What is the correct way to remove a heckler?

[The Backlash Cometh]

You love them when they're on your side, but find them disruptive when they're not. So, in this day of cellphones, what is the correct way to remove a heckler?

[MineralMan]

1. Not nearly enough information.

What are the circumstances? Or is this referring to something I don't know about?

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I'm generalizing.

If someone mouths off one thing, he should probably be left alone. But heckling is becoming more organized. If someone stands up and disrupts an organized proceeding, like a speech, and keeps on shouting, they have to be removed. The best way I've seen in the removal of a person is four or five people, calmly surrounding the individual and gently escorting the person out as they kept shouting their opinions out the door.

What doesn't work well to the eye is when the person gets rushed. I'm just wondering if there is any common understanding of correct procedure.

[madokie]

2. More context is needed

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. See above comment.

[madokie]

7. Thank you and Yes you are correct in my way of thinking that is. n/t

[Edweird]

5. With a predator drone. It's the only way to be sure.

[merbex]

6. If I were the politician and someone started heckling me or was being

especially longwinded in their question/comment while I as a politician was holding a Town Hall event, I would look into investing in a watch that had a capability similar to a stop watch and hit the button and let the heckler or constituent vent. Completely. Then when they finally stopped or pause I would say "are you finished?" Getting a reply I would hit the stop button and then say: "You had X minutes to make your point~ I timed it( holding up my watch to show them)...here is my response to you"

I think it would show the other people present that fairness was at the core of these meetings - while they, the hecklers, were being rude or uninformed

[slackmaster]

8. A pie in the face still works.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Nice painting.

[elocs]

10. Any person who is continually verbally or noisily disruptive in the midst of an event or meeting

where others are trying to listen and attend, then that person, or persons should be prepared to be asked to leave. It is up to the heckler as to whether this process will be easy or hard. If they will not simply leave when asked, then again, it is up to the heckler as to whether the removal will be easy or hard. But they should be removed and I don't care if it is a Democratic event, Republican event, or at a nightclub or concert.

If the event is political, then a heckler needs to be prepared to face the consequences of their actions. The other people there have a right to hear what they came to hear. If political and at a public place then protests should be allowed from further back (not blocks away) and I wouldn't consider it to be heckling if the protesters are heard as long as those who came are able to hear what they came to hear.

I have worked as a security guard at a public auditorium, many times with police present, and have been faced with asking someone to leave because they were either not supposed to be there or were disruptive. Unless they were drunk or violent they were simply asked to leave and if they did not then they were forcibly escorted out. Again, it was their choice as to how things went down.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. Thanks for your perspective.

[xpertanalyst]

11. I give a lot of speeches, here's what I do

I give a lot of speeches. They're not the highly passionate medicare/tax kind, more in the business area. But sometimes I get heckled.

First, I use humor. I laugh (even if my stomach is jittering) and make a comment that disarms them.

If they don't stop I then say something more pointed, but still using humor. "Hey, the cheap seats are staging a revolution . . . can I upgrade you to first class sir?"

If they don't stop I use guilt. "You know, there are a lot of nice people here that want to listen..... how about giving them a chance?"

If they don't stop I enlist the audience: "Do you guys want to listen to this, or should we shut him up?"

And if he won't stop (this has never happened) I would say to the audience: "This person has ruined your event. I'm sorry, but I am leaving now."


Having them removed is a last resort. I would not do that.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Welcome to DU.

[SDuderstadt]

12. You mean like...

Code Pink?

I have never understood any organization that claims it has a free speech right to deny that right to others.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. I think they make a better statement just by sitting behind people

who are in the frame of the camera. Like when the person is testifying in court. It's quiet, but effective.

[sofa king]

16. Profiling and Tasers, it would appear.

[Johonny]

17. I'm pretty sure Michael Richards made the how not to video