Man Arrested For Peaceful Protest on Public Highway, Part 2 of 3

Hobert Parker, Jr., 62, of Lompoc, California, is being arrested in 2006 for protesting merely because he carries a sign, the content of which Air Force Officials do not like, on a public highway that bisects Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. He has protested on the public portion of the highway in the area shown in the video since 1993.

Prior to this arrest, he was told to move to a so-called "approved" area to carry his sign. However, when he moved to the approved area, his van was illegally towed, leaving him, a diabetic, stranded with nothing to eat. He was later reimbursed for the illegal towing.

Hobert and his wife were, on another occasion, detained for about 45 minutes, merely for taking pictures of the green stripes at a cross-walk, while present only on the public highway in the approved area.

Because Air Force security police were harassing Hobert by towing his vehicle, detaining him and his wife in their vehicle without cause, and otherwise harassing him at the approved location, he decided to start taking the public bus to the approved location so he could carry his sign without his vehicle being towed. The first time he took the bus, he was arrested for trespassing while merely waiting for the bus after he finished carrying his sign. The bus stop arrest was flagrantly illegal so the criminal charges were dropped.

After these and other instances of harassment at the approved location, Hobert went back to carrying his sign in the original location. The video shows his arrest for merely carrying his sign on the public highway. He was charged in federal court with trespassing on this public highway because it dissects the Air Force Base, even though there are no restrictions on the public on this highway. The highway is the only access to the public train station and a county beach. It is open 24 hours a day. The only restrictions are when leaving the public highway and entering the secured portions of the Base. Hobert was, nonetheless, improperly convicted of trespassing by a federal magistrate judge. Hobert is currently appealing the trespassing conviction, because the Air Force can not lawfully arrest a person for trespassing on a public highway that is freely open to the public 24 hours a day without restriction.

Hobert was arrested under the pretext of trespassing because the security police did not like the content of his sign, violating the First Amendment. Hobert says the swearing in the video is caused by the various incidents in the past of harassment.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• police
• military
• false
• arrest
• resisting
• protest
• protesting
• peaceful
• vandenberg
• vafb
• base
• trespass
• trespassing
• air
• force
• airforce
• california
• lompoc
• santa
• barbara
• security

[afsf74]

As you drive on these highways, you come across signs that say "Welcome to Vandenberg AFB" and tell you that you are entering base porperty. The problem is most people are driving too fast and just do not like to read or pay attention to these signs.

[afsf74]

I was stationed at VAFB before and for all those who have a question about jusrisdiction over civilians on this highway or highway 1, which also cuts thru the base, are base/federal property so the jurisdiction is concurrent on both highways. This means that no matter who you are, military or civilian, you have to abide by both state laws and military laws/regulations and can be stopped by either civilian or military police for breaking any law/regulation (speeding, protesting, etc).

[ChrsL1987]

@athiog Awwww... I bet someone's butthurt because they didn't have a high enough score on the ASVAB to get into the AF. Your jealously makes me giggle, ass clown.

[CrotainProductions]

this is y i dislike MPs

[DeutcherKonnig]

Look how these brainwashed, zionist serving young men violate the 1st A rights of this fine, elderly American citizen. These punks will die clueless. The old gent is the last of what once was a great people.

[rfreebirdie]

hah best part of a job ignoring the assholes and doing what you want. i learned a great lesson from the air force police today. i will use it on douches like this fat piece of shit diabetic.....and his whore wife. jk i dont know her but this dude not man but dude needs to grow up.

[titan8or]

@RosyBibliophile passive aggressive,maybe. Rude, without a doubt, but no a crime, DOESN'T LISTEN TO SIMPLE ORDERS,see that's the god damn problem. HE DOES'NT BELONG IN THE MILITARY SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE ORDERS FROM THE MILITARY. If I'm not breaking any REAL laws, I'll be damned if I'm going to take ORDERS from anyone. I didn't join any organization or sign any papers stating I'm going to take FUCKING orders from anyone. That's the problem nowadays, everyone wants to ORDER everyone else.

[MrEWyss]

As an ex-SP my self these guys should have called for civilian Law Enforcement to deal with this fellow. Can you say "Oh Marshall, come here please."

[debifeb]

a 100.00 grand 4/ 5 hogzills to take down a mighet

[debifeb]

ilegal search

the minute he puts his hands on you

hey junior you got big balls man, we call pussy solders up ,