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Subscribe to RSSAs Kansas City Mayor Sly James was delivering his State of the City address, a man came up on stage, knocked over a flag and began cursing.
A man rushed the podium Tuesday during Kansas City Mayor Sly James' State of the City address, knocked over a flag and started cursing before security wrestled him off the stage.
James, a Democrat in his first term, barely reacted, looking on calmly as the man shouted obscenities into the microphone at the Gem Theater, home to the American Jazz Museum. It was the second year in a row that James has broken tradition by delivering the annual address in an unsecured public location, rather than at City Hall.
A member of James' security detail, Kansas City police Officer Marlon Buie, tackled the man, knocking him off the stage. The man, who hasn't been identified, was taken away in handcuffs.
"Well, that was unfortunate," James said when he resumed speaking.
Afterward, he told reporters: "I didn't have time to be scared. It happened so quickly. I'm just so glad my bodyguards were there."
Police Chief Darryl Forte, who was in attendance, acknowledged that the incident raised questions about James' security. He told The Kansas City Star that his department would launch a security review.
Forte said the man wasn't armed and wasn't ranting about James.
James told The Star that he had full confidence in his security detail, saying there was nothing the officers could have done "except be standing with me side by side."
"We don't live in that way," he said.
James, who is noted for being active on Twitter, later tweeted:
Twitter.com
"Twice" apparently is a reference to the night of Aug. 13, 2011, when gunfire broke out near James as he toured the city's business district after having imposed a curfew because of earlier violent incidents. His guards pushed him to safety on the ground.
A small group of protesters outside the theater, who were objecting to what they characterized as James' neglect of the city's East Side, told NBC station KSHB of Kansas City that the man wasn't affiliated with them.
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KC is quick becoming another Chicago.
In what respects do you mean?
If that guy wanted to hurt him he would been hurt. Extremely poor security, and he's praising them.
If that guy had smacked him he wouldn't be so full of praise.
what? no racist hate speech yet? come on people your slow on this one there has to be something derogatory to say entertain me
How can it be racist when the assailant and the victim are both black? Unless you believe the assailant was a Republican and therefore, technically, not black.
I wanted to hear what the guy had to say :) Funny story glad no one was hurt
The fat guy with the uniform at the end of the clip needs to do away with the Krispy Kremes. Do you see how slow he was walking over to the fight?
Doesn't pay to be angry. A Gandhi approach would have been much more successful.
Nice that the political elite can have the weapons and guards they want...but they feel the average citizen needs to be disarmed so they cannot protect themselves...
There are no proposals for disarming the average citizen. I suggest you get help for your paranoid delusions.
redphish,
Allow me to elaborate on your statement: There are plans to disarm the average citizen, that have been in place for years. So far, they have all fallen afoul of the Second Amendment. In the meantime, at least in Colorado, the next best thing is to outlaw magazines. Those pesky guns like Glocks and AR's are a lot less useful if you can't load them.
With a name like Sly, he could be mayor of Detroit. Is that close enough, Atheist idiot?
RichCecil - Rapidly becoming Chicago... Have you ever been here? LOL...
Riverman - If your momma named you Sylvester, I'm guessing you would prefer to go by 'Sly'.
Some joker wanted his 15 minutes of fame, and he got it... Oh, and the author refers to the mayor as a Dem. He's a Repub... Sillyness all the way around...
@Lyn, KCMO - Actually he's neither a republican nor a democrat - he's an independent.
A Democrat politician mad at another Democrat politician. NBC needs to update the story and start telling the truth as well for over 7 hours ago:
Derron Black Apologize to Kansas Citizens but Challenges Mayor Sly James
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3Kl6g3uMCcM
Derron Black
www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=299822
http://
midwestdemocracy.com/candidates/derron-black/
Sly James Law Firm - Personal Injury Lawyer
www.slyjamesfirm.com
Senator John Edwards was a personal injury lawyer was he not? I have a feeling their is more to the story then is being fed to us. NBC knew this "mad man" got through the security, not because it was lax, but because he was a former candidate himself. They recognized him and let him through.
Blacks cannot govern themselves, no wonder the White man has to keep them in check. If we "give" blacks full control of their districts they will quickly turn it into a sh!thole. Is it any wonder that every black area is a place to avoid?
It takes a real imbecile to not understand why this takes place. This is so predictable given the makeup of this community.