Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activist

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dynamike
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Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activist

Post by dynamike »

Last night, firearms were drawn on me and I was forcibly removed from a vigil in remembrance of hate crime victims. Some of the other people at the vigil judged me based on the color of my skin and my attire to be a threat and called the police reporting that I had a firearm and was making threatening gestures. The officers cuffed me, searched me finding no firearm, and then placed me into the back of a police cruiser for more than half an hour while they “sorted it out” and came to the conclusion I was a threat to no one.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 5, 2012

CONTACT:
Josiah Ryan
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***NEWS RELEASE***
** Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activist for Wearing Empty Holster to Trayvon Martin Vigil **

Student now faces possible charges of academic misconduct

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio State University Police detained and drew their weapons on student-activist Mike Newbern for demonstrating his support for gun rights by wearing an empty holster to a candlelight vigil for Trayvon Martin on Wednesday.

Newbern, the president of Buckeyes for Concealed Carry, was taken forcibly into police custody just after 8:30 p.m., while he was standing at the front of the crowd wearing an empty holster, which was clearly visible on his belt, and with his hands crossed in front of his chest.

A police report released on Thursday indicates two officers drew their firearms before approaching Newbern and removing him from the vigil. They searched and questioned Newbern and confiscated his personal belongings, including his empty holster and camera case, before placing him handcuffed in the back of a cruiser for 30 minutes. Newbern was released at 9:07 p.m. but was informed by police that the field investigation would be forwarded to the university’s Committee of Academic Misconduct where he could be charged with disorderly conduct.

Newbern, who is a certified firearms safety instructor, said on Thursday he decided to attend the vigil to exercise his First Amendment right to demonstrate in favor of Ohio’s concealed carry laws. He said he suspects’ campus police and students harassed him because he is the leader of Buckeyes for Concealed Carry, a group Ohio State University President Gordon Gee has publically described as “vigilante.”

On Tuesday, for example, President Gee expressed his continued opposition to the right for students to conceal carry on the Ohio State University Campus.

“You and I can debate that all day long and you have clear arguments,” Gee said, addressing his remarks to Newbern. “But, I am in charge and we are not going to do it.”

“We are very vocal in our struggle and I have become the face of our cause,” Newbern said. “By invoking the most violent and most vivid imagery possible, they attempt to paint our progress towards self-defense as anything other than the natural rights that they are. And in this instance, the administration’s toxic dialogue ran to its natural conclusion, which could have been prevented through more civil discourse.”
###
Mike

I am an engineering statistician, US Submarine Veteran, avid motorcyclist, and staunch supporter of Liberty.

Ohio Director Students for Concealed Carry
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by SeafoodGuy »

Perhaps you should have had a t-shirt on that said, "I AM THE 99%" and nothing would have happened to you.

I despise Ohio State. I graduated from there, and my entire department only had a handful of conservatives. 99% of the students are hardcore liberals, and yet I still bought them pizza when we had late nights in the laboratory. Not to mention, my professor/adviser for graduation didn't really mesh since he is from a communist country, adores it, yet came here to exploit capitalism.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by pirateguy191 »

Go get 'em dude. You must have been wearing a really ugly holster.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by JediSkipdogg »

Wow, just ummm, wow. Sounds like you need a large group to all walk around campus with empty holsters.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by medmandan »

Sorry to hear about this nonsense Mike!
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by RainingOil »

I was there during this. They stopped no short of calling us "white supremacists" (uh, what?) and then proceeded to detain Mike by force. They also are threatening him with disorderly conduct. For what you might ask? Standing politely, listening to a speaker, and having an EMPTY holster on his belt. Ridiculous.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by TSiWRX »

Stay the good fight, Mike. I'm rootin' for you.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by fisher »

So it turns out the vigil holders don't want a dialogue; They want their voices heard, and others silenced. Not an ounce of tolerance for your views.
Curious what, if any, advice or opinions were given during your detention.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by Bersa45 »

My son put up a good fight at Kent State Ashtabula campus when he was going there. They set up debates and held several empty holster days to which I loaned my empty holsters to some of them. I do know the Dean was neutral on the subject. Good luck and keep up the fight. There sure are a lot of opportunities that are presenting themselves for a nice walk in the park :mrgreen:
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by jenn72 »

Wow! Im sure that just added fuel to your fire. Keep us updated on anything that involves this.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by charben »

While I deplore the actions of the campus police, I have to say that I do not agree with Mikes tactics. I have a big problem with someone--anyone--showing up at an event in a not-so-subtle attempt to co-opt the event for their own cause. This was an unnecessarily provacative move that has resulted in nothing more than rile up the committed on both sides. I highly doubt that any fence-sitters on the subject of student concealed carry were persuaded positively.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by Mrs. Daspirate »

charben wrote:While I deplore the actions of the campus police, I have to say that I do not agree with Mikes tactics. I have a big problem with someone--anyone--showing up at an event in a not-so-subtle attempt to co-opt the event for their own cause. This was an unnecessarily provacative move that has resulted in nothing more than rile up the committed on both sides. I highly doubt that any fence-sitters on the subject of student concealed carry were persuaded positively.
I didn't want to be the one to say it, because the police were clearly wrong, regardless, and that in itself is a big issue. But now that it's been said, I have to say it was my first reaction as well.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by Kremlin_Joe »

I am honestly curious if co-opting the vigil was the intention. I will not put words in Mike's mouth nor will I go by a press release as the truth. It is entirely possible Mike was there for the exact purpose of the vigil, in solidarity for the victims of racial hatred and violence, the young Mr. Martin in particular. Perhaps he was trying to demonstrate that there are those in the community of second amendment proponents that are tolerant individuals who truly deplore hate crimes and seek to heal the divide that the tragedy in Florida has caused. Perhaps he feels that George Zimmerman acted rashly, wrongly, or even stupidly. A quick glance at the thread in the adjacent forum is proof enough that there are many even here that seem to think the same.

Mike what say you? Were you trying to be naughty or nice?

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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by SeafoodGuy »

Why do you call yourself an activist anyways? Do you liken yourself to people like Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn?

And the people there don't want a dialogue. I don't even understand the point of wearing an empty holster. The majority of college students do not care, and will think you're a psycho for wearing one. You're not helping the cause. And you can't beat the liberal professors that have their ears 8 hours a day. These kids know nothing about guns, and don't care about guns. All they know is that guns are used to kill people. Not that guns can save people. And until you can take each student out on a friendly outing at the range to educate them a little more about how a gun works, you're not going to change their minds by quoting ORC.
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Re: Campus Police Detain and Draw Weapons on Student Activis

Post by NavyChief »

charben wrote:While I deplore the actions of the campus police, I have to say that I do not agree with Mikes tactics. I have a big problem with someone--anyone--showing up at an event in a not-so-subtle attempt to co-opt the event for their own cause. This was an unnecessarily provacative move that has resulted in nothing more than rile up the committed on both sides. I highly doubt that any fence-sitters on the subject of student concealed carry were persuaded positively.
Chris -

You and I normally agree. Howsomever, we have different takes on this. Was it somewhat "in your face." Yep. I'd say we agree on that. Will it galvanize those who's minds were probably already pretty much made up? Sure. Might it positively influence fence-setters? This is where we disagree, for I think it might. Based on the information we have, Mike was polite, courteous and respectful at all times. That bodes well for the cause.
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