Cops arrest legal gun owners exercising their Constitutional rights.

[Domeguy]

The three men behind an “open carry” demonstration conducted outside of a San Antonio Starbucks are each facing charges of “disorderly conduct” because some observers reportedly complained about the stunt.

The group posted video of the entire demonstration, which included a disagreement with police officers, on YouTube. The men were seemingly well within their rights.


(YouTube)

(YouTube)
Under Texas law, open carrying a rifle is not illegal as long as the gun is not loaded.

But San Antonio police Chief William McManus told KENS-TV that gun owners can still be charged with disorderly conduct if anyone feels threatened at any point during a demonstration. In other words, if anyone around you is uncomfortable with firearms, you could technically be charged with a crime.

“It’s a disorderly offense that officers will address accordingly,” the police chief said.

Video | News | Weather | Sports

Thu Aug 29 16:24:41 PDT 2013
MEN WITH RIFLES CHARGED IN ’OPEN CARRY’ DEMONSTRATION AT STARBUCKS
A controversial YouTube video captures an alleged disorderly conduct case. The video shows three men, who were carrying assault rifles, sitting outside a San Antonio Starbucks. view full article
KENS-TV has more details on the demonstration:

The 23-minute video was posted the YouTube on Aug. 24. It shows three men sitting outside a San Antonio Starbucks displaying rifles. Several passersby stop and talk to the men. At least one woman stops to take video on her cell phone.

Police eventually showed up after they received a call from a woman who claimed she was “freaked out” by the display of weapons.p Officers approached the men, questioned them about the situation and told the gun holders they needed to leave.

The suspects were placed under what’s called a non-custodial arrest, which means they were charged with a crime but were not taken into custody.

The men do not appear to be belligerent or aggressive in the video.

“Gotta love open carry,” one of the men says.

Another man says they are merely choosing to “enjoy” their “freedoms.” However, it didn’t take long for police to intervene and break up the gathering.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

watched the whole thing. That was sad, granted sitting around at starbucks with your ARs and shotguns is an "eye catcher". They took the time to try and call ahead even, used some common courtesy. But to get written up for disorderly conduct is complete and utter bullshit. Oh, "what's the serial # on your gun..........so we can check and see if it's stolen or not" WTFO? These guys were straight up law abiding hard core citizens, sucks to do the right thing I guess.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

To make matters worse I watched another Youtube post where they arrested an active duty guy who was doing a 10 mile hike with his son for his Eagle scout, this is FUBAR...............http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8r4MK3R4PI ...................you just have to watch it to understand. I'd let his son kick the fat guy in the nuts for hours while I drank beer just for fun.

[Gunfixr]

Something similar happened here in Hopewell, VA recently. There's been a big movement all over about standing on overpasses holding signs over the side that can be seen by motorists passing underneath.
A guy in Hopewell who was doing this with some others was open carrying a handgun in a holster, and an AR-15 slung on his back. Open carry is legal in VA. He had the rifle unloaded, with no magazine and the bolt locked back.
Without any warning, several officers showed, got out guns drawn and pointed at the man, and basically did the "felony stop", had him walking backward hands up, etc. They threw his rifle around, damaging it, and kept him locked up for a couple hours, and then released him without charges.
He had violated no laws whatsoever. Waiting to see how this shakes out.

[Kodiak]

The problem is there are too many nut jobs running around shooting innocent people, so I understand when people get scared when they see guys carrying AR's in public. Though these particular guys are probably law abiding citizens, who says the next guy you see with an AR is?

[Domeguy]

The problem is there are too many nut jobs running around shooting innocent people, so I understand when people get scared when they see guys carrying AR's in public. Though these particular guys are probably law abiding citizens, who says the next guy you see with an AR is?

I agree with you Kodiak. I know there guys were just trying to prove a point, but the people around them didn't know that. I also agree with BWRR. It wasn't illegal, and they were having a quiet peaceful protest, and even tried to let the authorities know ahead of time.
I now realize what my father meant when he complained about the Left trying to take away his guns, even the antique guns. My dad used to say it, and now I do too. "They will have to pry my gun out from my cold, dead fingers"
As for not knowing if that person carrying a gun walking towards you has good intentions or not, that is why I wear this shirt.http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/4087/1dc6.jpg
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1540/hd1z.jpg

[Gunfixr]

A shirt with words on it won't mean a thing to police, especially those responding to a "man with a gun" call.
Neither will it to most of the general public. If America would/could read, then they wouldn't be blindly following every word coming out of the mouths of the MSM on tv.

[greg48]

A person has gotta wonder at what point do the "police" question their objectives?

[helomech]

Cops should be fired if this is true. You can not arrest someone because someone else is offended. Heck they should not have even bothered these guys, that they knew where carrying legally. Just because someone is displaying a firearm legally does not give the cops the right to mess with them.

The one that happened in Texas, I believe those cops will be fired, and the department will pay large amounts of money.

[ak474u]

Cops should be fired if this is true. You can not arrest someone because someone else is offended. Heck they should not have even bothered these guys, that they knew where carrying legally. Just because someone is displaying a firearm legally does not give the cops the right to mess with them.

The one that happened in Texas, I believe those cops will be fired, and the department will pay large amounts of money.


All this in a state where most cops won't arrest someone for threats of violence... "Ok ma'am, if your husband does beat you up, or kill you, give us a call". In Dallas, they'll arrest you for having a long gun in your vehicle. Of course, they'll also pay you lots of money, but you get a taxpayer funded meal or 2 before they release you. When I was broke, and my CHL expired, I carried my mossy folder in the truck (before the legal gun in car without a license law was passed). A cop customer and I were talking guns, and he said... "Don't carry that thing in Dallas, they'll arrest you, I know its legal, and so do they, but you'll be arrested. You'll be a rich criminal when you get out, they get sued all the time for it".

- - - Updated - - -

[Gunfixr]

Unfortunately, we have slowly gone from "community policing", where police know the citizens and watch out for them, really only having to arrest those who just refuse to learn, to more of an "us vs them" mentality, where everybody is guilty of something, and they're looking to see what it is and make the arrest.
Laws are passed to further this making silly things an arrestable offense. An example is "failure to obey a police officer" which I read recently was made law somewhere in the US. Failure to obey a police officer? No matter what he says?
Federal grants of money and military gear further this even more.

Now, not all officers and departments are following this as far as others, but it is a trend that has been noticed. While I think some officers really enjoy the power, I also think there are others who don't realize where they are headed, as it is a slow process. We need some way to show our law enforcement that this isn't how it was meant to be.
Just haven't figured that part out.

[ak474u]

Saw a video the other day where some guy in Houston got pulled over in his driveway, his mother was standing outside watching the cop, and he told her to go back inside... She said "this is my home, I can stand anywhere I want". It turned into a cops vs. whole family melee including several cops kicking and beating one guy while he was cuffed on dash cam of course, so there's a lawsuit, and cops got fired, etc. all over an old lady standing in her yard watching. My favorite is when people get arrested for "interfering with an investigation" while standing quietly across the street from the police with a cellphone taking video. Nobody seems to respect anyone anymore in general, and the police these days have a bad habit of escalation when someone doesn't do everything they expect them to.

[Gunfixr]

A prime example.

Police should never fear being recorded in public doing their duty, unless they are doing something they shouldn't.

The public would not feel the need to record police doing their duty, if they did not feel the police were doing something wrong.

Police are here to protect the rights of everybody, which criminals violate with their crimes. This is being forgotten.

[ak474u]

A prime example.

Police should never fear being recorded in public doing their duty, unless they are doing something they shouldn't.

The public would not feel the need to record police doing their duty, if they did not feel the police were doing something wrong.

Police are here to protect the rights of everybody, which criminals violate with their crimes. This is being forgotten.

Totally agree, 90% of cops get a bad rap, and aren't respected. Crime is everywhere, and it's all cops get to see, so it goes back to the old saying "if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". So people don't get treated well by the police because even though not true in the eyes of the courts (for now) everybody is up to no good when they are encountered by the police, and the small percentage of interactions the regular law-abiding citizen has with them creates the same opinion the crooks have because frequently a regular citizen isn't treated well. It's really hard to determine which came first, bad attitude power corrupted LEOs or bad attitude disrespectful citizens dealing with LEOs.

Everyone gets jaded after a while, I've got a buddy that has been in sales so long, that nobody can sell him anything. He thinks everybody is out to get his money for a worthless over-hyped product or service, even if the product has a good reputation, he is suspicious of the person selling it. If you tried to sell him a tire, to replace his flat tire, and it was the best rated, cheapest tire available, and it was on sale today, he'd have to think about it, and get a second opinion, which he would also be suspicious of. If you told him his house was on fire, and he didn't see smoke, and wasn't on fire himself, he'd have to investigate before trusting you. Everyone distrusts someone because of prior experience, whether it be a culture, a race, a job type, etc.