While some things we may feel quite natural to us, others claim them as being offensive, or in some places, even criminal.
Matt Aune and his partner Derek Jones were stopped and handcuffed by security guards, in the vicinity of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City. They were taking a shortcut on their way home from a concert, by going through a plaza that was owned by the Salt Lake Mormon Church. Twenty-eight year-old Aune said he gave Jones, 25, a kiss and a hug. They had previously been arguing. They were approached by a guard, who told them they had to leave. The guard said that public displays of affection were not permitted on the property.
The two offenders turned argumentative and began using foul language, refusing to leave. Other guards arrived and the men were placed in handcuffs. Sergeant Robin Snyder, from Salt Lake City Police said "The men were cited with a misdemeanor of trespassing. It doesn't matter what they were asked to leave for, if they don't they are trespassing".
However, outside the Mormon Church is not the only area where public display of affection is not permitted.
Five men were told to leave a Chico's Tacos restaurant, El Paso City, by guards, when two of the group were seen kissing. A gay man who belonged to the group, Carlos Diaz de Leon said, "It was a simple kiss on the lips".
Refusing to leave the restaurant the men called the police for help. A police officer told the group it was illegal for a man to kiss a man, or a woman to kiss a woman in public and could be cited for homosexual activity. This law however, was ruled as being unconstitutional in the United States Supreme Court, in Lawrence, Texas, in 2003.
There are other apparently even more innocent activities which could lead to your arrest, as a 55 year old professor, from the University of Washington found out.
Shirley Scheier, teacher of fine arts, was searched, handcuffed and questioned aggressively, while being held in the back of a police car for around forty-five minutes. Scheier had been shooting photographs of electrical power lines at a substation, which she wanted to use in an academic project.
"There were no signs against taking photos", said Scheier. Unbeknown to Scheier the authorities had identified the electrical substation as a ‘critical infrastructure’ that could be the target of terrorists.
The City of Snohomish’s police officers were sued by Scheier, for violating the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. After two years in court, Scheier was awarded just $8,000 as settlement.
Bogdan Mohora also received an $8,000 settlement from the city of Seattle, after he was arrested for shooting photographs of police arresting a suspect. Mohora was detained for an hour and told that he could be charged with disturbing the peace, or provoking a riot.
The question is – do you really know what is acceptable in public places? After all, from a kiss on a cheek, to holding hands, to taking photographs of everyday subjects, could lead to an indictment.
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