid brandish a weapon? No! Was the kid punching the cops? No! Was he spitting and cursing them? No! Did he deserve the excessive force upon him to remove him? NO!

I've watched "Cops" on TV and they take-down much more dangerous people, and only a very few times do they use their taser.

All of the cops that were assisting in the apprehension of this most dangerous individual should immediately be suspended. They should be required to complete a 120-hour education program and appear before a panel of both their superiors and their peers before reinstatement.

The one using the taser should be fired and charged. This was blatant use of excessive force.

The kid's actions were not appropriate and there are many other avenues for voicing his personal opinion. But, the cops crossed the line of serving and protecting and should be held accountable.

As a police officer, I personally hold myself to much higher standards to set the proper example of behavior that I want citizens to portrait. This is a blackeye for all of public service and I am ashamed of their actions.

HE'S NOT BEING TASED FOR ASKING A QUESTION, that is bad journalism. You should be ashamed to write headlines like that that mislead the public and plant Big Brother/ freedom of speech bullshit like this.

He was tasered because when they cut the mic, he pushed the officers trying to escort him out and moved towards the stage, where Senator Kerry was. He had the potential to be a threat (if you listen to his diatribe you can hear he's obviously nuts) and he was being a dick and disruptive, and wouldnt leave. Then he resisted the police violently, which lead to all the problems.

He actually wasnt supposed to be in that auditorium, he ran in through the security and all but they let him ask his questions anyway until it got ridiculous and they cut the mic.

Don't be so quick to judge, sheep.

As an employee of a university police department, this video was the topic of the morning's "coffee pot discussions". Both our Chief and our Assistant Director believed that the UF Police in the situation handled the situation rather badly.

Ok - I have a REAL problem with the Taser thing. I am an ICU Trauma Nurse, and I know there have been numerous deaths resulting from the use of the Taser device -- and no one knows who that next victim is going to be! It could be any one of us. If we don't stand up against the use of the Taser, who will be next?

If, as a nurse, I give you a drug that I know carries this risk and you die -- well what do you think of that? You'd likely say only if your life truly depended on it would you consent to it, right? You're an innocent victim, right? Well ok -- are you any LESS DEAD??? Did the means justify the ends?

I don't believe that asking a question at a town hall meeting, EVEN IF it is long-winded and perhaps even a little combative, should lead to this. THEY WERE VALID QUESTIONS!! I see that here were more than enough officers there to escort him out if need be. I think it's foolish to run and flail from the police like that, but I can tell you that this could have been avoided had the police taken him out of the auditorium and explained when and where (or IF?) he broke the law, THEN talk about arrest (but that seems stupid when they could have just kicked him out). Seems to me, that the real people who caused the disturbance, were the POLICE themselves, who carried it to an entirely absurd and potentially deadly level of risk to this student. I do not support the use of this so-called 'non-lethal' force, especially when the officers themselves were clearly in no danger of bodily harm. Did you see the student raise any fist or kick or slap at the officers? No - he was demanding to know what he did as he is being physically manipulated, chased, and eventually restrained and shocked with that disgusting device.

I have an equal problem with not being able to ask a question of an elected official at an 'open town hall meeting'. What is that supposed to mean then, anyway? I want to know who signaled the police to take this guy out of the auditorium? Was it Kerry's camp? What do they think of this? Why do we feel that Kerry can't answer the question? I've seem him in the debates -- he's quite eloquent and skillful, and was trying to answer the question as the student is being wrestled to the ground.

How would this have played out, I wonder?

Kerry: "Hey, Let him up, and let me answer his question! That's why we are here! Please respect the man's right to ask me his question in a public assembly and I will do my best to answer his question."

That is how I would have handled the situation had I been on stage, and also how I would have handled it had I been a student in the audience or a member of the campus police. Let him up, ask his question, and then escort him outside if the situation continues to warrant it.

I simply don't understand why it's so unforgivable to show the emotion behind such a question.

"This video speaks for itself." Indeed.

When the police are removing you from a location DO NOT PHYSICALLY STRUGGLE. It you get in a physical fight with the police you will lose!

Being tazered had nothing to do with what he said at the microphone, it was all about fighting with the police.

Shame on John Kerry! He had the mic, he could have exerted control of this situation, but instead he kept blathering and let it continue. Jon C.'s comment is exactly correct about this.

Shame on those in the audience. This could have been YOU! This man was arrested for asking a question, no doubt about it.

Wake up, America. This is shameful.

Hey Jon C. - Don't do anything to get tasered and you should be safe.

Does anyone know who we can contact to support this student? Currently seeking contacts at UF to raise a little bit of hell.

I'd assumed this was the guy being tasered in a college library last year, but it seems it's almost a complete re-enactment, except the last time at least a few of the other students had the balls to actually stand up for the guy, unlike the gutless Floridians. The sickest thing is the idiot who can be seen laughing his head off in the background while the guy is being tased. I can only hope that he is next.

My question is: Why was it necessary, when the student was already on the ground, surrounded by police, to be tasered? To stop him from shouting? Should we all be tasered for shouting? If they had let him go, he may have stopped shouting.

The tasering is a preferred method to using a stick or wrestling the knucklehead to the ground. In short it is a kindler gentler way of subduing a potential menace. After all, why should he put a crowd of people and police officers AND a Secret Service protected type public figure in jeopardy?

This is not about Democracy or Freedom of Speech. Those things are like sacred rites of the ultimate religion. This is about an ahole who thinks that his screed is more important than the safety and intelligent discussion of ideas that are the linchpins of our Republic. The Nazi's did their evil under cover of night and by the rule of force. On the contrary this is a clear example of why we might use force to keep us in the light of day and reason.

Let's face it. The fella got the opportunity to directly address the leader of the minority power of the preeminent power on earth. And to ask him about "secret societies" and ANY other sundry mischief he thinks of. He got the right - but he abused it and the rest of the audience.

You go to church and you don't pull the communion wine from the priest and hurl it around the room. So you treat the most precious Freedom of Speech with the delicacy that such a power should be treated with. With respect. Don't get me wrong, I didn't say treat the powers that be with respect. But rather that unique ability to stand and project your thoughts - is the object of veneration here.

Ignorant people mix up the two all the time.

My final point. When we get the mob rule that he is championing in this vignette - who do you think is the most likely dude to pull the trigger on innocent people? Who would you be scared of? This type of guy is the type we fear. The silliness about "coming for Jews" is out of wack and unreasonable. Nobody is coming for anybody in this case.

The clear danger here is the maniacal outburst in a formal public setting. Too many crazies have ruined this kind of town hall in the past.

Would you accept this type of behavior at a concert? At church? At the mall? At an elementary school concert?

In actuality, he would have been removed from a bar or a football game in a far less gentle manner.

Tasering him and getting rid of him was the best and most useful way to get back to the reason the folks were there in the first place. He has no right to disruption. None. However he WAS abridging the constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech of the rest of the audience and speaker.

I think its disgusting that this is going on in America.

Dennis they where clapping their hands because John Kerry said he answer the mans questions.

Oh and Dennis they blather on in Congress and the Senate every day. You don't see them getting tasered.

For Dave the Leftist Realist.....get a grip man. He deserved to be carted out but the taser was not the answer. You preach his abuse of our constitutional rights? What about that cop's abuse of the power to subdue? Can't have it both ways dude.

And thanks to the earlier post from Mike the cop. I am glad to see that as a cop he also agrees that they went too far to remove a knucklehead.

the united states is no more our freedom is an illusion! how could you doubt that after seeing this horrid crime committed , by police, in front of cameras in public!

the united states is no more our freedom is an illusion! how could you doubt that after seeing this horrid crime committed , by police, in front of cameras in public!

Omfg, unbelievable. at the end, when there is 24-23 seconds he is tased, for what? Some people are really mentally ill, especially some Americans...

@Dave the Left Realist: I was thinking of addressing each of your points in turn, but on the whole, you appear to be a fairly unbalanced halfwit who is throwing around metaphorical concepts and strained analogies to make a point that leads me to wonder, by "Leftist Realist", are we to read "Leninist-Stalinist"? Don't be the first to stop clapping!

As for the situation, these things always seem to involve aberrant behavior on both sides, but I believe the constitutional burden is on the agents of the gov't, not the private citizen. Resistance was stupid (and ultimately futile), but his rights were probably already violated by the time he started resisting, and from my POV, his wrongs are irrelevant given the wrongs already done to him. I hope he uses the power of lawsuit to the fullest possible degree, regardless of how silly he seemed. His exceptional case may give lie to the rule.

Hey Megan,

Try moveon.org - you should be able to find a bunch of sympathetics phucktards there who share the same views that you have

Cindy, I think it is dusgusting also. These kids today are just so stupid it's almost nauseating.

Whatever happened to all your constitutional amendments and freedom of speech? That has certainly changed....watch Bush bump the terms of service for a president from 2 to indefinite.

This is a glaring case of unfounded police action. Meyer was simply asking questions and took longer than the one minute allotment. Whoopdee fuckin doo! I beleive that all of the lames in the audience should feel worthless for not shunning the actions of the cops. As for the few brave individuals who stood up for Meyer and questioned the rights of these officers, I send my kudos!

on the boingboing post, someone says the kid came running in with police already in tow - more to the story than originally seems?

He's tasered because disruption is not a right.

He's tasered because disruption is not a right.

How to NOT get tasered in College:

http://digg.com/offbeat_news/Guide_How_to_not_get_Tasered_at_College

he was tased because he was resisting arrest.

If it was a black crackhead resisting arrest in some ghetto no on one be outraged.

But no, it was some white kid at collage trying to be a disturbance.

Yeah thats something to be mad about.

Seriously, if he had a gun these guys would be heroes.

You cant assume someone is not armed. Even if it is some white collage kid.

Well, at least Mr. Meyers will be able to probably get a 7 figure settlement out of this. And all he wanted to do was rant and rave for a couple of minutes. Excellent use of force officers. Why not just shoot him while he's being held down by 3 other officers

Nice democrat - so democratic like our Nazi leaders in 1944.
I´m sick of this, Americans stand up before its too late - and get rid of this Bush shit in your garden....
Sad that no one stands up and helps him, poor brainwashed Americans - a little tip - don´t watch more tv

I have jsut been reading about this story on the net and watched the utube viedo today. The AP has an update on the story and I have jsut got thur readding it.

Yes this guy was obnoxious. He should have left the room when asked. but he wanted to contuine with his questions, therefore he escolated the whole thing by refusing the police becase he chose to resist. I do think that the cops did use a more force than nessecery and the tasing should not have been used. there were plety of cops there and they should have used there own power to get heim to cuf up.

but there is more to this story. the AP artical says this guy is some practical joker and this could have been a publiscty stunt. I don't belive this guy when he called for help, I think he was putting on a act. Moreover the AP story said he was laughing and in good sprits when beign taken to jail.

He was charged with a two crimainal charges, disturding the peace and reistig arreist. he spent the jail and was relased the next day. he did not talk to any reporters after his relase.

the botton line with me is I think this guy is a phoney and diliberly but himself in harms way.

I am going to word this as carefully as possible, as I am beginning to suspect that not everyone who posted here watched both parts of the video. Here goes:

Let's start at the beginning:

Senator Kerry identified this man to speak. He began by thanking him for his time and his honest answers to their questions. He then recommended a book to which the senator said he was familiar with. The student used the information from the book as a preface for his question, and upon implication of voting scandal, the police officers in the background can be seen discussing something with one another, and then a female police officer approached him and said something inaudible. Based on his response, it can be inferred that she either asked him to get to his question or step away from the mic. He responded in a particularly smartass way, saying "Thank you,I'm asking my question, he's been talking for two hours I think I can have two minutes that is my question, I'm going to preface it, I'm going to inform and then ask him my question," and then proceeded to ask his question. His question was "Amid all the evidence [of election malfeasance] how could you concede the election on that day?" The senator indicated that he would answer the question, the student, however, continued "Didn't you want to be president? I'm not done yet, I have two more questions for you."

Break for a moment:

I'd like to point out a few things in this portion of the video that are very important. First, the student was, um, arrogant. He is obviously impassioned and is quite rude with the officer that approached him earlier in the question. He was NOT, however, condescending towards the senator in any fashion, in fact he showed appreciation for the senator's attendance and the frankness of his responses to questioning. He was NOT threatening toward the senator, any of the students, or the police officer in any way. He WAS rude to the police officer. That is not the same as threatening. To this point he has simply asked a controversial question in a long-winded way.

Back to the video:

The student continues with his two more questions. He asks the senator "if you're so against invading Iran why not impeach Bush? Let's impeach Bush. Clinton got impeached for, what, a blowjob? Let's impeach Bush." At this time, the people behind the young man can be seen whispering and a man in a suit (presumably the master of ceremonies for the event) raises his head toward the other side of the arena and gives the international "cut the mic" sign (slashes hand across throat). The student is continuing as this happens. "Also, are/were you a member of the Skull and Bones Society, the same secret society that....." Audio trails away because the mic has cut out.

Breaking in for another comment moment:

Several errors made so far here. First, he has exceeded his allotted time, and he has not only been rude to the police, he has done so into the mic so everyone can hear. Now, although neither of these actions is an arrestable offense, neither is accepted well by police officers. Something that citizens seem to think is that if you smart off to the police you will get arrested. Well, that's only half true. You can't be arrested for smarting off. It's not only legal, it is your first amendment right to say whatever you want. However, you are almost always doing something illegal. It could be simply a ticketable offense, but if you smart off to a police officer, those petty things that he normally would have let slide will now cost you. Prime example - you get pulled over. You weren't speeding, but the cop suspected DUI (perhaps you swerved over the line a bit on a slow night...hey, it happens here). Let's say that you are not intoxicated, nor have you been, and you have no illegal substances on your person. You can easily respond with a polite "No officer, I haven't been drinking, I must have just gotten lazy and slipped over the line a bit." To which you will likely get a warning, a plead to be careful, be on your way. If you respond with "You stupid son of a bitch! I slip one inch of over the fucking line and you pull me over?!?! What kind of power trip are you on you pencil-necked Nazi bastard?" and you will get a ticket for (at the very least) reckless driving for crossing the line. At this point, you should also be prepared for the field sobriety test and a search of your vehicle. Basically, you don't have to cow-tow, but it never hurts to be polite and respectful, regardless of the situation. Second mistake that he made: assuming that freedom of speech includes the ability to say whatever you want for how long you want in a public forum. This is not the case. For the same reason you can't say "fuck" on network television, you can be removed from an assembly for using inappropriate language. Please note that I don't mind the word "blowjob." Big deal. Find me the 12 year old that doesn't know what it means and maybe we can talk about the censorship issue. However, that type of language is not appropriate for this type of forum for one reason- it violates the rules of decorum. When speaking to a public official, regardless of your inclination toward them, you must conduct yourself with respect and decorum at all times. This is not law, it is common curtesy and respect for others. His belief that he can say whatever he wants and run outside of his allotted time has pretty much secured his ejection from these procedings at this point. Again, there have been no arrestable offenses committed. Simply just cause for ejection from the hall.

Back to the video:

The mic cuts out. The student continues speaking for a short while after, as he is obviously yet to realize his is cut off (anyone who's lost audio understands a delay in reaction to it).

**Note - Due to lack of audio at this point, it is difficult to follow the exact situation exactly. I have watched several videos and all portray the same amount of information from different angles. One particularly good video shows the following from behind the student, at which angle some things come to light a little more clearly than they do above.

The student turns slightly to his right, but not all the way around. From the back, his face is not at all visible. The female police officer walks up to him and grabs his arm to lead him away. Her mouth does not open. It is not clear if he saw her coming at him or not. He turned in that direction, but he appears genuinely surprised that he has been grabbed. He appears to be upset that the mic is off, but is not yelling as he cannot be heard but the senator can be heard saying "It's okay, I want to answer his question." This is when chaos erupts. The student is being grabbed by a female police officer from his right. A male police officer approaches his left. His mouth can be seen moving and he can be faintly heard saying the words "You are under arrest."

**Note: This is difficult to hear. I was re-watching to get a line correct for this assessment and thought I heard it. I rewound and relistened several times. I swear I can hear those words. However, I will concede that I may not have, and will welcome evidence of this.

The student turns around totally, raises both his hands to the level of his head and says "What are you arresting me for?"

The rest of this video is history, so my recap will stop there.

Comments:

Okay, this guy is on my nerves. He is an arrogant son of a bitch and came across like a condescending, attention-hungry asshole. He was arrested, he resisted loudly, and he was subdued. Six police officers were on top of him, he was in the floor, he repeatedly offered to walk out of the auditorium if he was let go. He repeatedly asked what he was being arrested for. He repeatedly asked what he had done wrong. He repeatedly asked them not to tase him from the floor underneath them. He was tased. He was tased for approximately 4 seconds.

You will hear the audience throughout the scene. You hear, in one video, the camera-person laughing in a slightly perturbed manner when he proceeds with questioning following his first words with the police officer. You hear them applaud as he is being removed. You hear in another video, a camera operator and several students saying "Let him go!" "He didn't do anything!" "He just asked a question!" "What are they doing?" "Why are they arresting him?" when he is not longer just being removed but is being arrested.

I ask the same questions. Why did they arrest him? What was he under arrest for? He resisted said arrest, yes. But from the perspective of someone who doesn't understand why he was placed under arrest in the first place, he should have resisted. He didn't do anything wrong.

However, this is where opinions differ. Without the critical "You're under arrest" following the cutout of the mic, the story changes. Without those words, he was being escorted out and he refused to go, and caused a disturbance. However, causing a disturbance isn't a crime either. He can be forcibly removed at that point, but he never hit a police officer, so at no point in this ordeal did he actually commit a crime, as being removed is not the same as being arrested.

Were he under arrest, I would contend that he have every right to shrug off a grasp and say "Why are you arresting me?" In addition, I would contend that he is then entitled to accusation of his crime and the reading of his rights. Perhaps it is not evident from the video, but it does not appear as those things were afforded him.

The question is also not that he caused a disruption, but when did he cause it? His mic was cut and the senator made a statement of desire to answer the question. Only when he was approached by the officers did the disruption begin. I'm sorry, but he didn't start the disruption, the police officers did. Why was he approached? What had he done wrong? He said the word blowjob. Oops. Not illegal. He went over his time. Oops. Not illegal. He asked a controversial question, called for impeachment of the president, and asked a senator about a secret society. Not illegal.

In fact, what he said was completely appropriate. He had every right, indeed he had a duty, as an American citizen to question his government. He had questions that he wanted answered. He was a bit of a jackass about it, but we only WISH that being a jackass was illegal.

The fact is that he didn't do anything illegal the entire time. When he was being chased down by the police with no understanding of why, he caused a bit of a disruption, sure. When he was being drug to the floor while screaming "Help! Why are you arresting me? I didn't do anything wrong! Let me go!", offering to leave of his own accord if he is released, begging to not be tased while he is powerless to stop it under the weight of six police officers, and screaming and writing in pain as his is, in fact, tased he caused a bit of a disrutpion.

Frankly, this is not excuseable. Senator Kerry was obviously gaining control of the situation by answering the question. The man had not made any disruption up to this point (save saying the word "blowjob"). Why was he being removed? Worse, why was he being arrested? I am not the paranoid type, but I do think that he was treated as a terrorist because he called for the impeachment of Bush. I do. I think that when they hear this stuff, they immediately assume that anyone who's against the administration is against the country and is therefore a terrorist. I beg of people to look at this situation for what it really is. They treated him like a potential criminal, and eventually like a criminal for asking a question and being a bit of a jerk. Guys, that's not illegal. I am glad that he managed to make such a loud mess of actually detaining him that he got some attention for it. The resulting detaining and tasing is not the most frightening part. It's the part where they try to remove him before he's done anything to warrant removal.

Thanks for reading. I know it was a long one, but this one really hurt me as a citizen of the United States. It hurts me to see our highest laws violated in such a manner. It hurts me that we have degenerated to this point, that people who speak out against the government are suspected criminals and terrorists. This situation really illustrates how bad our situation has gotten. We are only a few steps up from a police state. We used to be free. It's very sad, and this is the first time that I've ever truely felt oppressed by my country. I am appalled, I hope you are too, and again I thank you for your patience.

Cool!

On guy against severeal cops and they still use a taser. Non-lethal weapons are the best thing that could happen against those annoying "freedom of speech"-hippies.
If we have had these back in 1989 in East Germany, we could still have socialism and stuff.

When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

Laura: Disturbing the peace...look it up. It's a little difficult to have a nice pleasant "sorry but you're under arrest" type discussion when someone is screaming and yelling and refusing to follow directions.

This guy wanted all of this to happen and your reaction is laughable because it's entirely predictable.

This wasn't someone standing up and asking a question and then getting a baton upside the head. This was a guy who set out to make a dick of himself...it's called disturbing the peace and you don't have any right to do it.

Again, I'd challenge you to walk into say...a Union delegates meeting...and behave exactly the same way and see what kind of treatment you get. I don't care if this was a political discussion, a PTA meeting or a nightclub, the guy would have gotten the same treatment by police, security or bouncers...

Cindy: You'd have to ask them all if they were applauding over Sen. Kerry's remarks or over the person being thrown out. You see it one way, I see it another.

As for members of congress blathering on and on, well duh, of course they do. They also have rules they follow and engage in that allow for reasonable discourse and debate. Making a scene is not debate and discourse. He wasn't there to debate, he was there to ask a question of a public figure and receive a response. Apparently, he thought it was more useful to stand up, make a long rambling proluge to a few questions, challenge police and disturb the peace...

Next time you're at work and your boss is addressing you, stand up and behave in a similar way and see how that works out for you. Go ANYWHERE and act like that and see how it works out for you. I don't care what your political leanings are, that kind of behaviour will get you roughly kicked out of any environment except maybe WWF.

Look Ive seen the full vidio and ve heard all the questions he asked but seriously he didn't say anything that bad apart from the word "Blowjob"
and 7 guys onto 1 its sad please the police must bloody corrupted in America.
But if you listen closly i think the femal officer says "why are you doing this to him"
but apart from that this is some sad stuff what ever happened to freedom of speech. i mean after that im afraid that if i say poke'mon that ill be arrested for offending the japanese translator of the us president
How can the police be so brutall?
And i think John Keryy is a good duy he told the officers that it was ok and he wanted to answer Andrew meyer's question.
but he could have done more
Andrew Meyer has the right to sue the socks off those corrupt police i mean Nazi much..??
or all those peeople who disagree then really look at the video 10 times and see if you can spot the things that would't happen in Australia
Oh yeah im an aussie soz forgot to mention that one.......

Second mistake that he made: assuming that freedom of speech includes the ability to say whatever you want for how long you want in a public forum. This is not the case.

Soviet Union called, they want their logic back.

Ok i made a mistake
But The police acted like nazis and if what i said offended you i dont care because iin australia i wont be arrested for this

Hahahahhaha thats a good one... hav you seen the add.
"this wouldnt happen in Australia"
oh nice one kiddo

Dude AlEx has a point i mean who would put 7 police onto one guy i mean thats just stupid
and yer it wouldnt hapen in Australia just to let you know
he was right on that one

WTF That type of violence would shock some Kickboxers
Gimme the adresses of these police officers id really like to tell them something and i dont think they'd like it!!

Its a real shame but i wonder why the people applaud. Because he has gone too far with some kind of disturbance and got on their nerves? I mean, we dont know what he has done before they dragged him away.. so this might have been necessary or it might have been a "violation" against the "freedom of speech" and the rights of this student. Where will this end when everyone, who "disturbs" gets drawn away by the police and tazered?

We propably can´t judge this without being there at this special day, but that they tasered him... man that was some kind of hard shit. Theres no excuse for that kind of "non-lethal" force. Those policeman are a danger for everyone because they can´t handle the power, which their job gives 'em. I mean, the situation was never out of control and he was at no time a threat. I personally wonder why the student don´t resist even more. Imagine if someone is trampling on your rights (or at last you feel so) and you also feel deeply unjustly threated. I really wonder why he is not insulting the police, spitting on them or defending himself by force. Thats what we all would expect from the good guy in hollywood movie, when he gets drawn away by the bad ones, dont we? These policeman could just have used some of their "police-grip techniques" to get him out of the room without the risk, that he could move and hurt someone but instead they drove him to the ground with 4 or 5 people and wanted from him that he calms down. To demand something like that in this kind of situation is really unworldly. To taser him just after saying him that he´s gone tasered now (what has he done? was his screaming for help a threat?), without the chance of doing something against it (i mean he tries to argue and plead not to hurt him)looked to me like a sadistic torture, when i watched this video. If he would be some kind of danger, maybe pepperspray would have been an adequate solution but he wasnt!

@Heil America!: I´m from germany too, but please stop to act so educative and like an enlightened person. Probably no one would have done something against this, neither here as well as there, or would you stand up and club yourself through the police(!) to help some kind of mischief, which ends up by being arrested (i dont want to say "and tasered" cause this might look like a policestate which rules the people through fear, doesnt it?)for resistance against the police too? If you-´re a man who has the guts to stand up or if you are just like almost 90% of the people out there who "dont want to get in trouble" will only be seen, when you get in that kind of situation. They could have standed up and yelled at them but i can understand when someone would argue, that everyone in that room was some kind of perplex at that time.. including Mr. Kerry. But theres no excuse for that stupid fuck who laughs his ass off when the student got tasered in front of him.

Pardon, i meant phm.

I've watched the video and don't see where the law enforcement didn't give him multiple chances to comply. This young man made a foolish mistake and paid the price. My suggestion is get over it, learn from it, and move on. It is what it is.

I dont understand why he had to leave the room for asking that question?

Another video I found

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y-CY9R-ps5g

This guy needs to get a job!!!
And the police need to get a raise for having to deal with idiots like that moron.

Dennis-

I saw him ask three questions, then his mic get cut off after 2 minutes of him speaking. I heard the senator say he would answer the question, I saw the police arrest him, then he began screaming "why are you arresting me." If he was disturbing the peace, why did they not take him away the first time they spoke to him? How about when he "rushed the mic"? THAT would have been understandable. But I'm sorry, asking a question is not disturbing the peace. Whatever country you live in is obviously of a very oppressed mindset, because in America we are not, under the Constitution, to be persecuted for speaking, regardless of the topic of discussion. The senator had control, no one was screaming and yelling when they laid their hands on him and placed him under arrest.

Yes, he disturbed the peace. After they tried to arrest him. And he damn well should have. He asked why he was being arrested, why didn't they tell him?

So, your point is what? That the police disturbed the peace and then used unnecessary force on an innocent (if not arrogant) student? Well, I concur.

Dennis-

One more point. Being thrown out of somewhere is not the same as being under arrest. If they were going to remove him, why did they place him under arrest? In addition, don't know what it's like where you live, but here "disturbing the peace" only applies after a certain quite hour. Other times of day the peace is assumed to not exist due to the sounds and scuffles of life. But perhaps we in the oppressed Bible belt just have more common sense about that type of thing.

That's of course, if you actually concede to the presumption the he caused a disturbance. What I saw was no disturbance until he was arrested.

Freedom of speech? The people in the audience are just watching, this is fucking unbelievable.
Nazi Germany over again...

He has freedom of speech, but the does not have the right to disturb the others in the crowd. nor does he have the right to resist arrest. If he felt he was being unfairly treated, that would be a matter to handled in court.

What is unbelievable is people like you who have no clue about "Freedom of Speech" and what the term actually means.

Can't we just admit that this nut was defending his right to ask a question? Come on!

What part of the US Constitution do you guys not get? The right of the people to be free from unreasonable seizures shall not be infringed. People are also entitled to the legitimate use of self-defense against violent aggressors.

In this case, as soon as the police touched him he was 'sezied' and 'under arrest.' He asked Why many times. They are required under law to state the reason (501 U.S. 429). They failed to do so. Exercising his self-defense rights he attempts to flee and reacts nonviolently. They pursue aggressively and violently. Although not required to, he states a remedy for the only possible cause of action they could have against him (trespass - he will leave peacefully). They continue to pursue aggressively and violently. After he is handcuffed and without justification (self-defense) they escalate the use of violence to DEADLY FORCE (tasers have resulted in the death or serious bodily harm of many people).

Because the officers were the aggressors without justification and used deadly force with reckless disregard for human life they should be tried for attempted murder and many other offenses.

It's hard to express what I feel after watching several different videos of this event. The police obviously over reacted and it was sad that Kerry did nothing but try to get the focus back on himself. As a democrate, I am embarrased by Kerry's actions. I applaude the women I heard trying to defend this man. It appears this man was given the opportunity to ask a question. Was there restrictions as to how or what he was allowed to ask? I saw nothing that this man did that required use of a taser. Nor did this man say anything threatening. Wow! the use of deadly force for asking a question to a State Senator and waiting for a reply. Senator Kerry, the University of Florida and especially the security police should all be force to watch these videos and discuss them openly with the public. If they cannot see how wrong they all behaved then shame on them! They are not the leaders, teachers or police I want defending my rights and my country.

Anyone from Australia should be concerned as well this type of thing was exactly what was happening in Sydney during the APEC summit. Absolute disgusting behaviour by the Police.

hmmmm if you look at what AlEx wrote he used the term "freedom of speech"
it does not really relate to this situation but what they did was stupid and against the law.
they did not explain the situation and they acted agressivly
any person in there right mond would try to get away if they were getting beaten up
those police should be tried for physical abuse.
also Jonahtrainer is right
taser guns send high volts of electricity through a persons body to maim them or injure them enough to stop fighting back
it is sickening thast they would use it so carelessly
if the gun had been to close to his spine he could have been disabled completly.

The police laid hands on him at exactly the moment when he had finished his questions. They didn't wait for Kerry's reaction. They didn't wait for how the situation might turn out. Of course, he acted in a smartass way. But that's absolutely not the point. To me it seems like it was the questions themselves that made them think: omg, a conspiracy loonie, maybe even a terrorist! (plus, he said "blowjob"!)

Damn, I would have liked to hear Kerry's answers!

PS: If you haven't already, do what Kerry did: read Armed Madhouse by Greg Palast!

Laura, I commend you for your comments. They are heartfelt from someone that knows the benefits of Liberty as we know it and realizes what is being sacrificed when we stifle individual opinions.
Mike O, I feel sorry for you. You appear to have always "had it your way" and don't really appreciate what freedom is about. When you mature, I hope you look back on your words and teach your children to do better than you.

Oh yes, American universities are little nepotistic, autocratic dictatorships unto themselves. I had such terrible experiences while at UCLA (where there was another tasering incident late last year) that I left the country literally running for my life.

And when I left, I remember a professor
(Stephano Soatto http://www.cs.ucla.edu/~soatto/ in April this year) threatened to shoot students who didn't know a certain concept. This was greeted with approval from some of the other professors present.

I hope you all have gotten a bit of a breather from this event and can finally see what exactly was going on. Those of you who fell for Meyer's stunt, well...sucker born every minute. He planned it, he escalated it on purpose and the majority of you ate it up. There are eyewitness accounts from students present at the speech here: http://ryanhague.wordpress.com/2007/09/18/uf-student-justifiably-tasered/

Staged publicity stunt or not, the police had absolutely zero right to grab him, much less wrestle him to the ground and then taser him. We can all see he's some idiot who loves to be the center of attention, but that doesn't justify the use of lethal force against an unarmed, non-violent idiot.

Furthermore, because the police didn't just cause to detain him, much less arrest him, he was well within his rights to resist with as much force as is necessary to defend himself.

fuck the usa - nothing more to say. god's own country, hah!

incredible, absolutely incredible - this is fucking dictatorshit. this makes me so fucking mad -

... and fuck google too for closing down the comments on this video - brave new world

Stand up for what is right! Wear a Don't Tase Me, Bro shirt with pride. Other items available to show your support.

Visit http://www.donttasemebro.biz

UF's own policy says.. "The Taser may be used to control a dangerous or violent subject when deadly physical force does not appear to be justified and/or necessary and to prevent a subject from harming himself or herself..."

That was hardly the case at the Kerry event.

You americans are fucking crazy people!
By the way, call this democratie?!
The hole world heard what he asked.
Still stick to your statement?
American people beware, there come a day you will get everything back on your own plate.
So China rules become real on American ground.
In the early days one said,: come to America the land of opportunities.
Now you better say,:leave America the land corruption and no opportunities where you should shut your mouth and walk the way the mighty ones create, it's really pethatic.

Hey Ryan, considering the shrill screams of "USA IS THE NEW NAZI GERMANY 1984 SMASH THE STATE EVIL FAT AMERICANS!!11" that comprise over 70% of this comments, I'd say they still haven't gotten it out of their system--they're still stroking their egos and hatred of both Americans and their country over a prankster who disrupted a Q and A with Kerry.

The land of the free???

Obviously not.

I thought America should be a good example for leadership in democracy and free speach but if you
think pure force is the only way to answer an unarmed students question people will ask you for your legitimation.

Greetings from a worried German student.

First of all Kerry was not in a position of authority at the event, he was a guest. The moderator asked to have the punk removed when he crossed the line of acceptable behaviour. You failed to mention that the little trouble maker was not invited (yes, it was invitation only), that he planned to disrupt the event, that he expected a response from police (he said so to the person he asked to record the whole thing), that he butted in line, that he spoke over an invited student, and that his questions were more of a far leftist political statement than an actual inquiry. It was not up to Kerry to forgive this nut job. The moderator and police had a responsibility to protect Kerry and other students from a situation that could have spun out of control or been a distraction for some type of real crime to be committed. Nobody's rights were violated except the right of the other students to ask real questions of a national figure without incident.

Should the taser have been used? That's a judgement call. The police gave this clown several warnings and, say what you will, the brief use of that taser settled the moron down and allowed the event to close peaceably.

The kid was resisting the whole time, the campus police didn't know what he would do next. He was alredy pushing them away and jumping up and down like a moron. He was asked to stand up and didn't comply. They told him they were goign to tase him if he didn't. Also the kid was trying to start a riot. Screaming and yelling for help as if he was going to die. What a moron. He deserved to get tased.

His behavior was indeed unacceptable. But the campus police handled that situation very poorly. I feel sorry for the student, but I can't say I'm surprised over the actions that took place. That american law and order for ya. Throw him out instead of causing him massive amounts of pain. Throw him out, instead of spending money on him having to go to jail. I feel sickend by this.

All they had to do was let him finish with his question. And they tasered him in handcuffs. They didnt need to do that. He said "get off of my, and I will leave." He obviously didnt want to be in that situation. His Freedom of Speech was violated.

The grossly uneducated campus police were ripe for a pretext to taser a brilliant student with a promising future---

Talk of the not-PC reality: There is a social class resentment by underachievers, against students who come from more educated and privileged classes, and who generally have a more promising future. Such hatred is notorious in campus police, who cannot even get into a regular police force,

We see the same resentment on public school campuses, in which very high-IQ students receive a great deal of unprovoked verbal and physical brutality.

Also: Keep in mind that the king of Taser Manufacturing--- Bernard Kerik--- is Mr. Bush's friend--- The relevance here is the mentality of the fish that rots from the head, downward: We have here a living, proximate example of the fascist intolerance of dissent that has been promoted by the Bush cabal and their paltry-minded friends.

Shannon is exactly correct: the campus police tasered the brilliant student because he was insulting their "Christian President"- whose friends deal in arms, oil, and death. Scary mentality.

P. Meier and qs demonstrate what I was talking about with people getting on their high horse anti-American fantasies. It doesn't matter what people who were actually at the event said. It doesn't matter if plenty of eye-witness reports said that this student was way out of line, in such a way convieniently left out by Wired's bloggers. It doesn't matter if the Taser is far less lethal than a handgun and less physically damaging than a nightstick to these people. They're just out to demonize the United States, its culture, and its people any way they can--that's why they love stories like this.

this is the american democracy. congradulations. tasering a student just to pose a question on a candidate. this is how the system makes you remain silent, not ask, just eat hamburgers!!!
i feel sorry for americans.

A taser? Was that really necessary? Let's all be honest, that was complete shit on the part of the cops. That guy clearly knew his rights and thats why he acted like he did. A bit over the top I would say; however, the cops took it way too far! Wow.

look at the "whore" of the world..the U.S., AND IN ORDER FOR HER RICH/FILTH SECRET SOCITY TO KEEP ITSELF FEED IT RE-CREATES 1933-1945 NAZI WAY OF LIFE!BRAVO O WHORE OF THE WORLD!BRAVO!

i wish i was there, i would have beat the crap outta those cops. maybe if one person stood up for that kid, the rest of them would have joined in. 1984

I love Kerry's response when he tries to go ahead and answer the question while this infamous distraction is taking place. Couldn't he have tried to order the police to stop instead of just saying "guys, guys, can't we..." and nothing else? As a first hand witness to this, he should be speaking up against excessive police power, taser use, standing up for freedom of speech and be very concerned about our personal freedoms and ability to question. Is this really John Kerry, a leading Democrat and the front-runner against Bush in 2004? In the words of the tasered University of Florida student “You've got to kidding me.” Democrats are really no better than Republicans, the latter are just much more draconian. This and other incidents further proves the "sheep' phenomenon against the Democrats of today. Then again Kerry is not a true leader anyway nor a great speaker, he's just another politician that doesn't represent "us." Hopefully many critics are wrong and we're really not slowly moving toward becoming the next Soviet Union. Police should have four-year degrees that include the study of history and constitutional law so they can determine when their orders violate American ideals, common sense, serve the corrupt, or cause undue harm or stress. This will weed out non-intellectual, ignorant people as police. Lack of education has always been a variable for abuse against other people in general in psychological studies. Police also should always be trained in creative, non-abusive tactics, and ethics. The "power struck" or potentially abusive police candidates must be screened out in the psychological process more vigorously. This incident is a small American atrocity on free speech and should outrage Americans everywhere.

the "police" is just another gang - crips, bloods, kops, all the same

"University of Florida Student Tasered for asking Kerry a Question" is a very misleading title. He was being escoreted out. When he pushed against the police officer and pulled his arm free that was assaulting an officer, and on top of that he is guilty of disorderly conduct. He was obviously tased for resisting arrest. If I had been the cop I would have done the exact same thing. I hope his ass was in pain... He's just some damn punk kid that wanted to put on a show and got more than he bargained for.

Is it police or security? I can't tell the difference since it seems that in the States there are a million uniforms all allowed to use violence. In the Netherlands its clear. The police can use violence under certain circumstances. Security can't. End of story. But then again, in the States anyone with an iq of 70 or less can buy a gun...

I live in Vancouver, Canada...where the cops tasered (twice) a Polish guy who spoke no English at an airport. They killed him. Ooops. Ya. It happens. Sorry.

Like this incident, the guy was outnumbered by cops 4 to one.

Andrew Meyer wasn't acting violently, he was acting like a college student, asking the questions you dont ask anymore when you're 30, thinking Kerry should have not conceeded the election so easily when there was so much at stake.

4 to one...and the guy wasn't throwing punches. He tried to pull free from the police, but he didn't swing at them. He was on his stomach on the floor with his hands behind his back. No weapon.

THEN they tasered him.

Some damn punk kid, says David who would have done the same thing? He's in his own university at a public discussion. He'd sat for 2 hours listening, and his questions lasted less than 3 minutes.

I've had to sit through way longer questions than that at parent teacher meetings.

In the end, the cops (security guards?) went for the easy way out...which they obviously don't realize (or care) can result in death. Taser is the last resort before putting a bullet in someone. I think they had him under control, they just didn't like what he was shouting because it was disrupting the meeting.

No matter what he was saying, there was no way the guy deserved this. I hope there are legal consequences.

Mike O. We Americans are obligated to RESIST illeagal arrest. That is what the American Revolution was about. Cowards like yourself will always benifit as a result of the actions taken by young americans like Andrew Meyer and Nathan Hale etc. etc. etc.. Crawl back into your hole Mike O. Sam Costanza sam1013nyp@yahoo.com

Correction: illegal

Hello Everyone,

Soon after this incident, John Kerry arrive in Charleston SC. I decided to design tee-shirts that have graffiti-type lettering that say Don't tase me, Bro!". John Kerry was speaking to the friends of the library of the College of Charleston. I waited outside in an attempted to sell these tee-shirts. I eventually sold one "t" that was gifted to John Kerry and he also signed one of these "T's" for me.
At least He has a sense of humor...we need that with the next president
tee hee
love laughter
laughtergoddess

This IDIOT deserved what he got! Anyone that ignores a police command knows whats coming! All he had to do was walk away and file a complaint if he thought he was being treated unfairly!
This is a perfect case of a young punk in todays society! Probably talks to his girlfriends and mother the same way!
I would never give this jerk a job if he interviewed with me!
Grow up already!
His parents should be held accountable too!!!!!!!!!

Slick Rick, you're a fucking idiot. That's really all there is to say about that.

-The End

All you pricks saying he deserved it obviously don't get what happened. All you see is, oh, some attention whoar starts a ruckus. Did you myopic idiots even read some of the other posts here before spewing out your self-righteous verbal masturbation? Like Brenda's well-thought-out summary?

So the kid was a jerk, that was excuse to ESCORT him OUT of the premises, not to arrest him, let alone use a goddamn TASER. Like a few other people posted, he ASKED WHY he was being arrested, and OFFERED to leave.

They had him on the floor, outnumbered, and in handcuffs. Yeah, good time to use the taser... NOT.

I don't even live in the west anymore, and yet this kind of shet don't happen in these 3rd world-country banana republics, as you democratic high and mighties like to call 'em -- I can imagine a burly cop here yelling in his face to shut him up and then hauling him out, but NOT using deadly force.

You should be able to ask stuff at debates. But,oh, wait this might happen again too. So, never mind.

The police escalated the situation. There are questions whether this kid purposely staged the incident, (He has a history of staging incidents and videoing them for his website and he told friends ahead of time he was going to do something famous to get on the news.) or whether he really has these bizarre beliefs about conspiracies. The truth is the cops felt they had to arrest him because he was getting out of hand and he kept squirming so hard they could not get his second wrist into a handcuff. You can see in the videos that five cops still couldn't hold him down on the ground...he was bigger than the cops. So his arm got tased, not his chest or back.

I am not sure how many of you live in the real world, but what he did was called failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer in the course of their duties. It is America and not the wild west or Germany and to live here you have to follow the law. you don't like it fine,