I was informed by the officer that I had no recourse whatsoever to defend myself from the toad laying his hands on me. If I slapped him, hit him, pushed him away, even grabbed a stick and poked him with it, I could, and most likely would, be arrested for assaulting HIM, instead of defending myself. I was told that I had no other choice but to try and get away from him, without touching him, and go back inside where I was staying. None! Nada! Nothing! No right of self defense whatsoever. And should he be so inclined, he could have had ME arrested for assaulting HIM by threatening to make him stay away from me.
I know that's not the case here, but when the prior post referred to the laws in CA, I thought this became relevant. Out there, I had no recourse whatsoever to defend myself, from any unwanted attention, or "I" would be the person arrested for the crime. Had I picked up a rock or something like that to try and hit him with it, I could have been arrested for attempted murder!
You were greatly misinformed.
http://www.shouselaw.com/self-defense.html#law
CA Codes (pen:692-694)
Oh, and you can under no circumstance, carry a weapon of any sort upon your person in CA, regardless of the reason. Unless you're an on, or off, duty LEO. Not even pepper spray.
That's not correct.
Pepper spray is completely legal to carry in CA.
http://law.onecle.com/california/penal/12403.7.html
Also, as of now (& then I assume), it is legal to open carry an unloaded handgun in CA.
http://www.californiaopencarry.org/CaliforniaOpenCarry.pdf
CA Codes (pen:12020-12040)