Posted on 09/12/2013 2:33:00 PM PDT by marktwain
Two guys walking to Appleton's downtown farmers' market on Saturday — while carrying AR-15 rifles on their shoulders — swiftly attracted some gunpoint attention and handcuffs from Appleton police.
Whether that's surprising depends on where you stand about Second Amendment rights. One of the men happened to record the encounter, now making the rounds on the Internet, where at least some gun rights advocates are outraged by the police response.
The men, Charles Branstrom, 28, and Ross Bauman, 22, also were wearing holstered handguns. About six minutes after they are stopped, one officer sees Branstrom's camera, confiscates it and attempts to turn it off, but stops only the video. The device continues recording audio of police officers for about 45 minutes.
Ultimately, police release both men without charges or tickets.
"In a post Aurora-Newtown environment, it's a reckless and irresponsible stunt to strut around in public with an assault-style weapon and think police should assume you're well-intentioned," Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said Thursday, referring to mass shooting incidents in Colorado and Connecticut.
"It's just absurd," Flynn said. "This has nothing to do with the Second Amendment. These characters and those who support them should be ashamed of themselves."
Gun rights advocates think the police acted inappropriately.
"I would never blame police for following up on 'man with a gun' calls, but they still have to behave within the limits of the law and abide by people's constitutional rights," said Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry, Inc., a gun rights group.
"I believe the police were acting outside of their legal authority when they pointed guns at the individuals and involuntarily detained them,' Clark said.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
The MSM was clearly scooped on this story, which appeared in freerepublic four days ago.
Unlawful arrest and the it would cost the police department about $10k each here in VA.
Where’s the video?
Cops apparently not educated about citizens’ rights.
Just do a google search you well find it the full audio is much better then the video.
I don't have a link to the video/audio, but the other thread on this event does.
/johnny
Good for them. Open carry is not my cup of tea, but I’m glad others choose to test the envelope. That’s how we keep our freedom: “if you don’t patrol it, you don’t own it.”
The homosexual lobby has spent money and time pushing sodomy and sexual deviance to normalize the idea of homosexuality as acceptable yet a couple of men openly carrying firearms in public is considered a nuisance and a public safety issue. Unreal.
Real Americans and specifically conservatives need to make a concerted effort to normalize open carry. It used to be considered criminal and uncivilized to carry concealed. Now it’s preferred to keep the leftists from flooding emergency numbers. We need open carry across the nation. We are not a fearful people and show be proud of our rights and our heritage.
Since they were so intent on not being documented during the event, it would be interesting to know what lies the cops told their superiors and/or the news media before they knew that they failed to stop the recording.
I’m a gun owner. However, I understand how average sheeple might be intimidated by guys walking around a farmers market packing an AR-15.
I am not interested in making unarmed people feel intimidated. It is not kind......Concealed carry solves that. It is not kind......Concealed carry solves that.
Would these two guys like it if I paraded down their street where their children were playing with my AK strapped to my back?
This link has links to the video and audio files:
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/09/wiappleton-officers-violate-rights-of.html
“Would these two guys like it if I paraded down their street where their children were playing with my AK strapped to my back?”
I expect they would approve.
I know that I would appreciate it, and likely strike up a conversation.
When I see armed people, my first thought is often: Now we are all a little safer. I personally think both that "shall not be infringed" means what it says and that it's a good thing when people exercise that God-given RKBA (and "bear arms" means we can carry them in public). It will be nice to see the change in attitudes as more people adjust to "scary" guns in the hands of good people and not just criminals.
I'd be fine with you walking down my street with an AK on your back.
/johnny
5 min. of video looking at a brick wall with the moron being questioned by the police.
I don't care who you are but If I see you walking down a street carrying concealed with an AR-15 over your shoulder, I'm going to watch you and probably call the cops.
I too carry concealed but I'm certainly not stupid enough to sling an AR over my shoulder just to make a point.........
This moron is a disgrace to all law abiding 2nd Amendment supporters and his actions should be ridiculed..........
:: This moron is a disgrace to all law abiding 2nd Amendment supporters and his actions should be ridiculed ::
Divide and conquer.
OK how would you know if he is carrying concealed?
Two things here are evident. He isn't the moron. You are.
If I decided to cary a weapon (handgun), I would certainly NOT advertise that I had one. If someone has a CCW permit, they can easily carry but still not advertise. I understand why the police stopped and detained them, one never knows who has those guns and what their intention might be. Error on the side of caution is fine with me.
Just curious if you’d be Ok with the gangs walking around with high cap semi auto rifles? It would be their right after all.
What exactly do these cowboys think is going to happen? Are they really that scared?
Either you believe in the 2nd Amendment or you don't.
You can't be a "little bit pregnant" and you can't infringe just a little bit on my right to bear arms.
Its an all or nothing prospect. And the Founding Fathers meant it to be.
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