As a former resident of the great state of Texas, this story disgusts me.
Three men were sitting outside a San Antonio Starbucks with their unloaded rifles, legally open carrying, when they were placed under non-custodial arrest and charged with disorderly conduct. The KENS-TV story is below.
First of all, can someone please let the Sarah Lucero know that AR-15s are NOT “assault rifles”?
So according to San Antonio police Chief William McManus, gun owners can be charged with disorderly conduct if anyone feels threatened at any point during a demonstration. Are you kidding me Texas?
Look, I’m generally against demonstrations like this personally, but I support others’ right to demonstrate however they see fit as long as they aren’t breaking any laws. These men were not breaking any laws, and there’s proof. Check out the YouTube video below which shows more of what went down.
I’m completely disgusted by this. Whether you support open carry or not, we all need to get behind these men and put a stop to this nonsense. This disorderly conduct charge should be immediately thrown out, and these cops should be ashamed of themselves. Personally, I’d fire them for wasting tax payer money on such nonsense.
H/T The Blaze
They were cited for disorderly conduct. Yes with police chief said is how their gonna react to it.
The police chief should be fired.
What. The. Hell.
This is complete bullshit. The people of San Antonio should be marching on the streets calling for these cops to be fired. Completely unacceptable, and IN TEXAS NO LESS. Are there no free states left in America, or have the Communists completely taken over?
San Antonio is a liberal enclave in Texas…this is hardly surprising to me. The pussification of America is well under way now. I would say the real fight to keep our rights will begin sometime in the next 15-20 years, when this next generation of “men” and women who only ever see guns in the hands of criminals or on TV used by the “bad guy” enter the voting pool.
I think 15-20 years is overly optimistic.
Well you got those little faggot looking mayor and congressman brothers that are and you guessed it democraps and are trying to push there faggot agenda off on everyone here. Frankly they both need to be fired. They are trying to push an anti-discriminary law in town and the fags think its because of them when in reality its got alot to do with religion and very little to do with them but they think its so no one can say anything against their not at all natural life style. So yeah you have these 2 Castro boys trying to screw everything up here in San Antonio and I use the term boys loosely , they are barely out of diapers and they think they can or have the smarts to run a city and state. S.A. is 1.8 mil people majority hispanics and wets.
Tennessee, man. Tennessee.
Hate to say it but the cop didn’t even look like he knew what he was doing with the rifle, calling it an assault rifle does nothing but add to the liberal anti gun media agenda.
You’re right, it almost looked like that first cop didn’t know how to check if a round was chambered.
A dco because the officer got butthurt about not getting the numbers off the guns WTF
Ridiculous, it’s not against the law to carry a rifle in Texas in public. But citing these men for disorderly conduct, I mean really beyond ridiculous. But what would you expect Julian Castro is mayor and a liberal to boot. That ought to say something.
Sure the cops overstepped their authority. The correct response was to a) tell the caller “it is perfectly legal for the men to carry rifles, get over it” and b) if there was a question on the part of the popo about whether the men were carrying safely, then they could check them out, saying “carry on” when found to be in compliance with the (unconstitutional) Texas law.
All you folks getting butthurt over this petty tyranny seem to be overlooking the really interesting question, which is “what the hell were those guys doing at Starbuck with weapons?” There is only one answer to that … they were there to provoke a response. They succeeded in to doing so. End of story.
What did they expect to happen in San Antonio or in Austin or in any of the other lefty enclaves in Texas? Well, unless they are colossally stupid, they should have expected exactly what happened. What is their point? Are they going to sue and win? Are they just looking for the kind of publicity for the cause that they received? Will they spend the afternoon counting all the comments in places like this and feeling really good about their 15 minutes of fame?
Unless they have a plan to turn this incident into some strategic or tactical political advantage for the cause of freedom, then they are just idiots out for the lulz.
Why is Private Pyle holding that weapon? Why aren’t you stomping Private Pyle’s guts out?
Sir, it is the private’s duty to inform the senior drill instructor that Private Pyle has a full magazine that is locked and loaded, Sir!
They were clearly there to demonstrate “in your face” style, and as I said, I don’t agree with that approach, but I support their right to demonstrate in ways that I don’t agree with as long as they aren’t breaking any laws, which they weren’t.
Also, I think it’s worth pointing out that at least one of the men claims that he has done this exact same thing in San Antonio before, and presumably he wasn’t charged on that occasion.
I just expect more from Texas, that’s all. The disease that has long polluted Austin is spreading, and I fear for the future of Texas.
The obviously don’t know how their own statute applies. http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.42.htm
It’s pretty clearly stated that there has to be intent to alarm, which is obviously not the case. I don’t generally condone that type of display just for the sake of making a display, but Law Enforcement needs to know the laws, and be taken to the woodshed when they abuse them.
I contacted the reporter via twitter, her facebook and email at the station as well as the station news desk editor, for what it’s worth. No response yet.
Carrying black rifles to a Starbucks in San Antonio can only be interpreted as an “intent to alarm.” There is no other conceivable purpose for doing it. These are not cute Israeli soldiers walking on the beach with their required duty weapons slung on their backs. I can see the conversation now. “I got an idea! Let’s take our axes over to Starbucks. See if we can shake up the civilians.” This is one step removed, in intelligence, from “Hold my beer and watch this!”
Uncle Kenny,
I think you are correct. These guys knew what they were doing – Just see how much Crap they could stir up. I don;t think Open carry is the way to go when suprise is the BEST way to go. Well they got just what they wanted.
90% of your post is retarded. But too try and be positive, the one part I do agree with is this type of protest isn’t going to affect the police state. Instead what these good patriots should do is go on jury’s and vote any criminal INNOCENT. Stating that their reasonalble doubt is they don’t trust the police. NOT GUILT is all citizens have to say who are serving on juries. Then the police state will get the message. Use the real power you have as a citizen. Before it’s too late.
Only 90%?
Ironic that you should say that in such a poorly written comment full of grammatical errors, while suggesting that people “vote” criminals innocent. But hey, thanks for chiming in. I’ll try to be less retarded next time.
Brandon,
I will repeat my reply to Uncle Kenny, but with one other comment. (see bottom)
I think you are correct. These guys knew what they were doing – Just see how much Crap they could stir up. I don;t think Open carry is the way to go when surprise is the BEST way to go. Well they got just what they wanted.
I do NOT believe that what they did is the best way to preserve our 2nd. amendment rights. By making people who know nothing about guns think we are a bunch of nuts. We must find a better way to inform the people of our rights and what is about to happen to all of us very soon..
Used to be this way in Wisconsin. We changed the laws. Cops are figuring it out after being sued enough times.
Oops, Roberta X agrees with me, even if belatedly. Could be time to rethink.
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2013/09/open-carry-at-starbucks.html
Oh, you flatterer.
Brandon, you’re confused as usual. I wasn’t talking about your conmment. I wasn’t referring too you. I was responding to uncle kenny’s comment, so stop being so scared. I stand by everything I said in that post. Brandon you say ‘while suggesting people vote “criminals” innocent. Once again Brandon you’re confused. Everyone is INNOCENT until proven guilty by the police state. The police state can arrest and charge anyone with a crime. But only a jury of normal citizens can find an American guilty. IE determine them to be a “criminal.” So when you call them “criminals.” That’s slave police state mentality. Free men know their rights and exercise them. Being on a jury is one of the most important. As far as my grammer, sorry mom for not passing the english test. Oh yeah I forgot this is an internet blog. Not my college english course. But I promise to ‘be more better’ next time mom.
Protip: if you want to reply to a comment, find the reply link below that comment and click.
Your a fucking idiot
@hardh8
Dude, whatever you’re smoking…lay off it bro. It’s not doing you any favors.
Smooches to you and Tam, too.
Just as an aside, hitting the “Reply” link doesn’t always generate a “Reply”. That’s what I did when replying to Bobbie’s item and it stil put my reply as a separate comment. We’ll see what this one does. I clicked “Reply” on your note that begins “Protip:”
See what I mean.
Could it be that replying to a reply does not work, but only replying to a first level comment. I am now replying to “See what I mean”
Odd, I’ve never had a problem with WordPress replies. Email me your browser info and I’ll look into it. Thanks man.