[WillowTheWhisp]

Are you guys really serious? Because you think this professor is a snob it's OK for his to be violently assaulted by the police?

Why is he a snob? Is it because he speaks with an educated accent and doesn't say "Well, like, er, yunno" ? He seems like a very aimiable mild mannered likeable chap to me. He clearly didn't realise that the person speaking to him was a policeman but from what he says he hadn't even ignored the guy. He'd thanked him for telling him he couldn't cross the road there.

As a foreigner in town would he be clearly aware that it was a crime to cross the road there? Especilly considering he'd seen plenty of other people doing so. Is there anyone on this board who has never crossed elsewhere than on a zebra crossing or waited for the little green man? I see loads of people in accy walking across at pelican crossings when the red man is lit.

Is it really so offensive to ask the policeman to identify himself as a police officer? I thought they were obliged to do that anyway (seen them flashing the badge so many times in the movies) and over here we are constantly being told we should ask officials for their ID and that they expect this and will not be offended.

This part of the article struck me:

In court even the prosecutors seemed embarrassed by the incident, which got out of hand when Fernandez-Armesto requested to see the policeman's identification (the policeman was wearing a bomber jacket; to Fernandez-Armesto, a foreigner unfamiliar with American culture, the officer did not look like an officer). The prosecutors asked the professor to plead nolo contendere. He refused, concerned that the stain on his record might put his green card status in jeopardy. Officials finally agreed to drop all charges. The judge expressed his approval. The professor says he has no plans to sue. But the AHA council is considering lodging a complaint with the city.

Even the prosecutors seemed embarrassed? The judge approved of the charges being dropped? The AHA is not best chuffed.

I don't think the large gentleman is a police officer. It sounds like he was one of the security staff who came out to assist.

Why did the professor need to be kicked to the ground even if he was being arrested? Did the policeman really need 4 others to assist him? He wasn't tackling the incredible hulk.