# "Kurdish music star may sue OPP after dramatic highway arrest"



## mariomike (18 Aug 2009)

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/08/18/kurdish-music-star-may-sue-opp-after-dramatic-highway-arrest.aspx

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/51602--famous-kurdish-singer-claims-opp-used-excessive-force-during-highway-takedown


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## The_Falcon (18 Aug 2009)

:  I don't think even Clayton Ruby would touch this one.  I wonder if they are going to record all the lawyers that laugh hysterically at them and/or tell them to piss off for wasting their time.


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## Love793 (18 Aug 2009)

For some reason, I can't get the thought of Borat out of my mind.


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## dustinm (18 Aug 2009)

Just what can he sue for? The man wasn't arrested. He wasn't detained. He was approached and his holding of firearms or lack thereof was determined. What should the cops have done instead? "Oh, well, he might have a gun, but he's Kurdish. We'll let 'em pass."


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## COBRA-6 (19 Aug 2009)

Neo Cortex said:
			
		

> Just what can he sue for?



His hurt honour apparently  :


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## vonGarvin (19 Aug 2009)

> Perwer also wants an apology on behalf of all members of the Kurdish community and has spoken to a lawyer about the incident.


So, this was an attack on Kurdish people?  WTF?  

OK, so why throw down the race card?  Oh, right, because you want to detract attention from this:


> Apparently, members of Perwer’s crew were filming him in a black Hummer while driving back from Niagara Falls, when a passing motorists mistook an appropriately named ‘shotgun microphone’, for the real thing.








Gimme a break....


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## Fishbone Jones (19 Aug 2009)

The cops followed protocol for a high risk takedown. Miller has got the citizens of Toronto so freaked about guns they see them everywhere. The cops have a job to do. There's nothing to apologise for. 

This is just another egocentric entertainer with a huge sense of entitlement thinking the world should move aside while he approaches. It allows him to put the community, and more important in his mind, himself, front and centre of the news. Now the community will feel beholden to him. Any publicity.........you know the rest. The best thing the MSM can do is quite talking about him, he'll go away.

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/51602--famous-kurdish-singer-claims-opp-used-excessive-force-during-highway-takedown

I certainly didn't see anything harsh or unusual in the video. If anything I think the cops were very professional and restrained. These guys talking about the affront to their, and their people's, honour are out to lunch. I wonder how they would have been treated in the same circumstances if they were at home.


_Edited to add link_


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## Greymatters (20 Aug 2009)

Apparently, being arrested by mistake is a violation of your human rights.  Why accept an apology when you can get some cash instead?


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## The_Falcon (20 Aug 2009)

Here is a full video on youtube of what happened http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYcXDv4limw don't know how long it is going to be there since the poster, doesn't like people commenting that the OPP did an excellent job handling the situation.  He deleted my comments to that effect and I suspect others.


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## FishOuttaWater (20 Aug 2009)

Wow, compared to some traffic take-downs I've seen (first-hand or taped), that's pretty tame...

And professional actually, which is understandable seeing how the officers obviously knew they were being video'd.

 :


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## stukirkpatrick (20 Aug 2009)

having been involved in a similar, albeit less "celebrated" situation and the subsequent complaint, I've come to the conclusion that you just can't win on the side of officer safety, no matter how the situation appears.  But I'd rather go home alive and complained about, than the alternative.


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## PMedMoe (20 Aug 2009)

Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> Here is a full video on youtube of what happened http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYcXDv4limw don't know how long it is going to be there since the poster, doesn't like people commenting that the OPP did an excellent job handling the situation.  He deleted my comments to that effect and I suspect others.



Well, just look at the poster's user name:  kurdish1Bling  

What would you expect?  _Obviously_ the OPP are in the wrong.   :


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## karl28 (20 Aug 2009)

I just finished watching that video and didn't see the officer doing anything wrong .    Just some crap head trying to stir up stuff that isn't there .


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## scas (20 Aug 2009)

All these people sayin stuff.. But yet what if they were armed and going to one of those commentors houses?


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## danchapps (20 Aug 2009)

So I replied to the video (this after reading all sorts of negative remarks with regards to the OPP and Canada). My unbiased opinion was swiftly deleted, so I attempted to make another post, however it seems as though I was blocked.  It upsets me that some people have that sort of hatred for Canada.


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## PMedMoe (20 Aug 2009)

Chapeski said:
			
		

> So I replied to the video (this after reading all sorts of negative remarks with regards to the OPP and Canada). My unbiased opinion was swiftly deleted, so I attempted to make another post, however it seems as though I was blocked.  It upsets me that some people have that sort of hatred for Canada.



Probably don't have the same hatred for the government handouts though.   :


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## mariomike (20 Aug 2009)

I never heard of the guy prior to this. This PR will boost his record sales.


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## MSEng314 (21 Aug 2009)

> So I replied to the video (this after reading all sorts of negative remarks with regards to the OPP and Canada). My unbiased opinion was swiftly deleted, so I attempted to make another post, however it seems as though I was blocked.  It upsets me that some people have that sort of hatred for Canada.



My comment was likewise deleted, it wasn't even up 5 minutes. So much for freedom of speech....

If these guys hate Canada so much, why don't they just leave?

I also flagged this video as inappropriate as the poster will not allow discussion on it, and only allows hate messages about Canada, so we'll see what happens.


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## The_Falcon (21 Aug 2009)

This link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AazTP-YTPg is essentially the same video, except the poster didn't edit out the part where the cameran give kudos to the Officers involved.  Also the poster is little more tolerant of divergent opinions.


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## X-mo-1979 (21 Aug 2009)

Well I'm glad I live in a country where he can actually bring this court.
Not saying I agree with him (AT ALL) however I will throw a personal story out there.

A couple years ago in small town Canada one of my friends and his wife hauls into a local convenience store in their red pontiac Sunfire.As he was stepping out two police cruisers hauled in behind his car rushed him slamming him to the ground.Knee in back and on head his wife gets hauled out by one officer while the 4th searches their car.

Slightly frightened because....well they were going to get a movie.They ask WTF is going on,only to have knee's further jammed into his face.The policeman searching the car says its "clear".then they begin questioning the man where the guns are.Still pinned to the ground.(by this time a crowd had stopped to see whats going on)

After keeping him then in the back of the car for a hour he finally figures out a Red ford tempo with license plate******* was called in as having weapons and discharging them on the highway.

It's blunders like this that make me happy we live in a country where police are held accountable for their actions.I have been in some eastern European countries where police beatings (and I mean face punches)are a form of search!

Just thought I would throw out how happy I am to live in Canada.And glad no matter how stupid the claims towrds the police are,that we can do that.


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## IrishCanuck (21 Aug 2009)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> Well I'm glad I live in a country where he can actually bring this court.
> Not saying I agree with him (AT ALL) however I will throw a personal story out there.
> 
> A couple years ago in small town Canada one of my friends and his wife hauls into a local convenience store in their red pontiac Sunfire.As he was stepping out two police cruisers hauled in behind his car rushed him slamming him to the ground.Knee in back and on head his wife gets hauled out by one officer while the 4th searches their car.
> ...



And then we can turn around and tell idiots like this goofball to pound salt, as the police acted perfectly in response to a perceived threat to public safety.


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## Greymatters (22 Aug 2009)

Of course, not all the details are given in that short story, so we cant play armchair general and say whether the approach was right or not; unless you know more of the story you cant just blindly approve or disapprove of the action taken.  

Knowing only the facts in the story, I would disagree with your comment; there needs to be something besides just a 'report' to justify slamming a persons face into the ground and kneeling on them, i.e. they look like gangbangers, they're holding weapons, they're threatening to kill people, acting intimidating, resisting arrest, etcetera...


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## Fishbone Jones (22 Aug 2009)

Greymatters said:
			
		

> Of course, not all the details are given in that short story, so we cant play armchair general and say whether the approach was right or not; unless you know more of the story you cant just blindly approve or disapprove of the action taken.
> 
> Knowing only the facts in the story, I would disagree with your comment; there needs to be something besides just a 'report' to justify slamming a persons face into the ground and kneeling on them, i.e. they look like gangbangers, they're holding weapons, they're threatening to kill people, acting intimidating, resisting arrest, etcetera...



How about acting stupidly arrogant, and not co-operating in a high risk takedown situation? The cops have no idea what they are dealing with and have to act accordingly until factors prove otherwise.


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## ruckmarch (23 Aug 2009)

Greymatters said:
			
		

> Of course, not all the details are given in that short story, so we cant play armchair general and say whether the approach was right or not; unless you know more of the story you cant just blindly approve or disapprove of the action taken.
> 
> Knowing only the facts in the story, I would disagree with your comment; there needs to be something besides just a 'report' to justify slamming a persons face into the ground and kneeling on them, i.e. they look like gangbangers, they're holding weapons, they're threatening to kill people, acting intimidating, resisting arrest, etcetera...




I couldn't agree with you more with all you said above. Could you imagine if every called the cops just because they saw someone holding out of the window that looked like a weapon?

In case people didn't know this, it's not uncommon for cops to harrass kurds back in their homeland, and am sure these folks were traumatized by the whole experience. I am not sticking up for them here, just put yourself in their shoes for a second.

The guy has actually played with some big names in the past, one of them being STING. Cops at times need to chill a bit, not everyone that isn't white in an escalade, merc or beemer is a criminal, the cars in this case could have been rented, since they were here filming a video.

Oh well.....am sure Fantino and his people will sort this one out


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## stukirkpatrick (23 Aug 2009)

You would be surprised how many calls the police get about people seeing weapons or what appear to be so...  every one of them is dealt with in the same manner, in order to maintain officer safety.  You just never hear about most because they don't happen to "famous" people.

Complacency kills, and the moment you start to think of something as just a routine call, is bad for an officer's health.



> The guy has actually played with some big names in the past, one of them being STING. Cops at times need to chill a bit, not everyone that isn't white in an escalade, merc or beemer is a criminal, the cars in this case could have been rented, since they were here filming a video.



There's more than one thing wrong with that paragraph.  If i'm missing sarcasm, let me know.


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## Fishbone Jones (23 Aug 2009)

I don't care who he played with. What sort of cockmammy criteria is that? I know many entertainers think they are above the common law, but they are not. And idiots who idolize them are just as bad.

Someone reported seeing a gun and the cops did what they had to do until the report was proven otherwise. From what I saw in the video they were treated a hell of a lot better than I've seen some baggy pants white boys that were taken down for the same thing. 

Traumatized? Had their Humvee broken down at Jane and Finch, with none of those horrid, bad cops around :, they _may_ have had reason to feel that way, but it didn't.


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## mariomike (23 Aug 2009)

ruckmarch said:
			
		

> Oh well.....am sure Fantino and his people will sort this one out



I think they already have:
"It appears the officers did exactly what they are trained to do in order to keep everyone safe," 
OPP Chief Fantino quoted in Toronto Sun 18 Aug 2009.


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## The_Falcon (24 Aug 2009)

ruckmarch said:
			
		

> I couldn't agree with you more with all you said above. Could you imagine if every called the cops just because they saw someone holding out of the window that looked like a weapon?
> 
> In case people didn't know this, it's not uncommon for cops to harrass kurds back in their homeland, and am sure these folks were traumatized by the whole experience. I am not sticking up for them here, just put yourself in their shoes for a second.
> 
> ...



I am sure Grey Matter can respond himself, but I believe he was resonding to X-Mo's story and not the one about the Kurdish singer.  However that said, who the hell care if this guy has played with Sting or anyone else for that matter?  How many times have people on this very forum (and out in the real world), been annoyed/pissed off when we seeing "Celebrities/Psuedo Celebrities"  get preferential treament from police/courts when they do wrong?  FACT just because a person is famous doesn't automatically make them immune from engaging in criminal activity.  FACT famous people HAVE in the past been caught driving around with firearms in their vehicles.  FACT just because some people know you are famous, doesn't mean everyone else does, heck there was an incident in New Jersey a few days before this, were a few younger police officers stopped and questioned Bob Dylan, and refused to release him, cause he had no ID, and they had no clue who he was (he had been wandering around a sketchy area, late at night killing time).  Did he threaten to sue though? No, he took it stride and realized they were just doing their job, no harm no foul.


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## garb811 (24 Aug 2009)

ruckmarch said:
			
		

> Could you imagine if every called the cops just because they saw someone holding out of the window that looked like a weapon?


Do you actually read what you are typing?  It is people who don't call when they see crimes, or potential crimes, in progress that facilitate the criminals getting away with it.  

Further, I guess by your standard we shouldn't call the police when we hear a female scream late at night, or spot a driver who is driving in a manner which leads us to believe they are impaired, or the little kid next door who shows signs of abuse or...


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## MARS (24 Aug 2009)

Well said garb811...

http://www2.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/scraig/gansberg.html


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## mariomike (24 Aug 2009)

MARS said:
			
		

> http://www2.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/scraig/gansberg.html



That was a very famous case. Her killer was sentenced to death, but was commuted to life. His next parole hearing is next year:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_genovese


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## IrishCanuck (25 Aug 2009)

ruckmarch said:
			
		

> I couldn't agree with you more with all you said above. Could you imagine if every called the cops just because they saw someone holding out of the window that looked like a weapon?
> 
> In case people didn't know this, it's not uncommon for cops to harrass kurds back in their homeland, and am sure these folks were traumatized by the whole experience. I am not sticking up for them here, just put yourself in their shoes for a second.
> 
> ...




I disagree with everything you just said.


People are supposed to call the police when they see what appears to be a firearm being waved around. People seem to have given up their social responsibility, and will seldom phone in a suspected crime unless it directly affects them.

As for cops harrassing kurds in their homeland.. that may be the case, but so what? This isn't their homeland. This is Canada. They can feel traumatized all they want, fact is, the response was professional and by "the book". We can't coddle people based on whatever messed up country they came out of. "In my homeland, income taxes were used to build palaces to the dictator, I'm traumatized that I have to pay taxes here in Canada, and that I'm being taken to court over it."

I could give two shits who he has played with in the past. All people are to be treated equally under the law.

The assumption that the vehicle being driven was a reason for the type of police response is also false. It would have been the same if it were a Pinto, Escalade, Dodge Caravan,etc.

I also disagree with GreyMatter's position with statements like paraphrased: it's ok to react like that if: "they look like gangbangers, they're holding weapons ets". What they look like is irrelevant. I've frequently seen the most seemingly straight edged middle class white male be the scum of the earth, and the "tough" looking 'gang banger' dressed black guy be the clean , articulate, family man. Does that account for everyone? No. But the generalization is also a threat to officer safety.

The call _was_ that they were waving weapons around. So they initiate the traffic stop, and respond accordingly. You can't just walk up to a vehicle that has been *reported* to have people holding/waving firearms and be like "hey guys, so do you have any guns?" That's a ridiculous affront to officer safety.

I realize the logic being presented , "but but the police shouldn't be able to run around pulling people out of vehicles at gunpoint because of a phone report!" Well if we have a sudden rush of false reports of vengeful people trying to send the police out after fake guns calls, then all those people will get public mischief charges and be dealt with.


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## Eye In The Sky (25 Aug 2009)

IrishCanuck,

Well said, I was about to reply to the stupidity I saw in ruckmarch's post but you did it.  *golf clap*

Ruckmarch,

You're continous poking at this "the white man in Canada is bad" stuff is getting REALLY fucking old.


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## Jarnhamar (26 Aug 2009)

ruckmarch said:
			
		

> I couldn't agree with you more with all you said above. Could you imagine if every called the cops just because they saw someone holding out of the window that looked like a weapon?
> 
> In case people didn't know this, it's not uncommon for cops to harrass kurds back in their homeland, and am sure these folks were traumatized by the whole experience. I am not sticking up for them here, just put yourself in their shoes for a second.
> 
> ...



You sound like a cross between a crusader and an idiot.


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## Roy Harding (27 Aug 2009)

ruckmarch said:
			
		

> ...
> The guy has actually played with some big names in the past, one of them being STING. ...



Who or what is "STING"?  

And how is having played with him/her/it relevant to police officers receiving a report that a person is waving a weapon around in a vehicle?


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## Kat Stevens (27 Aug 2009)

Just another classic case of whitey tryin' to keep to keep the brothers down.  Werd, yo.


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## Fishbone Jones (27 Aug 2009)

Cheers Kat 
A perfect ending for this thread.

Locked

Milnet.ca Staff


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