While filming an arrest in a popular Austin party spot a bystander had his cell phone yanked out of his hand by a mounted police officer. When he protested he was sprayed in the face by another officer. The mounted officer then threw his cell phone to the ground. The link to the story with video is below. Warning : There is some NSFW language.

Bystanders accuse Austin police of excessive force

I watched it real quick, the cops are way way out numbered, giving orders to get back, using horses to circle the wagons because the crowd keeps encroaching on them and finally one of the lawbreakers, and he is a lawbreaker at that point, gets his phone snatched away, a little go go juice and his phone back (but maybe damaged).

 

Not ideal by any means but he got exactly what he deserved.

And no grabbing the phone out of his hand and tossing it back at him is improper in my opinion. But it sure beats being arrested.

I watched it real quick, the cops are way way out numbered, giving orders to get back, using horses to circle the wagons because the crowd keeps encroaching on them and finally one of the lawbreakers, and he is a lawbreaker at that point, gets his phone snatched away, a little go go juice and his phone back (but maybe damaged).

 

Not ideal by any means but he got exactly what he deserved.

 

How is he breaking the law when he is outside the perimeter that they set up? The first 2 officers ride by and pay him no attention. The 3rd officer then decides to grab his phone out of his hand and when he starts to follow her he is sprayed. There are people standing just as close as he is but they aren't bothered because they aren't filming.

Really dude.

 

Watch the video again.

And to answer your question two or three horses before that one the officer told everyone to back up (away from the incident) and the one that grabbed the phone was motioning the same thing. In short, this is another situation where bystanders were given a lawful order to disperse away from an emergency situation and the man in question disregarded those orders. He is absolutely in violation of the law, no question about it.

 

All anyone had to do was take a few steps back and film away.

I've got no problem with what the police did here.

I've got no problem with what the police did here.

 

I would have felt much better about it had they just sprayed that guy with pepper spray vs. taking the phone and tossing it back.

 

I watched the local media report of it too. Too often the media does so much more harm than good.

 

The bigger story here is another out of control mob threatening police safety, not an officer grabbed my iphone.

Really dude.

 

Watch the video again.

 

I've watched it several times. The first 2 horses pass by setting a perimeter and pay the guy filming no mind. The 3rd officer didn't like the camera and decided to grab it which led to the pepper spraying.

I've watched it several times. The first 2 horses pass by setting a perimeter and pay the guy filming no mind. The 3rd officer didn't like the camera and decided to grab it which led to the pepper spraying.

 

You are wrong, horse officer two of four (or another officer in the immediate area) clearly told everyone to "back up" three times. Additionally horse officer four was motioning everyone back. Additionally, before the horses went by the other officer with the spray out was clearly attempting to keep the whole crowd back.

At what point could the phone be considered a weapon?

At what point could the phone be considered a weapon?

 

That is something else I was thinking about. I am sure there are many examples of firearms out there made to look like smart phones. And all it takes is for an officer to be wrong one time about that and you are dead.

 

We have an angry mob mentality in this country and it is going to get worse before it gets better.

 

Think about the majority of the national incidents involving the police, most of the them involve an angry, law breaking, out of control, mob.

I was thinking more of he throws the phone, it hits a horse, horse goes crazy, people get hurt, injured, die.

 

Should have really pepper sprayed the whole crowd after they didnt move back.

That is something else I was thinking about. I am sure there are many examples of firearms out there made to look like smart phones. And all it takes is for an officer to be wrong one time about that and you are dead.

 

We have an angry mob mentality in this country and it is going to get worse before it gets better.

 

Think about the majority of the national incidents involving the police, most of the them involve an angry, law breaking, out of control, mob.

 

As I have stated many times before, eliminate the threat.

I was thinking more of he throws the phone, it hits a horse, horse goes crazy, people get hurt, injured, die.

 

Should have really pepper sprayed the whole crowd after they didnt move back.

 

I agree but if you do that bad actors will act out even more, it will escalate, and the police will get blamed for that too.

 

I blame a lot of it on political correctness and hatred towards the police by many members of society.

 

In short, and especially without political backing, the police are in a no win situation.