Tasered Polish Man

[capricorn]

You end up standing around for 10 hours and for all you know, everyone here will just let you starve and die here for all they care.

Talking about not caring, this reminds me of a case here in Ottawa where a woman collapsed in a snowbank and passers by assumed she was either drunk or drugged. They literally stepped over her without helping and she died from frostbite. Turns out she had suffered a heart attack. People can be cruel and uncaring.

I just don't think they handled it properly.

It sure seems like it although I'll wait for the final investigations before passing judgment on the 4 officers involved.

[Riverwind]

Imagine visiting a country where no one speaks your language and you just want to get out of the airport or at least meet a relative who can help you. No staff in the airport help you or seem willing and you don't see anything else you can do.

According to the border services agency it took him 3 hours to get from the first customs booth to secondary screening. I guess it took him that long to figure out that he should try and follow the stream of people leaving the room (there is only one exit). At that point he was stopped by custom officials and guided through the final process by a customs official that spoke some polish. He was then told he was free to go and all he had to do was walk 100 meters through two more sliding doors and he would have found his mother. Again - it should have been obvious because secondary customs screening is right next to the door out. For some reason he just did not walk out those doors.

For those of you that don't know Vancouver Airport you may be interested to know that the video was taken from the area where his mother should have been waiting for him. The lady that tried to talk to him was standing where I have waited for international passengers in the past. He would have found his mother if he had walked through those doors a few hours earlier instead of tossing furniture around.

Now many people can understand the confusion that this guy might have felt given the fact that it was his first time in an airport. However, I am no longer certain that we could reasonably expect the airport people to do anything more than they did. The guy was one step away from leaving the airport. Anyone looking those windows should have seen what looked like a crowd of people waiting to meet travellers.

That said, I think there was a screw up on the other side - the official that his mother was talking to should have been able to find out that he was on the plane. There are no excuses for that miscommunication.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Riverwind

[Carinthia]

His Mother gave him instructions to wait for her in the baggage collection room. She admitted that she did not realize that is a restricted area. When she got there, she waited in the room next door for 6 hours trying to convince somebody to get her son. They ended up telling her that he did not arrive on the plane and told her to go home. From listening to the Mom tonight on the news, neither her nor her son did anything wrong. It was a screw up by airport personel who plainly didn't give a rats ass about either one of them and couldn't be bothered to fully investigate the situation.

[Riverwind]

His Mother gave him instructions to wait for her in the baggage collection room. She admitted that she did not realize that is a restricted area.

That is consistent the border services version of events.

When she got there, she waited in the room next door for 6 hours trying to convince somebody to get her son.

Sounds like the Vancouver Airport Authority (the people who staff the information booth in the arrivals area) will have some explaining to do. Keep in mind that Border Services and the Airport Authority are two different organizations. Many people have criticized border services for not doing more. However, I am not sure that they could be reasonably expected to do much more given the number of people that go through the airport (i.e. how are they supposed to be able know how long someone has been waiting in a crowded room). Edited November 27, 2007 by Riverwind

[Carinthia]

That is consistent the border services version of events.

Sounds like the Vancouver Airport Authority (the people who staff the information booth in the arrivals area) will have some explaining to do. Keep in mind that Border Services and the Airport Authority are two different organizations. Many people have criticized border services for not doing more. However, I am not sure that they could be reasonably expected to do much more given the number of people that go through the airport (i.e. how are they supposed to be able know how long someone has been waiting in a crowded room).

I would think after this, comunications will be greatly improved at YVR. Too bad that it took the loss of a life for improvments in the future.

[trex]

That is consistent the border services version of events.

Sounds like the Vancouver Airport Authority (the people who staff the information booth in the arrivals area) will have some explaining to do. Keep in mind that Border Services and the Airport Authority are two different organizations. Many people have criticized border services for not doing more. However, I am not sure that they could be reasonably expected to do much more given the number of people that go through the airport (i.e. how are they supposed to be able know how long someone has been waiting in a crowded room).

These places are run by union goons. Most unionized workers are too demoralized to give a damn. If it ain't in the contract I don't have to do anything. Let the people rot. For this lack of personal committment to their job a man ultimately lost his life. All it would take is for someone to walk through the area and loudly call out his name in order to find him.

Those responsible at the airport should be dismissed, or, jailed.

[jbg]

These places are run by union goons. Most unionized workers are too demoralized to give a damn. If it ain't in the contract I don't have to do anything. Let the people rot. For this lack of personal committment to their job a man ultimately lost his life. All it would take is for someone to walk through the area and loudly call out his name in order to find him.

Yesterday, in a nearby town, Mamaroneck, a man barricaded himself into his house. While the police were negotiating with him, he drove a hatchet through the walls of the house, aiming at hatcheting the policeman. Do you think hhis use of a taser was driven by his being a "union goon"?

[Frankie]

Yesterday, in a nearby town, Mamaroneck, a man barricaded himself into his house. While the police were negotiating with him, he drove a hatchet through the walls of the house, aiming at hatcheting the policeman. Do you think hhis use of a taser was driven by his being a "union goon"?

I don't understand what you're saying. Are you replying to trex? What you said has nothing to do with that polish guy as far as I know.

[Oleg Bach]

I don't understand what you're saying. Are you replying to trex? What you said has nothing to do with that polish guy as far as I know.

You can not create a society where you go around electocuting those that appear odd to fearful cowards - or those that are non-compliant to certain agendas set out by the lackeys that are goverment and their big buisness handlers. Once you normalize the shocking of people in order to control the population and oppress it - we are then going to find our selves in a system that makes Orwellian fancey look like a picnic in the meadow.

[jbg]

I don't understand what you're saying. Are you replying to trex? What you said has nothing to do with that polish guy as far as I know.

It has to do with the necessity for tasering. Trex swept cops into a group he called "union goons".

[no queenslave]

Yesterday, in a nearby town, Mamaroneck, a man barricaded himself into his house. While the police were negotiating with him, he drove a hatchet through the walls of the house, aiming at hatcheting the policeman. Do you think hhis use of a taser was driven by his being a "union goon"?

" he drove a hatchet through the walls of the house" how many walls would that be? Did he have a licence to drive his hatchet?

a little exaggerated i think. You think he was making holes in the walls so he could be tasered?

Edited November 27, 2007 by no queenslave

[Wilber]

a little exaggerated i think. You think he was making holes in the walls so he could be tasered?

No he was trying to install a new light switch.

[Guest American Woman]

I would think after this, comunications will be greatly improved at YVR. Too bad that it took the loss of a life for improvments in the future.

Hopefully something like this will never happen again because of language problems. I have to wonder, though, why those watching his meltdown didn't go try to find help themselves. It bothers me that the man who stood there filming, making comments like 'He did that in front of the police! Jesus Christ!,' a man who said he agreed with the RCMP's actions at the time this was all happening, is now being made out by some to be a hero. He seems to be sucking it up for all it's worth, too, talking about how he 'watched the life ebb out of him' or some such thing. He didn't even know what was happening, judging from the comments on his video. But the bottom line is that a hero doesn't stand there filming a man in distress. He tries to do something to help. There's no reason why those watching couldn't have gone out and sought help for him. This really was a tragedy that need not have happened.

[Fortunata]

But the bottom line is that a hero doesn't stand there filming a man in distress. He tries to do something to help.

Yes, he could have rushed in to help and got tasered too.

It was a lack of anyone caring enough to help right from the get go. Pile on top of that cops that assessed a situation in a second or two, without caring enough to try communicating to calm a potential situation down, and we have a death. (But hey, get rid of the nuisance fast before the next flight gets in. ) No use blaming people on the other side of a secure area when helping could have come anytime in the previous 10 hours.

[Guest American Woman]

I'm talking about before the RCMP got there. Pritchard himself said that it took the RCMP half an hour just to show up. He could have gone looking for help himself in that time instead of just watching. I hold citizens responsible for their actions/inactions too, and I find it difficult to understand how people could stand by and watch without doing anything. To look at Pritchard as some sort of hero for just standing by and watching/videotaping Dziekanski's breakdown instead of even attempting to find help is just plain weird. It says a lot about our society that people just stand by and watch people in obvious distress.

Edited November 27, 2007 by American Woman

[guyser]

I'm talking about before the RCMP got there. Pritchard himself said that it took the RCMP half an hour just to show up. He could have gone looking for help himself in that time instead of just watching. I hold citizens responsible for their actions/inactions too, and I find it difficult to understand how people could stand by and watch without doing anything. To look at Pritchard as some sort of hero for just standing by and watching/videotaping Dziekanski's breakdown instead of even attempting to find help is just plain weird. It says a lot about our society that people just stand by and watch people in obvious distress.

Your point is not lost but in this case I wonder if it could have been done. That said, doing nothing gets us to the same point.

He was in a secure area , unable to speak the language. The people who can actually do anything should have been aware and any prudent person would think the same. Meaning if you are in an airport, and airport personnel are known to have been aware of his plight (not that they cared but..) it would be a reasonable assumption to think that it was all going to work out ok.

Couple that with the fact that it is an airport and anything one does is viewed with suspicion what can one do? Hell, I couldnt, or rather wouldnt sit next to you and talk about how the new Robert Redford movie bombed....we would both be in handcuffs in a flash.

Since you could walk your mom and dad, mine too, said if you ever get in trouble ask a policeman to help you. So, maybe the kid goes and finds a cop and the same result occurs.

If you were to drive by a house on fire and just before you were to rush in to save the kitten/child/photos....the fire dept shows up. What do you do? Back away like you know you should. However, the firemen are drunk and dont get the job done. Can one still say they should have done something instead of backing off and let , what should have been, the professionals do their job?

Again, I share your concerns, but I really dont think any of us could have forseen this result.

[Carinthia]

There was one woman who tried to communicate with him but they couldn't understand each other. Too bad she hadn't insisted that the lazy airport authorities get in there and help this guy. But then she may have been tasered too. Who knows now?

[capricorn]

But then she may have been tasered too. Who knows now?

I'm sure we would have heard by now. Remember, good citizens are taking videos of all taser incidents in Canada.

[Oleg Bach]

I'm sure we would have heard by now. Remember, good citizens are taking videos of all taser incidents in Canada.

The powers that be made market of photocell phones - the last thing they expected is fort this device to record their sins and play it back to the world - funny--- hope the greedy little buggers are losing sleep.

[jbg]

" he drove a hatchet through the walls of the house" how many walls would that be? Did he have a licence to drive his hatchet?

a little exaggerated i think. You think he was making holes in the walls so he could be tasered?

Sorry about the mis-placed pluralization. I still think my English is better than your Albertanese.

[jbg]

I have to wonder, though, why those watching his meltdown didn't go try to find help themselves....But the bottom line is that a hero doesn't stand there filming a man in distress. He tries to do something to help. There's no reason why those watching couldn't have gone out and sought help for him. This really was a tragedy that need not have happened.

You make some very good points.

[Wilber]

There was one woman who tried to communicate with him but they couldn't understand each other. Too bad she hadn't insisted that the lazy airport authorities get in there and help this guy. But then she may have been tasered too. Who knows now?

Yes, I'm sure she didn't do it out of fear of being Tazered. Get a grip.

[Army Guy]

American Woman:

To look at Pritchard as some sort of hero for just standing by and watching/videotaping Dziekanski's breakdown instead of even attempting to find help is just plain weird. It says a lot about our society that people just stand by and watch people in obvious distress.

I think you hit the nail on the head, people, most North americans don't want to engage anyone outside of thier comfort zone...just getting a hello or a good morning out of a stranger in the city is considered outside the box, and rare..Rarer yet is someone addressing the matter of someone misbehaving, throwing computers to the ground etc.etc...most would ingnore the problem and by pass it rather that act..

Instead people feel more in thier zone just observing, doing nothing...is it right by no means...

Edited November 29, 2007 by Army Guy

[no queenslave]

American Woman:

I think you hit the nail on the head, people, most North americans don't want to engage anyone outside of thier comfort zone...just getting a hello or a good morning out of a stranger in the city is considered outside the box, and rare..Rarer yet is someone addressing the matter of someone misbehaving, throwing computers to the ground etc.etc...most would ingnore the problem and by pass it rather that act..

Instead people feel more in thier zone just observing, doing nothing...is it right by no means...

That is what happens in a police state ; the people are afraid of the cops. If someone were to intervene , after the cops arived they would of been charged with obstructing justice by the cops and would of been taserd as well. Protecting their union jobs. They just demonstrated how much of a police state we have. The area was controlled by airport security??? where were they??

The cops were more interested in covering up what they had done by grabing the taping than in the welfare of the victum they killed.

[Army Guy]

no queenslave:

That is what happens in a police state ; the people are afraid of the cops.

Canada a police state...your joking right...we maybe alot of things put not a police state...trust me i've been to many police states and we don't even come close...If this were a police state this guy would have been karted off never to be seen or heard of again....

If someone were to intervene , after the cops arived they would of been charged with obstructing justice by the cops and would of been taserd as well. Protecting their union jobs.

Nonsense...along with B.S