GAINESVILLE, FL -- Students at the University of Florida are still
protesting after a classmate was tasered by police at a political
event.
Andrew Meyer was asking Senator John Kerry a question at a forum when
police asked him to wrap it up. In video from the event, you can see
a struggle and then one of the six campus police officers uses a taser
on him.
Tuesday, students held a rally on campus. Wednesday, they protested
again.
Protesters are supporting Meyer and their own right to free speech.
"We want charges against Meyer dropped, the police officers involved
punished, more than just being given a paid vacation, and tasers taken
off campus," said Benjamin Dictor, a U.F. student and protester.
Two of the officers involved were put on paid administrative leave.
University police are getting an earful, not just from students, but
from the community and beyond.
"We've gotten hundreds of phone calls, letters, and emails from the
community and people in Canada and California, all over the place.
Most of them are on the negative side, but it runs the gamut," said
Captain Jeff Holcomb, with the U.F. police department.
Meyer faces several charges including resisting an officer with violence
and disrupting a school function.
"It's about getting subpoenas to get people to testify, gathering
all the evidence and information before making a decision on what
to charge him with," said Spencer Mann with the Alachua County State
Attorney's Office.
According to the police report, before Meyer started the questioning,
he asked a friend, "Are you taping this? Do you have this? You Ready?"
But for the protesters, that tape is part of Meyer's defense.
It could be a couple of weeks before a decision is made on whether
to file charges against Meyer.