Woman Wins $100K After Being Arrested for Shouting 'Fuck the Police!'

[Newsjock]

Source: Gawker

Political activist Amy Elizabeth Barnes was awarded $100,000 this week in a settlement with Cobb County, Ga. following her 2012 arrest by police for shouting expletives that cops claimed would "incite an immediate breach of the peace."

Barnes was arrested by police Easter Sunday 2012. She reportedly rode her bike past two police officers questioning a black suspect outside a convenience store. She shouted, "Cobb police suck" and "fuck the police," gave them the bird, and rode off. Police followed and arrested her.

"They came after me like it was some action movie," Barnes told WSBTV. The TV station also reports that following Barnes' arrest, she was placed in solitary confinement for 23 hours.

"Ms. Barnes' comments to the police may have been offensive, but no one in the United States of America should be chased down and arrested for their free speech," Barnes' lawyer Cynthia Counts, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "The officers argued that it was a bad neighborhood and you shouldn't disrespect the police because it could create issues."

Read more: http://gawker.com/woman-wins-100k-after-being-arrested-for-shouting-fuc-1670305227

[Ghost in the Machine]

1. These are the kind of jackboots we're dealing with, their mentality...

"The officers argued that it was a bad neighborhood and you shouldn't disrespect the police because it could create issues."

All I can say is.... FUCK THE POLICE!

Ghost

[SamKnause]

2. Thank you judge Melodie Clayton.

[dissentient]

3. Now that is a "good news" story!

[progressoid]

4. Wow, wasn't expecting that.

[daredtowork]

5. This is why the cops drew the gun in the Berkeley protest photos

The cops claimed to be in fear for their lives because angry protesters were closing in - probably shouting stuff like "Fuck the police!"

But the cops were infiltrating a protest against abuse of power by the police.

And the cops were disguised as "masked anarchists" who had been making trouble for the protests: they had possibly been acting as "agent provocateurs" (some claim to have seen them banging on bank windows prior to the incident). Protesters were constantly being berated to "stop" them.

And the cops had thrown down and were arresting a black kid - seemingly picked out of a bunch of white protesters. The black kid may have been assaulted (it's claimed he has a concussion). If there was a time to stand of for #BlackLivesMatter, it seemed to be then.

Because the protesters were angry, one of the cops started waving his gun. Without showing his badge first. (though the Chief of Police stuck the badge part in for media consumption later). There was noise, there were more people showing up for the noise. You can see how the cop would panic. The photographers on the scene don't blame the cop.

But you can't blame the protesters either. Sometimes there have reason to start shouting angrily at the police.

Sometimes the police do dumb things. Afterward they should apologize and review their tactics.

[CurtEastPoint]

6. Same county as mosque-hating Kennesaw, who now loves mosques.

Cobb County is a hot mess of Repubes and rednecks.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. "...you shouldn't disrespect the police (in a 'bad' neighborhood) because it could create issues."

Ah yes,....where have we heard this before?



"Fear, will keep the local systems in line."

[BumRushDaShow]

9. OMG

So true!

[lpbk2713]

8. That's all she had to do?

Just yell 'Fuck the Police!' ?

Somebody call the cops for me. I'll do it for $50K.

[Nye Bevan]

11. Well.... it might work, but they have to arrest you, and ideally mistreat you.

And this is probably not something that black people should try.

[Nye Bevan]

10. Excellent. That is clearly speech protected by the First Amendment.

I just wish that the cops who arrested her had to personally contribute to the payment of the damages.

[tclambert]

12. But she might have hurt their delicate feelings.

[Hubert Flottz]

14. Apparently the cops scare easily these days.

Fifeists? Barney Fifeists?

[oberliner]

13. Imagine if she wasn't white

Things might have turned out differently.

[Orrex]

16. That was my first thought as well.

They wouldn't have chased her down--they'd have shot her outright.

[rock]

15. "...you shouldn't disrespect the police..."

How could you? They have no respect.

[BlueJazz]

17. I think she was being rather callous and unfair. I don't hollar derogatory statements at people..

...I don't know, know matter what their profession,
I certainly understand her actions with all that's going on plus she has a right to speak her mind.

My thing is: What if they (cops) were some of the ones who really believe in "Protect and Serve"

[eggplant]

18. Do you really think this thread is about what she yelled?

and not about the police reaction and her subsequent treatment?

Would it change things if she had yelled something you might "holler" and still got thrown in solitary for 23 hours?

Free speech means freedom to say things without getting arrested. It's not about the speech itself.

[BlueJazz]

23. That sounds great in a perfect world. People can be noisy, rude and obnoxious all they want.

I still think of them as noisy, rude, obnoxious and low class.
What the police did was wrong also...very wrong.
...And this thread is about how I perceive it. You can see it any way you want to...and that's fine...

[LanternWaste]

25. The prioritization of your concern is rather illustrative

"And this thread is about how I perceive it...."

The prioritization of your concern is rather illustrative, regardless of how you may attempt to rationalize it otherwise.

[BlueJazz]

29. You are wrong..in my mind. (as I said in another post)

I'm riding my bike along enjoying my day. Nobody is bothering me but son-of-bitch, I just have to start screaming obscenities at people. Fuck THAT shit.

It's like assholes that scream out their car window "Hey BABY!..Wanna' Fuck!"

Low Class.

You know also> She can be wrong and the cops can be wrong at the same time.

[Mariana]

20. A cop who really believes in "Protect and Serve"

can deal with being called names by a passerby. If these cops had been that type, they would have simply gone about their business and let her go about hers. Instead, they proved her right.

[BlueJazz]

27. Mariana...I'm not siding with the cops. I'm not condoning what the cops did.

I'm saying that this person is riding along and she sees some cops talking to somebody and she HAS to try and be a loud mouth prick?
She has the right to ...sure... but damn, can't you leave them alone? They're not bothering you.

In short...I've yelled stuff at police but NOT when they're eating a donut or just talking to someone.
..and besides, the woman is driving around in a new Mercedes Benz now so I'm not TOO upset about her spending 23 hours in jail. (Which she shouldn't be in, in the first place)

[DeSwiss]

21. Your attitude is EXACTLY why this country is fucked up!

Barnes was arrested by police Easter Sunday 2012. She reportedly rode her bike past two police officers questioning a black suspect outside a convenience store. She shouted, "Cobb police suck" and "fuck the police," gave them the bird, and rode off. Police followed and arrested her.

- If these thin-skinned mofo's can't handle the pressure then they don't need to be walking around with a gun and the authority to kill.

Goddammit!

IGNORED

[BlueJazz]

24. One action does not constitute a Universe

You're awfully grouchy

[LanternWaste]

26. Hers, or the action of law enforcement?

"One action does not constitute a Universe..."
Hers, or the action of law enforcement?

(insert distinction without a difference below)

[BlueJazz]

30. Both..I would say. The cops were assholes and non-professional and she was a yelling screamer.

Look...It's just that I hear people all the time screaming and denigrating other people who are minding their own business and it gets old...just gets old.
Can't we, at least, wait until somebody fucks with us to act out our anger.?

[eggplant]

32. You would prefer people be civil. I get that.

The cops didn't like her attitude. They made a point of letting her know that. She wasn't interfering with their duties. They had no reason to follow her and arrest her. Even if she was being an asshole.

But this is about a fundamental right that EVERYONE, even assholes, have in this country. The *government* cannot infringe (by, say, chasing you down, arresting you, and sticking you in solitary for 23 hours) on your free speech rights.

That's why she pocketed a big check. And rightly (!) so.

I think the part that bothers me about your point is that it sounds so much like "if you don't have anything to hide, then why not just let them search you/your car/your pockets/your house..." And it's because the 4th Amendment says that you don't have to let them. If you want to, that's your business. If the cops don't like your attitude and then decide to just come on in anyway? Sorry, no dice.

[BlueJazz]

34. You said >

"I think the part that bothers me about your point is that it sounds so much like "if you don't have anything to hide, then why not just let them search you/your car/your pockets/your house..." And it's because the 4th Amendment says that you don't have to let them. If you want to, that's your business. If the cops don't like your attitude and then decide to just come on in anyway? Sorry, no dice. "


I don't feel that way. Never have. Never will. I know darn well that (probably) a good share of the populace can't be trusted to enforce rules and laws fairly and equally. And furthermore, it's nobody's business what you have as long as you're not out to hurt someone or society. (High Fat Chocolate is OK though)
For the "If you don't have anything to hide thing" We both know that some things that are hidden are things that
don't do anybody serious harm..Pot, a borrowed cold pill, (With codeine!!!!...oh my!) and a myriad of stuff that will/would be "Looked over" if you're rich but oh, so serious if you're not rich.

I suppose my slight irritation with the woman was this "Geez Lady...you KNOW that there are some really crazy-ass-nasty-mean-heartless cops out there. I understand your anger and your right to express whatever you want.
but if I may, please let me give you a tiny bit of advice>Pick your battles well so you can protest and fight another day. Your screaming at those (maybe sociopathic) cops...AND your being alone could have ended your fight with injustice prematurely.

[DeSwiss]

19. Hey Police!?

It turns out that nobody likes bullies, asswipes and racist-ass, murdering motherfuckers. I know!!! Crazy, right!?!?

- Unfortunately, pinning a camera to your ass won't increase your IQ nor rid you of your barbarism.

K&R

[SoapBox]

22. Wow...never heard about this in the first place.

I still blame Chimpy and his puppet master, Darth Cheney the Heartless, for helping spread evil to all the Police Militias.

Now, We the People, need to reign in these bullies and power abusers.

Yes...we need our police officers...but it's time for cleaning house and some serious retraining.

[Sunlei]

28. Police used their authority to punish her, as much as they could get away with.

chased. arrested and in solitary for 23 hours. she lose her bike too?

probably wished they could have knocked her to the ground or "walled" her and beat her up.

I hope thousands and thousands start to use their free speech more often.

[gwheezie]

31. People with authority over others must control themselves

I get called a fucking bitch several times a week where I work. Last night a patient said he was going to fuck me up. You just can't react to that. I have the authority to place a person on restraints and deny them several rights. I take that authority seriously. It is one of the most serious actions I can take. It doesn't matter what anyone says to me I cannot use the authority I have to punish someone.

[eggplant]

33. +1