Arrests at US Capitol for selling lemonade

[reepotomac]

I counted three people arrested. The cops were telling tourists they would be arrested if they bought lemonade. Some tourists got a good look at free America, including a busload from Spain who were clearly surprised considering their image of the US. There will be video up soon.

 

[AFPVet]

Why are they busting people for selling lemonade? They give out koolade for free!

 

[Theocrat]

When Life Gives You Lemons...the Police Will Arrest You

Isn't it amazing how ridiculous our law enforcement is over the sale of something as innocent as lemonade?! We truly are living in a police state.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Very sickening.

 

[tekkierich]

On the National Mall? This protest doesn't make much sense to me. This should be done on private property.

 

[libertyjam]

On the National Mall? This protest doesn't make much sense to me. This should be done on private property.

see www.lemonadefreedom.com, Today is Lemonade Freedom day! In addition to RP money bomb day and RP's B-day

 

[libertyjam]

I counted three people arrested. The cops were telling tourists they would be arrested if they bought lemonade. Some tourists got a good look at free America, including a busload from Spain who were clearly surprised considering their image of the US. There will be video up soon.

tweeted, see if this makes the news

 

[mczerone]

On the National Mall? This protest doesn't make much sense to me. This should be done on private property.

Why? Do you concede that the Federal govt lawfully owns the national mall and can limit speech, voluntary trade, and personal behaviors thereupon?

Would you be happier if they just got their lemonade stand shut down from their front lawn, the incident got buried in the news, and no one ever questioned how free they really are?

 

[tekkierich]

Why? Do you concede that the Federal govt lawfully owns the national mall and can limit speech, voluntary trade, and personal behaviors thereupon?

Would you be happier if they just got their lemonade stand shut down from their front lawn, the incident got buried in the news, and no one ever questioned how free they really are?

Limit commerce on the Mall, yes. If they didn't every part of it would be consumed by trinket and t-shirt vendors and then it wouldn't be suitable as a place to gather for public demonstrations.
We could have a discussion about the validity of the concept of "the commons" and their use. However that is not was they are protesting here. They are protesting ( I assume ) the unreasonable limitations on simple commerce. This protest would be more effective on private property in the middle of town.

 

[mczerone]

Limit commerce on the Mall, yes. If they didn't every part of it would be consumed by trinket and t-shirt vendors and then it wouldn't be suitable as a place to gather for public demonstrations.
We could have a discussion about the validity of the concept of "the commons" and their use. However that is not was they are protesting here. They are protesting ( I assume ) the unreasonable limitations on simple commerce. This protest would be more effective on private property in the middle of town.

They aren't "commons" when someone claims sole ownership, but they are open to the public. This lemonade selling was integral to exercising the speech that the protestors wanted to convey, and according to modern U.S. constitutional law the govt can only limit the time, place or manner of speech on govt property.

I'd say that this was a very effective exercise of the protestor's 1st Amendment rights, and the fact that they were arrested will serve to broaden the public attention that this case gets. They aren't about "selling lemonade" as much as demonstrating that they have the right as individuals to seek willing trading partners and conduct business - whenever and wherever they wish.

They may have had more "sales" on private property in the middle of a town - if any business owners had enough balls to violate zoning restrictions and the like - but I would say that their arrest was the MOST effective protest imaginable.

 

[pcosmar]

Limit commerce on the Mall, yes. If they didn't every part of it would be consumed by trinket and t-shirt vendors and then it wouldn't be suitable as a place to gather for public demonstrations.
.

At least that would be a useful purpose for the area.
Suitable place to gather?? You have obviously never seen shakedown street.
Or any open market place in the world.
btw,,,
They are protesting the numerous arrests and fines of young children around the country for selling lemonade on their front lawns.
This event was advertised here and elsewhere. Are you ignorant or just obtuse?

 

[tekkierich]

I must be ignorant.... Thanks for throwing the insults around.

I had a much better response typed, but then the forum database choked for a little bit...

I am simply pointing out that if they had been arrested for the same "offense" that the various neighborhood kids had been it might have been better. Then they could take this to court and try to get the law changed. Doing this on "public property" gets them arrested for something else (engaging in commerce in a park or some such).

But I am obtuse, what do I know anyway?

 

[pcosmar]

I must be ignorant.... Thanks for throwing the insults around.

Ignorance can be corrected,, (stupidity is terminal)
Was not an insult.

Their whole purpose there was to call attention to an ongoing and growing problem.

Obtuse would be deliberately ignoring something known to be so. Though sarcasm sometimes loses in translation.

 

[WilliamC]

Isn't it amazing how ridiculous our law enforcement is over the sale of something as innocent as lemonade?! We truly are living in a police state.

Are you kidding!

Everyone knows sugar is a dangerous, addictive, gateway drug!

 

[mczerone]

I must be ignorant.... Thanks for throwing the insults around.

I had a much better response typed, but then the forum database choked for a little bit...

I am simply pointing out that if they had been arrested for the same "offense" that the various neighborhood kids had been it might have been better. Then they could take this to court and try to get the law changed. Doing this on "public property" gets them arrested for something else (engaging in commerce in a park or some such).

But I am obtuse, what do I know anyway?

I would love to be these guy's lawyer. The commerce in which these fellows engaged was essential to their political speech, it was required to show that no one, anywhere, is allowed to sell even small amount of personal goods to anyone, even if they are just kids trying to have fun while they make a buck to go buy some toys. Selling lemonade on the national mall was not for the purpose of commerce, and while it may be legitimate to limit vendors' access to public areas, these men were not vendors in the lemonade business.

If they were to exercise their speech rights in any other way, say by having a booth on private property or by simply engaging in a verbal-only speech during regular park hours, their message would not have been the same. They could not simply say that "selling lemonade is not allowed in America" - for who would believe them? They could reference multitudes of cases showing cities and municipalities shutting down little kids' stands, but people would just say "well get a permit!" or "They learned a lesson in business!"

These men demonstrated by actually setting up a lemonade stand, and allowing WILLING patrons to purchase their lemonade. They were not trying to sell in a prohibited area to make an extra buck because no one else was selling there. They were not trying to desecrate the park area. They were not doing anything harmful to anyone. They were demonstrating how ridiculous restrictions on commerce have become, and they were doing so in the best place to draw national attention to their national movement - the largest open park in the capitol of the nation.

 

[s35wf]

in florida their rounding up people for theme park tickets, in california it's milk, and in DC its oh my lemonaide....

 

[Napoleon's Shadow]

Apparently some people were recording the incident:







But this is not abnormal:

 

[reepotomac]

Ir was streamed live and recorded

Here is an edited video

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I counted three people arrested. The cops were telling tourists they would be arrested if they bought lemonade. Some tourists got a good look at free America, including a busload from Spain who were clearly surprised considering their image of the US. There will be video up soon.

Such a vivid juxtaposing of foreigns watching americans get arrested for selling lemonade in D.C..

 

[CaptainAmerica]