That Kiss Could Get You Arrested

We may feel some things are a normal part of our life, but are found as being offensive or even criminal in some areas.

Derek Jones and his Matt Aune partner were taken into custody and handcuffed by security guards outside the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City. They were taking a short cut through a plaza owned by the Salt Lake Mormon church, after having attended a concert. Twenty-eight year old Aune said he was giving Jones, 25, a kiss and a hug after an argument, when they were approached by a guard, who asked them to move away. The guard told them it was not proper behavior to publicly display affection on the property.

The two lawbreakers began to argue and swear, refusing to leave. More guards arrived and the offenders were handcuffed. Salt Lake City Police Sergeant Robin Snyder said "The men were cited with a misdemeanor of trespassing.  It doesn't matter what they were asked to leave for, if they don't they are trespassing".
The Mormon Church, however, is not the only place where a public display of affection is disapproved of.

Five men were told to leave a Chico's Tacos restaurant, El Paso City, by guards, when two of the group were seen kissing. A gay man who belonged to the group, Carlos Diaz de Leon said, "It was a simple kiss on the lips".

Refusing to leave the restaurant the men called the police for help. A police officer told the group it was illegal for a man to kiss a man, or a woman to kiss a woman in public and could be cited for homosexual activity. This law however, was ruled as being unconstitutional in the United States Supreme Court, in Lawrence, Texas, in 2003.

There are even more innocent activities which could lead to you being arrested, as a 55 year old professor, from the University of Washington discovered.

Teacher of fine arts, Shirley Scheier, was handcuffed, frisked and vigorously questioned, while being held in the back of a police car for approximately 45 minutes. Scheier had been taking photographs of electrical power lines at a substation, to use in an academic project.

"There were no signs against taking photos", said Scheier.  She did not know the authorities had rated the electrical substation as a 'critical infrastructure' that could become a terrorist target.

Scheier sued the police officers of City of Snohomish for violating the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. After two years of court proceedings, Scheier was awarded only $8,000 as settlement.

Bogdan Mohora also received an $8,000 settlement from the city of Seattle, after he was arrested for shooting photographs of police arresting a suspect. Mohora was detained for an hour and told that he could be charged with disturbing the peace, or provoking a riot.

The question is – do you really know what is acceptable in public places? After all, from a kiss on a cheek, to holding hands, to taking photographs of everyday subjects, could lead to an indictment.