Ray Lutz being arrested at Freedom Plaza - Occupy San Diego

[bizzleblue38]

Why do cops always wear those stupid retarded sunglasses? They always look sooo freaking retarded in them more so then they already are!!!!

[dh4life100]

fuck cops

[asynkronos]

Cops should arrest real criminals or get honest jobs. What is it with Americans who behave as if our public servants were our masters and call it "patriotism"? Bullshit. They are willing slaves to fascist pigs who think they're more equal than we are. OCCUPY CONGRESS begins on January 17, 2012. Join DC occupiers to show the world that we are in charge of our government and intend to take out the trash. No one else will do it for us, least of all the pimps and whores on Capitol Hill.

[bannersxyz]

BREAKING: The Thieves and Murderers who have been Hijacking our Elected officials, us, and others all over the world, have just legalized theft and murder.

The detention bill has thier finger prints in the form of thier interests all over it. War criminals NEVER stop on thier own .

in other news: Crackheads just legalized crack.

[fizXgirl314]

This is how it starts folks... Wave bye-bye to your rights!

[phenthropa]

All of the wheels and tires were stolen off of my car last month in San Diego and the cops refused to come out to the scene (despite the fact that I"m a lone female and was in the middle of a dark parking lot at 2am). They told me to call AAA and file a police report online in the morning. NOw I understand where that they were too busy doing things like this.

[brandonmau5]

okay why was that cop video taping it too?

[nayrbgo]

Must have been a slow day down at the precinct.

[iodine333]

Police = pawns of politicians that have bought their way in to the office

[djlowtek]

5 POLICE OFFICERS NEEDED HERE. WHAT THE FUCK

[n68firebird]

Mr Lutz could have come up with a better plan for registering voters - I mean CITIZEN voters, but that was probably not within his considerations. The police were professional, they handled the situation in a professional manner, end of story.

[PeaceCzar]

@n68firebird Yes, the police were "just following orders" in a fine, professional manner. A real standup display on their part, stripping a guy of his First Amendment rights. To collect signatures as a candidate for public office, no less! There's no other way to put it---get your head out of your ass. End of story.

[ThisWeekInFascism]

Ya' think pepper spray can penetrate traitor-cop issued ray-bans?

[ThisWeekInFascism]

The blonde bitch-traitor cop chews her gum like she's trying to be a man-traitor cop.

[blastardinc]

It only goes one way -Escalation.

[modan0]

Utterly disgusting. A shameful day for San Diego.

[sailor8t]

How can you trespass on public property?

[logorrhea]

I wonder what these cops or their superiors are trying to accomplish in doing this. Looking like huge f-tards? Lowering their already dismal perception by the public? Harassing a man doing something civically minded? Mind you, there are cameras everywhere in these days.

I don't think they managed anything, just being huge A**holes.

The Keystone Cops knew they were on camera and did funny things. These folks, on the other part, seem gloriously un-self-conscious.

[CathyAdams1000]

I would NEVER register my/a legal FICTION name that was created, issued and OWNED by the Gov't. Google "Meet Your Strawman"

[bbcritterkeeper]

I sincerely hope that you will contact the ACLU and your local Lawyer's Guild, as this sounds illegal to me.

[bbcritterkeeper]

SERIOUSLY??? The guy is nicely dressed with a nice tidy booth away from the doors, registering voters -- how is that bothering anyone?

this is what caring, patriotic Americans SHOULD do -- and I see it all the time at malls and super markets. What company called the cops for the trespass -- we should flood them with angry letters and phone calls about this! >:(

[AmtrakTitan455]

Wow. He's the father of one of my good friends.

[TheDustincarver]

Hey Ray, its Carver, What a pitty, incarcerated on trespassing chargers. Not part of 1%. Upstanding citizen that did not need to be put through such a process. Keep the good work up Ray and hopefully talk with you again soon, undoubtedly under different circumstances! Thank you for all the insight and wisdom last night!

[Forstah]

@jogeryjogo You didn't really write something so uninformed as "trespassing on city property", did you? Do you know your First Amendment rights? Apparently, you do not, which is sad, because the fewer people who do, the more that bought-and-paid-for governments are going to walk all over all of us.

[andyk939]

Losing ALL respect for police. It's with us or against us guys. Make your choice soon. The time is coming.

[BooDamnHoo]

Welcome to full-blown fascism. This is just the START of the thuggery. The soft and fluffy stuff.  It is only going to get much, much worse from here.

It is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to be a member of the "public" and tresspass on "public property".

Burn ALL cops down to ashes.

[UncleDsnowbrdr]

Ray's out of Jail (Wed afternoon). Yesterday afternoon, when I received a note about Ray's arrest, I sent the following message:

Called Mayor’s office & spoke with Caroline. Stated my disappointment with the arrest of Ray, while registering voters at the Civic Center.

Pointed out that the ‘Pruneyard decision’ requires Ca private property owners of public spaces (malls, shopping centers) to allow political activity & particularly non-partisan (registering) activities.

OCCUPY EVERYWHERE !

[jsmall10671]

I know nothing about this, but even if people normally register others here, that doesn't make it right - IF it's private property. Can't he do it like 5 ft off of that property?

[JackieMcElveny]

This is so outrageous! Also, it IS in fact illegal to interfere in any way with voting rights and that includes registration. I don't know what SDPD did with his completed forms, but confiscating them at all seem to be in violation of Constitutional law.

[guildd55]

wow takes a lot of balls to do that with out riot gear

[andyk939]

@guildd55 Exactly. Cops have become total pansies. Instead of going after real crime, they spend all day arresting girls, hippies, and people sitting down at tables. Pathetic, embarrassing, and sad police. I used to have respect for law enforcement. I'm now buying a gun and protecting myself, Cops are all dead to me,

[Wolfiemouse]

Who does the city belong to? Whose streets? Whose sidewalks? Whose town center? Whose police?

We the people are the public! It is our city, and our public officers.

[maryemyley]

Dear female police woman: Gum does not make you a bad ass cop. The way you chew it, you like like a...well, a pig!

[jogeryjogo]

Actually, if you listened to the video, you would know he was being arrested for trespassing on city property. Don't you just love that liberal sense of persecution?

[AZnative72]

@jogeryjogo Actually, if you knew the facts, you would know that it is commonplace for voting registrars to set-up their tables in that exact spot...as has been done for many previous years. Don't you just love that wingnut sense of 'f*ck the facts'?

[tanzalone111]

@jogeryjogo lol "trespassing on city (public) property" really? How exactly is it possible to tresspass on public property? Especially when registering people to vote? "Liberal sense of persecution" now that's rich. Turn on Fox news and it is 24-7 how liberals are victimizing the right. You righties are just dumber than a box of rocks. Seriously, there is something wrong with your brains.

[plutherus]

@jogeryjogo "Don't you just love that liberal sense of persecution?" Don't you just love that conservative sense of authoritarianism? "Trespassing" has a specific meaning - it doesn't just mean whatever individual police officers say it means at any given time.

Also, interfering with voter rights - which include registration - is a Federal crime, which every one of those police are now guilty of if any of the completed forms are copied, destroyed, "lost", or even delayed.

[SamRose1940]

the SDPD officers on the scene, had to wait for the word to arrest Ray to come from the top - Chief Lansdowne, who conferred with Mayor Sanders, who probably also conferred with DA Bonnie Dumanis...

[nursecarmen]

Is it legal for them to impound the voter registrations? I know in several states it is a felony to interfere with completed registrations.

[armadilloze]

And then they beat him his rights - off camera.

What happened to the registrations? It's a crime to do anything with them except turn them in - perhaps a felony. Arrest the cops!

[ChurchHatesTucker]

Interesting that  the cops are also videoing the arrest.

[mcaeli]

"We'll go over here where we aren't being recorded & 'talk' about it."

[BurkeLCH]

Shame on these police. Don't they see what they're doing?!

[jonnoj76fuckyou]

Ray Lutz complied with respect and was processed without incident. Way to be San Diego PD.

[Kearnspalmbay]

"Let's go over here, we'll talk about it" translation "help us keep this off YouTube while we trounce on your rights as a citizen,,,,m'kay?"

[Kearnspalmbay]

How DARE you Ray Lutz! Registering people to VOTE! Now you've reaped the whirlwind! You SUBVERSIVE! yOU...YOU.......DEMOCRAT! Don't you know democracy is now illegal? As is wool! In autumn! It's not even December 10 Ray Lutz! SDPD, good job for squashing citizenship, your bravery today against the forces of evil did require all 8 burly officers!

[Wolfiemouse]

Stand for this? Define freedom. Define public defenders?

[jrs03aa]

Can anybody say Nazi Germany?

[autopartspro1]

@jrs03aa If it was Nazi Germany, they would have beat him bloody, then taken him and executed him. You are clueless.

[OriginalCliche1]

@autopartspro1 you do know that did not happen to EVERYONE most people were just repressed in other less extreme ways right? so ok express your opionon but calling other people clueless doesn't give your argument any merit at all

[raincheck01]

@autopartspro1 The Nazis didn't start out beating people bloody and executing them. They started out much like this and pushed a little more and spread a little more propaganda. It's interesting how everyone assumes the Nazi party just showed up out of the blue guns blazing, killing Jews left and right. It happened over years and slowly. Very much like what you see happening in the USA now.

[Pajamizz]

@raincheck01 @raincheck01 Your right. Nazis were socialists that started a slow and methotical agenda against democracy. Initiated class warfare against jews which back then would mean the 1%. All laws should be enforced equally, if they are not then why should anyone have to follow the law? I was only speeding, I only parked in a no parking zone.Laws are laws if you dont follow them then there might be a consquense. If the law is wrong then it should be eliminated.

[raincheck01]

@Pajamizz The problem with your analogy is the 1% "back then" are still then 1% now and those families actually supported and financially contributed to the Nazi doctors eugenics programs. Hilter was inspired by American eugenics programs & had the support of 1% families & corporations such as William Randolph Hearst, John Rockefeller, DuPont, General Motors, Ford, Prescott Bush, National City Bank, and General Electric just to name a few. Learn your history. Also, Lutz wasn't breaking any laws.

[karadan100]

@raincheck01 Yes indeed. The first country the Nazi's invaded was Germany. America is currently being overrun by a similarly sinister front.

[BeccaKM]

At least the Arab cops had the since not to carry out bullshit orders! I am not going to continue to cry about these people if theycontinue to willingly be the arm of injustice!

[Idantino]

Had this been a Tea Party rally, the cops would've been posing for recruiting posters.

[MzJammy]

This is disgraceful!

[drewniverse]

As a professional petitioner I can't believe my eyes. No petitioner ever wants to have to go through with it, but when this happens a lawsuit happens. Countless times this has happened and the people win every time. This is within our rights to sit in any public venue and petition and take voter cards. Crazy to see it in San Diego!

[Seeker9115]

Um..why was a cop carrying a video camera near the end there...

[johnbrooks345]

Don't blame the police. The police are simply TOOLS that go where they are told and do what they are told. They do the will of the POWER ELITE that run this country. If this behavior makes you angry, then focus that anger where it counts. Fight the Corporate power structure and the corrupt political system in America.

Freedom is NOT free, change comes at great cost. Stand together and fight for your rights.

[rmpalmer99]

Regardless of your politics: who can't agree that this is NOT what our police are for? Why would the mayor choose to direct officers AWAY from controlling actual crimes to instead enforce a petty, non-violent trespassing rule? Police officers do NOT go into law enforcement hoping to nab trespassers! Voters do NOT pay taxes hoping police solve a trespassing "problem" ! We DO want our police to control violent crime. Let Mayor Sanders know we do NOT want our taxes wasted for political reasons.

[saskia520]

These goons are so stupid. They actually believe the 1% are in their corner. This man did nothing wrong and I bet in a day or two the idiot cops with the barney fife attitudes will issue an apology and charges will be dropped.

How do you know when a cop is lying? His lips are moving.

[thejiffyparkmatador]

The irony is killing me inside...

[efeldman2000]

This is the beginning of the nightmare. Next up, bring the troops home from the Middle East so they can patrol our streets when they declare martial law.

[mattrod37]

What are his charges? TRESPASSING. Oh, and refusing to leave. Don't forget that one.

[JoshReflek]

Justice weighs heaviest on those with the least.

[JeremiahGuzman]

you can hear a witness ask, "where's the city property begin?"

a cop answers, "...you're standing on it."

so instead of moving the table and chair a foot or two over, these four cops choose to handcuff and arrest him. yeah... great job cops.

[kybudman]

@JeremiahGuzman I believe this is the actual basis of the actual charges against Lutz. If in fact true, the police had several available options, including this one. Less than the width of a card table is negligible, but well within the definition.

[kybudman]

@JeremiahGuzman Lutz should have known where the public property was, and should have been on it. Having said that, this is not only an improper policing role but a devastating public and community service role. Shame, just shame on every citizen of San Diego for this.

[saskia520]

Hell no, this is bullshit in this country.This man is a hero

[krisbuch22]

@saskia520 I register voters too. Does that make me a hero? Or is following this foolish movement a prerequisite?

[saskia520]

@krisbuch22 sorry, only those worthy are seen as heroes. Do you think you qualify?

[bbkenn92]

Unbelievable. I thought this country was a democracy, I guess not any more.

[joetnymedic]

now now, we all know better than to stand up to big brother....... All I can say is what a damn shame....busted for doing the right thing

[sejnb1]

I am having problems playing only this video. Other YouTube videos play fine. I called my internet service and everything is working fine. I believe covert hacking is blocking targeted political communications. This happens with other specific sites. Wikileaks always takes forever to load. I was unable to retweet certain political articles earlier today. Twitter is over capacity, there is a problem, etc.

[JoshReflek]

Respond to this video... i am experiencing this as well, a covert form of censorship is focused on dissenting opinions.

[mattrod37]

@sejnb1 Yes, all of the 1% is out to get your internet. They took your job, your money, and your freedom. Your internet is next!

[devnullsd]

Welcome to the police state

[DominickJ]

I'm posting this on Governor Browns page of FB and if our Attorney General has a FB site I'll post there as well.

[err6714]

Charged for being a deceptive asshole.

[PlanetJohnny]

Good work on beating the cops at their own game the last two days. Well done.

[stuarts2]

This is appalling! What is the point of arresting Mr. Lutz. What a way to reduce crime in San Diego.

[davidowen74]

We also NEED THE FULL UNEDITED VIDEO. I find it alarming how many arrest videos that Occupy propagates have been edited so that the events leading up to the arrest are absent. So we are all left guessing, or even worse; BEING TOLD what happened beforehand.

[ChrisHartlyHolte]

@davidowen74 I watched the entire video, and since when is it a crime to perform civic functions within a public space? When did it become "trespassing" to assemble and engage in free speech?

[Kanabanoid]

Umm... did he get a warning ? is there a sign that says no trespassing ? is there a sign that says no table or chairs ? seems we need to hear from Ray.

[davidowen74]

Julie: Can you please post the conversation that led to this arrest? It seems we have only 1/2 of the story here.

[Bigchingonaboss]

according to SD Sheriff Who's in Jail site Ray Lutz is being charged on 52.80.01(A) MC TRESPAS PRIVATE BUSI PREMISES Misdemeanor arraignment is on 12/01/2011 08:00 bail is $1,000 not eligible for release due to processing.

[Fortunatus1778]

@Bigchingonaboss It appears Ray falls within the exception to SDMC 52.80.01(a). Subdivision (c) has exceptions:

(2) Where their application would result in an interference with or inhibition of peaceful picketing directed toward the business establishment, lawful labor activities, or peaceful political activities;

I'd say registering voters is a peacful political activity.

[Theliberaldiva]

How can you be trespassing on Public Property?????

[usedtobesupermom]

WELCOME TO THE CORPORATE FASCIST OLIGARCH PLUTOCRATIC POLICE STATE!!!!!!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS DEMOCRACY LEFT IN THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!

[usedtobesupermom]

WTF???? THIS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

[krisbuch22]

@usedtobesupermom How about you read the constitution before making such an outlandish claim?

[sd2dimples]

These SDPD cops are so out of control, and the Mayor of San Diego should be ashamed. Having Ray Lutz arrested for doing voter registration. This is supposed to be a democracy for Christ sake! San Diego government is acting lawlessly and wasting taxpayer dollars. Shame on them!

[mattrod37]

@sd2dimples Yes, the police officers are SO out of control. Did you see the way they calmly cuffed the trespasser? Or how they didn't respond with violence, ever...? Yes, SO out of control.

[RobDavis2009]

WTF? Are we in Syria ???

[mattrod37]

@RobDavis2009 No, sorry. There's not enough oil here and too much internet access, oh and too many human rights.

[jrkerr]

oink oink oink oink!

[lagitane]

Just to be clear - this is Civic Center Plaza. Freedom Plaza is the nickname given by OSD.

[xlldo]

When a congressional candidate stands on principle, and rises up to be arrested for being on private property doing what is practically the duty of every citizen (ie entering the agora or Athenian marketplace to encourage people to not be idiots--wiki >> an 'idiot' in Athenian Democracy was someone who was characterized by self-centeredness and concerned almost exclusively with private--as opposed to public--affairs<<) it seems evident that the serious civil conflict is coming.

[Kanabanoid]

@xlldo i agree : (

[TattoozNTech]

@xlldo public property actually, as it turns out. makes the cops actions possibly illegal.

[GreatWhite85]

Didn't know you could trespass on public property... interesting.

Btw, I'm gonna go out on a whim and say this was SDPD and not Sheriff, CHP, CVPD or NCPD? SDPD just seems to have a knack for doing the intentional wrong/retarded thing all day, everyday.

Maybe when the citizenry starts blowing their heads off and judges start putting cops in jail they will see the light... until then fuck 'em all until they prove THROUGH ACTIONS that they indeed give a shit about protecting us.

[TheAnubisDrake]

@GreatWhite85 Technically there is a section of the Plaza that is private property, though the city maintains several offices in that "private" building. That was the building Ray was sitting in front of when this happened.

[peggyforpeace]

whose "private property" was he trespassing on for godsake? he was peforming a public service in registering voters.... maybe he should have been in the middle of a sidewalk? what a travesty of justice.

[bigbutpretty]

I wanna see what happened for 90 seconds before this clip--- but either way, this is F***ing goonery.

[TheAnubisDrake]

@bigbutpretty 90 seconds before this clip he was sitting at the table you see in the video and registering people to vote. That is all he was doing the entire time.

[teesforthecause]

We live in a Facist Nation Wake Up!!

[TheTalkWatcher]

This is an injustice!

[heygrrl619]

bogus



[astranger15]

San Diego's protest is relatively peaceful, so I'm surprised by this. Maybe there's some sort of context that's been emitted from this?

The police and the protesters have been really cooperative and friendly for the most part. It's only when anarchists or whoever come in and start trying to break things or cause fights that the police begin to make arrests. Or when city workers come in to clean the area and people won't let them. That's rare though.

[TheAnubisDrake]

@astranger15 No context omitted. The cops just don't want tables or chairs down there, even for legitimate voter registration.

[banditjim1957]

Interesting how most police now wear sunglasses. Are they ashamed?

[jeffersonjaydotcom]

If registering voters is trespassing, wouldn't that make voting trespassing?

[TheAnubisDrake]

@jeffersonjaydotcom Or maybe they will call that breaking and entering.

How else did you get inside the voting booth?

[hannah4peace]

think they got enough cops there?????

[xlldo]

BS. The guy is registering voters and gets busted for trespassing?  Travesty of justice.