And at the end the day the actual effort for “homeless vets” is hidden behind this nonsense. It’s hidden panhandling because who wins but the YouTuber with followers and paid advertisement.

He wouldn't have to be a vet to hold up that sign. Also, a pat down in this situation would be a violation of his Fourth Amendment rights. The rest of your statement is QUITE a leap!

FredF

BTW Statue 810 and 810.09 is a interesting read on Trespassing laws in Florida. JFYI

You can't be trespassed from public property/forum. Loitering, perhaps but not trespassing!

FredF

Was it Jeff Gray or someone with his lawsuit happy, YouTube posting group FIRE? He calls himself a 1st Amendment auditor and encourages others to hold the sign and document how local governments react to them standing on public property holding the sign.

Man arrested outside Funky Pelican previously flipped off deputy Your browser is not supported | news-journalonline.com


You might be onto something. I doubt if this has anything to do with homeless vets.

The “Bubble” does not care for any social problem awareness signage. Reminds me of the guards from Coleman Prison attempting to bring awareness of the over crowded conditions there & being understaffed. The guards were ousted from holding signs from near Magnolia Plaza a few years back

That looks like a genuine problem. This homeless vets stuff looks more like a schtick. A mode of trolling. There are many ways you can help homeless vets. Homeless Veterans | The American Legion

And IMHO God bless them all! Government, at all levels, increasingly violates citizens' Constitutional rights unceasingly. Many cops are totally ignorant on many aspects of the laws they are paid to enforce and frequently violate many rights they have sworn to protect, particularly Constitutional law/rights; others just don't care. Hand them a gun and badge and some quickly become tyrants. And this abuse is increasing at an alarming rate. And NO, I am not anti-cop - I am anti BAD cops. These "auditors" provide VALUABLE education to police departments across the country and do yeoman's work in helping to keep our rights intact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTz1SwRdldw

FredF

This is the Villages video URL everyone is asking for... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xou1Spau5DE


Did some research. Yes, It was Jeff Gray. He's a retired truck driver and vet. He runs a Youtube channel called HonorYourOath. He tests municipalities and city's to make sure your 1st, 4th, and 5th amendment rights are being protected. I watched at least 30 of his vids. He is NEVER rude, unless the police are. He litigates the cities/police who are either ignorant or blatantly violate the amendments with local unconstitutional ordinances. URL of the channel below.

HonorYourOath Civil Rights Investigations - YouTube

This additional vid below will explain his purpose. Also in this vid (at 2:20) is Officer Jake Hillier from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office greeting and shaking Jeff Gray's hand because he supports what Jeff is doing. I know Officer Hillier personally and he is an incredible person and police officer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr5f4E8l2WU

I'm assuming most of you believe police encounters are positive as I do; even that speeding ticket :). But there are still too many government authorities (police or otherwise) who get offended and violent if you simply challenge your detainment verbally. Furthermore, those authorities are often backed by a system that will protect them no matter if it's absolutely clear there corrupt. If you don't think so; watches these vids.

Joffrion Can’t Recall BodyCam Policy - YouTube
Joffrion Can’t Recall Trespass Laws - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y7KgTltTUjc

Kind of sounds like a ridiculous way to show abuse of power by cops and insults the homeless. I recall an Orlando teacher who went and lived as a homeless person in various areas of Orange County and put his experiences on Facebook. Some of these homeless were veterans. I found that man's work very worthwhile.

Probably one of the same guys that stand on the exits of I-75 begging.

THANKS for taking the time to compose this very valuable educational post :wave:

FredF

I think you're missing the intent of the auditor's actions. :wave:

FredF

I believe the intent of the auditor's actions are to drive visitors to his page and money into his pocket.

To the OP: Most of the roads are public/county but the sidewalks are either on private land owned by Sumter Landing CDD (SLCDD) or they are owned by the municipality which is the SLCDD. He wanted to draw attention to himself and provoke the police. He succeeded in that but it seems he didn't do quite enough due diligence.

I suppose the various Florida police departments are becoming more aware of this trolling. Reminds me of the Jackass movies but those were sometimes entertaining.

You (or I) can believe or assume whatever we wish - it doesn't necessarily make it so. I commented on what I believe the results of these auditors actions might be. I never posited that I knew what their motivations were for their actions. You have, however, done this several times in more than one post. just sayin' ;)

FredF

Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Beware of panhandlers Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Beware of panhandlers


An old post from just about ten years ago.

At least you still have Freedom of Speech*, unlike the UK which now jails people for thought crimes and Facebook/Twitter(X) posts.

*For now.....

The Guy was standing on the corner, up in lake Sumter. NOT IN THE SQUARE.
POLICE :police: showed up because of a phone call from “THE VILLAGES “ asking to Trespass him. The police showed up and told him he is being trespassed.
And if he didn’t leave,:censored: he would be arrested. He was polite and so was the police officers. So he moved on. Now here is the problem……
THEY VIOLATED HIS 1st AMENDMENT RIGHTS …

Here is the link to the story..
https://youtu.be/xou1Spau5DE?si=x0xqtWYTUn52iXaA

Here is the story!!
https://youtu.be/xou1Spau5DE?si=x0xqtWYTUn52iXaA

Did they or did they exercise their right to choose the activities allowed on District properties?

Well you’re wrong there. Panhandling is NOT Illegal, You can’t harass people when your standing there… That’s Illegal..

Yeah, I saw that the other three times it was posted. Thanks for making my point though; he was asked to leave District property due to his actions.

SCOTUS doesn't need to restate the power of a constitutional right. A constitutional right is absolute. If you surrender it, you can reclaim it at any time. The most common thing maost people might recognize is related to Miranda. You can remain silent, or waive that right and talk, but you may reclaim the right at any time.

CDDs and ARC exist under Florida State authority. As a government extension, they cannot legally enforce an unconstitutional restriction. Even if a resident does not formally reclaim that right.

If CDDs and ARC are not a state entity, why do they display Florida state license plates? Only state agencies can do that. They are bound by that case. Like it or not.

[QUOTE=Bill14564;2459179]Did they or did they exercise their right to choose the activities allowed on District properties?[/QUOTE

That corner is not district property.. And the Cop should of investigated that.. Not just listen to the dispatcher. He can be held accountable, and lose his qualified immunity.

Maybe, maybe not. That would likely be a detail in a legal agreement somewhere. Unquestionably, the land those sidewalks were built on was private at one time. The maintenance of the roads was turned over to the County which required them to be accessible to the public. But was the land turned over as well and if so, did that include the land under the sidewalk? If the man decides to try and sue the District then maybe we'll find out.

Go to you tube search TRESPASSED FOREVER FROM THREE COUNTIESAND 57 SQUARE MILES and u can watch video only about 8 minutes long…:bigbow:

Of course, if I want to find something about the Villages I should search on "three counties" or "57 square miles." But that's okay... you apparently haven't notice yet that the link has been provided in at least four posts so far.

You can keep saying the same thing over and over, it will still be wrong.

When you bought in The Villages, you bought a home with Deed Restrictions. The District was not a party to that transaction.

There is nothing inherently illegal about Deed Restrictions, provided they don't discriminate agains a protected class. Private transactions are not protected by the 1st Amendment, nor are "signs" protected by the 1st Amendment. If signs were protected by the 1st Amendment, cities and towns wouldn't be able to adopt sign regulations. The 1st Amendment is the Right of Free Speech ... it is not "The Right to Post and/or Carry Signs".

1st Amendment right, he/she is 100% legal except in Courtyard Villages where the roads are private & the Villas are private pproperty.
Everywhere else the Sidewalks & Roads are all Public...:bigbow:

Everyone was reasonably polite, but the guy with badge, needs a lot more training and understanding of his job. Where did he come up with the "semi-public" thing?

You would think a local LEO would know the roads and sidewalks of The Villages are public property?

I assume some people recognized where he was standing? Was it on a public street? I'd venture a guess, that the guy with the sign knows the difference, knows he was in the right and there's a lawsuit coming ... as there should be. If the LEO wasn't sure, he should have checked with a superior, instead of spouting off nonsense.

JMOYMMV

Loitering is not having a purpose,he has a purpose…

You should read the 1st amendment there are 5 elements to it….

Well what are your thoughts about the video?

I'm sorry my friend, but you obviously don't understand law nor the 1st Amendment.

There are (5) RIGHTS protected by the 1st amendment. None of those "rights" include an unlimited "right to post signage". nor is there anything in the 1st Amendment which prohibits Deed Restrictions.

...And, it's surprising that the other entity (which shall remain nameless) but which report "all things bad" against The Villages and Villagers, such as drunk driving incidents and entitled illegal parking, didn't RUN with that story, if there was a perceived injustice.

In fact, they would've been on that incident like white on rice, so it was probably a justified police action.

The OP is charged, or at least challenged with filling in the details which were missing or deliberately left out.

Basically, I'd be curious as to where this occurred, which would end the querries.

I am not a lawyer and am not going to say what is constitutional or not. I grew up where the police to keep law and order dispersed people and crowds all the time especially at 2am on fridays and saturdays at " establishments" to keep people out of trouble. They broke up potential drag races etc. Sometimes the public good requires the " blind eye". I've seen many a cop let people off. Constitutional rights are violated every day. Get over it. It's not the holy grail. It's the goal. What is one supposed to do? Walk around with an attorney at your shoulder for the rest of your life claiming foul. Live and let live life is not perfect.