UCLA (university of california, los angeles) tazer incident

UCLA had mad midterms this week...i think it might also play a role in the stress level of the student that got tased.

(just a thought)

my friends that go to UCLA were pretty damn smart kids in highschool--the ones who took college classes before they graduated highschool. They went to UCLA and are getting their asses kicked by more brilliant kids with way more brain processing than they have.

i dunno about you guys, but being stressed out about a hard midterm can seriously damage your ability to be sensible when you're interrupted from studying...
 
this is just sad, as an Iranian-American myself it hurts on another level

My family and I have also experienced racism here, not to this level, but still...I'm just shocked
 
Oh, the race card. He was tasered for having a darker complexion, doesn't matter that at least one of the cops was black.

Jeez, can't even issue a speeding ticket to a minority without being labeled a racist.
 
wait a minute, you're saying that because a person is black or hispanic he doesn't have the ability to be racist?

if you look through the topic again, he was clearly leaving, just got mad that the cop was forcefully escorting him and that why he yelled out, which led to him getting tasered. And the cops tell him to get him, which be the state of it, it was impossible for the body temporarily can't function
 
The video shows the last 5 minutes of a much bigger incident from crappy angles. I'm not going to jump to any conclusions.

The problem I have is that the ID rule is something put in place for safety and security of the students. We just had that shooting up in Canada not too long ago. If you're going to be wandering around on campus, then you should have identification showing that you're authorized to be there. It's a safety measure. But apparently the rules don't apply to this kid. The fact that he was asked many times to leave or provide ID but refused is reason enough to call the police. If the kid still won't leave and presents a possible safety risk to the students, he should be removed by force. But if the kid screams in the cop's faces when touched and starts cussing them out... then there is going to be a big problem.

Personally, I don't think the kid has anyone to blame but himself for what happened.

when the cops came and he didn't have id, he already got fed up and decided to leave, therefore he was at the door of the library...
I used to be a trouble maker when I was younger and although yes, maybe it comes at a punishment but, not getting tasered 5 fucking times ffs... say you were really stressed out and this cop comes to you at the wrong time and you have a blast at him, would you say you had yourself to blame for getting Tasered? If you have to go to the police station or something, fine... but for getting physically assaulted when you were not threatening to beat the cop or did not intend to beat the cop?

And all the kid said was "Don't touch me", it is perfectly fine to say that to anyone (Remember, a cop does not have more power or rights than any of us, if not I won't want to be living in the country where the cops have more power than a human being, he can only use his weapon for defensive purposes or when the suspect is a threat)... he did not swear or anything.


EDIT: and tomcat, if you think Racism had nothing to do with this, where have you been for the past 10 years, its everywhere to a certain level... you seriously think those so called "Random security checks" at LAX after 911 are Random? its more like random among non anglosaxon IMO, I have never seen a Anglsaxon been checked, and don't tell me it depends on the passport (My father and I have British Passports and are British Citizens, well I have dual citizenship). It exist everywhere you go and I will admit that in some cases, I have made racist decisions or been racist to someone.
 
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fuck the police.
 
fuck the police.

Come on now, you can't judge them all just because a couple crossed the line.

Still. I can't get over how absurd this whole ordeal is. The whole reason for only allowing UCLA students in the library after 11PM is to ensure their safety, but instead we have cops repeatedly tasering someone who wasn't bothering anyone before the staff approached him, and at the same time nearly tasering other students.
 
Come on now, you can't judge them all just because a couple crossed the line.

Still. I can't get over how absurd this whole ordeal is. The whole reason for only allowing UCLA students in the library after 11PM is to ensure their safety, but instead we have cops repeatedly tasering someone who wasn't bothering anyone before the staff approached him, and at the same time nearly tasering other students.

He was making a scene before the cops showed up from what it looks like, so yes, he was bothering people. Disturbing the peace. Going off the mid-terms bit, last thing I'd want is to be interrupted while working on some MatLab coding by a kid that can't do what he's told and can't be bothered to carry his student ID, making a mess of things.

I know a lot of people are asking why don't they use other methods (like asking for their student number). Just because he gives you a number, how do you know it's his number? I work at my school's library, we don't let anything go (mainly because the library barcode number isn't the same as the student ID number, but still, it's the principle of the matter!)

Also, police don't have to read you your rights when the handcuff you. But if you want to go by terms "detained" would be handcuffed, but not in jail. If they throw you in jail, read your rights, etc., then you're "arrested"
 
He was making a scene before the cops showed up from what it looks like, so yes, he was bothering people. Disturbing the peace. Going off the mid-terms bit, last thing I'd want is to be interrupted while working on some MatLab coding by a kid that can't do what he's told and can't be bothered to carry his student ID, making a mess of things.
I said before the staff approached him, not the cops.
 
if you look through the topic again, he was clearly leaving, just got mad that the cop was forcefully escorting him and that why he yelled out, which led to him getting tasered. And the cops tell him to get him, which be the state of it, it was impossible for the body temporarily can't function

when the cops came and he didn't have id, he already got fed up and decided to leave, therefore he was at the door of the library...

Whoa, wait a sec. I don't think it's that "clear" that he was "clearly" leaving or that the cop was "forcefully" escorting him. I think that's jumping to conclusions quite a bit. The cops were called in by the CSO because he had refused to leave when asked several times to do so, which means he was being stubborn before the cops ever even showed up. They were called in because he refused to leave, so obviously they're going to escort him out even if he appears to want to leave willingly. But it's not 100% clear that he was willing to go out on his own. One witness indicates that the cops were escorting him out and one placed a hand on him (it doesn't say that they were blocking him at that point, but then he freaked out about them touching his arm, which it would of been more reasonable if he would have politely asked them to not touch him, but instead he chose to scream at the top of his lungs). Then another witness says that "He definitely taunted the UCPD into behaving the way they did with him".

Then apparently he went limp and fell to the ground in protest to them touching his arm, he then refused to get up and then they tasered him the first time. This was a big mistake by the cops. They should have just carried him out.

And I personally don't think this whole situation had anything to do with him being Iranian-American. The same thing would have happened to any student behaving the way he did. I think it had to do with him acting like a bonehead around bonehead cops (they were boneheads for tasering him). Apparently, the staff were performing a routine ID check, so he wasn't the only student being asked for one. He wasn't singled out or anything.

this is just sad, as an Iranian-American myself it hurts on another level

As long as you don't act like a bonehead around bonehead cops, you should be fine ;) The same goes for all of us regardless of our skin color. Yes, racism does exist, but I don't really see this situation being provoked by racism. The kid's own actions got him into trouble, not his skin color.
 
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wait a minute, you're saying that because a person is black or hispanic he doesn't have the ability to be racist?
tomcat, if you think Racism had nothing to do with this, where have you been for the past 10 years, its everywhere to a certain level...
No, he's trying to convince himself that racism doesn't exist in America anymore. :roll:
First of all, shut up. Don't stuff words in my mouth. The burden of proof falls on you to prove that this incident was racially motivated. This dumbass kid escalated the situation himself. The police were not called because he was... whatever, they were called because he was an unauthorized person on campus and a possible safety risk to the students.

if you look through the topic again, he was clearly leaving, just got mad that the cop was forcefully escorting him and that why he yelled out, which led to him getting tasered. And the cops tell him to get him, which be the state of it, it was impossible for the body temporarily can't function
when the cops came and he didn't have id, he already got fed up and decided to leave, therefore he was at the door of the library...
As jeffy777 said, there is no real evidence to indicate the kid was leaving or trying to leave. It makes much more sense that the Police showed up and escorted the kid to the exit, but the kid was still being resistant and stubborn. When the cop placed a hand on his arm, or whatever, the kid freaked out and screamed in the cops faces. You say it wasn't threatening, but it was loud as hell, even from a camera phone 50 feet away. Screaming that loud at point blank range in a cops face is going to be threatening. The cops obviously pulled out their non-lethals at that point and gave orders to the kid, which were ignored.

I'm not saying the Police were right in using the taser 5 times, but they were right in using force. I'm sure the last thing the Police want to deal with is some stupid college kid who thinks the rules don't apply to him.
 
I just saw the second video jeffy posted, the cop was telling another student to back off or you'll be tazered. That could very much result in the officer being fired, a student asking a question even if you don't like it, you don't have the right to threaten a civilian who isn't a violent threat to anyone.

Also that letter that was written by another student claiming that he knows the tazered student and his friends, might not be accurate. He might have beef with that student or simply hate him and wrote this letter in spite, or maybe he's 100% right. But I don't think anybody should be putting assumpting based on someone's opinions and claims. If the rules of the library state that no non-student should stay past 11 pm, then they could've just threaten to arrest him because he is breaking the law! and read him his right, then if he resists he'll be resisting arrest and he'll be at fault not the cops. from what I've read and felt those cops are jerks, and even if that dude was too, I too would be a bonehead, like jeffy is saying, if someone tazers me. If I think I have the right to stay there and they tazer me, fuck everybody i'll glue myself to the floor. I don't think any guy would be like, ouch you tazered me? umm i think i'll leave.. especially if you think you're right. those are amature cop that handled this guy.

Luckly I know how to embaresse cops when they're at fault, but not too much for them to snap at me :p
 
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I like the fact that it's only some of the Americans in this thread who feel the cops were being fair... that should tell you something.

Even if the kid was asking for trouble you don't pull out a fucking weapon if there is no real danger. The kid might have been extremely disruptive and rude and an asshole but I'm sure the cops did not really think he was going to hurt anyone.

And the race card issue? The problem with that is that you can never tell if racism was an issue or not... but you can't just dismiss any claim of racist behaviour just because it's hard to determine.

Fact of the matter is something like this would be far less likely to occur outside of the US... that's it. I don't see why they needed to shock this poor kid. He was making trouble? Pull out a gun and force him to leave, you don't have to shock him and throw him to the ground screaming in pain. And then they shock him again after he is handcuffed? I thought the whole point of this gay gun was to disable the target so he could be handcuffed and secured?

The Taser is stupid anyway, it's designed to be less lethal (thanks a lot) than other weapons but this just means that cops will be that much more free to use it and that much more willing to use it. Plus, it's not like it can't kill you because it can.
 
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That is a very good point Andy... people are just blind. I have been going to the US 2-3 times per year since I was 1 year old and after 9/11 I have been questioned and fingerprinted every time.

When you go to the airport in Vancouver and are going through the US customs desks (in Canada... weird) they send you to some room in the back for an 'interview' and when you sit in their waiting area and look around all you see are Orientals and Middle Easterners. Not once have I seen a caucasian go through that room and I have gone through at least 10 times since 9/11.

What does that tell you? I have lived most of my life in Canada and am a Canadian citizen so aside from my name and my look there is no reason for me to be there. So I guess US intelligence nowadays is just based around your race. They must be saving a shit load of money not having to actually go through the trouble of finding people who might actually be of some threat.

EDIT: and tomcat, if you think Racism had nothing to do with this, where have you been for the past 10 years, its everywhere to a certain level... you seriously think those so called "Random security checks" at LAX after 911 are Random? its more like random among non anglosaxon IMO, I have never seen a Anglsaxon been checked, and don't tell me it depends on the passport (My father and I have British Passports and are British Citizens, well I have dual citizenship). It exist everywhere you go and I will admit that in some cases, I have made racist decisions or been racist to someone.
 
I love this. What a bunch of idiots and opportunists these politicians are... I bet this kid would still much rather live in America than Iran.
 
I like the fact that it's only some of the Americans in this thread who feel the cops were being fair... that should tell you something.

I hope you're not referring to me. I clearly said that the cops were boneheads ;) And I don't really think anyone said that the cops were being 100% fair. Maybe you need to read more carefully....
 
Well you seem to not be taking the student's side either... I was just wondering if it's because you guys are a lot more immune to this kind of brutality than the rest of us. I wasn't saying that all Americans support racism or anything like that.
 
Well you seem to not be taking the student's side either... I was just wondering if it's because you guys are a lot more immune to this kind of brutality than the rest of us. I wasn't saying that all Americans support racism or anything like that.
Well, it's my opinion that the student escalated the situation just as much as the police. So who's to blame? Well, the student started the whole ordeal just for the hell of it, so that's where I'm placing blame.

Kids do this crap all the time. It's like they get a kick out of being a rebel. It's funny to see one of these pussies get their ass handed to them now and again. This kid got it bad, but we still don't know everything. He provoked the police. Some say he couldn't even stand, let alone walk, but he had no trouble running his mouth.
 
Well you seem to not be taking the student's side either... I was just wondering if it's because you guys are a lot more immune to this kind of brutality than the rest of us. I wasn't saying that all Americans support racism or anything like that.

Well, I'm not going to fully take the student's side because the student was being a major bonehead as well.

What do you mean about American's being "a lot more immune to this kind of brutality than the rest of us"? I live in northern Michigan for crying out loud, which is out in the middle of nowhere. The difference between LA and here is like night and day :lol: Just in case you don't know: the lifestyle of LA and the actions of the LAPD does not equal that of all Americans.

As far as racism goes: Some of the most successful people I know personally are of Middle Eastern origins. My dentist is from India, one of my college professors was from Pakistan, and my doctor is from a middle eastern country, not sure which one off the top of my head. Best doctor I ever had actually :)
 
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