I Was Arrested Today

colavitos ghost: 28th May 2006 - 05:28 GMT

Chris,

Terrible (but compelling) story. All I can say is that I wish you the best in fighting against this bullshit you were put through. I´m in Mexico right now and, needless to say, many of the people down here are more than a little upset about the state of things (especially with regard to their shared border with my country).

NO MORE BORDERS!!!

EvilGentleman: 28th May 2006 - 08:49 GMT

Chris, I can tell you from experience, that while the majority of police try hard to do a decent job, cases of police overstepping the bounds of the responsibilities entrusted to them by the citizens in ways such as this are, unfortunately, all too common.

There is absolutely no reason to become aggressive towards people who are being passively disobedient, but I see in this instance, two factors that are likely to trigger an overreaction from the police.

First off, your friend Asaf was not born white, which in case you did not know, is an automatic strike when dealing with most North American police. As we all should know by now, people who have chosen to be born with non-caucasian features are obviously troublemakers. Why else would they decide to piss the cops off by being different? What the hell do they think Canada is, a democracy or something? Obviously being ethnic is a crime in this so-called great country.

Secondly, you asked the cop to state his badge number on the record, which you should realize is a horrible crime that is just a half-step below terrorism. At no time is a citizen ever supposed to remind the police that the citizens have rights, and that the police can be held accountable for their actions. Don't you know that already? Next thing you know, you could have shaken the very foundations of law enforcement by spreading some horrible propaganda that the police obviously needed to stop, like perhaps mentioning that the laws apply to the police as well. How dare you imply that the police are not omnipotent demigods? If you had just understood what the cops were trying to subconsciously get across, you would not have been arrested.

Here are the rules of being a good citizen, in the eyes of a bad cop:

1 - We are cattle, remember that. Follow blindly, do not ask questions.
2 - The Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms are just pretty little documents to keep the UN quiet, they have no actual meaning. We have no rights, just privileges which the police can decide to bless us with and then revoke without warning.
3 - Never talk back to a cop, cops are always right
4 - Never watch a cop when he is doing something bad, if it looks bad, he probably has a legitimate reason to beat up 80 year old homeless people in wheelchairs, but of course you do not know that, because citizens know nothing
5 - Never take pictures of police, people might see things they are not supposed to.
6 - Do not be a member of a minority. When choosing parents at birth, always make sure they are wealthy white people who have lots of politician friends.
7 - Do not protest anything. Ever. If we pretend everything is perfect, then it is perfect.
8 - Do not get robbed or murdered while being a member of a minority or a poor person, or worse yet, both. Police have more important things to do, like making sure no ethnic people are driving past rich white people's houses in cars that have rust spots on them.
9 - If you are a member of a minority and you are driving a nice car, you obviously stole it.
10 - Canada has a caste system, it is just not advertised to much. Rich people, politicians and cops are at the top. The rest of us should never argue with people at the top, because we are nothing.
11 - Raping and killing small children is bad, but nowhere near as bad as trying to kill a cop. Cops' lives are worth more, other lives are meaningless, unless they are rich and/or powerful.
12 - Cops are perfect. If someone says a cop commited a crime, that person must be deranged.
13 - Failure to kiss ass can result in immediate arrest.
14 - If for some reason, you manage to successfully get a cop in trouble, you must be a menace to society and therefore have to be watched by the police for the rest of your life, in case you commit other evil crimes like jaywalking and having a burnt tail light.

P.S. - Good job. I'm shocked that they let you keep your pictures, that was a lucky break. Did you hide the camera card?

P.P.S. - I know there are good cops out there, but why the hell do they stand by and let this shit happen? Get off your asses and fix things, you lazy bastards! We deserve better, and if the cops are not willing to respect the laws for which they supposedly stand, then maybe it is time for a revolution.

elaine: 28th May 2006 - 09:27 GMT

i think sometimes public servants forget who they are serving

Chris Erb: 28th May 2006 - 13:31 GMT

Brilliantly written EvilGentleman. You couldn't have put it any better.

We were all able to keep our pictures. None of these are actually mine as my camera was on the wrong setting and didn't turn out very well. They were pretty much the same as these though. We haven't gotten our bull horn back yet and we probably never will (or if we do, it probably won't work).

I also agree that there are many good cops out there. I used to have to work with the cops quite often when I was a night watchman at an old factory that was being turned into apartments. I found it was about 50/50. Some police wuld be very nice and very helpful and the other half would be completely useless morons.

The big problem that we're having is tourist season is coming up and, despite the fact that nobody really visits Fredericton, this city is completely obsessed with tourism. Over the last week, to "beautify" the downtown area the police orcity has done the following: torn down all posters on the poles every single day (despite the agreement that local promoters made with the city, ordered all panhandlers off the streets and threatened them with tickets, ordered all panhandlers away from the city market and threatened them with tickets, totally cracked down on busking and are apparently forcing them to get permits, tickets have been threatened/issued as well. Now this, I think what happened yesterday was a message sent that the police and the city will not tolerate any activity that tourists may not like. Food Not Bombs caused some minor problems last year in front of city hall, it's starting up again next week and there will be other protests, I imagine there are going to be sequels.

Chris Erb: 28th May 2006 - 13:42 GMT

Here are some more pictures of what happened.

http://www.citizenspress.org/cp_images/main.php?g2_itemId=176

Catherine Penfold-Waxman: 28th May 2006 - 15:57 GMT

I don't know why cops overeact to something like this. Just logically, it seems like it would cause more trouble for the cops. Bad press, more protests, posts to blogs, etc. If they had just chilled, you guys would have had your (worthy) protest, hung out for a bit and gone home.
V for Vendetta is right, the people shouldn't be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of it's people.

EvilGentleman: 28th May 2006 - 16:27 GMT

Oddly enough, I quite often find protests an interesting thing to see when I am visiting new places. The protesters and the police can often provide a much more complete picture of the way the city really is. The image that always comes to my head when I think of protesters and tourists mixing is Parliament Hill in Ottawa, where I suspect the police would only get nasty between the hours of 2 and 6 in the morning, when tourists are not likely to be looking.

Many cities have had episodes where the city pressures the police force to "clean up" the city before some major event, so as to only present a whitewashed view of the city to the world. Such was the case with the G8 summit in Vancouver where the police used pepper spray super-soakers, or any city about to host the Olympics. Here in Montreal, you can always tell when a festival is about to start, because the police will be seen constantly hounding the homeless wherever thay are visible to the public.

Personally, I find all this to be a shame, because a city without homeless people or protesters is not a city at all, but rather a cross between the Stepford Wives and George Orwell's 1984. The most revealing thing about a city is the way it treats its weakest inhabitants.

Chris Erb: 28th May 2006 - 18:07 GMT

That's definitely what the city is trying to do, they're "cleaning up" the city of anyone who might offend tourists in any way.

My friend who was at the protest put it best; "The Fredericton police force are nothing more than glorified security guards commissioned to maintain the city's 'pleasantville' image"

Homeless people, buskers, and protesters are obviously not welcome welcome in pleasantville.

citizen: 3rd Jun 2006 - 00:55 GMT

It's funny how there are only pictures of the cops and the arrest. Why are there no pictures of the protestors and of what happened just prior to the arrest. Suspicious.

citizen: 3rd Jun 2006 - 01:04 GMT

Google Asaf Rashid's name and see how many responses you get. Maybe he would be taken seriously if he didn't protest EVERYTHING !!

EvilGentleman: 3rd Jun 2006 - 02:44 GMT

citizen, we are ever-so-sarcastically thankful you are here. I was never aware of the implications of over-usage of freedom of speech. Thankfully, you have taught me not to believe I have rights or freedoms, so I will not get in trouble now. Please tell the other Illuminati I understand the "way it is" now.

Former Freddy Beacher Feeling Safer In Toronto: 16th Jun 2006 - 15:15 GMT

Keep in mind the Fredericton police have a very low crime rate to deal with. If you didnt pull their chain once in while they would get very bored. Just consider yourself part of the training program.

Chris Erb: 16th Jun 2006 - 16:49 GMT

I have pictures of the protest prior to the arrest which I will post when I get home. If you were there, you would know that the protest was completly civil and low key. No ruckus was made and everything was peaceful.

Asaf attends a lot of protests because he cares about a lot of different issues. He puts a lot of time and sweat into working towards bettering the community. I fail to see what is so wrong with that.

Former Freddy Beacher: you're exactly right, the police get very bored because there is very little for them to do. An example of this is last Canada Day, a lot of police were put on duty as there's usually a bit of trouble throughout the night from people drinking and partying too much. I used to work security at an old factory that was being turned into apartments. I was sitting inside reading a book when I hear noise outside and light reflecting off the windows. I looked outside and saw about 6 officers and 3 cars. I went outside to find out what was going on. They told me a window had been broken in the building to which I replied that I didn't hear any glass break. He told me I must not be a very good nightwatchman if I'm not paying attention to vandalism that's happening to my building. The police took me around to see the broken window. This broken window that the police saw as such a big deal turned out to be a window that a drunk threw a brick through 5 weeks earlier! This just goes to show how little the police have to do here. They do keep us safe when needed but there are other times like what happened at the protest where they just get out of control. If this protest had have happened in a big city, they wouldn't have even shown up for it.

mr. Bearclan Thompson: 7th Nov 2006 - 02:48 GMT

Don't feel bad my relation was beat be Gary the Staroid filled pig of the F.C.P. He had charges laid aginst Fredericton Police and won! They are old and out of date ,and can't change with the times they should be torn down and replaced R.C.M.P."s ps.they have found members holding membership cards to the K.K.K. and they have a "stick" with a scalp of a local Indian (canadian aboriginal)that is used in their sacret ceromoneys sick bastards!!!

Former Frederictonian: 21st Apr 2007 - 00:10 GMT

Too bad we only get one side of the story. It's also too bad that your friend Asaf and his friends have spent their University careers protesting EVERY cause that comes across thier desks, and taking up EVERY issue that is hot at the time. After a while the antics become boring, and makes people wonder: Do these people actually believe in anything, do they believe in everything, or are they just looking for attention?

Skat man: 23rd Apr 2007 - 04:16 GMT

In my years I've had to deal with police and R.C.M.P across the country(wild youth), If they give you the option to walk away take it. When you act like a defiant child trying to get that last cookie you go to jail.
I myself am not a big fan of the police, but lets face it we need them. Without them kids couldn't play outside and life would generaly suck.
The only trouble with the police is they are people and for some reason we people do things that are completely ilogical sometimes.
The police acted like most would you had your chance but stayed to stir things up and be cool. If you girls got hurt in the pictured horrific beating, maybe you're to delicate for the whole protesting thing, it does go hand in hand with getting arrested someone truly pasionnate for the cause would celebrate the arrest as prove that the man wants to keep them down blah blah blah.
I have to wonder how the four held up during their time in the tiny little drunk tank cells, and the interrogation my goodness, scary must have felt like hours. Hours they weren't arrested more like detained and ticketed. As far as the hole racisim thing buddy is always playing that card, remember the little boy who cried wolf. When you get detained or arrested police ask you things.

Don't get me wrong it is our right to protest in which ever way we choose, public protest is an excellent way to get the word out there, but I bet one third of them don't even vote.

Former Frederictonian: 6th May 2007 - 02:39 GMT

Here, here. Protesting is one thing. But when I drove around Fredericton and saw the same faces sitting down at every different protest, it becomes a joke. But then again, some kids just get caught up in that sort of thing while they are "expanding their minds" at University. The thing is, as innocent as they try to make themselves sound, there are two sides to this story, and I would lay down money that the police were within their rights. These kids just pushed their luck and shot their mouths off too far. And the race thing, don't even get me started. Get a grip on yourself. Sure, Asaf, screw the police. Someday the day will come that you will need them and they will be there for you and wont care if you are Pakistani or not. Bastards.

iman: 6th May 2007 - 12:59 GMT

damn bro, that sucks. the police over there are a lot more strict than here. well, actually, they're not more strict, they just abuse they're authority. in fact, when i was on long island, on my fourteenth birthday, i got arrested for something even more wrong. a bunch of punks who used to live a few blocks away, decided to throw rocks and golf balls at my neighbor's house. they broke two windows and a big glass table. the police were trying to find out who did it about an hour later, so they went to my house to ask if we had seen anything. i told them that i heard it, but i had no clue who it was. and i always seem to get nervous around cops, because they ask you questions so suspiciously and they always have a loud voice. he mentioned that i seem nervous and asked me if i did it. that's about the time my best friend, ryan, came running over after seeing the police car next door. me and him also hated that neighbor because he was just a mean guy. he came over to tell me how he got what he deserved. and that's when the cop came from my living room and said that he heard what ryan said about getting what he deserved. ryan only thought that my neighbor was getting arrested. and ryan just had to say, "he did get what he deserved, he's a mean guy," the neighbor also happened to mention to the cop that he heard only two boys' voices. the cop said that we should follow him. he led us to the police car and took us to the station. we were questioned and we went home having not much evidence that we did it. they threatened a huge fine and maybe jailtime for nearly hitting the guy in the head through the window. the real kids were caught two days later, and my neighbor let them off and told them not to do it again. and me and ryan almost got jailtime and a fine, i was grounded for two days, and we nevr got an apology from the cops or the neighbor.

Jay: 13th Jul 2007 - 23:30 GMT

Over 50% of the Fredericton City Police are involved with the criminals of NB,.. I know from first hand experience,.. The major criminals are left alone because of the help they get from the Fredericton City Police. So yes, they do abuse their authority, They're as dirty as most anyone else,.. the only thing is,.. they hide behind a badge. So the power kick gives em a boost to cripple and kill innocent ppl ,... You don't hear about much of it,.. but it happens Alot!

Too bad nobody has the balls to stand up and protest about them. They've even beaten me unconscience for no reason one time when I was just asking for help.

From the "Other" Generation: 30th Oct 2007 - 02:36 GMT

I wasn't at the demonstration so I'm not prepared to take one side over the other. That said, I know this!! The police have been tasked with a thankless function. The more "productive" a police officer is, the more people he/she tends to impact in a negative way (i.e. via arrest, court process, tickets, etc.) If the police decide not to act, they will be not be favourably looked upon (i.e. viewed as lazy, incompetent, uninspired, etc.) I'm betting if the truth were fully know, most (if not all) of the police officers present at the demonstration would rather have been home with their families and/or friends. Many here seem to view the police as "power hungry" and "make war not peace" types. I simply don't buy that!!! Someone here metioned that perhaps it was time for a Revolution. Maybe the police should simply stay home for a month or two!! I wonder what would happen?!! It would certainly be an interesting sociological experiment, don't you think!! Perhaps we'd discover that there really aren't any "bad/evil" people!! It has all been one great big misunderstanding. The impediment to world peace and social harmony has all along, been the police!!! An additional point to ponder if you might: The right to demonstrate (generally speaking) has not been established by those who actually demonstrate; it has been established (in most part) by those being demonstrated against!! If there are those amongst us who feel down-trodden, perhaps you should book your next vacation in down-town Tiananmen Square; the weather is great and they'd love to meet you (especially if you have an issue and a placard)!!!

Anonymous Honest Tax paying citizen of Fredericton: 6th Jul 2008 - 04:49 GMT

This is yet another example of how much the fredericton police are a bunch of uneducated airheads, typical protests and offenses most cities in canada wouldnt be bothered with or treat with less scrutiny are called by these bozos as "obstuction of justice or some other idotic term these highschool slakers use to make their point(s) and or power trips. The police force in fredericton honestly has nothing better to do, even an officer of the law in fredericton will agree with this they are total tim hortons donut eating slakers.

As far as many of us see, we view the Fredericton's police force as a serious of thugs out to get honest tax payers the serve and protect nonsense should be thrown out the window because when crimes go down police are hardly ever present ( corruption??? maybe).

I suggest everyone on here write a letter to your local municipal representative to make your points known to downsize and fire the majority of the police force based on a full review and slim the force which appears to have more members then the local population of working people the downtown center.

I will tell you a little about one of my encounters with the police when I had a beef with some of their practices I was get this directed to " the justice minister" what kinda clown cop directs someone to the justice minister what does the miniter of justice have anything to do with your minicipal cop force?

Instead I went to the wonderful ombudsman office that is designed to perhaps in preview of your story perhaps on compassionate grounds able to take in inquiry to the government from the public to fix these actions takes upon you. As recent as today july 6th 2008 I see murders, drugs and whatever else on frederictonpolice.com yet stories like yours appear to be the calling card to suggest fredericton police are the useless nincompoops the world has ever known. I am sure the fredericton police force is reading this.. and saying well this guy is obviously a little agitated with us about whatever his or her issue is well .. let me tell you I am not the first or only person that has an issue with all of you. Let me be the first to suggest may of us view the police as an institution as completely dysfunctional. Thank you for reading.