Police ticket woman for kid's chalk drawings

[obxhead]

http://www.nbc12.com/story/17191109/woman-ticketed

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - A Richmond woman upset after she's ticketed for her daughter drawing on rocks with chalk.

Lots of people go to Belle Isle to enjoy the warm weather. That's what Susan Mortensen said she was doing when she came down with her four year-old daughter and used some sidewalk chalk to draw on some of the rocks.

Now she's banned from all city parks.

"I asked him, 'how am I destroying property?'" Mortensen said. "I don't see how I'm destroying this rock by using chalk."


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the police in Richmond can find the time to pursue this "crime" I think it's time for some serious cuts. They've already caught all the real criminals anyway right?

I heard on the radio there will be a protest in front of the police station on Friday Mar 23 @ 3:30 PM. Bring your sidewalk chalk.

[socialindependocrat]

1. The police need some classes

in how to treat the public and that their job is to serve and protect
not harrass.

Sorry to all you officers who save lives and help the public
but
these cops in the news look like a bunch of control freaks.

maceing students
hurting people while breaking up a sit-in

I think any bystander should be able to film the cops
If the cops resist the recording then they are suspected to
be doing something they are not supposed to be doing.
Just like if you refuse a breathalizer test you are pulled into the station.

[dgibby]

2. Richmond is the poster city for republican rule.

It's Cantor's district and home to the republican run state legislature.. The stupid-it burns.

[damyank913]

11. Right on! Governor Mac's and Cucci-cucci's policies keeping Richmond as lovely...

...as it was when it was capitol of the confederacy. Conservatives in action. Wait until the thought police start coming around.

[appleannie1]

3. I agree with the cop. People don't go to parks to see colored chalk all over the place. They go to

enjoy the beauty of nature. Leave the chalk at home for the little one to draw all over your own driveway or your living room wall.

[obxhead]

5. A $300 fine and a total ban from all city parks though?

I can possibly understand a warning and being informed of any rule violations.

The penalty doesn't fit the crime.

[appleannie1]

6. She is free to request a hearing.

[left on green only]

7. Makes good sense to me!

I've heard of chalk before, but I have never heard of "sidewalk chalk". Is that some kind of euphemism that was developed to impart legitimacy to the act of defacing public property? However, it appears to me as though this incident is more about poor judgement in parenting skills than it is about juvenile delinquency. Perhaps the cited woman was a frustrated "tagger" in her own youth.

I live at Yosemite where I regularly see the spray painted "art work" of the urban low life who come here to visit and are so much taken in by the natural beauty of this place that they are unable to figure out how else to express their own "inner beauty" in an effort to compliment it. Or else maybe they are just bored?

[abelenkpe]

8. You are fucking insane

It's chalk. It washes off with rain. What kind of heartless lame get off my lawn aged asshole would have a problem with a kid drawing in chalk on a rock. You need mental help or to join the republican party. Fuck you.

[FSogol]

9. Ridiculous. She'd have to be pretty prolific to color enough rocks for

people to "to see colored chalk all over the place."

[Kalidurga]

4. They probably thought...

the child was protesting wall street or something.

[Broderick]

10. Seriously stupid

[ges5626sek]

12. yup.