Polanski Freed: Instant Reactions

(July 12) -- The government of Switzerland today refused to extradite famed director Roman Polanski to the U.S., where authorities were seeking to prosecute him for fleeing the country over three decades ago, after pleading guilty to "unlawful sexual intercourse" with then 13-year-old Samantha Geimer.

"The freedom-restricting measures against him have been revoked," said the Swiss Ministry of Justice, in a statement.

Polanski had been under house arrest since December. He had been picked up by Swiss police (acting on American pressure) shortly after his arrival to the Zurich Film Festival in September. He was facing two outstanding arrest warrants.

Both the director's crimes and subsequent brushes with the law have long divided the blogosphere and Hollywood alike, with some suggesting that he had "suffered enough" (from the negative publicity and travel restrictions that ensued from his flight, and for unrelated misfortunes, including the murder of his former wife Sharon Tate) and others demanding that he be held accountable and face justice.

Polanski is known for being the director of such classic films as "Chinatown" and "Rosemary's Baby" and the Academy Award-winning 2002 film "The Pianist."

Surge Desk rounds up the initial reactions to today's news, which have been almost uniformly negative and critical of the Swiss government:

Blogosphere:

"Because all good stories deserve a happy ending, Roman Polanski will not be extradited to the U.S by the Swiss government and instead will continue to live a life of luxury in Europe as a reward for drugging and raping a young girl in the 70s. Did I say happy back there? Because I meant soul-crushingly sad." -- The Superficial

"So much for being a neutral country, Switzerland! ... And so another child sex offender walks around free in the world. Amazing what dirty politics (and we'd wager a hefty bribe to the Switzerland government) can do! Way to go, Swiss!" -- Perez Hilton

"All the creeps who have been busted by Chris Hansen on "To Catch a Predator" are watching this news and thinking to themselves: "OK, now I see my mistake. All I've got to do is win an Oscar and move to Switzerland and then ..." -- Robert Stacy McCain, The Other McCain

"A ministry spokesperson added that 'national interests were taken into consideration' as well, as though ambushing and arresting a 76-year-old filmmaker who'd just arrived to collect a lifetime achievement award -- and then keeping him in various stages of custody for the better part of a year -- doesn't already have a kind of diplomatic irredeemability written all over it." -- S.T. VanAirsdale, Movieline

"Polanski may not find all is cheery: He is likely to be viewed in some quarters as another kind of O.J. Simpson, someone who in many circles will be shunned and whose name won't be associated with the accomplishments that made him famous and respect, but with an image he will never be able to shake." -- Joe Gandelman, The Moderate Voice

Twitter:

Roman Polanski case is prob the right decision in a totally unsatisfactory set of circumstance.Was a farce from the original Judge onward.Mon Jul 12 14:07:36 via webJASON CHARLTON
jasoncharlton

Lucky for Polanski he didnt try and build a minaret. Pretty much the only thing the Swiss do seem to have a moral standpoint on.Mon Jul 12 14:07:20 via webpaul sinha
paulsinha

RT @rudepundit: So can Obama order a drone missile attack on Roman Polanski? // No, but if he coverts to Islam he can assassinate him.Mon Jul 12 14:05:43 via Seesmictom hebert
tominwindsor

I love how Roman Polanski is on top of Hannah Montana Forever in the trending topics, because that's how it's written in his Trapper Keeper.Mon Jul 12 13:15:56 via webNot Gary Busey
GaryJBusey

Back to square 1: Roman Polanski does not have to be extradited to the US, but neither can he ever go to the uS.Mon Jul 12 14:05:27 via webMargo Howard
Margoandhow