Armed Black Activist Unlawfully Arrested © 2022 Phillip Evans

Antoine Tolbert, President of New Era Cleveland, was arrested last May by police and charged with "carrying a concealed weapon and inducing panic". The charges were dropped the next day and he was released.

Downtown Cleveland, Ohio Photo by Chris Gent

One might wonder how carrying a hidden weapon could induce panic. Oh wait, it turns out Mr. Tolbert wasn't carrying his shotgun concealed after all, but openly. He was therefore breaking no law. He has since filed a lawsuit in federal court for wrongful arrest.

Could racism have played a part in his ordeal? Possibly, but I suspect this was mainly a case where police manufactured a non-existent authority to harass an armed private citizen on the street, just because they thought they could. The reason being the attitude that police are the only special ones who can be openly armed. 

Open carry of firearms has been legal in Ohio for years, so ignorance of the law is hardly an excuse. Police harassment of citizens legally and openly carrying a firearm in Florida has also been a regular occurrence over the years, and publicized in TV and print news, though Florida limits this method of carry to when engaging in fishing, camping, hunting, target shooting, or going to or from.

New Era Cleveland peacefully patrols areas in downtown Cleveland to help deter crime, which is out of control, and sometimes distributes food to the poor. 

Here's to hoping Mr. Tolbert wins a huge settlement. It would be even better if the money came from the pockets of those who infringed on his rights and liberty, instead of the taxpayers, but it would be a win either way. Let the politicians explain to the voters why they allow public officials to play outside their authority, leading to lawsuits that waste their money.