According to what I read he was given a ticket and released after he showed his ID. I don’t know if “illegal” is the word, but apparently you’re not supposed to eat at certain areas in the BART stations.
It is how you get ants…
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From the BART website “According to both state law and BART policy, passengers can drink and eat all they want in the ‘Free Area,’ which we define as the portion of the station that’s outside the fare gates where you don’t need a ticket,” BART Police Chief Gary Gee said. “But BART Police Officers will ticket riders who eat or drink in the ‘Paid Area,’ which we define as the places where you need a ticket such as inside the fare gates of a station, on platforms or on any train. State law sets the fine as high as $250 and up to 48 hours of community service for this infraction.”
So it’s a rule in place, I suppose. Life is full of dumb rules. Feel free to get worked up about it or not, as you see best.
MM MD
Again, not a lawyer and am not sure what, if any, distinction there is between an illegal act and a crime. If you are speeding you’re violating an ordinance or even a law, but are you committing a crime? I honestly don’t know. You can get arrested and go to jail for crimes, but I don’t think you can be arrested and jailed for a minor speeding infraction even though it is against the law to speed
Would love for a lawyer to weigh in on this. Obviously, the main point is that no rational person would say this guy was hurting anyone or causing trouble by eating a sandwich. The cop simply could’ve politely warned him and that would be that. But instead, he chose to be a tyrant as he was probably trained to be
I choose to get worked up about it
I don’t think ticketing infractions are jailable offenses, at least not until the court date and the judge rules. This cop threatened to kidnap and take him to jail
I wasn’t there, so I don’t know. Maybe the cop is a dick. Maybe the person in question is a dick. Statistically, since about 80% of the human race suck, probably they both were.
You don’t get arrested for minor speeding tickets. Pull a sovereign citizen stunt and you will (and be a star on You-tube, which is probably the point). But whatever.
MM MD
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The only sovereign citizens are the fucking cops
Did you watch the vid? How was the guy being a dick? He was peacefully eating a fucking sandwich!
Sounds like the Black guy was mad that he was singled out for the eating on the platform ticket and I see no reason to doubt that was the case. I’ve been on BART a bunch and though I don’t recall eating, I certainly wouldn’t have ever thought twice about it on the open platform.
Once the cop singles him out, he gets a pass on not being polite about it imo.
I’ll definitely admit that the “sovereign citizen” routine is dbaggy, but it shouldn’t be. Cops shouldn’t get to just ask for ID or what you’re doing or where you’re heading etc… I appreciate that some people are being dbags to protect my rights.
@hobbes9324 is correct that claiming sovereign citizenship won’t end well of for you. But exercising your constitutional rights is NOT being a sovereign citizen and it’s BS that many people are ignorant enough to think that it is
I keep wanting to repeat I’m not a lawyer, but I want to say if you’ve committed a ticketable offense then you probably have to provide ID and I’m not even sure about that unless you’re operating a motorized vehicle that requires a DL. You don’t need walking papers in the US to be out in public. But one thing I do know is that you absolutely do NOT have to provide ID just because a cop asks for it! Unless you are placed under arrest, you don’t even have to give your name. I also noticed the cop was grabbing the guy’s backpack presumably because he was going to search it. Even if he did receive a ticket, it would be a violation of his 4th amendment right to to do so without consent
My main point/rant is that exercising your constitutional rights does not make you a sovereign citizen and it’s a shame that cop boot lickers would everyone believing that it is
The true believers are certifiably nuts. Although they do provide some entertainment when they get tasered before being taken to jail.
I’m a BIG believer in the youtube video that everyone has seen about NEVER talking to police. Of course, I’m a 60+ y/o white guy, and I’m totally aware I’m going to be treated completely differently from a 22 y/o brown/black person.
And happy to see a boot licker comment came up. Can we get a Nazi reference and I’ll complete my Bingo card?
MM MD
For every one of those, there are 20 more of dumb cops getting owned for failing to know the constitution they’ve taken an oath to uphold
Oh yeah, I agree completely. I’m talking about the true wingnuts. They’re a special breed.
MM MD
I don’t think it’s fair or right morally that being born here I have to either be a citizen of the US, subject to it’s rule, or leave, but maybe I’m certifiable.
Yup, certifiable
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I agree that those who think they can stake out or buy a piece of land and not be subjected to any governmental laws or taxes are certifiable. At the same time, the US is nowhere near as “free” of a country as it’s portrayed to be. Government overreach can be downright intrusive and harmful when it comes to social laws and privacy
Thoughts and prayers!
Rule seems arguably justifiable if it saves on cleaning costs due to not having to clean up food and if the people of the community want it that way. But I’m willing to bet they are disproportionately enforcing it against people of color, which is why it’s a fucked up rule.
I mean, this describes almost all the laws, and why they’re fucked up laws.
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Entirely possible (Probably, actually). It would be nice if people of all colors would stop being asshats, but there are definitely different consequences for different people, which sucks.
MM MD
The people in blue should stop being asshats
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