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A group of citizens attending a peaceful assembly to protest the economic shutdown in NC was forcibly dispersed, and some arrested, by the Police in Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite being one of the 13 original colonies, they forgot the First amendment!!
Nicely done Raleigh, North Carolina Police Department! You reminded people around the country that the “First Amendment right” to peaceful assembly is at risk. From you. Officers of the law.
Protesting is a non-essential activity.
— Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) April 14, 2020
A reminder of what the First Amendment should say:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
There, I fixed it for you. Congratulations officers, there’s less to remember.
Uh, well yeah sure. Maybe Raleigh PD deems it “non-essential”, but they don’t get to make that decision. Neither does the Governor. Despite issuing “Executive Orders“… he doesn’t get to suspend the Constitutional rights of Americans.
The Raleigh Police Department has issued a statement in response to the earlier tweet regarding protesting and the Executive Order. pic.twitter.com/mg4laUpFIk
— Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) April 14, 2020
Like a second rate Banana Republic, the PD has a motto they don’t follow:
Our MISSION: In the spirit of service, the Raleigh Police Department exists to preserve and improve the quality of life, instill peace, and protect property through unwavering attention to our duties in partnership with the community.”
Not much partnership there my friends… arresting people peacefully assembled and standing on a public street. I’m sorry your governor is embracing authoritarianism, and you are forced to violate the rights outlined in the Constitution.
I suggest you take him for a drive to New Bern, NC, site of the original seat of power for the British Monarchy appointed Governor to the (then) colony of North Carolina. I hear Tyron Palace is a great place to hole up during a revolution. You guys should grab a Pepsi and take a tour. Let the Governor sit in the Palace and contemplate how NC’s citizenry treat autocratic leadership.
The lady being arrested in the video said, as she was led to Raleigh PD squad car, “They’re just doing their job.”
I get it. Your job has grey areas, big blocks of grey. But I can’t imagine it feels good to knowingly arrest people who are doing nothing but voicing their God granted right to gather in protest. No violence. No belligerence. Not a single ANTIFA style spitball in your direction. Merely citizens who want answers from their elected leader.
Elections have consequences. It seems that electing Democrats results in DIRE consequences. The overwhelmingly draconian responses to the COVID-19 virus have come from Democrat leaders. Hunting down out of state license plates (D-RI), banning sale of “non-essential” garden seeds, and everything else (D-MI), No “Parking lot Church” for Easter Sunday (D-Louisville, KY). Add in the arrest of peaceful protestors (who have a legitimate grievance with their state government) for violating the (D) Governor’s “Executive Orders”; we have a pretty solid case for new leadership. Across the nation. In small towns and large states, Democrat leadership is willing to easily suspend the Constitution. “For your safety!”, of course.
Thank You Sarah and welcome Instapundit readers!
Featured Image: Good Free Photos License: CC-0 Public Domain Image: Cropped 400×400
Lloyd says: Many: Governors…Mayors…Police Officers…and others have jumped at this chance to exercise/display power that is normally restricted by the constitution. Sad times for America/Americans !!
I can’t say the individual officers have much choice. They can use discretion, but when called by a “concerned citizen” or public display, they are forced to behave as they directed. It’s really the leadership authorities who are making this a walk into authoritarianism. Unfortunately, it’s not something a majority is concerned about.
David says: I understand what you are saying, but, underbtye law, a police officer must not (in other words, no choice) obey an illegal order. Arresting peaceful protesters comes under that. If he does so, he is an accessory to a crime.
The problem for the LEO, much like the Military (AD), is the legality of the order. Legal/illegal is for the lawyers to parse. If the LEO or AD refuses to obey the order/directive they are punished. Their recourse is to bring forth the issue of legality. In the meanwhile, their job is on hold or their command revoked. It’s a very slippery slope. Thankfully, NC has no shortage of lawyers ready to pounce. As of this afternoon, two had already officially requested the Gov clarify his order. Phrased as only lawyers can do, “did you do this?” and “when did you do this?” 😉
“Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.”
Scott says: Someone needs to explain to these petty tyrants that protesting is THE essential activity! And any of those that were arrested need to get a good lawyer, well schooled in Constitutional law….
cthulhu says: The four boxes of liberty is an idea that proposes: “There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order.”
A government that doesn’t want to be shouted at wants to be voted out of office; a government that gets hinky with voting in order to preserve its power is asking to be slapped down by the courts; a government that suppresses protests, suppresses votes, and has suborned the justice system has run out of “good” boxes, and will suffer the fate of Mussolini or Ceausescu.
Bill Dumanch says: North Carolina is a “Dirty 8” High-taxation state.
always has been.
Why some think it’s Conservative
Nah, they gave up
As Virginia, their neighbor did
Say, how’s those NEW dead babies doing?
GWB says: to preserve and improve the quality of life
Ummm, what business of the police is that?
Their mission should be “To preserve the rights of the people, to enforce the law, and to protect the public.” PERIOD.
That they are writing mission statements beyond that is an indicator that they’ve forgotten why they exist. (“To be paid to do full time what is every citizen’s responsibility.” Peelian Principles)
how NC’s citizenry treat autocratic leadership
Hah! Fat chance! As evidence:
“They’re just doing their job.”
Your job has grey areas
Not really, since legitimate courts have consistently ruled that vague laws are unenforceable.
It seems that electing Democrats technocrats results in DIRE consequences.
FIFY. There’s plenty of those in both parties. (And a boatload of technocracy supporters in Libertarian ranks.)
Hunting down out of state license plates
Sorry, but that’s the one on that list that I support. You have an epidemic in your state (really, one city in your state) and they’re coming to MY state? Heck yeah I’m gonna hunt them down and force them into quarantine (unless they can prove themselves clean).
Of course, they shouldn’t have had to do that. Because – if this was a real “quarantine” and not “house arrest” – NYC shouldn’t have been letting those people travel outside their jurisdiction in the first place.
we have a pretty solid case for new leadership
No. What we have a case for is removing the franchise from people who are sheep (clue: they’re the ones who vote Democrat and for Big Gov’t Republicans), until they can re-educated into the morals and wisdom necessary to exercise it. (How? Simple, some of those places could be shut down under Article 4 Section 4, returned to a territory, then the intelligent portions could be allowed re-entry, and the other parts re-enter as they gain wisdom. Simple, but hard, because of all the technocrats and communists those people have elected.)
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