Speedometers Are People Too

Rage against a machine, get busted for hate:

Two of the three Southborough teens who allegedly smashed up the Police Department's radar board this weekend are being charged with a hate crime, according to police.

The boys took an ax to the $13,000 solar-powered radar board, which displays passing motorists' speeds, Police Chief William Webber said yesterday.The two are facing charges of malicious destruction of property over $250 and a hate crime, Webber said.

Something too hateful for the paper to reprint was apparently written on the ax, thus leading police to conclude the kids destroyed the radar board out of hate for humanity. And as long as law enforcement can claim to read the minds of people who break stuff, a hate crime charge is fair game.

Via Baylen at To The People.

Comments

[ChicagoTom]

From the article:
The ax had some writing on it, directing it at certain people," the chief said. The writing was "of a racial and gender (specific) nature," he said.

Uhmmm...wouldn't the attacks actually have to be perpetrated against the people who are being "hated" in order for a hate crime to take place?

This is why "hate crime" laws are stupid and useless for anything other then giving law enforcement a chance to trump up charges.

[scape]

I hate stories like this.

[kmw]

Isn't this in Joe's neck of the woods?

[zener]

It seems that the cops are charging the teens with hate crime law out of spite.

[zener]

err..correction: It seems that the cops are charging the teens with the hate crime law out of spite.

[P Brooks]

Hate: it's not just a crime, it's a way of life.

[cliff]

Don't you just assume that the act of murder or rape is hating on another person? But vandalism? On a computerized street sign? With writing on the axe that could only be seen upon closer inspection? Am I the only one that thinks our government is taking crazy pills?

[Kara]

Every crime involves hate at some level.

It's sortof like when I visit my brother in Santa Cruz. The area has multiple signs saying "this is a hate free zone". What does that mean? Do I have to like everyone and everything..or be arrested??

[Abe]

I grew up in this town. Good to see the police still have tons of spare time on their hands.

[Kara]

On a side note, my sister spanks my neice with a wooden spoon that is decorated--and marked with the words Big Mamma.

Is that hate of Mammas or hate of big people? Or both.

Since it is brown is it hate of black Mammas or just big black mamma's (although it is a skinny spoon)?

[Pro Libertate]

Doesn't this all fall under the First Amendment's right "to petition the government for a redress of grievances"? Clearly, these young men were petitioning via symbolic speech to express their displeasure over the use of radar guns and boards.

[Nina]

Hate Crime??? This is the craziest thing I have read yet, however living in this town it is not suprising. The police pick and choose who they throw the book at based on how they feel about the person.

Why isn't anyone talking about how two police officers in this town pulled their guns on a Southborough resident who was speeding?

The man had his 2 children in the car and was pulled over in front of a playground filled with Mothers and children.

The only article in the paper quoted the SPD as saying "they must have felt in danger for their lives"?

Hmmmm, because he was speeding?

Doesn't that make a whole lot of sense? About as much sense as charging these two kids with a hate crime.