Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Hidden camera catches culprit taking man's Second Amendment sign

I read the article that argues the violation of freedom of speech and his property ownership by a law-enforcement officer. Jon Gibson, who is living in the rural town near New York, claims that a police officer continues to remove his pro-Second Amendment sign. The sign contains the phrase “protect the Second Amendment” with an illustration of a firing gun. Gibson argues that the police officer removes the sign even he put the sign inside of his hunting field. He claims that removing the sign in his property is clearly a behavior of theft and the violation of his freedom of speech. The stealing of the sign was captured by the hidden camera that Gibson had fixed near the sign. The sign was disappeared twice before which made Gibson to fix a hidden camera. However, Somers Town Supervisor Mary Beth Murphy counterclaims that the sign was removed because the sign was put on the public right-of-way. The supervisor says that “the town does not allow signs in the right of way, […] the police chief had received numerous complaints from neighbors and it was determined that the sign was posted in the right of way.” Murphy also denies the vandalism of the sign which is claimed by Gibson. Murphy clearly states that the sign does not have any kind of damage and can be picked up by Gibson from the police department any time he wants. Conversely, Gibson argues that he captures the scene with his camera that the officer was trying to destroy the sign by kicking it. Murphy explains about this scene that the scene can be interpreted as a behavior of loosening the sign from the ground. Gibson says that this is about his First Amendment and even his Fifth Amendment because the sign was taken from him without due process. I personally think that the due process and the acknowledgement between Gibson and the Police Department should have been taken because it might reduce the chance to ease the conflict about the violation of Amendments. 

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