(Image: Boingboing)
Most of us heave at least a little sigh of relief when we drive up to the Canadian border from New York or Michigan. We should probably cancel that sigh about now or at least delay it a few minutes longer. Last week, Toronto marine biologist turned science fiction writer Peter Watts received a suspended sentence with a $500 fine (and $1,128 in fees) after being convicted back in March of resisting and obstructing an American border patrol officer at the Port Huron border crossing.
His crime: not getting down on the ground fast enough when a border guard yelled at him to. And this was during an unannounced exit search (yes, they exist, and no, you might not be informed about it until it’s completed). The writer had apparently gotten out of his car to ask what was going on, which is when the trouble started.
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