Fed Up: Florida Crowd Forms Human Shield to Protect Man Police Try to Arrest for Smoking Marijuana

AlterNet – by Zaid Jilani

In addition to the mass protests nationwide against police brutality, incidents where ordinary citizens speak up, start recording and attempt to intervene when they see excessive and abusive cop behavior are being reported more frequently.

Earlier this month in New York City, a woman angrily denounced police who were beating an already restrained teenage boy as others made sure to film the incident to hold the plainclothes officer accountable. It is possible that the assembled and outraged crowd prevented further abuse, and with the help of the cellphone video, the cop faced at least some discipline from the department.  

This past weekend in Delray Beach, Florida, dozens of people quickly organized to stop what they believed to be a petty and unnecessary arrest.

That night, Delray Police entered a neighborhood after seeing a man walking down the street smoking. The officers thought the smoke smelled like marijuana, so they decided to pursue the man. When the man entered a home nearby, the police followed and tried to apprehend him. They were surprised when about 20 people came out of the home and surrounded the man to prevent the arrest from taking place.

“They formed this shield and started to get aggressive,” one of the officers said.

“The next thing they know, there’s 70 to 75 people out there,” another officer who was on the scene reportedly said. “The officers had to use pepper spray to get the people back.”

The crowd grew rowdy, and at some point an object was hurled at the windshield of a police cruiser. By the end of the night police had detained four people, on charges including inciting a riot.

The incident could foretell greater citizen intervention against what they perceive to be abusive and unnecessary policing and shows the urgency of reining in the over-criminalization of American life.

38 thoughts on “Fed Up: Florida Crowd Forms Human Shield to Protect Man Police Try to Arrest for Smoking Marijuana

    1. Hey Paul, diggerdan would have been proud! Paul, have a Happy New Year brother! Millard (This hot apple cider and rum really warms the spirit on a cold evening!)

      1. what Millard? no everclear? Hey Brother. have a good evening. Yes Millard, Daniel IS proud. 🙂
        Hey Angel have a peaceful evening. 😎
        Maybe someday we can get together and spin a fatty or 2.

  1. Right back at you Angel-NYC! So the giant ball we inhabit starts another big spin around the cosmos. I’m just along for the ride! lol Hey, I just noticed that you, I, and Paul don’t seem to have anything better to do tonight! We dominate the comment section.

      1. Yup. Sure don’t want to be out and about. LOL
        No better place to be. 🙂 😆
        (Plus, Hubby’s watching College Football Bowl Games [3rd today].)

          1. LOL I’m not a football fan. However, I don’t say anything. There were 3 games yesterday, as well. I’ve Never watched so much football in my life! LOL
            BTW, He asked me to ask you what you think about the Wisconsin vs. Auburn game…

          1. I’m sure the pigs will be “at the trough” tonight once the “Sobriety Checkpoints” get set up to snare those in the “demolition derby” that begins at Midnight.

          2. Yeah i remember way back when the cops would help me drive home when i was drunker than a skunk. that don’t happen now days.

  2. “It is possible that the assembled and outraged crowd prevented further abuse, and with the help of the cellphone video, the cop faced at least some discipline from the department.”

    ‘SOME’ discipline? The bastard should be fired and arrested!

    “The officers had to use pepper spray to get the people back.”

    Pathetic. What do you expect from pigs.

    I guess they didn’t have enough tasers or bullets to kill all 75 people or they would have. After that, I’m sure they would have planted the gun on the victim after shooting him (dead men tell no tales) and stating that he shot and massacred all 75 people in a matter of minutes and thus the false flag scenario would have occurred.

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