Posted on 01/06/2018 6:29:34 AM PST by MarvinStinson
The Clay County Sheriff's Office said that there's nothing they can do.
Orange Park, FL - Attention is being drawn to an unknown man or men who have been holding "Kill A Cop" signs in Orange Park.
The signs are being held by the men near schools, and one witness is concerned, according to WJAX.
Janice Gibson said she saw the man with the sign at the corner of Moody Avenue and Filmore Street on Monday, Dec. 18, and she took photos of the man.
“People need to know about this. Its in my back yard. To me that’s not freedom of speech. That’s like a terrorism, Gibson said.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said this has been going on for two years and that multiple people have been spotted holding the sign.
Dale Carson, law and safety expert for WJAX, said law enforcement has limited options because speech is protected by the First Amendment.
In evaluating whether the threats against police rise to the level of criminal charges, prosecutors look for specificity that would make a threat legitimate rather than general, according to Ken Paulson, First Amendment specialist.
"For something to be a true threat, it has to be clearly targeted and imminent so that someone learning of the threat would be reasonably concerned for their safety," Paulson said.
In 2016, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office in Michigan warned citizens after Detroit police officers received online threats that although freedom of speech is protected, direct threats against another individual, group, or location are not protected, according to The Washington Times.
“Once threatening speech is directed toward a specific person; a group of people, including law enforcement agencies or ethnic communities; or specific locations in a community, it can be viewed as a credible threat. Individuals who communicate threats may be subject to prosecution," according to the joint statement issued by the FBI and the Michigan U.S. Attorney's Office.
Do you think that these signs are protected speech? Or is this making criminal threats? We'd like to hear from you. Please let us know in the comments.
"Hey, idiot! Are you afraid of cops because you're a sleazy tinhorn crook? Or is it just that men in general scare you, you pantywaist pud-munch? You couldn't kill a crippled fly unless your mom helped you. But I suppose it's understandable that such a weak, sniveling weenie would go through life hating people who were strong and self-confident. Maybe it would be better if you just offed yourself. I can go buy a pack of razor blades if you'd like."
They are problems for the families of the innocent people that police have murdered.
Dude, dont bother. That Drew guy hates cops more than BLM and the guy holding that sign, combined. Hell, that might even be him. There are about 5 of them on FR and they slander cops every chance they can. You wont change his mind with stats.
“So, why have a carload of Patriots not yet pulled up, jumped out and beat the crap out of him? None around, or just too darned law-abiding?”
These idiot sign holders don’t realize that the cops are the only thing standing between them and REAL street justice. There are more than enough “patriots” who are up to the gills with the crap going on and champing at the bit to fix it. Subtract police from this equation...and see what happens.
When you have salt-of-the-earth middle-aged white guys like me; law-abiding, veterans, husbands, fathers, productive members of society who now view the police with contempt and distrust, it means it is time for law enforcement to re-evaluate their culture.
“Object lesson time. If the guy held up a sign that said “Kill The News Media”, do you think the press would feel non-threatened and respect his freedom of speech as they appear to do with this story? How about “Kill The Lawyers”?
“Kill democrat politicians”?
In small towns I pretty much agree but I will add a 4th category. The small numbers of retired Vets who came home take the job for mostly good reasons and have to work with categories 1 to 3. Working with idiots is not the nice quiet retirement job they envisioned.
Change the word “cop” to that for any other profession or better yet, perhaps the name any current justice warrior protected class of Americans, and then watch the fireworks.
Personally, if I encountered speech freely expressing kiling me and mine, I’d likely be incited to reciprocate with some free expression of my own. I bet that’s a common reaction.
Like begets like and what goes around comes around and signs like that are good for receiving some instant karma.
“Dude, dont bother. That Drew guy hates cops more than BLM and the guy holding that sign, combined. Hell, that might even be him. There are about 5 of them on FR and they slander cops every chance they can. You wont change his mind with stats.”
Dude, any word yet on the cop that murdered the Australian woman in Minnesota?
Test burning a cross somewhere. See what happens.
“Do we not have a rule of law in the US?”
Not when it comes to prominent democrats.
“Well, surely it’s not as dangerous as praying on the sidewalk in front of an abortion center or praying at a public high school.”
Or being sound asleep and being swatted or a wrong address situation.
Be a shame of that sign holder got hurt...accidents happen.
“When you have salt-of-the-earth middle-aged white guys like me; law-abiding, veterans, husbands, fathers, productive members of society who now view the police with contempt and distrust, it means it is time for law enforcement to re-evaluate their culture. “
Oh yeah, you got that right brother. And I was police in revolver days for a suburb immediately adjacent to Chicago for five years. Training, hiring, culture DEFINITELY needs some wire brushing.
The Somali muslim interloper?
“The Somali muslim interloper?”
One and the same.
“...next to him with my sign. My sign would say “Kill this a**hole” with an arrow...”
Make sure you are carrying either pepper spray or bear spray.
There’s a vid of bear spray used on an aggressive rioter. Coated the entire face with an orange liquid while blinding him. Side effect: he became quiet & submissive.
“You can’t arrest him just for holding the sign.”
If it said “shoot up a mosque” and then promised to provide the guns to accomplish that to anyone interested, would it still be protected by the First Amendment...and do you think government would sit back and say “sorry, nothing we can do”.
In other words, there are limits to speech and these people need to be ARRESTED for inciting violence.
So say you. The Supreme Court disagrees.
That’s a mentality that spread in conjunction with the spread of the stinky weed. It’s highly likely that most of the cop killers were potheads who had the paranoia festering in their rotting brains for years.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.