University of Florida Taser incident

The University of Florida taser incident is an event on September 17, 2007 in which police from the University of Florida forcibly removed twenty-one year old student Andrew Meyer from a forum with Democratic Senator John Kerry. Meyer reportedly asked Kerry why he did not contest the 2004 presidential election and why Kerry has not advocated for President Bush's impeachment. Meyer mentioned that both Bush and Kerry belonged to the Skull and Bones society at Yale University. The Associated Press reported that "He apparently asked several questions — he went on for quite awhile — then he was asked to stop" and "He had used his allotted time. His microphone was cut off then he became upset."

After Meyer asked the original question related to the Skull and Bones society, four police officers attempted to remove Meyer. The student struggled with them and continued speaking. He screamed "Help!" and "Get away from me!" as the officers physically held him and moved him to the end of the room. The officers placed Meyer on the ground and began to handcuff him. The officers threatened to taser Meyer. He continued to struggle, said he would stand up and walk out, asked an officer to not taser him, and an officer then tasered him. He continued screaming as the officers removed him from the room. Meyer was arrested and "charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace."

See also

• UCLA Taser incident
• Electroshock weapon controversy
• Student protest
• Free Speech Movement
• Mario Savio

External links

• The AP Report on Fox News
• The AP Report in The Miami Herald
• A video of the incident
• Reaction on Michelle Malkin's conservative blog
• An amateur video of the incident from YouTube
• Reaction on the liberal blog Daily Kos
• The UofF student newspaper report in The Independent Florida Alligator
• Discussion on Slashdot