Reporters Arrested For Photographing, Videotaping Public Meeting
Reason's Jim Epstein was arrested yesterday. He writes at reason.com:
On June 22, 2011, I attended a meeting of the D.C. Taxi Commission for a story I'm currently working on about a proposed medallion system in the district.About 30 minutes into the meeting, I witnessed journalist Pete Tucker snap a still photo of the proceedings on his camera phone. A few minutes later, two police officers arrested Tucker. I filmed Tucker's arrest and the audience's subsequent outrage using my cell phone.
A few minutes later, as I was attempting to leave the building, I overheard the female officer who had arrested Tucker promise a woman, who I presumed to be an employee of the Taxi Commission, that she would confiscate my phone. Reason intern Kyle Blaine, overheard her say, "Do you want his phone? I can get his phone."
(The woman who was given assurances by the officer that she could have my phone can be seen at the end of the video telling me, "You do not have permission to record this!")
As I tried to leave, I was told by the same officer to "stay put." I told her I was leaving and attempted to exit the building. I was then surrounded by officers, and told to remain still or I would be arrested.
I didn't move, but I tried to get the attention of a group of cab drivers who were standing nearby. At this point I was arrested.
I spent the remainder of the day in a cell in the basement of the building. In the late afternoon, I was released.
Here's the video:
Violations of our constitutional rights are getting to be a very ordinary, daily thing, from the TSA violations of our Fourth Amendment rights, to the woman being arrested for videotaping the police from her front lawn, to this. If you aren't terrified, you're really taking our rights for granted.
It's somewhat encouraging that the cab drivers weren't gonna take this sitting down (literally), but it's scary what these "public servants" think they can get away with. Having said that, I have absolutely no doubt that they will get away with it. If anything, the taxpayers have to pay for a settlement. None of the cops/employees/supervisors will be touched, and next time they'll be sure to erase any recordings.
Jason at June 23, 2011 9:26 AM
Not only am I terrified, I am totally disgusted. It's past time that the general population starts calling our supposed representatives on the carpet for NOT REPRESENTING US!
Flynne at June 23, 2011 9:52 AM
This is pretty outrageous, but I don't think its useful to lump this episode in with TSA violations as some kind of growing trend. I think what we're seeing instead is the glorious use of today's technology to uncover what used to be ordinary cover-ups and territorial politicking (particularly in a city as notoriously corrupt as DC). Its not a news flash that officials are afraid to be recorded and the dimmer ones will instruct their thugs to enforce secrecy. Sucks to be the reporters who have to spend the night in jail for our benefit, but Bravo to them nonetheless.
snakeman99 at June 23, 2011 10:14 AM
I used to live in DC, and this does not surprise me one bit.
It's my favorite city in the whole wide world, but the place is full of government employees with an inflated sense of self-importance who don't know jack about the media and their rights. So, they go around fighting against something they don't understand in the only way they know how -- like utter morons.
My friends and coworkers have gotten yelled at for photographing government buildings from the SIDEWALK and videotaping police officers in public. As a journalism student, one of my classmate's notebooks was confiscated because she was interviewing someone outside the FBI building. Our university had a field day with that and got an apology.
sofar at June 23, 2011 10:22 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/06/reporters-arres.html#comment-2298025">comment from sofarA very nice and otherwise apparently quite good police officer in my neighborhood started to instruct me on the First Amendment, and how it regulates commerce.
Amy Alkon
at June 23, 2011 10:27 AM
Jesus CHRIST!
Twice in one day I had to witness the Consitution being used as a paper coaster for the beer to some over powered unofficial offical jackass with no more authority than my plumber!
Sabrina at June 23, 2011 10:42 AM
Once you have deprived the male half of the population of their constitutional rights of due process and equal protection, and to be safe from police brutality in their own homes, all in order to "protect" women, it isn't a far stretch to deprive EVERYONE of their rights in order to "protect" the police and prevent "violence", right?
Jay R at June 23, 2011 11:22 AM
Jay... huh??? Please clarify, I'm not seeing the connection you're making.
NicoleK at June 23, 2011 11:47 AM
My guess is Jay is referring to things like the family courts, VAWA, firearms laws/rules and the war on drugs to name a few.
Sio at June 23, 2011 12:44 PM
I believe this is just another case of our failing education system.
If the general population were actually educated about our government, we would not have situations like this occur. The more our schools degrade, the more and more these things will happen.
Cat at June 23, 2011 1:58 PM
I agree with Cat. Most don't know the constitution nor our history. Politicians from local on up cover up their ignorance by saying it is an old and outdated document.
Dave B at June 23, 2011 2:06 PM
One of the guys from the Reason foundation was on Napolitano or Stossel demonstrating how to upload streming video from one's phone right on to a storage site on the Internet. It seemed like an excellent way to make memory cards irrelevant. Anyone remember what site that was?
Tyler at June 23, 2011 3:57 PM
They made a mistake picking on a reporter from Reason. I hope they get the crap sued out of them. In the meantime, let's see if we can get the name and contact info for the officer responsible. Time to start making examples of some of these clowns.
Tyler, was that site Ustream?
Cousin Dave at June 23, 2011 5:41 PM
Welcome to DC.
Joe at June 23, 2011 7:05 PM
It was Radley Balko on Stossel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bFl4H-toyU
The website in question was qik.com.
Police are arresting and/or intimidating video recordists because they're accustomed to doing their jobs without being observed. Without proof, it's always the cop's word against yours---and you're just some asshole.
Tyler at June 23, 2011 7:57 PM
Maybe someone with some legal experience can explain to me why the reporter can't sue over the violation of his civil rights? By my way of thinking, one successful lawsuit over a first amendment violation would stop this whole thing.
Tyler at June 23, 2011 8:05 PM
I'm with Cousin Dave. Can't we find out the names of the people in the video...especially the arrogant bitch with no education...lets get the names and then all send letters out the wazzzooo...lets see what we can do as a group to stop this kind of violation.
kg at June 23, 2011 9:39 PM
Discouraging: the illiterate, insulting comments at "reason.com". Ranting about "pigs" is worse than useless - it is actually counterproductive, because it even puts off people (like me) who otherwise agree with the cause.
The response on this blog is much better: "let's do something about it".
a_random_guy at June 24, 2011 5:16 AM
Cat and Dave B,
It has nothing to do with education. If only that were so. I'm surrounded by highly privileged, highly educated -- even hyper-educated -- people, and they still don't get it. Their response to these ever-increasing abuses is a collective "meh." They know what our rights are; they just don't care. Their unspoken yet screaming sentiment is, "as long as it doesn't happen to me."
But this has always been the excuse of the apathetic, for all kinds of abrogations of rights. Everything's just fine, as long as it's happening to someone else.
Lisa Simeone at June 25, 2011 4:58 AM
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