Read this and post what you think. Rifles near Appleton farmers' market lead to police, debate According to Wisconsin law open carry is legal. There are no specifics to weapon restrictions. Do you think what these guys did is OK? Did the cops act inappropriately? If so, what should the cops of done? What would you have done if you were the cops? There is home video here to watch if you would like. I can't wait to play devil's advocate on this one.
I'm gonna say the cops did the right thing this time. The guys had not need to be carrying Ar-15s to go shopping. I mean seriously?
What's wrong with carrying an AR shopping as long as it's legal?? Some would say people don't need to be pulling back 70lbs for a hunting set up, but some do it anyways.......
I think instead of detaining them, he could have just asked them to go back home and leave the guns to avoid conflict. Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 4
I would say that they were obviously making a statement and expecting backlash hence the camera. If that state has no restriction on what can and cannot be openly carried then they broke no law and there was no need to have guns drawn and handcuffed. Team Red Sun Rising
Sometimes common sense needs to prevail over rights IMO. Was it legal? Yes. Was it a good idea? Probably not. Kind of like losers that walk around with a boa constrictor around their neck. It's nothing more than a "look at me" move on their part. JMO, flame away....
If they were legal in their action, which it sounds like they were, then the police should leave them alone. Do the police have a right to talk to them? yes. Do the police have a right to stop them without probable cause? no. I could go on and on, but the TRUTH is, just because you don't like it, doesn't make it illegal. If it's legal, it's RIGHT according to the state. If it's illegal, it's wrong.
Police Open carry guns (okay not AR15's) everyday. Just because some guy takes an oath on a stack of Bibles doesn't make him less human than me. Now, that being said, I normally conceal carry. But Cal....what about the training?! I may not be able to shoot 1000 rounds a week because of my budget but the only person that is responsible for my safety is me. So, leave me be if I want to carry, regardless of how.
I tend to stay concealed, I don't want attention, but I respect their right to open carry whatever they choose. Team Red Sun Rising
Who would you blame if the cops didn't proactively try and diffuse and investigate a situation like this and there ended up being a mass shooting where many people are killed when the cops could of prevented it? How do the cops know what the guys intentions are? They just see guys with AR-15’s strapped to their chest walking towards a public place where lots of people are.
Open carry is one thing, but when you take it to an extreme like these jackwagons did, it makes law abiding open carriers look bad.
Baited video. Obviously they did this with intentions of having the outcome it did. I'm not going to go down the what is common sense for carry or not because it's a slippery slope. Obviously the sight of two guys open carrying an AR-15 in public is going to cause police to investigate. The police have every right to question and advise, not detain of course. With that being said, common sense tells you that open carrying an AR15 is silly and unnecessary. If you're willing to do it, be willing to accept the questioning.
I agree that what they did was stupid. It's like when people drive around in there cars with the music blasting so loud that the bass shakes my windows. Or when someone in a white van hangs out in a school zone too long. However, none of these things are illegal. Can a cop approach a van and ask the driver what he's doing? yes. Should he? sure. But once he finds out that the guy is a painter that is on his lunch break he should leave him alone. If he ends up nabbing a kid after the bell...well that sucks. But police can't over step their bounds. they can use judgement calls but only under the letter of the law. To take the man out of the van and hand cuff him because in Colorado some guy in a white van abducted a kid 3 years ago is ludicrous and a violation of his rights as an American.
I believe the cops were in the right by initiating contact and getting a feel for the situation. I feel it went beyond that when cops unholstered and held the guys at gunpoint. That and the ensuing arrest is where my issue lies Team Red Sun Rising
So if you see guys like this headed into a school or movie theater that your kids happen to be in.. Then what? Somehow we have to weed the stupid guys out of what's legal yet very stupid.
^ 100% THIS. and let's just say I know what I'm talking about, on both sides. By forcibly detaining them and taking them into custody, the police are now in line for a nice lawsuit for unlawful detention. Any questions the police had could have been answered in the field. Even at the end, the officer can be heard saying that they weren't breaking any laws, but they were going to the station for "crossing the line." Not breaking the law, but "crossing the line." He does not have the moral, much less the statutory authority to make that assessment. Even if the police try to say that they are "causing a disturbance;" people's reactions to perfectly legal acts are not the citizens in questions' problem. Think of it as freedom of expression - have you ever seen the crowds and "disturbances" that gather around when the Klan or Black Panther people assemble, and espouse their sickening ideals? But they are perfectly in their rights to do so, knowing that they are going to cause a ruckus. As long as no one is directly threatened or physically assaulted, no one goes to jail, no matter how the actions/words may offend polite societal norms. No one has the freedom to not be offended. Yet. Opinions are fine, but the law is the law.
Moot point due to currently existing laws. Pretty sure it's illegal nation wide to carry a gun on school campuses.... Team Red Sun Rising
Yes... legal, but did you notice how he threw Disorderly Conduct at them? I think the officer did a good job finding a way to detain them, without infringing rights... JMO.
When you have to "find a way" I'd say even if technically legal, it still ain't right. Team Red Sun Rising
Even though technically "Legal" it wasn't right for them to carry a AR-15 through a farmers market. I think they call that a "Moot point" :D
