Ordered to ground at gunpoint for open carrying by cleveland heights ohio police

[freedom_fighter777]

Video of Gestapo Cleveland Heights Police Terrorizing their Citizens. In the end they let me go with no charges filed and returned my gun.

YouTube - Cleveland Heights Ohio Gestapo Police Order Joseph Ponikvar to Ground at Gunpoint For Open Carrying

[gdcleanfun]

I'm so glad that the sheriff's deputies "get it" in this little town of mine. We are never treated like this. I've open carried in Wal*Mart. No one bats an eye lash.

[HootmonSccy]

I'm so glad that the sheriff's deputies "get it" in this little town of mine. We are never treated like this. I've open carried in Wal*Mart. No one bats an eye lash.

I would expect places like Nevada, Wyoming, etc to be more gun friendly than Ohio etc..
I personally would not open carry unless I was out hunting, etc.

It only invites situations like this one (Someone called in to complain) - and in a bad situation, the Bad Guys know to deal with you first..

Concealed carry is a better option for me..

I am not saying there should NOT be open carry, I'm just saying it would NOT be MY choice.

[utimmer43]

If you're willing to deal with the harrasment, I say fight the good fight. I'm not a lawsuit happy person, but these unfounded, unconstitutional violations need to stop. In these cases, I'm all for the lawsuit. Keep it up, make national news if you can. Just make sure you remain within the law at all times.

[2beararms]

Personally I have ZERO respect for anyone who thinks they are important enough to troll and taunt the police into wasting their time, and my tax money, to make a video of their stupidity. How long did you walk back and forth on that street until someone made a complaint call, illiciting the response that you so desired ??

I for one think you were handled with great restraint and respect. YES, police DO have the right to stop, inquire, and detain individuals until they are satisfied that no law is being broken. If they are not satisfied, they have a period of time to detain you in holding until they must either file charges or let you go. This "you are breaking the law" by detaining me is not correct.

Our community works very hard to keep an image of sane, trained and responsible individuals being armed for their own REAL self protection and intentionally taunting the police to get You-Tube video does not help the cause with lawmakers.

Remember, the "founding fathers" were nothing more than law makers, they were not Gods of some kind and the constitution and the rights that we so want to protect are simply laws on paper. Laws that new law makers CAN change today if desired. The second amendment COULD be repealed with enought support, and the first move to attempt that is always the same ... to show that 2nd amendment supporters are simply nut cases with guns ...

don't give them any more to work with than they already have!

[freedom_fighter777]

Personally I have ZERO respect for anyone who thinks they are important enough to troll and taunt the police into wasting their time, and my tax money, to make a video of their stupidity. How long did you walk back and forth on that street until someone made a complaint call, illiciting the response that you so desired ??

I for one think you were handled with great restraint and respect. YES, police DO have the right to stop, inquire, and detain individuals until they are satisfied that no law is being broken. If they are not satisfied, they have a period of time to detain you in holding until they must either file charges or let you go. This "you are breaking the law" by detaining me is not correct.

Our community works very hard to keep an image of sane, trained and responsible individuals being armed for their own REAL self protection and intentionally taunting the police to get You-Tube video does not help the cause with lawmakers.

Remember, the "founding fathers" were nothing more than law makers, they were not Gods of some kind and the constitution and the rights that we so want to protect are simply laws on paper. Laws that new law makers CAN change today if desired. The second amendment COULD be repealed with enought support, and the first move to attempt that is always the same ... to show that 2nd amendment supporters are simply nut cases with guns ...

don't give them any more to work with than they already have!

I see you live in Florida where Open Carry is illegal where you don't have the right to bear arms. Just because I am exercising my right to bear arms doesn't mean I am trying to illicit a response. They are only allowed to detain me if they have a articulable reason to believe that I am breaking the law. If the mere site of a gun is enough to scare somebody that is their problem not mine. Their "right to feel safe" doesn't supersede my right to bear arms. Do you think the founders wrote the second amendment with concealed carry in mind?

[knighted4]

Seems to me that alot of open carry people try to bait the police...Why else would you carry a video camera? Yes you were right and they were wrong but in thier response they have to detain you and check you out in the course of a radio call, think of the liability if they had not...of course you probably already knew that. Carrying a video camera and taping the police and carring the law with you. And your probably the type to try to sue over it and waste more taxpayers money. JMHO

knighted4

[Sidewinder]

I seem to be having a lot of mixed feelings on this one:

Being black, I certainly try to avoid ALLpolice encounters. Its not like I dress like a thug or anything, but they just treat me differently. And wow, if I was open carrying, I'm afraid I would be shot if I made a false move.

I do appreciate people "Fighting the Good Fight" but I don't think police entrapment is all that helpful. I believe there needs to be a strategy to enlighten the public so they don't make those GWAG calls(although I was shocked how the LEO in the video was like, "not everyone can have a gun"). Yes this is true but BGs usually don't use kydex/leather OWB holsters.

[JCWohlschlag]

I for one think you were handled with great restraint and respect. YES, police DO have the right to stop, inquire, and detain individuals until they are satisfied that no law is being broken. If they are not satisfied, they have a period of time to detain you in holding until they must either file charges or let you go. This "you are breaking the law" by detaining me is not correct.

This is completely and utterly incorrect. Police must have reasonable, articulable suspicion (RAS) that a crime is being committed or is about to be committed before they may detain a suspect. Since the open carry of a firearm is completely legal in Ohio, there is no reason to suspect someone open carrying a firearm to be committing a crime. Despite Ohio having a “stop and identify” statute, the Ohio courts have ruled (such as in Ohio v. Holly, referencing Florida v. Royer) that police cannot simply detain an individual simply to ascertain their identity without proper RAS, which would be exactly what they did in this case.

Seems to me that alot of open carry people try to bait the police...Why else would you carry a video camera? Yes you were right and they were wrong but in thier response they have to detain you and check you out in the course of a radio call, think of the liability if they had not...of course you probably already knew that. Carrying a video camera and taping the police and carring the law with you. And your probably the type to try to sue over it and waste more taxpayers money. JMHO

The incident was recorded on a cellphone.

[knighted4]

I stand corrected about the video camera, but why would he record a walk around the block if not for exactly what happened? Don't get me wrong i agree with the 2nd amendment and I agree with open carry too, just saying that if you open carry in this day and age you need to accept the response of those who do not agree or understand. JMO

knighted4