Unbelievable. How much damage could a senior on a walker do? If he can make trouble, more power to him!

WTF is that?

what no pepper spray?

Picking on the elderly for standing up against the terrible actions being taken by the elected republicans in the state. Come on voters you need to wise up and do it fast.

Hello Brad Friedman,

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you. What no Tasers to restrain the terrorist. What no clubs to stop him from resisting arrest and the verbal command to lie still? Fascism RULES!

Obviously he was a threat he had a stick meant to assault police officers. If I was that cop I would hide my face too.
SHAME SHAME SHAME

You obviously had no idea what is happening here in North Carolina. There have been no problems with the state troopers or the police. In fact many of them support our movement and one police officer even told me as he arrested me "I never though I'd see this day, having to arrest citizens in my own state for standing up and speaking out". Robert volunteered like all of us to get arrested for an act of Civil Disobedience. We were trained and told of the repercussions that might follow, and did it anyway. The police have been ordered by the head of the General Assembly and the lead security agent of the Legislative building to arrest anyone who refuses to leave the building after a five minute warning. If you want to blame someone, blame them, not the police.

Ok, Elle @ #7, what is factually wrong in the article?

Surely you don't dispute the fact that a police officer handcuffed a clearly frail and non-threatening senior citizen with zip ties in the process of arresting him, as the photo clearly shows.

Please note that nothing in the few words posted above says anything about blaming the police for just following orders --- you read that into it.

The article clearly points to the State of North Carolina for arresting its citizens engaging in peaceful demonstration and exercise of their constitutional rights.

The arrestee has more class than the arrestor.

Elle, if your point is that police officers often find themselves trapped between the orders they must carry out and their conscience, I'd tend to agree.

But this article squarely placed the blame where it belongs --- upon the authoritarian leaders of the NC GOP who are hellbent on destroying democracy. Theirs are the actions of petty tyrants desperately trying to cling to power.

There are truly no words sufficient to describe the revulsion I and many other vets no doubt feel at the sight of this frail, elderly Korean War Navy vet being shackled for exercising the rights that he and so many others placed their lives on the line to defend.

The partisan assaults on a right that is foundational to all others in our republic --- the right to vote --- is a disgrace!

What a pathetic image.

As a fellow veteran, I cannot help but wonder if certain GOP officeholders are aware that Article VI, Clause 3 of the supreme law of the land requires that "The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution...." And is this how so many of those self-styled patriots tell us, "Thank you"--those of willing to uphold the Fundamental Charter at risk of life and limb?

If you watched the video all the way you would know that the police are not the problem. Mr. Plummer said that the police were "most courteous".

It's not the police that should be ashamed... it's their bosses.

Re: Pamela @13.

Let's be clear. Brad Friedman's article did not, at any time, criticize the police. To the contrary, the words he place over the speaks for itself photo were, "Democracy...North Carolina Republican Style."

That places the blame for this moment of shame squarely where it belongs --- upon the NC GOP and its shameless, partisan efforts to destroy the very democracy that Robert Plummer and countless other vets risked their lives to defend.