Occupy demonstrator arrested for sidewalk writing

I didn't see where this had been posted yet, so if it has, please disregard.

www.wftv.com...

ORLANDO, Fla. —
An Occupy Orlando demonstrator has been arrested for writing on a city sidewalk with chalk outside City Hall Thursday.

Jail records show 25-year-old Timothy Osmar was charged Thursday with writing or painting advertising matter on streets and sidewalks. He's being held in the Orange County Jail on $250 bond.

Police said he wrote, "It's beginning to look a lot like a police state.”

It's too bad the rain will wash this message away.

I just find it hard to believe that the police are arresting a person for writing a message in chalk when there's spray painted graffiti all over the place in downtown Orlando.

Seems the police need to get their priorities straight or else it will become what the writing in chalk on the sidewalk suggests.

Originally posted by Afterthought
I just find it hard to believe that the police are arresting a person for writing a message in chalk...

In most places it is illegal to do that. Various local ordinances would disallow it.
In fact, reading the article, this is stated.
Having said that, I would have thought it would be a fine, not have yourself hauled off to jail.

Edit - according to various news articles, he was first given a warning, the police then backed off and checked with legal advisors, and only then made the arrest. So its not like they didnt give him a chance to stop his illegal activities.

Demonstrator James Hill said the group had been writing slogans on the sidewalk, such as "We are the 99 percent" and "Justice equals liberty" for most of the afternoon.

Yeah, "for most of the afternoon", so its not like a simple one time offence for writing one thing.
Looking at the photos, there's crap all over the place and it looks like #.

Originally posted by Afterthought
... when there's spray painted graffiti all over the place in downtown Orlando.

Not seeing the connection. IMHO both activities are illegal. And I'm sure if you look hard enough, that graffittists are arrested too.

reply to post by alfa1


Writing in chalk on a sidewalk is illegal? I'd never heard of this before, so I decided to look it up.
answers.yahoo.com...

This is really going to be very dependent on the specific language in your community's ordinances. You actually highlighted the important part at the start of your question (future lawyer?), where you pointed out that the chalk doesn't permanently mark surfaces. In some places, only permanent defacement is against the law. In lots of others, though, any defacement of property is against the law, even if it does clean up very easily. Free speech defenses don't do you much good, because the laws are generally against any defacement, not just against some viewpoint expressed in defacement. You might consider calling your community's police department (on their non-emergency number) to ask for the policy in your town.

Then, there seems to be some confusion as well (from same source):

yes it is illegal, no they will not take you to jail for chalk, it will wash away. Bono (u2) does it all the time and he has never been taken to jail.

I guess the above answer is now defunct.

Theres a helluva lot of traitors and high-level SOB's in this country that deserve to be arrested FIRST before arresting someone for writing a true message on a sidewalk with chalk.

Priorities, priorities.

This county is going to HELL fast.

Originally posted by Afterthought
Writing in chalk on a sidewalk is illegal? I'd never heard of this before, so I decided to look it up.

I just checked it myself as well.

Sec. 18A.09. – Prohibited Activities in Parks and Recreational Facilities Owned or Controlled by the City.
Except for activities of a governmental agency within the scope of its governmental authority, or unless specifically permitted to do so by a permit or approval issued pursuant to this Chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to do any one or more of the following in a park or recreational facility owned or controlled by the City:
(l) Write on, draw on, or otherwise deface, damage, remove or destroy any park facility or any part of the park grounds. .

...so its not like its a new thing.

But as I said earlier, I would have thought the more sensible action would be a fine, not jail.

reply to post by HangTheTraitors


You got that right!

Hitler says, "No lemonade stands!"
Hitler says, "No writing with chalk on sidewalks!"

Kiddies everywhere need to beware. Not just the protesters.

reply to post by HangTheTraitors

Theres a helluva lot of traitors and high-level SOB's in this country that deserve to be arrested FIRST before arresting someone for writing a true message on a sidewalk with chalk.

Priorities, priorities.

This county is going to HELL fast.

Just my two cents, I don't think Occupy is doing anything to help the cause. They are counter productive and like a derailed train on a collision course, but instead of grabbing the brakes, they accelerate on the gas.

I didn't know you can be jailed for using chalks on a sidewalk. Chalk that could easily be washed away. Being fined over that I could understand, but jail? I don't understand.

The protester was given a warning first. He disregarded the officer and the law and continued to write on the sidewalk.
The demonstrator and the others are seeking attention from the media even if it means getting arrested for something this trivial.
Orlando, The City Beautiful.
Keep Orlando Beautiful: Graffiti

If you're seeing graffiti, it will be removed as soon as possible.

The actions and consequences of this protester changes nothing, except to reinforce the general public's negative attitude towards Occupy Orlando. They're a waste of time and money.

If he truly wanted a positive change, he wouldn't be such a dufus and force his arrest in this type of manner`.

wait!!!
i was never arrested for drawing those "hop-scotch" squares on the sidewalk when i was 8.

Must... keep... sidewalk.. plain and.. white! *gasp* uniform... colorless.. bland is... is... bea... *blah*

The conformity machine will die. Chalk washes off in the rain, you walk on it.

If your too cool too walk on chalk, well, I feel sorry for you.

Originally posted by OUTofSTEPwithTHEworld
wait!!!

i was never arrested for drawing those "hop-scotch" squares on the sidewalk when i was 8.

Lol... they only arrest someone if there's a political, religious, or advertisement type of message.
... and that's AFTER a warning.
Children aren't arrested for this.

reply to post by Afterthought


is it only me or has anyone else noticed how downtrodden people from around the world are beginning to take notice to big government everywhere and are one by one giving them (tptb) the middle finger? i hope that this is just the start of something very beautiful....now if we could somehow find a way to tie all protest of government into one great big worldwide H_LL NO!!!!!!

I have to ask sometimes, is Occupy a protest movement or the core for civil unrest just for the sake of it? If protest is the goal, start some small things to outreach with the community and gain some respect with city government. Hey, I have a place to start..... How about a petition drive to get a measure on the ballot repealing anything on the books against drawing on walkways with chalk?

If local city governments see that start a trend and the ordinances used to harass occupy become the legitimate target of voter based change.....they may start choosing which are used a little more carefully and show some basic common sense and discretion on something like there, where no possible harm was being done by a stick of chalk.

Originally posted by CREAM
Must... keep... sidewalk.. plain and.. white! *gasp* uniform... colorless.. bland is... is... bea... *blah*

The conformity machine will die. Chalk washes off in the rain, you walk on it.

If your too cool too walk on chalk, well, I feel sorry for you.

Sure this sounds trivial but if enough people truly want to change laws, there are ways to do this without having to look like a four year old defying Mom, lol.
This protester needed to get his lock-em-up quota for the week. They seem to be taking their rants to a higher level lately.
Too bad they don't have any sense, if they had any, I believe more people would respect them and listen.

Originally posted by sweetliberty

Originally posted by CREAM
Must... keep... sidewalk.. plain and.. white! *gasp* uniform... colorless.. bland is... is... bea... *blah*

The conformity machine will die. Chalk washes off in the rain, you walk on it.

If your too cool too walk on chalk, well, I feel sorry for you.

Sure this sounds trivial but if enough people truly want to change laws, there are ways to do this without having to look like a four year old defying Mom, lol.
This protester needed to get his lock-em-up quota for the week. They seem to be taking their rants to a higher level lately.
Too bad they don't have any sense, if they had any, I believe more people would respect them and listen.

as a OWS supporter myself i knew most people would have a negative opinion about the movement because of the MSM vilifying about these guys whenever they had a chance.
after some time this protest slowly became a sham, drawing the attention from what they REALLY were protesting to protesting against their right to protest.

Originally posted by OUTofSTEPwithTHEworld
i was never arrested for drawing those "hop-scotch" squares on the sidewalk when i was 8.

From a few years ago...

City calls girl's chalk drawing 'graffiti,' issues $300 warning

A 6-year-old Brooklyn girl's family was threatened with a $300 fine after a neighbor complained to the city about the girl's blue chalk drawings.

...because it is illegal, no matter what age you are.

Originally posted by sweetliberty
Sure this sounds trivial but if enough people truly want to change laws, there are ways to do this without having to look like a four year old defying Mom, lol.
This protester needed to get his lock-em-up quota for the week. They seem to be taking their rants to a higher level lately.
Too bad they don't have any sense, if they had any, I believe more people would respect them and listen.

Whose constitutional rights am I infringing on if I draw on the public sidewalk? No ones.

Am I expressing my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness? Damn straight.

Do I care if I am punished for doing those things? Not at all, no regrets....

HOLY SHHHH

No regrets is a song... Is it about drawing on the sidewalk and having no regrets? Naaawwww, it can't be such a perfect song for this thread. OH.. but it is.



Synchronicity...

edit: If listen to the whole song, put the message in context with occupy, you'll either say "Gee wiz, what a coincidence" OR "Hot damn, that's some straight up synchronicity"

reply to post by alfa1


Glad to hear that little girl's neighbor is a staunch "See something, say something" supporter.
As everyone knows, ignorance of the law is no excuse -- even when you're six.

I think we should ban chalk. All stores carrying it should be fined and slapped with a charge of supplying weapons of mass destruction. Save the sidewalks! That there chalk is more toxic to the environment than Monsanto's RoundUp, so round 'em up!

reply to post by OUTofSTEPwithTHEworld

as a OWS supporter myself i knew most people would have a negative opinion about the movement because of the MSM vilifying about these guys whenever they had a chance. after some time this protest slowly became a sham drawing the attention from what they REALLY were protesting to protesting against their right to protest.

The MSM wouldn't have such negative or damaging reports if people, like in the OP didn't give them such a hodgepodge of destructive behavior.
They need to be weeded out if possible, if it's not too late, that is.
They should have a spokesman too. Regardless of that, even if someone is a part of a group, their still responsible for their actions individually. This man's childish behavior, unfortunately, casts even more negativity onto OWS.
Personally, I don't think OWS was initiated for the reasons many of you supporters hoped it would be. I think it's a test, a way to observe the people's reactions, also the local and federal governments reactions.
Someone should start another movement, one that has a clear message, one that you could proudly support.