Holy Sh*t! Police brutality!

[CyberBull]

Calling the Athletic Department is on the to do list  tomorrow.

Whether or not our students rushing the field is wrong or right is not the issue. What I saw were hired renta-cops manhandling our students. I saw one poor kid jump from the stands and immediately get tackled by 3 "blue shirts" and get a haymaker right in the face.

IMO, while USF is not directly to blame for this they need to make it clear that students will not be subject to excessive violence. Especially from these wannabe cops. I did not witness the real policemen being terribly excessive but was disappointed that I saw a cop lookdown on  a student while he was getting beat on the head.

The students have been great in our 3 homes games so far and their participation at games is key to making this a nationally relevant program from which the University stands to make a good amount of money. If the students continue to get abused how can we expect them to keep coming out?

[eightonesix]

The thing that disappointed me was that it appeared as if they were going to permit it and simply protect the goal posts -- which is what they were trying to do at WVU.  Instead, there were no announcements to reiterate the rules and the intent of the officers.  Add a silly show of force by FHP, HCSO and TSA, and it was a disappointing scene.

If they expect individuals to comply, they need to make an announcement.  It won't stop a huge rush, but it would certainly make any concern over understanding the rules a moot point.

*whistles theme to cops... bad boys...*

[LackeyBullJD]

Sorry this is a long rant... but I'm unhappy.   >

I like to think of myself as pretty open-minded and try to respect the rules, but I have to say I am FURIOUS with the actions of the TBD and RJS security last night.  I was with the Beef Studs, to the right of the goalpost and we had already planned to stay the heck away from the goalposts and run straight.  Screw the Bucs' precious goalposts.  We wanted to celebrate with our team.  I don't care if the cops want to keep us away from the posts, that's fine--they're not ours.  But things got WAY out of hand last night. This is only part of what I saw last night:

One poor student was slammed against the wall, then picked up and slammed back to the ground while never even trying to struggle.  Another was simply standing by a wall after jumping over it when he also was slammed against it and tackled.  I was leaning over the wall watching this and the one young, arrogant, barbaric TPD officer in front of me tried to hit me on the arms with his baton as if I had done anything.  I hadn't, nor did I plan on it since I had my out-of-the-area girlfriend with me and didn't want to get arrested.  But apparently leaning over the wall is cause for getting beaten with a police baton (which can kill, by the way).

But it gets better....

A group of five or ten students to my right were doing the same thing as me, but once they saw what was happening to the students on the field (and saw the young TBD officer try to hit me FOR NO REASON), they started jawing with the cops and security, who then  taunted them, daring them to come onto the field.  After Mr. Arrogant young TBD officer decided he'd intimidated me enough (although he hadn't), he moved to the group of young men to my right and began taunting them.  When they spoke back, he held his taser to them at point blank range of one student's face.  I am not exaggerating.  This IS what happened.  

Appalled by what I saw seeing, I ran next to the group of guys being overtly threatened and asked the officer what the h*ll he thought he was doing and began yelling to him about how the ACLU would love to hear about his behaviour.  He told me to shut up and continued threatening the group which had done NOTHING and had no apparent intent.  When I asked what they had done, he said something about threatening an officer.  RIGHT....they threatened HIM from the other side of the wall as he's waiting in front of them with a baton that he apparently liked to use liberally and a tazer in front of their faces.  I reminded him again that certain organizations that I am connected with would be very interested in knowing about the precedings (no, I didn't use exacty those words, but I didn't swear at him), and he said to me "you're going to jail, buddy."  I asked him what the h*ll I had done, and his response was "you threw Gatorade at me."  I never had a beverage or anything in my hand for that matter, nor was I drunk or even causing trouble.  I'd admit if I was, as I've done in the past, but I'm 25 and graduating soon, so it's not worth it.  And look, I'm not stupid enough to chuck a bottle at a cop even if I had one.  I also saw the gatorade get thrown and it obviously came from the section to our right.  

THEN, he radioed the state troopers inside the stadium (I could hear what he said) and said he needed someone taken away for the night, and gave them MY DESCRIPTION!!!  Choosing discretion over valour, I took the hat he described off, gave it to my girl to hide in her purse, and walked out away from the direction of the state troopers.  On the way out, one of the young men to my right gave me a hug and thanked me for, as he said "saving their party."  He may have been drunk and I'm not sure I really helped much, but he and his friends were clearly upset.  Then obviously I got out of there without getting aprehended for doing nothing.  

I'm sorry this is so lengthy, but I'm hoping that people read this board and understand only a microcosm of the events that transpired last night.  

I am a Criminology major and my father is a former police officer.  I've discussed this with him and we are both so appalled at this DISGUSTING AND UNNECESSARY behaviour that I can't adequately articulate my feelings into words.  

I'm not the type of vindictive person to actively pursue lawsuits or cost someone his job for doing it poorly, but this is an exception.  I hope people read this and know of similar accounts and take action against these neanderthals, in particular one young TBD officer who, if not for my reflexes, would've broken my fingers for leaning over the railing.  I do know what cops can and can't do, and their behaviour last night far transcends the boundaries of preserving the peace and serving the public.  

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

Lackey, you were guilty of Contempt of Cop. I am suprised you dad didnt tell you this. It doesnt make the cop right but there are times (as cop friends have told me) where you can beat the rap but you wont beat the ride. That is, they will arrest you just to prove a point. If the charges dont stick, they dont care.

[USF_Girl]

the police also tackled girls, Im not talking around 300lb girls, 100lbs of nothing girls getting jumped on by 200+ security guards. I know someone has pictures of one of the "beef studs" girls getting tackled, its bull.

[LackeyBullJD]

Lackey, you were guilty of Contempt of Cop. I am suprised you dad didnt tell you this. It doesnt make the cop right but there are times (as cop friends have told me) where you can beat the rap but you wont beat the ride. That is, they will arrest you just to prove a point. If the charges dont stick, they dont care.

My dad did actually mention that, and I'm familiar with the practice.  But it doesn't make it right.  And I'm an idealist, so unjust, quasi-legal practices by "authority" figures is one thing that really gets me fired up.  

Also, I feel especially bad for those poor students who may not be as familiar with cops arresting to make a point and were willing to be more daring, only to be taken to Orient--and I know there were at least a couple who this happened to.  And I'm talking about some students who did not go over the wall.

[Paisa el Toro]

Does anyone have connectios to the Times or the Trib to possibly get a story done on the brutality of TSA.  This would shine a light on what went on last night.   And to  put TSA under the microscope.

I'm sure some Tampa media outlet has pix of the brutality because I saw some photographers taking pictures as the security and TPD were going balistic on the students.

I really hope this is not kept under wraps. This is something that needs to be exposed and addressed. I'm all for staying within the rules, but when you have this many people outraged about the display of barbarism by TSA/TPD there must be something wrong! TPD was out of hand. Private TSA security cracking skulls is against the law and is called battery.

[Brad]

I'm sure some Tampa media outlet has pix of the brutality because I saw some photographers taking pictures as the security and TPD were going balistic on the students.

I really hope this is not kept under wraps.

This ought to be interesting...my bet is no one publicizes this at all.  Usually the money wins out, even if some kid is still walking around with a limp or a ringing in his ears.  

It's too easy for people that haven't been hit with a taser or club to say "he had it coming, he went onto the field."  Almost as easy to say as the TPD officer that will trump up charges.  Real easy for TPD or TSA goons to say they were threatened, or "attacked".  A disgusting and pitiful stain on an otherwise wonderful night for USF.

[RHBullsFan]

Someone should send this thread to the guys at 620WDAE. Maybe Ron & Ian or the Big Dog can touch on this.

[usfinthere]

I don't think the Trib will do anything.  They are pewter partners of the bucs.

I'd like to see the story though.