Man arrested for playing violin.

[Beastolizer]

So true...one of the many reasons I won't be moving back to the US anytime soon.

And one of the reasons I may be leaving the US very soon. This country is going downhill. And fast.

[MikeDE]

Police - Largest legally operating gang in America.

So true...one of the many reasons I won't be moving back to the US anytime soon.

[Dozyproductions]

Cops can't do 'whatever they want' but they can arrest you for 'doing something illegal'. It is kind of their job, believe it or not. If you keep pushing them do you think they will just stand there?

From an actually clever yahoo answer:





Here is a nice website to read.

https://www.ohiobar.org/ForPublic/Resources/LawFactsPamphlets/Pages/LawFactsPamphlet-21.aspx

You can be stopped if you are suspected of committing a crime. You can be arrested if they believe you did commit a crime.

Is 'contempt of cop' a crime? Sort of~ they can sure handcuff you and haul you in for it, although you may go free in a few hours.

Why would you think a cop couldn't arrest a suspicious person? You know you can even citizens arrest people, right?

Good info even it's disgusting ;) But still in the video they are being told that he isn't committing a crime by subway management. Would be awesome if everyone in these cases sued the cops.

So can you citizens arrest a cop when he lies?

Camera's would be great

[Q5Quint]

I agree with the camera thing- sound+video from their pocket or something would keep everyone more honest.

[Herr Faust Schinken]

police should be forced to wear cameras, a police department near me tried this out and officers using force went down 60% and complaints against officers went from like an average of 24 a month to three. it would protect citizens from police brutality and it would protect police from bogus complaints

[Q5Quint]

Cops can't do 'whatever they want' but they can arrest you for 'doing something illegal'. It is kind of their job, believe it or not. If you keep pushing them do you think they will just stand there?

From an actually clever yahoo answer:

Disobeying a largely reasonable order (to leave an area) from a police officer is one of those gray areas of the law. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly are rights, but they are NOT absolute. They have limits. Lying to a police officer, for example, is a jail-able offense in all states, and is not protected as free speech.

Generally speaking, if you're not in anyone's way, you're not loitering in an area where there is an enforceable code against it, you're not "assembling for the purpose of disturbing the public peace," (aka an unlawful assembly which CAN be ordered to leave) and not committing or intending to commit any crime, they essentially yes [in theory] you can disobey the police officer's order to leave. There are two possible risks in doing this though:

1. The officer [could] arrest or ticket you on for a very weak, vaguely worded law, like Disorderly Conduct, and then drop the charge and release you later. This is as risky for the cop as it is for you though, because it could be ruled an unlawful arrest by a court if you decided to sue under the Federal false arrest law (42 U.S.C. § 1983). This is likely why the cop was giving such ample warning: He would much rather NOT arrest you than risk this.

2. [technically] what you were committing the crime of harassment against the cop. Not at first when he was just overhearing you. But when you pressed it and mocked him by telling him to roll his window up or leave, you were verbally and deliberately annoying him. He could have ticketed you for this, but again it may or may have stood up in court. Just remember this that when you deliberately start "pushing" a police officer, he is a human being and a citizen just as you are.

Again, can you show me the writing saying cops can do whatever they want? And if so, somehow justify it? If you're okay with it then I guess there is nothing else to 'argue' about

Here is a nice website to read.

https://www.ohiobar.org/ForPublic/Resources/LawFactsPamphlets/Pages/LawFactsPamphlet-21.aspx

You can be stopped if you are suspected of committing a crime. You can be arrested if they believe you did commit a crime.

Is 'contempt of cop' a crime? Sort of~ they can sure handcuff you and haul you in for it, although you may go free in a few hours.

Why would you think a cop couldn't arrest a suspicious person? You know you can even citizens arrest people, right?

[Dozyproductions]

Again, can you show me the writing saying cops can do whatever they want? And if so, somehow justify it? If you're okay with it then I guess there is nothing else to 'argue' about ;)

[Q5Quint]

"Finally, Christian said, the original officer returned with the following explanation: “He asked you to stop playing and you would not stop.” From there, Christian was ordered to put his hands behind his back and step against the wall. He was held for four hours and given a desk appearance ticket, then released.."

"Christian was ordered to put his hands behind his back and step against the wall. He was held for four hours and given a desk appearance ticket, then released."


Right- so in this case you should seek compensation for wrongful arrest and the cop should be punished for it. You cant be arrested for eating cereal after 10am, but if a cop felt like writing that on the ticket in order to 'protect the peace'..... he totally could. You would make it all the way to the 'desk appearance ticket' before being let go.

There is a system in place for this kind of officer misconduct, but instead we complain and make youtube videos. I would like to see the official followup investigation, any reprimand the officer received, and the news article following.

There is a time and place to yell about your rights, but technically you are relying on the magistrate/judge/judicial system to keep cops from wrongfully arresting you. If they start to not like you too then lookout.

[Dozyproductions]

In this case, the guy showed him the rules and the subway manager(?) told the cops that it was okay to play. The cops used their own 'discretion' to arrest him anyways.

I get what you're saying but it sounds like you're missing the entire point what a cop's purpose is. I realize that what's actually right vs reality don't/ and almost never align but, that isn't an excuse to be so subservient to a public servant. They should train cops better in knowing laws and self restraint. If they need to hear a guy cursing at them and arguing against them (in this case being showed the rules and ignoring them), it's not their place to arrest them out of spite. That goes against the entire mantra of 'protect and serve'.

[Q5Quint]

I am pretty sure you can/will be put into a police car for whatever the heck a cop wants to arrest you for, and he can fill out the paperwork later.

The 'street' is not the place to argue with a cop, but a misconduct report to his superior is.

It is NOT your constitutional right to argue with a cop. It IS his job to arrest people who are breaking the law at his discretion. It WILL BE the judges decision of who actually broke what law and what to actually sentence them to.

Now usually cops will wait until there is a pretty good reason to obviously arrest you, because if they were just picking people up for no reason at all then they would be getting in big trouble very quickly due to people actually watching.

If you actually read the constitution you are referring to you would notice that the cop is part of the executive branch. The branch that enforces the laws that the legislature makes. When fiddle boy gets arrested here, it will go before the third branch, the judicial system, and the 'checks and balance' on power should be clear.

SHOULD a cop arrest you for nothing? of course not~ and it will be the judge that decides you were wrongly arrested.... NOT the cop or the police station. If you want to be an idiot and argue with the cop- you are just giving him even more evidence that you actually are the riff-raff he was hired to remove from the subway. If you say 'thank you sir' and remember his name as you walk away, then clarify with the magistrate/city/whoever is in charge of that area that you are in fact allowed to be there and the cop was mistaken.... and he is informed of this by his superior... horay your rights are protected. If you actually are not allowed to be there then you are just an idiot attempting to use the constitution to trump train station security. You cant stand on the tracks either, and for good reason.

[Dozyproductions]

you seem to not have a firm grasp on the Constitution and how or Criminal Justice system works. Well is supposed to work.

So asking a police officer to do their job and follow the law is some how being a dick??? Rather than letting them walk all over you because you have nothing to hide???? yup great plan there

As we talked about before man... its conditioning. These days abuse of power is asked for. It's startling

[mrsleeve]

I think what people forget is that a cop is 'in charge' of any situation. If they tell you to not do something, and you do it anyway, they can arrest you and they will figure out a good reason later.

Then it is up to the judge/magistrate to throw it out or punish the cop. You could have just walked away and filed a report on that cop.

I didnt have time to watch the whole video but it seems pretty clear the kid was not blocking traffic.... but lucky for him it will be his words vs a cops.

Should cops be dicks to people? No way. They should be polite and courteous and helpful. If they are not you need to report their asshole behavior.

I have wayy too many times seen barefoot drunk hippies being huge dicks to cops and the cops trying their hardest to not punch them right in the face. OH EXCUSE ME OFFICER ARE YOU DETAINING ME OR CAN I GO. HELP HELP I AM BEING OPPRESSED! COME SEE THE VIOLENCE INHERENT IN THE SYSTEM!

It is sad, but arguably not as sad as real police brutality.

you seem to not have a firm grasp on the Constitution and how or Criminal Justice system works. Well is supposed to work.

So asking a police officer to do their job and follow the law is some how being a dick??? Rather than letting them walk all over you because you have nothing to hide???? yup great plan there

[Dozyproductions]

Im not aware of what you claim. Anything showing that they can 'take charge' of a situation with no legal basis? (aka making up laws or rules if it there isn't any danger to the public?)

[Q5Quint]

I think what people forget is that a cop is 'in charge' of any situation. If they tell you to not do something, and you do it anyway, they can arrest you and they will figure out a good reason later.

Then it is up to the judge/magistrate to throw it out or punish the cop. You could have just walked away and filed a report on that cop.

I didnt have time to watch the whole video but it seems pretty clear the kid was not blocking traffic.... but lucky for him it will be his words vs a cops.

Should cops be dicks to people? No way. They should be polite and courteous and helpful. If they are not you need to report their asshole behavior.

I have wayy too many times seen barefoot drunk hippies being huge dicks to cops and the cops trying their hardest to not punch them right in the face. OH EXCUSE ME OFFICER ARE YOU DETAINING ME OR CAN I GO. HELP HELP I AM BEING OPPRESSED! COME SEE THE VIOLENCE INHERENT IN THE SYSTEM!

It is sad, but arguably not as sad as real police brutality.

[Dozyproductions]

That's very true and sad that such situations exist. How can you put a value to human life for that many years or "torture" near to death?

How do our public servants get away with so much shit ? (aka UCSD case was 4.1 mil + and investigation that goes nowhere)