2012-01-12 "OWS Protesters Charged With Felony For Mic-Checking Mayor" by Beth Buczynski
[http://www.care2.com/causes/ows-protesters-charged-with-felony-for-mic-checking-mayor.html]
A few days ago, members of Occupy San Diego cleverly mic-checked Mayor Jerry Sanders during his State of the City address.
Now mic-checking, while intentionally disruptive, is an completely peaceful tactic that has been employed in a wide-variety of settings during the Occupy Wall Street movement.
The CEO of Wells Fargo [http://www.care2.com/causes/wells-fargo-ceo-mic-checked-by-student-video.html], representatives of JP Morgan Chase [http://www.care2.com/causes/princeton-students-mic-check-jp-morgan-chase-video.html], Newt Gingrich [http://www.care2.com/news/member/684615815/3047921], and even President Obama [http://www.care2.com/causes/ows-delivers-message-to-president-obama-in-nh.html] have been targets of this practice. But not even President Obama responded with as much aggression and ignorance as the San Diego police officers in attendance (with full blessing of the Mayor).
Not content to simply escort the OWS protesters out of the venue, at least three were arrested and charged with felony conspiracy for their actions.
Watch the footage of the action below, then read the legal definition of felony conspiracy here [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/01/12/1054041/-Occupy-San-Diego:Arrested-for-Felony-Conspiracy?], and tell me if you think the punishment fits the crime.