Police at football game to strict?

[Laos Refugees]

So, I heard in the paper in my local county that a kid was kicked out of a football game.
For carrying a laptop battery.
That could 'crack someones skull'
And he was carrying it for self defence, because he likes football, but he doesn't want to get his ass kicked by anyone wanting to look for a fight.
Now lets think about this, a slightly wimpy kid, wanted to watch a football game, didn't want to get attacked, so he carried a laptop battery, a kid saw it, took it out of his pocket, and reported the kid for wanting to start a fight.
I have no source, as this was just some small section in a news paper article, I couldn't take pictures sorry.
But what are your thoughts, should the kid have been left alone, or was it a good thing he was kicked out?
By the way, only about 2 cops were there I think from what a friend told me.

[Fartsniffage]

What country are we talking about? What ground?

Football hooliganism has been, and continues to be, a huge problem with the sport.

[Laos Refugees]

American football.

[Fartsniffage]

American football.

Well then, who cares?

[Takaram]

Why a laptop battery? There are plenty of less expensive items you can take with you to a football game if you're worried about getting into a fight. And no, the kid wasn't in the wrong, IMO.

[Ashmoria]

a kid takes a weapon to a football game and you think its wrong that the police made him leave?

[Laos Refugees]

It looked sort of like a baton, and it belonged to a computer that crapped out and didn't work, from what I've gathered.

[Laos Refugees]

a kid takes a weapon to a football game and you think its wrong that the police made him leave?

It wasn't really a weapon, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but would you knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous place without some sort of protection except two rent-a-cops?

[Unchecked Expansion]

The rules are there, publicly stated, for the safety of everyone. If a laptop battery is a potential weapon, don't bring it to the game. 'I only have it for self defence' is also used by kids with knives in schools. It only undermines the rules and can be difficult to enforce. If someone was worried about a fight, they could simply leave quicky, find the police (as they were obviously present) and stay away from potential trouble

[Laos Refugees]

Right, because you know, the police are ALWAYS there and you can ALWAYS get away and you NEVER need to worry about defending yourself.

[Ashmoria]

a kid takes a weapon to a football game and you think its wrong that the police made him leave?

It wasn't really a weapon, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but would you knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous place without some sort of protection except two rent-a-cops?

it was a weapon when he decided it could be used as one.

if a place is too dangerous you dont go there. and the police certainly dont let you bring a weapon if you are foolish enough to go.

[Takaram]

Yes, he did violate the set rules, but I take issue with the rules in the first place. If someone really wants to get in a fight with someone else, they'll find some way to fight them, weapon or not. Same reason I really dislike gun control laws.

[Fartsniffage]

It wasn't really a weapon, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but would you knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous place without some sort of protection except two rent-a-cops?

Personally, I wouldn't knowingly walk into a dangerous place.

[Unchecked Expansion]

Right, because you know, the police are ALWAYS there and you can ALWAYS get away and you NEVER need to worry about defending yourself.

Well, apparently police presence was enough for this boy to be easily reported, identified and ejected quickly. If anything police being stricter would solve the problem better.
I have been attacked, on the street in broad daylight several times. I've never considered carrying a weapon to defend myself. Now would this kid having a weapon actually help him? Or would it be seen as an invitation to violence? There is a difference between thinking about your safety and preparing for a fight. If I thought that a game would be so dangerous that I needed a weapon I just wouldn't go

[Galloism]

a kid takes a weapon to a football game and you think its wrong that the police made him leave?

It wasn't really a weapon, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but would you knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous place without some sort of protection except two rent-a-cops?

it was a weapon when he decided it could be used as one.

if a place is too dangerous you dont go there. and the police certainly dont let you bring a weapon if you are foolish enough to go.

So the criteria for what we determine to be a weapon is when the person carrying it decides it can be used as one?

[Laos Refugees]

^ with that logic, my buttocks are now a weapon.

[Unchecked Expansion]

a kid takes a weapon to a football game and you think its wrong that the police made him leave?

It wasn't really a weapon, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but would you knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous place without some sort of protection except two rent-a-cops?

it was a weapon when he decided it could be used as one.

if a place is too dangerous you dont go there. and the police certainly dont let you bring a weapon if you are foolish enough to go.

So the criteria for what we determine to be a weapon is when the person carrying it decides it can be used as one?

Could a laptop battery cause serious damage? Quite probably. Was there any other reason he was carrying it? Unlikely. He was carrying it with intent to use it as a weapon

[Laos Refugees]

Also with the intent of using it to defend himself, in-case someone would start something, which is always possible.

[Ashmoria]

a kid takes a weapon to a football game and you think its wrong that the police made him leave?

It wasn't really a weapon, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but would you knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous place without some sort of protection except two rent-a-cops?

it was a weapon when he decided it could be used as one.

if a place is too dangerous you dont go there. and the police certainly dont let you bring a weapon if you are foolish enough to go.

So the criteria for what we determine to be a weapon is when the person carrying it decides it can be used as one?

it certainly is one of the criteria.

if he had been innocently carrying a laptop battery with the intention of giving it to his friend at the game, it would have been outrageous for him to have been ejected.

but the stupid boy thought that a freaking laptop battery was going to be some kind of protection for him. its a good thing he was sent home, if he had gotten into a fight he probably would have been beaten to death with it.

[Ashmoria]

Also with the intent of using it to defend himself, in-case someone would start something, which is always possible.

carrying a weapon for self-defense is a very bad idea. especially when you are a wimpy boy.

[Galloism]

if he had been innocently carrying a laptop battery with the intention of giving it to his friend at the game, it would have been outrageous for him to have been ejected.

but the stupid boy thought that a freaking laptop battery was going to be some kind of protection for him. its a good thing he was sent home, if he had gotten into a fight he probably would have been beaten to death with it.

Immensely funny, and oh so true.

See, the reason I ask is that I have carried a knife almost continuously since 1998 (the only exceptions are when I fly commercially. I leave it at home, and buy a new crappy knife I don't care about as soon as possible after I land.). I always carry crappy knives I don't care about - if I need to use it as a screwdriver, to cut through a piece of plastic that's causing trouble, open a package, or whatever, I have it. It comes in extremely handy.

However, in many cases, that would be viewed as a "weapon", although that is not its intent. It's a tool. So, naturally, I want to know what criteria makes something a "weapon".

[Laos Refugees]

Now what if he lied about giving it to a friend, the cop let him go, and he got into a fight, what then?

[Unchecked Expansion]

Now what if he lied about giving it to a friend, the cop let him go, and he got into a fight, what then?

If caught, he is charged with assault and the use off a weapon will increase the severity of his crime.

[Ashmoria]

Now what if he lied about giving it to a friend, the cop let him go, and he got into a fight, what then?

then he would have been beaten to death with it.

or if he had smashed in some other kid's head with it, one who didnt bring a weapon to the game, he would have been in jail now.

[Ashmoria]

if he had been innocently carrying a laptop battery with the intention of giving it to his friend at the game, it would have been outrageous for him to have been ejected.

but the stupid boy thought that a freaking laptop battery was going to be some kind of protection for him. its a good thing he was sent home, if he had gotten into a fight he probably would have been beaten to death with it.

Immensely funny, and oh so true.

See, the reason I ask is that I have carried a knife almost continuously since 1998 (the only exceptions are when I fly commercially. I leave it at home, and buy a new crappy knife I don't care about as soon as possible after I land.). I always carry crappy knives I don't care about - if I need to use it as a screwdriver, to cut through a piece of plastic that's causing trouble, open a package, or whatever, I have it. It comes in extremely handy.

However, in many cases, that would be viewed as a "weapon", although that is not its intent. It's a tool. So, naturally, I want to know what criteria makes something a "weapon".

i would think that there are other places where it wouldnt matter what your intent was in carrying the knife, it wouldnt be allowed. a football game might be one of them.

otherwise i think the law in any particular place is the major way to define a weapon.

and intent as i said above.