Now that Metro has decided to perform random bag checks, you need to know a way to get out of one to protect your civil liberties. Fortunately, there’s an easy to avoid being checked and protect your civil liberties: just saying no:

If you choose to walk through a random search area and are stopped, you may refuse to be searched. If police ask to search your belongings, remain calm and courteous. And don’t ever — under any circumstances — talk back or raise your voice to the police officer. You have nothing to gain — and everything to lose — by escalating the hostility level of the encounter.

Calmly and clearly say “Officer, I do not consent to any searches. I’m going to exit the station.” Then immediately exit the station — and do not return through the same entrance.

You don’t have to give the police your name or ID, either, and you can try to re-enter the Metro station through a difference entrance. It’s not clear if trying to re-enter will be considered suspicious behavior (and pretense for a search), but it’s worth a shot.

Via GW Patriot

This entry was posted on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 11:58 am and is filed under News, Vox Populi. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.