Resistance is futile! Joey Neckchain Williams update.
When I went to college (the first time…) we had a nickname for the mindless goons and frat boys thugs that used to clog up the campus. We called them Joey Neckchains after the gold chains that were inevitably peaking out of their Izod shirts with the collar flipped up. Now, I suspect we’d have to change that to Joey Williams. There were protests and such after he was reinstated to his job on the police force after being cleared of wrong doing, in spite of being caught on tape acting like a bully instead of a police man. I’m of the position that just because someone acts like an idiot, a policeman’s job is to not act like an even bigger jackass. Surely his skin is thick enough and he possesses enough self control to not let a teenager get the better of him. I guess not. Scary thing is, that guy has a gun. Awesome. Anyway, I need to stop Jason Waite from littering the comments on Skate and Annoy with his petition spam, so check out the movement to get the Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department to reopen the investigation. Yeah… Good luck with that. Tell you what, I’ll learn inverts and kickflips if you get that accomplished. Keep me posted.
Protests against Joey Williams reinstatement.
- The Washington Post – Associated Press:
Skateboarders Protest in Arkansas“About 25 protesters kept their rides in their hands Sunday as they marched down a Central Avenue sidewalk. They were abiding by a city ordinance that bars skateboarding on downtown sidewalks.”
– What? No “ride-in?” And you call that civil disobedience? - Pine Bluff Commercial – Pine Bluff,AR,USA: Protesters carry boards as they oppose officer’s reinstatement
“‘Police brutality is bad for business,’ the boarders chanted…”
– ‘Eat Me!’ chanted the Police Department… - Today's THV – Little Rock,AR,USA: Skateboarders Protest in Hot Springs
The Petition to reopen the investigation
Jason Waite is the young go-getter behind this petition. Jason, we applaud your efforts, but next time, get someone to proof read it for you and you’ll get better results.
Read the petition and visit www.myspace.com/unitedaid and you’ll be suprised the hype and publicity that this story is garnering. Please also read this petition below, sign it, and so what you guys in the skateboarding industry can do what you need to do with it. Please also feel free to foward it to any and everyone.
New Petition On Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Officer To Be Re-Investigated Once Again
www.petitiononline.com/hspd123/petition.html
www.myspace.com/unitedaidFriday 8/10/07 Breaking News
Hold Hot Springs, Arkansas Officer Joey Williams Accountable Petition
To: Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department
We as a united global community are standing up firm against the Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department for their allowance of Officer Joey Williams to return and remain on the police force- despite what many in the global community are calling “police brutality” and “excessive force.”
As you may already know or may have already heard, many peoples throughout the world have been, and are, appalled and outraged over the recent viral video which has been posted on youtube.com. Not to mention, many peoples throughout the world are also outraged at the Hot Springs Police Department’s reaction of quickly returning to duty Officer Joey Williams despite over whelming dissent and calls for his immediate termination.
The popular youtube video shows clearly several Hot Springs, Arkansas youths plagued by what again many are calling “police brutality” and “excessive force”. This event took place in what has historically been a popular down town tourist area in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
We as a united global community have therefore decided to demand the Hot Springs Police Department re-investigate the actions of Officer Joey Williams, and to hold him to a fair and fully accountable investigative trial.
This extremely popular series of youtube videos has set several amazing records for viewership, with a whopping and continuously growing 2,000,000+ views and growing everyday!
You can find this popular video by simply searching under skateboarders, skateboard, hot springs skateboarders, police brutality, and or other various search words and phrases. There are many versions and many different peoples commenting about this video on line.
In addition to the many versions of the video on the internet, the event has garnered a mass array of media coverage throughout mainstream television and other grassroots media sources- CNN, Fox, arkansas.indymedia.org, and the extremely popular activist myspace page www.myspace.com/unitedaid to name a few.
Here Is What Are We Demanding From You The Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department:
1. We hereby demand you the Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department to come forth with an official apology to the world via the skateboarders and their families and friends for whom have had to courageously go through this atrocious event.
2. We also hereby demand Officer Joey Williams to be re-investigated, and NOT to return to the City of Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department for the general well being and welfare of our concerned Hot Springs, Arkansas citizens and united global peoples.
We as a community will NOT stop speaking out about this event till ALL these demands are carried out to the full. We also ask that these demands be carried out quickly and publicly, before the one year anniversary of this atrocious event June 21, 2008.
We will also be doing our part by exercising our freedom of speech rights via phone calls, emails, and even faxes to you the Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department.
We understand these to be your contacts:
Chief of Police: Bobby Southard
email: bsouthard@cityhs.netPublic Information Cpl. Means
email: mmeans@cityhs.netPhone: (501) 321-6789
Fax: (501) 321-6708Hot Springs Police Department
Chief of Police, Bobby Southard
641 Malvern Avenue
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901
Online petitions are such a lousy idea. People who think they are doing something just waste their time.
i tend to revert to noam chomsky and his theory of linguistical simplicity to actualize my language as effective despite its outside physical flaws. its the inside that counts right? :).
thank you for posting this info.
Oh and to bright guy Cameron… the petition is symbolic. Many times actions are not to do the obvious or percieved intention. Try reading Mahatma Gandhi as a starter to symbolism; It’ll primer your undiscipline knowledge for the unobvious:).
No choking was committed. A photo cannot determine if a choking action is being committed. Also, the officer’s hand is not on Graham’s throat. It is on the side of his neck more towards his shoulder. Graham has his head turned to the left. The officer’s body language is also wrong for someone who supposedly choking another.
I think you liberals need to find something else to whine about.
It’s over, the skaters pled no contest. There isn’t going to be another trial.
Good job to Joey Williams. Cities need more officers like you.
You liberals? You fascist!
Fuck you redneck bullies. Go read a fucking sports website. Bait the skateboarders? We’ll just go all police brutality on your ass and magically your comments become spam.
Now now… play nice. Choking comments that’s not very nice now is it?
Whew, got a little carried away there like that guy at Burnside. I need to remember: if you are going to skateboard, policemen are going to grab you by the neck. Police Storrrry!
Conahan, you mean if you purposely break the law and resist arrest an officer may grab you by the neck. You know, like these skaters did.
you know dogs from the pound aren’t allowed to be adopted out without temperament testing. I know a lot of police and sheriff’s departments have a very rigorous set of mental and physical exams to pass. At the same time there are several smaller towns and cities that the pre-employment screening of potential officers is on par with getting a job at the local grocery store. In the end, physical violence, no matter who the perpetrator, should not be an acceptable way to act.
Trew – I can’t understand you. Stop mumbling.
Jesus, I just saw this again and read Trew’s comments.
Wow, how “trewly”…”shocking” and “original” you are. I bet you turn heads with how “shocking” and “blunt” you can be on others opinions.’Im shocked”.You surely “shock” us all. Your behavior and opinions are clearly compassionate and well thought out. Im sure many listen to you and thats why you are on a skate blog,talking out your neck. You seem to make friends left and right in life. If only there was some way for us to exchange more conversation on this topic and others such as: “Why dont we meet up so I can choke you until you piss your pants,bitch.” or “Come to to Battle Ground park on saturday so I can beat the stupid look off your chevy chase in the deep end of the bowl”. Unfortunately I get the feeling I am far too late on this blog. Also, cowards like you spit,then run.(or choke adolecents for skating)
Jake, nice bit of spam. Let’s see, you talk about cowardice, but threaten someone behind a computer. Good job, buddy…lol.
Anything to say about this incident? I didn’t think so.
Trew, I look foward to the time when You, Joey Williams, and all other abusive a$$holes burn in hell! There is no room on are planet for hhorrible people like you! P.S. I am not a skater nor have I ever been one, I just can’t stomach watching someone throw around kids for NO reason! What I think is even worse is giant F@GS that defend these power hungry A$$holes!
Im at Battle Ground skatepark about every saturday morning or evening and I drink at the “elbow room” alot. Almost always wear a black anti-hero hat & white tshirt. Im about 5’11, 160 lbs. Doubt I will ever see you but you are welcome to try and call me out if you see me. I mean, Jesus, sweethart calm down, there were no specific threats. Just insight into what everyone thinks when you open your fast mouth. You know you wont confront me though… and that has nothing to do with “hiding” behind a computer….lol
PS,”TREW”; I use my real name, and stop mumbling.
Trew, the thing is, your type is transparently pathological. You think you are the most clever lil’ thing that ever pushed anyones buttons, and you will continue on to wherever there is an argument you can perpetuate. I think you presume the same of me. You’re dead wrong. I frequent SnA because of my love and interest for skateboarding, not because computer life is for me or I like to get irritated by fools. Try to understand that and stay off here with your nonsense, you clearly have no heart for skateboarding and others know that too. I suspect a rollerblader.
Ok this is the last of my words; My aplogies for losing my cool & steering the debate back to violence(which pissed me off in th 1st place). I owe this apology to not only SnA, a site for adults to talk, but also Trew, for getting personal with my rage. I stand by the non-violent content of my words, sorry for being “JAKEY NECKCHAIN” and not being just another skateboarder with an opinion to share.
Peace.
In response to what trew stated on sept 11th about “thank you officer williams, cities need more police like you” fuck you. cities need more cops like him shot in the line of duty so we can get em out of our hair. If anyone knows him tell to quit acting like a little bitch and to let us sk8. Its gonna happen and we gonnna stay. deal wit it fuckers!
I agree with Branden, cops are always interfering with us trying to skate. As if they dont have anything better to do with their time! And they never say anything about what really needs to be said. They are wasting our time and all the sk8erz around the world. All the h8erz need to fuck off and get a life!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas to all! 🙂
Fuck Joey Williams, it wasn’t even just that kid Skylar that he choked, he grabbed those 2 kids and slammed them. He should really fuck off, how old is he? maybe around 40, and he’s fucking with 13 year olds.
Officer Joey Williams is a gestapo wanna be cop!!!!!!!
Dumb ass cop, I would knock the shit out of his bald ass head!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trew, the police have a difficult job no doubt, but physical force is supposed to be the LAST RESORT, not the first. Officers are supposed to have months of training on how to deal with situations like this without resorting to violence. He acted like a bully security guard, not a law enforcement professional. There is NO place for this in a civilized society. Police Officers are supposed to serve and protect, not prove that might makes right.
Trew is obviously Daddyyo. He’s the only person familiar with skateboarding that uses the word ‘liberal’ as a derogatory term.
Seriously though, if you’re gonna skate for real, be for real. Street skating is illegal. If you want your perfect world, go to the lame ass skatepark with the rest of the lames. Leave the streets for us men who can handle the cops without getting our asses kicked for being retarded. I don’t appreciate the fervor from people who are kicking up dust for me do deal with out there.
Not on either side, just saying stop the fucking crying and big man talk like ‘I would knock the shit yadda yadda’, Police are here to serve and protect taxpaying businesses and property owners, but that does not apply to you, so man up.