Last weekend, we covered the “Tesla Takedown” protests, and the aftermath.
Protesters who were violent (e.g., allegedly running his car into a “Tesla Shield” counter-demonstrator) or committed vandalism were arrested and charged. The current administration is in no mood to coddle criminals if they confuse free speech with law-breaking behavior.
As another weekend of protests against Tesla is planned, it will be good to review one of the most egregious cases of leftist violence in this current cycle. Davis Nafshun, a Portland man, has been charged with using a laser to assault Tesla employees during a protest at a Tesla dealership near the South Waterfront in Portland.
Nafshun, 27, is facing two felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon after allegedly shining a laser into the eyes of Tesla employees, causing them to report vision problems.
He was released on his own recognizance from jail the same day of his arrest.A probable-cause affidavit says police responded to a call at the South Waterfront Portland Tesla dealership in the 4300 block of South Macadam Avenue. An employee told an officer that at least one person was pointing a green laser into the dealership and at people inside. An officer saw video of a person, later identified as Nafshun, doing the same during a demonstration taking place outside the building.Police found him riding his bike away from the area and took him into custody, the affidavit said. Multiple protesters asked the officers what was going on and were concerned about police intervention.
To be fair, at least some of the “Tesla Takedown” protesters appear a more civilized approach toward demonstrations.
As Nafshun was being arrested, multiple protesters approached the officers, showing concern about the police intervention. But after officers showed them the footage of Nafshun shining the laser into the dealership, court documents say the protesters told police Nafshun’s “actions were not okay and were supportive of [his] removal.”Court documents further noted that during the investigation, officers learned two employees had the laser shined in their eyes, “causing discomfort and vision problems,” and a third employee – who had a laser shined in his eyes in a prior incident which gave him vision problems – “had the leave the showroom.”
Laser beams pointed directly into the eye have the potential to cause retinal damage and adversely impact the vision.
This harm is mostly the result of the sensitive light-sensitive cells in the eye’s retina becoming overloaded and damage done to the macula.Even before that level of power, willfully staring at a laser pointer’s light for a long period can still cause harm. It is a genuine risk for children and anyone who underestimates the potential damage lasers can do.The potential for harm even in many “safe” lasers is comparable to that of staring at the sun or a similarly bright source of light.Temporary blindness can happen almost instantly at the power levels ostensibly considered safe for lasers. This has the potential to both temporarily blind and disorient a person, which can be dangerous for people in precarious situations or those operating heavy machines or vehicles, including planes.
I will be keeping an eye on this weekend’s protests. Hopefully, the demonstrators will confine themselves to trite sayings and unimaginative signs rather than felonies and vandalism. Trump is only president for 1700 or so more days, but a criminal record can last a lifetime.
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