Draconia Tactics at The Aurora Mall

[Reenster]

It seems like things are just falling apart. I just got a phone call from my son
(28 years old) and he was well beyond angry. This is the general jist of the story.

My son and his girl friend(also 28) were out spending some money after recieving their income tax return and went to the Aurora Mall. This proved not to be a wise choice. My son was detained by several mall personnel for the unlikely crime of wearing a "Yes We Cannibis" tee shirt. I understand that my son can become loud especially when he is being harassed and one way or another the cops arrived. The police threatened him with arrest for trespassing and when he pointed out that he made purchases and no one asked him to leave, they said how about disturbing the peace.

When it became apparent that this was not going to be resolved immediately, he just said, "do what ever you are going to do so I can get out of here". They banned him from the mall for a year (took his picture), but I am unsure what the actual violation was. Apparently being a card caring patient makes no difference to the Aurora police. There are no postings that I know of that indicate that wearing a shirt with the word Cannabis on it is somehow not allowed, however, I doubt that could be legal. I know I get alot of marijuana logo stuff from Spencer's Gifts there.

I am bouncing between thinking he should get an attorney or maybe a few hundred people with Marijuana shirts would get the point across. Just wanted to let ya'all know Refer Madness is alive and well in Aurora. At least they did not call out the national guard.:smokin:

Reenster Reviewed by Reenster on 05-23-2010. Draconia Tactics at The Aurora Mall It seems like things are just falling apart. I just got a phone call from my son (28 years old) and he was well beyond angry. This is the general jist of the story. My son and his girl friend(also 28) were out spending some money after recieving their income tax return and went to the Aurora Mall. This proved not to be a wise choice. My son was detained by several mall personnel for the unlikely crime of wearing a "Yes We Cannibis" tee shirt. I understand that my son can become loud Rating: 5

[Justabloke]

The AM has had LOTS of bad press from a baby getting stuck in the escalator to down right racism. I have not been (nor will I be) to the AM in a long, LONG time. I choose not to spend my money there because of the crap they pull. Plus, it takes tax money away from the Aurora outpost of the Gestapo.

But if hundreds of us did show up they may just call out the National Guard! lol We simply can't have "drug addicts" spending their money at the local mall because we know a "pot head's" money just isn't as good as a non-pot head's.

From what I've been told...Rob Corry will represent you free of charge if you are participating in civil disobedience event like 420 and other events. Miguel would know better tho.


j

[Adamkadmon]

That has lawsuit written all over it. Purchases made? So they have receipts showing they were just there shopping. This is a first amendment issue. I would tell your son to talk to an attorney, make the mall pay for their ignorance, literally.
:jointsmile:

[TurboALLWD]

I agree that a lawsuit could possibly be made over this. I have a good friend in the clothing business that can custom make t-shirts. He would be all for the cause and probably not charge much at all over cost. This guy has been helping the community out for many years and would be more than happy to help on this even if only a few were needed.

[StoneyJake]

I was stopped by mail security minutes after making my first purchase at the Aurora mail. I was planing to spend some money.
The security guard that stopped me wouldnt tell me what the problem was for about 5 minutes(until back up could show up..). The next thing I know I am surrounded by police and mail security. They said "you have to turn your shirt inside out, take it off, or leave the mail." I did not refuse to do any of those thing. I said as loud as I could without yelling "So you guys are harassing me for wearing a cannabis shirt when I came here to spend money?" They told me to remove my shirt or turn in inside out. I said "Why? So everyone can see a backwards faded marijuana leaf on my chest?" again being as loud as I could without yelling.
At this point the crowd started to gather and watch. I told them I wanted to speak to a manager about this because my rights are being violated. The mail director was right there and we began to talk like adults about this. He informed me that my shirt is considered offensive to some people so they do not allow any cannabis related attire on mail grounds. I pointed out that there are many store in the mail that sell attire such as this and I made the comment that marijuana is legal for medical users in our state, its always on the news and there is no reason for anyone to be offended by a marijuana leaf on my shirt.
At this point one of the police officers became annoyed and said "its not legal, ha" looking directly at me as he said it in a loud voice. I stopped speaking to the directer of the mail and informed the police officer that it is legal for medical use in our state and I voted on it. I then went back to speaking with the directer of the mail. I told him that they are violating my constitutional rights, when I hear the same police officer say "NO we arent" again looking directly at me. I turned and replied "yes you are, I have the right to wear what ever shirts I want to in this country". He then said "Dont talk to me, Im not talking to you"
I said "well your lookin right at me and speaking very loud"
he says "no I was talking to my fellow officer and you better start cooperating or you will be placed under arrest for trespassing"
I replied "so I am not aloud to reply to people when they are speaking to me"

They they said I was under arrest for trespassing...they brought me to the police station as I spoke very loud of the injustice going on so everyone in the mail could hear it.
I asked the police about the fact that I havent done anything wrong and was never asked to leave the mail so how could I be trespassing? he said "well then Ill just charge you for disorderly conduct"
I told him that he cant just charge me for what ever he wants, thats not how things work. I then asked why he is trying to start a fight with me
he replied "If I was trying to start a fight with you, you would be in the hospital"

I was done at that point and pretty sure I was going to jail or going to get a ticket. I was informed that I was being banned from the mail for one year and then was asked to sign a piece of paper showing that I understood. Under the offenses they listed trespassing.
Then they let me go with no charges... I was escorted to my vehicle

I have been wearing marijuana related tee shirts half my life and have never been harassed for it. It was obvious that one of the police officers on seen have a major prejudice against marijuana smokers.


edit:sorry for the novel, Its only been a day so I still am pretty worked up. Hard for me to believe that this kinda treatment is legal.....

[telephone]

After a brief Google search. It does appear that in Colorado you might have a case regarding mall owners from stopping nonviolent political free speech.

There is some info here:

Law of the Mall

[throatstick]

I was stopped by mail security minutes after making my first purchase at the Aurora mail. I was planing to spend some money.
The security guard that stopped me wouldnt tell me what the problem was for about 5 minutes(until back up could show up..). The next thing I know I am surrounded by police and mail security. They said "you have to turn your shirt inside out, take it off, or leave the mail." I did not refuse to do any of those thing. I said as loud as I could without yelling "So you guys are harassing me for wearing a cannabis shirt when I came here to spend money?" They told me to remove my shirt or turn in inside out. I said "Why? So everyone can see a backwards faded marijuana leaf on my chest?" again being as loud as I could without yelling.
At this point the crowd started to gather and watch. I told them I wanted to speak to a manager about this because my rights are being violated. The mail director was right there and we began to talk like adults about this. He informed me that my shirt is considered offensive to some people so they do not allow any cannabis related attire on mail grounds. I pointed out that there are many store in the mail that sell attire such as this and I made the comment that marijuana is legal for medical users in our state, its always on the news and there is no reason for anyone to be offended by a marijuana leaf on my shirt.
At this point one of the police officers became annoyed and said "its not legal, ha" looking directly at me as he said it in a loud voice. I stopped speaking to the directer of the mail and informed the police officer that it is legal for medical use in our state and I voted on it. I then went back to speaking with the directer of the mail. I told him that they are violating my constitutional rights, when I hear the same police officer say "NO we arent" again looking directly at me. I turned and replied "yes you are, I have the right to wear what ever shirts I want to in this country". He then said "Dont talk to me, Im not talking to you"
I said "well your lookin right at me and speaking very loud"
he says "no I was talking to my fellow officer and you better start cooperating or you will be placed under arrest for trespassing"
I replied "so I am not aloud to reply to people when they are speaking to me"

They they said I was under arrest for trespassing...they brought me to the police station as I spoke very loud of the injustice going on so everyone in the mail could hear it.
I asked the police about the fact that I havent done anything wrong and was never asked to leave the mail so how could I be trespassing? he said "well then Ill just charge you for disorderly conduct"
I told him that he cant just charge me for what ever he wants, thats not how things work. I then asked why he is trying to start a fight with me
he replied "If I was trying to start a fight with you, you would be in the hospital"

I was done at that point and pretty sure I was going to jail or going to get a ticket. I was informed that I was being banned from the mail for one year and then was asked to sign a piece of paper showing that I understood. Under the offenses they listed trespassing.
Then they let me go with no charges... I was escorted to my vehicle

I have been wearing marijuana related tee shirts half my life and have never been harassed for it. It was obvious that one of the police officers on seen have a major prejudice against marijuana smokers.


edit:sorry for the novel, Its only been a day so I still am pretty worked up. Hard for me to believe that this kinda treatment is legal.....

these types of cops are going to regret how they treat people 1 day......

[CovertCarpenter]

...I really don't know what to say about this one, except for yes, get a sympathetic attorney, and VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS. Let the mall administration, as well as every single business in it know that you will NOT be spending any more of your money there until you have recieved a full apology. Should this not be forthcoming, I would take your money elsewhere permanently.

And yes, this IS A FREE SPEECH ISSUE. I am up here in Canada where we do NOT have the protections of the First Amendment... but I would be talking to a lawyer immediately should this have happened to me.

KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT!

[StoneyJake]

"Colorado: A city's financial support of a shopping mall, including its operation of a police substation inside the mall, combined with the range of activities permitted in the mall, made it a latter-day public forum sufficient to trigger the Colorado Constitution's free-speech clause, according to the state's highest court. This clause prevented the owners of the mall from excluding citizens involved in nonviolent political speech. (Bock v. Westminster Mall Co.)"

Thats all I needed to see...... I am going to contact a lawyer first thing in the morning (monday).

thanks for that link telephone

[denverbear]

maybe we should get some nice t-shirts and have a big shopping spree at the mall (buying stuff) so that they can call out the national guard to arrest a couple of hundred people so that they understand they are breaking the law trying to tell us what we can 't wear in public.....did you get any names..officers etc. as I believe a e-mail campain should start asap..and get the tv stations involved also....lets shove this nonsense back at them in Aurora and prove we can be legal and stand up for our rights....this is not communist country yet..