LAPD Targets Me For Holding Camera on Public Sidewalk

On Friday May 28, 2009 LAPD conducted an undercover sting where an arrest was made on N Alexandria Ave in Hollywood 90027. While I was on scene a perimeter WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED and all citizens moved freely throughout the area where LAPD was gathered. I was among these people, however an LAPD singled me out simply because I was holding a camera. This cop's action was an attempt to get me to move by falsely claiming there was a perimeter that was being established. However, this LAPD officer flat out lied to me because a perimeter was never established the entire time I was there and people continued to move freely throughout the area after the cop said he was establishing a perimeter. Based on all of that, I was targeted by LAPD for simply for holding a camera (a device LAPD does not like) at a "crime scene".

According LAPD's Media Relations Handbook what the Officer did was in violation of LAPD's own policy, and more importantly, the US Constitution.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• lapd
• police
• harassment
• brutality
• photography
• los angeles
• hollywood
• photographer
• photojournalism

[GenderAlchemy]

lmao this dumbass fails to realize that a verbal perimeter can be established. it's dumbasses like this that make the good cops seem bad. they were just trying to do their job.

[discarted]

@GenderAlchemy

i guess that only applied to the guy holding the camera and not the dozen or so people standing directly behind him

it was verbal perimeter to keep cameras back

[waddleduckie1]

I tend to agree with the police because if the camera man have access without permission, then, he is in fact interfering with the investigation, and possibly destroying evidences in the process. The police needs to preserve the evidence for a complete investigation on the premises. They have detectives working there! Is that correct?

[discarted]

incorrect, detectives werent there. under cover and plains clothes were there. but the the area was not taped off. people walked through the area the entire time i was there. you dont need permission to photograph crime scenes from public space. more important, the public sidewalk was still open to everyone to pass through. i was targeted out of about 20 people simply because i had a camera. if LAPD couldve done more they wouldve pursued me further, but couldnt. cop was just flexing for his pals

[beloit22]

@discarted JEEEZ!! HAVE'NT YOU GOTTEN A LIFE? YET?!

[airforcemax]

Research the Warren Christopher Commission findings and suggestions regarding the Los Angeles Police Department.

Recording any US Law Enforcement Department and Private Security Business to ensure the laws are obeyed, even if they do not.

I admire Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist.

[johnnyboypdq]

The Camera PEOPLE need to go stealth when filming and wear a cap with a OBSERVER card patch or whatever on you caps shoulder pad whatever. SO they might know who you are when your approached. Be prepaired to QUOTE the local ordinance or statues, these are not laws you know, and be polite, and just walk around while your filming from the brim of your cap. Your fanny-pack can hold the actual recorder. You will look more like the other people walking around IN PUBLIC. GET SMART! Don't be stupid!

[HappyHooker83]

@esc0216 with the SS cops are trying to take it away, it is called THE 2ND AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION and it was specifically built and designed to protect us from gov't paid thugs and meatheads like YOU and your cop friends, to protect us from this tyrannical gov't, which the US has become by slowly becoming and is now a police state!

[HappyHooker83]

@esc0216 Oh shut up you old meat head. Yeah, I saw the pictures from Iraq of Iraqi womyn getting raped, you all making fun of and sexually, emotionally and physically abusing Iraqi children. You must be real proud to have murdered people in the name of protecting wealthy people's oil/ money interest, REAL PROUD to protect money that you will never have nor see! SMDH. And you got the nerve to chastise someone. Yeah, we got something to protect us, but right now the tyrannical gov't in cahoots

[HappyHooker83]

@esc0216 Let's shut them down with a big until of FDA, FBI and LAPD officers. SMDH. You are the type of person who would of said, "Kill the jews because it's the law. The law says so." Dumb fuck, think!

[HappyHooker83]

@esc0216 Bitch, 357 saves my ass as in 357 Magnum, not these devil pigs! As a matter of fact, the 2nd amendment was written as a deterrent to them, to stop them in case they attack us, which is what they are doing now as we enter the now inevitable police state. Why do you think they don't want us to own guns? Look at how they rape sex workers, steal from street pharmacists? Look at what they did to RAWESOME!!! Oh my god, ppl are selling milk and cheese and the FDA ain't getting their cut.

[HappyHooker83]

@discarted What was the arrest for? I hope it was not for sex work or drugs, but esp. sex work since that is close to my heart and my occupation!