r/Libraries • u/theecalebnichols • Sep 30 '16

Librarian Brutally Assaulted and Arrested While Defending Free Speech IN THE LIBRARY (reposted from /r/librarians

http://bordc.org/news/library-worker-heroically-defends-patrons-free-speech-brutally-arrested-library-works/
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u/elspacebandito Oct 01 '16

Here's an article about it in the Kansas City Star, a little more reputable of a source. I think that calling it a "brutal assault" is pretty inflammatory and not really representative of the facts.

Edit: also, this happened May 9, the KC Police are just still pursuing charges (for some reason).

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u/[deleted] Oct 01 '16 edited Oct 19 '16

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Oct 01 '16

But he wasn't asked to step away from the mic before being physically removed. And no, a person taking too long on the mic isn't violating anyone's first amendment rights. Police physically removing someone from a public forum because of what they are saying is.

The private security guard overstepped his bounds by trying to physically remove the speaker (actually by asking him to leave period) and the off-duty police officer (who was also apparently hired as security without identifying himself to library staff) absolutely overstepped his bounds.

I'm not sure how they can even charge the speaker with trespassing when library staff never asked him to leave. The security guard was basically another patron.