Police state...

[1durphul]

Apparently this one was busted for E on the playa, then proceeded to run her rental motorhome into the Reno Arch. Seriously???
http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... 0109080419

LOL. This is Reno 911 worthy.

[jarjar]

personally, i wish they would hold all the drug arrests in a holding cell all week, then parade all the stupid people around the Man before the burn. then take them all to jail.

[ygmir]

personally, i wish they would hold all the drug arrests in a holding cell all week, then parade all the stupid people around the Man before the burn. then take them all to jail.

[mars]

One year, I ran into a woman from my hometown and told her where i was camping. She came to visit and brought with her a male friend. At one point, they asked me if I had any drugs. I said, "I really don't talk about anything like that with people I don't know and I wouldn't if I were you either". She said, "But I know you". I said, "Sorry". And they looked really disappointed. And I felt bad cuz even though I didn't have any drugs myself, I knew exactly where they could get them and it was only several feet away. And I think, to this day, that woman doesn't like me for it. But I barely knew her and didn't know the guy who was with her and it's my policy not to discuss drugs with anyone i don't know.

I do believe that what I did was necessary, to protect myself, to protect my camp and camp mates and to protect her and her friend. There is nothing more important.

Don't put yourself in a position to be surprised. Don't take a risk with anyone you don't know WELL at burning man...that's true anywhere, but especially at burning man. Their disappointment, their frustration....nothin is worth the risk. I don't care how much they plead or pester you...there's no excuse for giving in to a potentially dangerous situation.

[Theres Always One]

I wanted to bring this around to a more upbeat angle.

Don't be a victim of other's actions, including LEO's. Own your experience.

There is a business struggle going on between the ORG and LEO. LEO's like state agencies everywhere are desperate for money, their employees make good money with good benefits and don't want that to go away with the rest of the economy. They fear the unknown, the more staff, firepower, spy tools and intelligence they have the better they feel. Just is.

The LEO's think they need about a 75% increase in staff for BM: http://www.rgj.com/article/20100830/EVENTS04/100830001

Meanwhile the ORG thinks it should be less: http://burningman.com/news/100829_secur ... sment.html

You have a chance to influence it with your behavior. What would have happened if there were zero LEO arrests or citations this year?

Not so much ammunition for 144 LEO's and the increased costs which can be calculated from the afterburn report. Not only does heavy LEO presence change the feeling of the event, it's only a mater of time before there is a serious LEO vehicle-participant accident. LEO including BLM is probably about 5% of the budget, so there is another $15 by itself in ticket price next year. LEO encounters and blatant LEO attracting behavior are also probably about 90% of the ORG's bad publicity.

So make 2011 the zero citation year.

(Also why the ORG should bring even more tour buses of influential Nevada citizens...)

Fucking THIS! Yes.

[K-mom]

LEO at BM should borrow from the TentCity Prison in Arizona. Check out what NHL goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin is facing over a DUI charge:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2 ... -jail.html

The Russian was convicted on three counts last month and received a minimum 30-day sentence. His lawyer immediately appealed but didn't say on what grounds. The appeals process could last months or even a year.

If jailed, it's possible Khabibulin could serve his time at Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Tent City prison in the Arizona desert.

Prisoners at the 2,000-tent complex are subjected to rough, frontier justice where they live in 40 C heat without air conditioning.

They're also humiliated by having to wear pink underwear.

[Sail Man]

Talk to me when you have camped with him as a stranger. GRANTED, it was not so much him but SOME of his core group.

In past years he has camped with a few people that...well let's just say if there's nothing good to say it's best to shut up. I think I'll exercise that option. And I've never camped directly with him because I'm a space cow and take too much space for where they are placed. Sardine camping is not my thing...unless I happened to get a sliver of Terminal Village space and then I'd adjust. Anyway ..... I still stand behind my statement that at the end of the day, you would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy out there.

And I was a bit harsh with the above post...there's a handful of people on this board I'd go all out for any day, any time and he's one of them. Respect is earned and in my book he's earned mine.

right behind ya, KV:

Mind if i hold the line besides you as well my friend?

[Sail Man]

So again...I sit here scratching my head wondering what the heck else would constitute a "real warning". Inquiring minds wanna know!

Hmmm, a plane pulling a sign over the city?
Christo spelling it out on the open playa?
Gate branding a warning on everybody as they enter the city?

And if that fails maybe we can get Judge Judy to set up Court Camp and we can watched the "innocent vics" try to wiggle their way out of their punishment.

[theCryptofishist]

I go to the burn specifically to escape Judge Judy.

[ygmir]

In past years he has camped with a few people that...well let's just say if there's nothing good to say it's best to shut up. I think I'll exercise that option. And I've never camped directly with him because I'm a space cow and take too much space for where they are placed. Sardine camping is not my thing...unless I happened to get a sliver of Terminal Village space and then I'd adjust. Anyway ..... I still stand behind my statement that at the end of the day, you would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy out there.

And I was a bit harsh with the above post...there's a handful of people on this board I'd go all out for any day, any time and he's one of them. Respect is earned and in my book he's earned mine.

right behind ya, KV:

Mind if i hold the line besides you as well my friend?

there's always room for a warlord/stallion here SM.........

[robrob]

Burning Man citations, arrests unchanged in 2010, BLM says

http://www.rgj.com/article/20100918/EVENTS04/100918009


[quote]RENO (AP) — U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials say the number of citations and arrests at the recent Burning Man counterculture festival on the Nevada desert was about the same as last year.



They report 293 citations and eight arrests at the annual celebration of radical self-expression held over the week leading up to Labor Day. That compares with 287 citations and nine arrests at the 2009 festival.

Critics accuse an “overzealousâ€

[alt12]

[quote="robrob"]Burning Man citations, arrests unchanged in 2010, BLM says

http://www.rgj.com/article/20100918/EVENTS04/100918009


[quote]RENO (AP) — U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials say the number of citations and arrests at the recent Burning Man counterculture festival on the Nevada desert was about the same as last year.



They report 293 citations and eight arrests at the annual celebration of radical self-expression held over the week leading up to Labor Day. That compares with 287 citations and nine arrests at the 2009 festival.

Critics accuse an “overzealousâ€

[epic]

alt12, hopefully the SFPD and parking enforcement will fuck you over mercilessly to cure your of your dimwit attitude.

Of the 8 arrests one was for a minor traffic infraction, 3 were for undercover cops giving people drugs, one was for a cop with night vision, heat sensor, microphone, video camera and a dog spying into a tent and 3 were for undercovers asking for drugs.
Some of the citations were for "excessive unlawful public affection", ie people making out.
Others were for "unlawful public assembly without a permit", ie more then 10 people congregating in one place. Also loitering and disturbing the peace got tickets.
Say hello to big brother.

[epic]

The arrest quota next year has been bumped up to 20, in anticipation of higher attendance in 2011. Public smoking will be a citable offense.

[FireShaman]

[quote="epic"]alt12, hopefully the SFPD and parking enforcement will fuck you over mercilessly to cure your of your dimwit attitude.

Of the 8 arrests one was for a minor traffic infraction, 3 were for undercover cops giving people drugs, one was for a cop with night vision, heat sensor, microphone, video camera and a dog spying into a tent and 3 were for undercovers asking for drugs.
Some of the citations were for "excessive unlawful public affection", ie people making out.
Others were for "unlawful public assembly without a permit", ie more then 10 people congregating in one place. Also loitering and disturbing the peace got tickets.
[/quote]

CITATION NEEDED

[epic]

Sure I'll give you a citation. How's $500 for unlawful assembly without a permit? You want another one? $500 for biking under the influence.

Read this for enlightenment "Arrest proof yourself".

[FireShaman]

Seriously Epic, you've been posting a ton of bullshit. Give us the source of your breakdown of citation reasons or shut up.

[KevinSarno]

personally, i wish they would hold all the drug arrests in a holding cell all week, then parade all the stupid people around the Man before the burn. then take them all to jail.

this would be a nice jail for all criminals out there.

[The CO]

How sad, they are a fine breed of dog.

[Aiee! It burns!]

alt12, hopefully the SFPD and parking enforcement will fuck you over mercilessly to cure your of your dimwit attitude.

Of the 8 arrests one was for a minor traffic infraction, 3 were for undercover cops giving people drugs, one was for a cop with night vision, heat sensor, microphone, video camera and a dog spying into a tent and 3 were for undercovers asking for drugs.
Some of the citations were for "excessive unlawful public affection", ie people making out.
Others were for "unlawful public assembly without a permit", ie more then 10 people congregating in one place. Also loitering and disturbing the peace got tickets.

CITATION NEEDED

can someone explain to "fire shaman" how to pozt without disabling BBCode ?

[moonrise]

alt12, hopefully the SFPD and parking enforcement will fuck you over mercilessly to cure your of your dimwit attitude.

Of the 8 arrests one was for a minor traffic infraction, 3 were for undercover cops giving people drugs, one was for a cop with night vision, heat sensor, microphone, video camera and a dog spying into a tent and 3 were for undercovers asking for drugs.
Some of the citations were for "excessive unlawful public affection", ie people making out.
Others were for "unlawful public assembly without a permit", ie more then 10 people congregating in one place. Also loitering and disturbing the peace got tickets.
Say hello to big brother.

Would be good if you could show the breakdown, a link, and proof other than just your word.

Epic wrote

Others were for "unlawful public assembly without a permit", ie more then 10 people congregating in one place. Also loitering and disturbing the peace got tickets.

That and making out in public, is a bit extreme

[uncle sticky]

Come on now, if there were no citations, the response would be two-fold. One, we didn't have enough boots on the ground to catch the evil doers, so we need more. Two, the men we did have were so effective, people didn't break the law, and if we had fewer, it would be dodge city out there.

[gyre]

Public assembly?


Don't keep drugs in your camp, obviously.
Use a safety tent for your illegal fireworks.

And be aware of your risk if any passengers are carrying drugs in your car.
Or the driver when you're a passenger.

[LLQchasm]

Also, who were the guys cruising around on red quads all week ?? Like everywhere ?? Feds i though. Each dude i saw was fucking huge...260lbs or more. BIG fucking pigs !! oink oink

Just get behind me. I weigh 320 Lbs and it ain't fat, almost qualified for worlds strongest man contest back in 2003.

That said, to most LE it's just a job, nothing personal. Only about 1-2% get out of line and violate someone's civil rights.

[Mojori]

. . . Be aware, be smart, and protect yourself.

That said, LE is NOT allowed to violate people's civil rights in the performance of their duties, and there have (in the past) been such incidents.
. . .

Excellent point Playaquest.

Aggressive entrapment, harassment, warrantless searches and seizures are a few things that come to mind when the topic of violating a person's civil rights comes up. I'm not a lawyer so I don't have a comprehensive knowledge of what constitutes the illegal act of violating someone's civil rights. I do, however, like to think I have a good idea of what sorts of things are unethical. It does appear that law enforcement has behaved very poorly on occasion at Burning Man. Some law practices even specialize in representing Burners whose civil rights have been violated by LE at Burning Man.

I'm sad to see that the point Playaquest makes here has not been echoed (or preceded by others) more often in this thread. Sure, some of those cited for drug violations may not deserve our sympathy, but at least some of them do. Even when you believe that stupidity played a major role in one's getting busted you can also feel compassion for the person; the two don't have to be mutually exclusive. Moreover, is all "naiveté" the same as stupidity?

Don't get me wrong. I'm 22 years clean and sober because, in my salad days, I tended to like substances a little TOO MUCH! I even help out a clean and sober camp each year. (And boy, IT IS SO NICE to not have to worry about being busted for drugs! SO RELAXING! I highly recommend it.) Plus, I have no great love for people who are so stoned they act like noisy assholes or are completely different people than when they are not stoned.

It's just that, even though most drug busts at Burning Man do NOT involve a violation of someone's civil rights, people DO get victimized by law enforcement now and then.

Let's not forget to have a heart for those few that do.

[BBadger]

Excellent point Playaquest.

Was it really necessary to perform necromancy on a 4-month-forgotten forum post, replying to a message made 7-months-ago?

[Sigmund]

I wonder why the police and all feds didn't think of building a camp in BM. I mean, it could be really cool !

Guns and law enforcement accessories (handcuffs, helmets, old & current vehicles) all along with "arty interventions" : combat skills, investigation techniques, law school... No ?

[FIGJAM]

Cause they're spactators!

[Casanova]

why don't we start a detective camp to figure out where the LEOs are camping and who is undercovers, so we can put them on blast..?

[Simon of the Playa]

Everyone knows naked yoga camp is a front for the FBI....duh.