Dramatic Video Shows Veteran Refusing to Submit to Police at Gunpoint

This is one answer, in small part, to the question, "What can we do about this?":

Free Thought Project

"This" being the insane oppressive zealotry practiced by modern domestic law enforcement.

La Quinta, CA – A powerful video was submitted to the Free Thought Project which shows a dramatic interaction between a man and La Quinta police.

Alejandro Natividad, a resident of Indio pulled out his phone and caught his incredible non-violent resistance on video Sunday as police were pointing guns at him.

Natividad, had committed no crime, yet when police chose to interact with him, guns were drawn and he was told to get face down on the concrete.

Natividad non-violently refused to lay down because he knew he was right, and knew that he committed no crime. But this decision did not go over well with police. Another officer showed up and drew his pistol as well and pointed it at Natividad. At this point Natividad is incredibly nervous but continues to film and holds his ground, refusing to lay down for doing nothing wrong.

The resultant video is inspiring to say the least.

This guy is my Hero-of-the-Month.

You can see about a minute in as the camera begins to shake, that he was afraid for his life. He does everything he can to talk to the deputy, and asks him to put his weapon down. He refuses to get down on the ground as more police officers show up. He refuses to submit, even as he begins to cry. He just stands his ground, and continues to film what he must have known may be his last moments. If he’s seen any other encounter with the police, he had no reason to think that this would end well for him.

After lots of pleading and reassuring the cops that he wasn’t a threat, the police begin to holster their weapons. He was handcuffed, but later released without charges. When interviewed by the Free Thought Project, and asked why he didn’t submit to the demands of the police, he replied “…I was afraid and if I was going to get harmed I’d much rather take it standing than on my face.”

When the police drew their weapons on me, I did what most people would do, and submitted. Alejandro Natividad on the other hand, did not fight, did not flee, and did not submit, which is more courageous than any of those actions put together.

Daily Sheeple

Of course, the outcome would not have been the same had a video camera not been rolling. Which is why every time you see the police interacting with someone (or with you), you should be recording them.

Record them, refuse all demands to stop, and instantly upload the video as it's happening. I think there's an app for that.

a reply to: NthOther

great thread brother but its been posted 2 times i think but you did a lot of work and it did look good

He was a passenger in a car. The car stopped because the driver had an episode/seizure. Police approached and the driver took off. They were then ordered out of the vehicle. Sorry, but that is more than enough reason to be weary and pull on someone. He was in no danger expect to not complying to a simple request. Don't advertise this like he was walking down the street and they came up on him for no reason.

Just want to make sure facts are correct and not standing up for overzealous cops in all situations...

originally posted by: rockpaperhammock
a reply to: NthOther

great thread brother but its been posted 2 times i think

but you did a lot of work and it did look good

Ah crap. Search strikes again. Oh well.

But thanks anyway. Every time I see a "piece de resistance" I get excited.

America is a joke.

I love the people, their upbeat attitude is great. But really, your country is an absolute joke.

Two guns pointed at a man who has committed no crime. . . .
People getting killed for no reason nearly every day by Police who are paid by their tax to protect them.

I hear so many people say "we're nearly a Police state". Sorry to tell you America but you are beyond a Police state, your country is a pretty much a plutocracy with a police force that is more militarized than most countries actual military's .

on another note, I'v always wanted to move to America, buy a shop that sells marijuana and live the rest of my days there chilling. But your politicians & police scare the crap out of me.

a reply to: matafuchs

Do you have a link for the rest of the story? You mention that the driver had a seizure, but if that were the case, wouldn't the driver then be unable to safely drive the car for a while until fully recovered from the seizure? How would the driver be able to drive off so soon afterwards leaving this person behind? Maybe there is more to this story to find out.

originally posted by: matafuchs
He was a passenger in a car. The car stopped because the driver had an episode/seizure. Police approached and the driver took off. They were then ordered out of the vehicle. Sorry, but that is more than enough reason to be weary and pull on someone. He was in no danger expect to not complying to a simple request. Don't advertise this like he was walking down the street and they came up on him for no reason.

Just want to make sure facts are correct and not standing up for overzealous cops in all situations...

"Just want to make sure facts are correct"

So you somehow, still justify having a gun pointed at him?

yes pull them over, but why is the gun always the first action your police take? what a bunch of pussies.

Here's another article that describes the driver as somewhat out-of-sorts, but I still don't see any reason to go heels on the guy:

Desert Sun

Shouse said the deputy approached the car and found a disoriented, somewhat unresponsive driver. After noticing the smell of marijuana, he called paramedics for a medical emergency.

Ha! First, if the guy is unresponsive, why force him to leave the vehicle and go to the ground at gunpoint? And second...

...if the cop thinks that marijuana use constitutes a medical emergency requiring the presence (and cost to the public) of paramedics, he's too stupid to be in his position.

a reply to: matafuchs

This is not "Serve and Protect"... This is "Intimidate and Abuse".

From what I see, US cops go straight to intimidation, usually escalating a confrontation, rather than trying to diffuse a situation.

a reply to: NthOther

Of course, the outcome would not have been the same had a video camera not been rolling. Which is why every time you see the police interacting with someone (or with you), you should be recording them.

I think you're right on the money with this statement. Cell phone cameras and video is our only defense against police who over react physically and reach for their guns on unarmed civilians.

This guy stood his ground to make a point about his rights as a civilian. Sometimes when civilians take a stance like this against abuse of our civil rights on U.S. soil, they are truly heroes and a voice for all of us. This guy said he was a veteran, but what he did here on U.S. soil as a civilian is defending the real freedom and constitutional rights of Americans.

Copy/paste what I said in the other thread:

So let me get this straight...

People think that having a vehicle slam on it's brakes in traffic, then seeing two people hop out of the vehicle and act in a bizarre fashion doesn't justify pulling a sidearm?

Cop doesn't know what he just rolled up on. He just wants to be safe and keep the two idiots safe until he can assess the situation properly.

I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't feel threatened in the cops situation. I would feel threatened just being another motorist. My gun would definitely be unholstered LEO or not. I'd certainly be spooling up the turbo.

I'm all for calling out bad cops but I don't see any here. I see two guys that got high and acted like idiots. They didn't even charge the camera guy with anything. Boo freaking hoo.

Calm down.

a reply to: NthOther

Deputies said the men got out of the car, which escalated the situation and that's when officers pulled out their weapons. A second deputy appeared and handcuffed the men. They arrested Jean-Baptiste for driving under the influence of marijuana.

Shouse said the heated situation could've been avoided if both men would've remained in the car.

"We encourage the community to remain inside the vehicle and not to exit the vehicle unless they're directed by a peace officer," said Shouse.

Link

Cop: 'get on the ground!'

Passenger: ' I didn't do anything.'

Cop: ' I know! But get on the ground 'till I figured this out!'

Tsk...tsk...tsk...bad cop.

a reply to: Domo1

I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't feel threatened in the cops situation. I would feel threatened just being another motorist. My gun would definitely be unholstered LEO or not. I'd certainly be spooling up the turbo.

Please don't join the police force.

originally posted by: Domo1

People think that having a vehicle slam on it's brakes in traffic, then seeing two people hop out of the vehicle and act in a bizarre fashion doesn't justify pulling a sidearm?

Just because something is bizarre does not mean it is a threat. Erratic behavior does not equal criminality. He exited the vehicle without being "instructed" to do so, but... he didn't run. He didn't have a weapon. He wasn't threatening anyone.

No. I don't see any justification for this. These pigs have been trained to approach every situation with maximum force and intimidation. That's the problem.

And it makes me very happy to see people not putting up with it.

a reply to: Domo1

"We encourage the community to do as we say... no argument or discussion"...

Not how I want my law enforcemet to be...

a reply to: NthOther

They both exited the vehicle without being instructed to do so, and were probably being told to NOT exit the vehicle.

Not only is it a hazard in the middle of the road, but it's dangerous for the cop. The cop has no idea who these two are, what's provoked them to get out of the vehicle, if they're armed, if they just robbed a bank etc...

All we have is a video with a guy that's acting borderline hysterical (especially at the end) refusing very basic commands and nothing that led up to that moment.

originally posted by: Domo1
a reply to: NthOther

They both exited the vehicle without being instructed to do so, and were probably being told to NOT exit the vehicle.

Probably?

The cop has no idea who these two are, what's provoked them to get out of the vehicle, if they're armed, if they just robbed a bank etc...

All of this is paranoid conjecture. Which, again, is part of the problem. Why would the cops instantly think the guys just robbed a bank from a traffic violation and a little strange behavior?

Because they've been trained to. Everyone is a suspect. Everyone has something to hide. The people are the enemy.

What happened to "Just the facts, ma'am."? Based on the facts we know thus far, the cops had no rational reason to believe these men were a threat. They acted out of paranoia and contempt, which is exactly what their superiors have told them to do.

a reply to: NthOther

Probably?

Yes. I can't say for certain because the video is incredibly one sided.

All of this is paranoid conjecture. Which, again, is part of the problem. Why would the cops instantly think the guys just robbed a bank from a traffic violation and a little strange behavior?

There are many possibilities and in situations like this using caution is prudent.

Based on the facts we know thus far, the cops had no rational reason to believe these men were a threat.

I would say based on the facts they had every reason to believe the men might have been a threat.

originally posted by: Domo1
Copy/paste what I said in the other thread:

So let me get this straight...

People think that having a vehicle slam on it's brakes in traffic, then seeing two people hop out of the vehicle and act in a bizarre fashion doesn't justify pulling a sidearm?

Cop doesn't know what he just rolled up on. He just wants to be safe and keep the two idiots safe until he can assess the situation properly.

I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't feel threatened in the cops situation. I would feel threatened just being another motorist. My gun would definitely be unholstered LEO or not. I'd certainly be spooling up the turbo.

I'm all for calling out bad cops but I don't see any here. I see two guys that got high and acted like idiots. They didn't even charge the camera guy with anything. Boo freaking hoo.



Calm down.

So, erratic driving equates to those inside being murderers, and psycopaths, which usually requires a cop to pull a weapon. Gotcha.