Policeman Suspended for Pointing Rifle at Peaceful Protestor in Ferguson

[Chef Ramsay]

Suspended indefinitely for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at a peaceful demonstrator

A St. Louis-area police officer was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at a peaceful demonstrator as tensions flared during protests over the Aug. 9 police shooting of black teenager Michael Brown.

The incident just before midnight on Tuesday punctuated the 11th straight night of racially charged demonstrations in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, since Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, was slain by a white police officer.

No one was hurt in the gun-pointing confrontation, but the incident underscored what many have criticized as heavy-handed and unprofessional police tactics that have helped stoke continuing civil unrest.

More...http://www.businessinsider.com/r-policeman-suspended-for-pointing-rifle-at-protester-in-missouri-2014-8

Only question is this paid administrative leave and will it be a lesson to the others to chill out. But to be fair, it's gotta be a tough position to be in when crowds are taunting you and you're on camera. Part of the job I guess.

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[Mike Christ]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.   It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

[Spendulus]

Suspended indefinitely for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at a peaceful demonstrator

A St. Louis-area police officer was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at a peaceful demonstrator as tensions flared during protests over the Aug. 9 police shooting of black teenager Michael Brown.

The incident just before midnight on Tuesday punctuated the 11th straight night of racially charged demonstrations in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, since Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, was slain by a white police officer.

No one was hurt in the gun-pointing confrontation, but the incident underscored what many have criticized as heavy-handed and unprofessional police tactics that have helped stoke continuing civil unrest.

More...http://www.businessinsider.com/r-policeman-suspended-for-pointing-rifle-at-protester-in-missouri-2014-8

Only question is this paid administrative leave and will it be a lesson to the others to chill out. But to be fair, it's gotta be a tough position to be in when crowds are taunting you and you're on camera. Part of the job I guess.

Well, if I or you pointed a gun at someone without immediate and serious threat of personal harm, we would be guilty of "brandishing a weapon."

Of course my opinion does not matter.  But I wouldn't even carry an unholstered weapon in that town in this type of situation.  Too easy for things to go bad.

[countryfree]

Well, that's definitely an offense. Police forces should only use their weapons against violent offenders, or people bearing arms. Accidents happen so easily.

[TheButterZone]

Well, that's definitely an offense. Police forces should only use their weapons against violent offenders, or people bearing arms. Accidents happen so easily.

Merely bearing arms is not a crime or legitimate justification for law enforcement action under the US Constitution, Amendment 2, and the inherent human right to self-defense it so codifies.

[iluvpie60]

Well, that's definitely an offense. Police forces should only use their weapons against violent offenders, or people bearing arms. Accidents happen so easily.

Merely bearing arms is not a crime or legitimate justification for law enforcement action under the US Constitution, Amendment 2, and the inherent human right to self-defense it so codifies.

thinking this way gets people killed. people who are nervous accidentally fire guns more than people who are not. the cops down there all have their nerves tied in knots and can accidentally do something stupid. NEVER point a gun at someone even if you know it is unloaded. it is ALWAYS a stupid idea to point a gun at someone.

ALWAYS act like the gun is loaded and always point it at the ground or away from anyone. i am an extreme gun safety person and pointing it at someone is never a good idea unless it is really called for.

[TheButterZone]

Well, that's definitely an offense. Police forces should only use their weapons against violent offenders, or people bearing arms. Accidents happen so easily.

Merely bearing arms is not a crime or legitimate justification for law enforcement action under the US Constitution, Amendment 2, and the inherent human right to self-defense it so codifies.

thinking this way gets people killed. people who are nervous accidentally fire guns more than people who are not. the cops down there all have their nerves tied in knots and can accidentally do something stupid. NEVER point a gun at someone even if you know it is unloaded. it is ALWAYS a stupid idea to point a gun at someone.

ALWAYS act like the gun is loaded and always point it at the ground or away from anyone. i am an extreme gun safety person and pointing it at someone is never a good idea unless it is really called for.

WTF are you replying to? Here's what I was replying to, since you didn't read the quote, apparently:

"Police forces should only use their weapons against... people bearing arms."

[Lethn]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.   It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

Go look at occupy wall street and the people who were getting maced constantly by police officers or the G20 protests where people were getting fired at with rubber or smoke grenades, while racial profiling certainly is ridiculous, the issue is more police officers going apeshit during protests.

[tinof]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.  It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

Go look at occupy wall street and the people who were getting maced constantly by police officers or the G20 protests where people were getting fired at with rubber or smoke grenades, while racial profiling certainly is ridiculous, the issue is more police officers going apeshit during protests.

The police is just doing what the government demand them of doing. Enforcing the law.

Targeting them is short sighted. A long term solution is to vote all incumbents out and put free marketers/libertarians into office.

[TheButterZone]

"Just following {inhuman} orders {to enforce categorically unconstitutional laws}" should put you in the dock.

A long term solution is to eliminate the rampant electoral fraud that prevents non-traitors from gaining any significant power in our tyrannical, blatantly criminal government.

[itsAj]

Well, that's definitely an offense. Police forces should only use their weapons against violent offenders, or people bearing arms. Accidents happen so easily.

Merely bearing arms is not a crime or legitimate justification for law enforcement action under the US Constitution, Amendment 2, and the inherent human right to self-defense it so codifies.

This is correct, however there are certain instances when it is legal for the police to request/order a citizen to put down their arms for their own protection. I also think he is saying that a person who is carrying a gun has the possibility of using it against the police office in mere seconds (or fractions thereof).

Protests have escalated quickly in that area and officers need to make split second decisions. Officers have also taken gunfire by protestors.

[TheButterZone]

Well, that's definitely an offense. Police forces should only use their weapons against violent offenders, or people bearing arms. Accidents happen so easily.

Merely bearing arms is not a crime or legitimate justification for law enforcement action under the US Constitution, Amendment 2, and the inherent human right to self-defense it so codifies.

This is correct, however there are certain instances when it is legal for the police to request/order a citizen to put down their arms for their own protection. I also think he is saying that a person who is carrying a gun has the possibility of using it against the police office in mere seconds (or fractions thereof).

Protests have escalated quickly in that area and officers need to make split second decisions. Officers have also taken gunfire by protestors.

If they wanted to shoot the police, they'd have shot the police (in their stupid ass Red Rover/cannon fodder line).

IIRC, I saw a mainstream news story in the last few days where police told a man to drop his bat he had for self-defense as he was trying to find out the medical condition of his brother at a crime scene, then stood idly by watching him get beaten to death by a gang minutes later. If you're going to disarm me, you better give me the exact same cover as your fellow officers. There is absolutely no legal requirement they do so, however, so disarmament equals criminal complicity.

[Spendulus]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.  It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

If ten percent of the country is black, then on the average we have ....

ten times as many black guys dating white girls as white guys dating black girls
ten times as many blacks being confronted by white cops as whites confronted by black cops
ten times as many blacks mugging whites as whites mugging blacks

etc....

White I don't like is the complaining.  But they are being drowned out as "America's persecuted minority."  Now the attention is on the poor children from Central America, the Hispanics, the Muslims and whatever other groups look like the buying of votes works.
  
What I hear is that now that this manufactured news story is losing steam because the star witness is a liar, the main news ops have already pulled out.  Look, <<satire>> yeah we need good, divisive manufactured news stories, but they need to  be half way solid or we'll look really stupid.   I mean, Sharpton the Clown is already involved in this, and he's helped to build the narrative.  Sure, but we can't report stuff that's patently false unless there's uncertainty on the other side of the fence.   Now we've got the cop with the head injuries and the witness down the tubes.  You have to know when to get out and get out fast and cut your losses. <<satire off>>

[Chef Ramsay]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.  It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

Go look at occupy wall street and the people who were getting maced constantly by police officers or the G20 protests where people were getting fired at with rubber or smoke grenades, while racial profiling certainly is ridiculous, the issue is more police officers going apeshit during protests.

The police is just doing what the government demand them of doing. Enforcing the law.

Targeting them is short sighted. A long term solution is to vote all incumbents out and put free marketers/libertarians into office.

In order for that to happen, activists need to hold lower level party posts in one of the major parties so the current bosses don't keep allowing fraud candidates to be the party's nominees. The general populace will vote based upon the two choices they're given. Important people like us can't just be 'voters' we need to be active in the party and hold delegate positions so we have voting rights at district, county and state conventions. The only way to flush out the big corporate money is to have liberty oriented candidates nominated right out of the gate at conventions while getting rid of taxpayer funded primaries where all the big money is spent to oust good challengers to the status quo.

[Lethn]

Ron Paul had the right idea, take over the Republican party from within and kick out all the psychopaths that wanted world domination and get the amount of delegates needed to take over. The only problem was that in response they actively blocked any Ron Paul supporters from actually getting in, now that's happening, it's fair to say that the U.S government isn't operating under a Democracy anymore.

[furlong]

That picture looks fucking ridiculous, give me a break.

[Daylightx]

The policeman should probably not have aimed a bloody semi-auto at the guy/girl.

Perhaps some warning shots with blanks up into the air.

[shawshankinmate37927]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.   It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

It's because the "unarmed black teenager killed by white cop" narrative gets higher ratings than "shoplifter killed after violently attacking cop" narrative.  Then of course, some politicians can't resist the urge to get on their soapbox to take advantage of the situation and try to score some points with the voting cattle.  Relevant facts get in the way of this and irrelevant facts, like skin color, support their agendas.

[Spendulus]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.   It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

It's because the "unarmed black teenager killed by white cop" narrative gets higher ratings than "shoplifter killed after violently attacking cop" narrative.  Then of course, some politicians can't resist the urge to get on their soapbox to take advantage of the situation and try to score some points with the voting cattle.  Relevant facts get in the way of this and irrelevant facts, like skin color, support their agendas.

Yeah, regardless, I am not seeing "a story" in this thing about the cop pointing the gun. 

He should have been pulled for doing so, in the absence of clear physical danger of the lethal varieties.  They pulled him. 

We're all human.  He over reacted (wrong) they pulled him (right, and per protocol, quite likely).

End of "story".

[itsAj]

Why are they still trying to spin this like it's a racial problem?  What does it matter that the teenager was black and the police officer was white?  Intentional distinction is more racist than the event they're reporting on.   It's like they're trying to stir up more trouble than there exists.

It's because the "unarmed black teenager killed by white cop" narrative gets higher ratings than "shoplifter killed after violently attacking cop" narrative.  Then of course, some politicians can't resist the urge to get on their soapbox to take advantage of the situation and try to score some points with the voting cattle.  Relevant facts get in the way of this and irrelevant facts, like skin color, support their agendas.

This is exactly right. All this is really about is the attempt to advance the liberal agenda. I would not at all be surprised if Obama somehow spun this situation as a way to get stricter gun control laws even though the police should 100% be armed to protect themselves and the public.

[Honeypot]

Peaceful protesters?

Just check out the cheeky attitude of these fools calling themselves 'peaceful' while their ulterior motive is anything but. You try to fuck with someone (lawmen) and then hide behind the law?

Somewhat like watching a kid saying 'I haven't touched nobody' with hands spread out all next to him all raise up while his face is in the other guy's chest/face/neck.

It's beyond pathetic watching this spectacle. The whole ferguson media circus is a disgrace and their 'media suppression' whining is quite weak. Some of these reporters are so obnoxious in a cheeky way anyone with a slice of self awareness would immediately punch them in the face.

[axxo]

While I do not condone what the officer did. I can't imagine what it would be like to be an officer there with all the #$%$ that is going on. A major over reaction by him, but I'm not in his shoes getting provoked every night to say something that they can then turn around and say it's racism.