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Darth Vader Arrested on Weapons Charges

by Jordan Yerman | May 25, 2007 at 06:13 am

867 views | 7 Recommendations | 5 comments

This story starts out funny, but turns creepy: blasters are fictional weapons, so the Darth impersonator surely should not be charged with possessing an "unregistered firearm": how could Darth have registered it? It's not a weapon.

While LA might have a relaxed attitude to fancy dress, one Oz wannbe Darth Vader found that cops Down Under are less impressed. Said fan was making his way to a 30th anniversary photo shoot earlier today "dressed in black and carrying a backpack with a replica laser blaster poking out the side" when he "alarmed diners at a food court in central Melbourne".

According to Reuters, the 32-year-old was quickly "surrounded by armed police, forced to the ground, and handcuffed", and will now be charged with possessing an unregistered firearm. As Vader himself might have put it: "Do not underestimate the power of the Force".

The man, on his way to pose for photos for the MX commuter
newspaper, sat stunned on the ground after being handcuffed by police.

His bag was searched and the fake gun found as well as a Star Wars suit.

He was taken to the St Kilda Rd Police Complex for questioning.

Police will charge the man on summons for possessing an unregistered firearm, despite it being a replica.

It would seem that the weapons charge is merely a means to justify this man's detainment, as he was clearly the victim of public overreaction (and a perplexing inability to recognize a sci-fi weapon).

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Brian A Kennedy

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 05:15 on May 25th, 2007

[enter dorkmode] What's a Darth Vader impersonator doing carrying a blaster instead of a lightsaber, though? [exit dorkmode]

Obi-Akpere

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 06:27 on May 25th, 2007

jordan,

Thanks for this post. This is in real sense another face of corruption; this guy deserves an apology from the police not an appearance in court

The Police should as a matter of national security learn how to bury their brutal and atrocios attitude towards civilians and maintain peace and order.

Obi-Akpere

Jordan Yerman

at 07:37 on May 25th, 2007

Yeah, Obi!

Once the humor in the story settles, I am left feeling cold: people are making a habit of scaring themselves, and the police are making up charges to justify arrests based on paranoia. It's sort of similar to what happened in Boston with the Mooninites.