Exactly How Would You Do a Citizen's Arrest On a Public Figure?

I've wondered about how this would work for quite some time now.

What if you had good reason to want to arrest a public figure, say someone running for President or a Congress critter? They're protected by the Secret Service and a small army of staffers at all times, or by security at a federal building. You can't even get near them.

How exactly would a member of the public or a group of us arrest this person (who shouldn't be above the law but apparently is, by virtue of already acquired money and power)?

How would this actually work, exactly, short of the kind of mob scene that generally ends in Eastern European countries with a flash trial and summary execution, because people got fed up enough...?

Is this detailed somewhere in the Constitution or federal law? A subpoena of some sort that would make the SS legally stand down and the actual rule of law be evenly applied?

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Thats called revolution.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

You wouldn't. Even though this is allowed by law, it's also, at the same time, considered kidnapping. So, you kinda wanna stay away from this sorta thing unless you don't want to get thrown in prison.

Gotta love the double standards right? Don't you know....? Laws don't apply to politicians. Only the serfs!

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Without reading your post and thinking much about it , I would say its much more effective to make the arrest ,not in a physical way but in the public's minds eye . The physical part would only result in some big lawyer taking control of the situation and sweeping the whole mess under the rug of the Justice system . Better to let the fool run loose trying to spin the accusation where he will most surely trip themselves up even worse then before .

You may not get the justice you seek but you may actually damage them for any further crimes they might have though they could get away with . IMO

The power for "citizen's arrest" comes mostly through the Common Law.

It derives from historical times without regular police forces, etc. at which point it was every subject's duty to uphold "the King's law" for example.

That results in things like lynch mobs and witch-burnings ... and we have mostly evolved as a society beyond it.

Those that believe in the Sovereign Citizen woo maintain a different position, of course.

At any rate, it's dicey as hell to excercise today as many have pointed out because "police powers" are almost exclusively derived from governmental power, real or implied. If, for example, you didn't make your case against the person in court ... YOU would be responsible for court costs, damages, and possible criminal fallout.

Without reading the Op and just randomly spewing out a comment, are you talking about Trump?
If so, I think he's packing so be careful...

To execute a citizens arrest you MUST witness a crime.
You must have a police officer to witness your arrest.
And what you're thinking....no...not ever happening.
The law has already looked at it. She's not getting arrested she's not going to jail.
She didn't commit a crime.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

You need to be sure it's the right person and you witnessed a felony. Just make darn sure you have the right person and witnessed the crime yourself.

You can be sued for false imprisonment, unlawful detention, false arrest.... and even kidnapping.

Be absolutely positive you witnessed the crime... and you have the right person. Big big trouble for you if you're wrong.

a reply to: StallionDuck

The citizen has to call law enforcement to do the physical arrest. No one gets to grab people off the street.

a reply to: StallionDuck

Yup that's pretty much the jest of it. If you read up on the laws while it's said it can be done some place down the line there is a string of laws that will keep you from doing so. It's tricky to find in some states law books they're never in one section together.

If someone tried to arrest a political figure, you're not going to have an easy time of it. Short of watching and recording them murder someone. They would most likely be free within 24 to 48 hours, everyone that helped arrest them would be in jail on every charge that could be thought of or invented. This is spanning both local, state and federal laws. So it's not a short list to choose from. Also figure the political figure already knows how to game the system or someone that dose.

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Without reading your post and thinking much about it ,

Yee gods.

And the rest of your post is how things stand now. Two different criminals/corrupt/insane candidates for high office with a mass of evidence against them, and everyone is alternately unhappy with both choices, vociferously pushing one or the other, and claiming a third party candidate vote is a wasted vote, because 'they can't win...'

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: StallionDuck

The citizen has to call law enforcement to do the physical arrest. No one gets to grab people off the street.

No wonder Hillary has dozens of security people around.

To perhaps prematurely answer my own OP, I keep having this fantasy -

I keep wishing Anonymous would buy a bunch of FBI windbreakers to wear, rent a bunch of white vans and show up outside (say, a Wall Street bank skyscraper in downtown Manhattan) and an intimidating group of military-looking, badge wearing young men with sidearms go in past the hired security and receptionists up to the top floor and arrest whoever (presumed criminal banker type) and frogwalk them out to the waiting vans... before anyone can come to their senses and call the real FBI and verify who exactly is who... then we have a People's Court.

Hey, I can have my fantasies, right?

originally posted by: xuenchen

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: StallionDuck

The citizen has to call law enforcement to do the physical arrest. No one gets to grab people off the street.

No wonder Hillary has dozens of security people around.

Don't forget millions of $ to hire lawyers to keep her out of jail permanently. That goes double for Trump.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
To execute a citizens arrest you MUST witness a crime.
You must have a police officer to witness your arrest.
And what you're thinking....no...not ever happening.
The law has already looked at it. She's not getting arrested she's not going to jail.
She didn't commit a crime.

She who? I didn't specify any particular subject of arrest.

a reply to: Sillyolme

Not one hundred percent true. You are under no obligation to stand there and watch a women get raped while waiting for the authorities. You have every legal right to intervene. Things get complicated afterwords, but is still the right thing to do, and as long as you don't use excessive force, your citizens arrest will not get you in trouble.


My god, do you seriously want people to think they're helpless while watching someone getting victimized?

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: Sillyolme

Not one hundred percent true. You are under no obligation to stand there and watch a women get raped while waiting for the authorities. You have every legal right to intervene. Things get complicated afterwords, but is still the right thing to do, and as long as you don't use excessive force, your citizens arrest will not get you in trouble.


My god, do you seriously want people to think they're helpless while watching someone getting victimized?

She is a true believer in the far liberal Marxist mind conditioning that mandates the common citizen rally behind a candidate at all costs and to be their voice that all are powerless without government. (Their government, their way).

Just like a regular arrest. Toss a stun grenade into his kid's room, shoot his dog and give him a rifle butt to the face.

Sounds like a really good way to get one's self shot by the secret service. You would also be the MSM's new three week 24/7 story with in depth interview With Anderson "soft balls" Cooper.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Exactly How Would You Do a Citizen's Arrest On a Public Figure?

your fantasies of " doing a citizens arrest " on a " public figure "

would go a lot better if you knew what a " citizens arrest " ACTUALLY allows you to do