Batman mask leads to arrest in Ybor City

Batman mask leads to arrest in Ybor City

TAMPA – Police arrested a Largo man for wearing a mask on the street in Ybor City.

But according to the St. Petersburg Times, it’s not the first time Walsh Nichols has worn his Batman mask in public. Nichols, 21, is often dressed in full Caped Crusader costume, when he goes out to bars.

The Times reports a Tampa police officer warned Nichols he couldn’t wear his mask in public, after the officer caught him riding his motorcycle in full Bat-gear in Ybor a few weeks ago.

A Florida statute written in the 1950s, apparently aimed at the Ku Klux Klan, prohibits citizens from wearing a mask on a public right of way. A Tampa police spokesperson told the Times only one other person has been arrested on that charge recently, but the man was trespassing.

Nichols was arrested late Friday night, and released on bond a few hours later.

According to arrest records Nichols is a medical technician. Nichols faces two misdemeanor charges: wearing a hood on the street and not having a valid motorcycle license.

Source
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 10/16/2008 by justme2]

Ok.....
On the surface this is pretty wacky.
I take that back, it IS pretty wacky!

If you want to dress up like batman, so be it... You shouldn't be arrested over it, IMO.

Another case of an old law being taken to extreme levels. Obviously a man dressed up like batman shouldn't be subjected to an old KKK law.

Then again. Only in Florida.. (Lived there years ago, so don't hate me!)

Source
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 10/16/2008 by justme2]

In further new 2.5 million american children are expected to be rounded up by authorities this halloween.

lol that's pretty funny

i don't think they should have arrested him just for being dressed as batman. i suppose had he been wearing nothing BUT the batman mask it could have been cause for concern but if he's sort of known for dressing like that and he's not doing any actual criminal acts he shouldn't get in trouble for it

He shouldnt be arrested for dressing like batman, its pathetic.

However, if he has already be told not to go into public places dressed as batman then he was pushing his luck.

I dont see what the problem is, let him wear what he wants, if hes not acting like a criminal or doing anything wrong then let him be.

The old laws should be forgotten about

If ONLY this asinine law existed here in my city of,Victoria,BC,Canada,than we would FINALLY be spared the terror and horror of having a man dressed as darth vader,mask and all,WAILING and shredding,and destroying,and torturing a POOOR violin on a daily basis,for the past 5-10yrs+... ...GAWD i want that man dead...LOL ...But other than that...this IS some funnie #...Maybe they could make the law a LIL more CLEAR now that the KKK are REALLLY no longer "exceptable",and just clearly state...NO pointy headed white robes allowed in the city...LOL ...So...What do they do for helloween?!,big arrest parties or something?...LOL...

sigh... its 2008..

And here we are reading about grown men dressing as batman, and pirates.

Step back a moment and think about that.

is this a loony bin?

reply to post by Rory27


Oh man.. My condolences.. That sounds pretty scary (re: Darth Violin Man) wow.

I mean, the batman guy isn't doing any harm.. So what, he's wearing a batman mask (and at times the full kit)... It could be the only thing in his life that brings him joy.. But some stupid law had to take it away from him....
Way to go police

Wonder what the police in that town would do if 100 or 1000 people showed up in batman costumes!!

This almost seems like one of those stories you tell your buddies:

Once, I got REALLY trashed, and arrested for dressing up like batman...

LOL

its a shame they used an old law like that to apprehend him.

Originally posted by nj2day
sigh... its 2008..
And here we are reading about grown men dressing as batman, and pirates.
Step back a moment and think about that.
is this a loony bin?

Is it?
It's also a free country.
Anyone should be free to dress up as batman in public as much as they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.


[edit on 10/16/2008 by justme2]

Oh i'm not saying they can't... i'm just thinking about how insane it sounds lol

you have to admit, that story makes u chuckle a little bit...

I saw this story this morning..

I actually currently live in the Tampa area. Just last week a new restaurant opened up near me.

To draw attention to their grand opening they had the following on the street corner. A lady with a large sign and a guy in a full Spiderman outfit. (Yes, the new restaurant is a really classy joint).

Anyway, Spiderman was there on the corner, on a public right of way, wearing a mask, and jumping around like the Easter Bunny on crack to advertise the new place to eat.

Plenty of cops drove by. They didn't bust Spiderman.

There has to be something more to this. I'm thinking he had to have ticked the cops off somehow and they couldn't find anything else to bust him on.

Originally posted by nj2day
you have to admit, that story makes u chuckle a little bit...

More than chuckle
Thinking about what went thru the guy's head "I'm getting arrested for what?"
And also funny, that the police spend the Floridians tax dollars on the persuit of people in costumes.....

Then again, as I said in my OP - It is afterall Florida.. Kind of a wacky place..

Originally posted by justme2
Wonder what the police in that town would do if 100 or 1000 people showed up in batman costumes!!

Imagine the look on the cops faces if 1000 people showed up dressed like my avatar

What about Muslim women who wear those astronaut/bee keeper get-ups.. Would they be arrested as well?