If I want to be an asshole about this (AND I DO) technically it was the cops who disturbed the peace here. Everyone involved in this wild display of patriotism was being peaceful, singing the fuck out of our Nation’s anthem and celebrating the 4th of July on a lovely Jacksonville day until a few boner cops wanted to swing their dicks and ruin all the fun.
They sucked all the joy out of the moment by arresting 22-year-old Lane Pittman for playing the ever-living shit out of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a crowd of nearly 200 people sang along and yearned (YEARNED) for more.
According to News4Jax:
Pittman said the officers told him they wanted to charge him with inciting a riot and take him to jail to keep him overnight, but they didn’t have the resources to take him Downtown.
“That blows my mind, because it was peaceful up until the time they arrested me,” Pittman said.
Attorney Caleb Rowland is representing Pittman.
“I’ve never seen a law that says you can’t play the national anthem on a sidewalk,” Rowland said. “Disturbing the peace could be used to cover a lot of conducts that may not necessarily be criminal. I guess we’re going to have to wait and see what the state attorney decides to do with it.”
Pittman has no criminal record. He plays in his church’s band, is a high school lacrosse coach and is well-known in the beaches community. Pittman said he is hoping to be the next Jaxson de Ville.
http://www.kaltura.com/p/557781/sp/55778100/embedIframeJs/uiconf_id/12411342/partner_id/557781
I’m not anti-cop by any means, I appreciate all they do to protect and serve and all that groovy shit, but this arrest was unnecessary. It was also un-American. A dude that can shred the National Anthem on his axe like that deserves to be lauded not punished. Poor form, Neptune Beach PD