Kiryas Joel arrest 1/3

One Sunday afternoon, a group of five friends visited Kiryas Joel, New York. Within an hour, two of us were in handcuffs, and according to a New York State Police officer, under arrest for "obstructing government administration" after declining to provide identification when stopped for the "suspicious activity" of taking photographs (mind you, never of people, only a few snaps of the land and buildings). The television show 60 Minutes did a piece on KJ in 1994 (which I had not seen before visiting): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0q0apw585c

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• satmar
• hasidim
• orthodox
• jews
• kiryas joel
• arrest
• police

[TheKiwiBiscuit]

I have a question. Why did these people go to or stop at Kiryas, Joel? Granted, it is a public street, but it is still occupied by a majority of people that, because they are the majority, form a certain way of life. Its kind of like Amish Country. Sure you can go there to grab lunch, but if you turn things into a spectacle, by taking pictures when most people aren't doing things like that, you're going to call attention to yourself. I'm not saying being grabbed is right, but why were you there?

[JZwinck]

@TheKiwiBiscuit We went to Kiryas Joel because it sounded interesting. I've worked for a Hasidic man and know a few things about them. We visited the town with all reasonable efforts to be respectful, including not taking any pictures of people (until the police action, of course). They're not Luddites--they have cameras, and a good number of them work at B&H photo in NYC. So they come to our neighborhood regularly, and we don't call the police saying there are unusual looking people around.

[yossiea]

I guess next time you go out to instigate, you'll actually lookup the law.

[JZwinck]

@yossiea Which law are you referring to?

[yossiea]

@JZwinck If asked for ID by a police officer, you have to provide one. You also mentioned recent court cases, I believe you are incorrect. IIRC, the SCOTUS recently ruled on similar cases and ruled that PO do have the right to stop and ask for ID. In any event, while you may have thought you had good intentions, when a police officer asks for ID, especially if you have a camera, just show him your ID and get on with your life. There are better ways to be a martyr.

[JZwinck]

@yossiea Please read the wikipedia page on "Stop and identify statutes." In particular, it refers to "persons reasonably suspected of involvement in a crime." Clearly no crime had been committed when Moses approached us. It also says that "Police may briefly detain a person if they have reasonable suspicion that the person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime." What would the crime have been? Taking pictures of buildings in public view is not a crime.

[Monkeycee31]

@JZwinck Try pulling that "we're just looking for lunch" shit in the South Bronx.

[Monkeycee31]

So, you guys are Eurotrash, huh? How's that working out for you?

[whiteboygotswagg]

@Monkeycee31 eurotrash? Americas gdp 14 trillion europes gdp 16 trillion. Highest standard of living in the world- norway.

[themrbigmanK]

all you had to do was give the trooper your id and he would have left you alone but no you didnt do that you had to argue with him over something that small

[13920road]

I kind of laughed! U guys basically decide what should be done or shouldn't? What the hell judging from what people comment here is so dumb!! U should've known better! I actually heard from a quite good source that because of these kind of little investigations there's absolutely no criminals there! Clear?

[11drogbacfc]

@EyeOnTheDog Why are you putting quoting things I never said. Do you know what a quote is? They are used to re-state what somebody said. You're trying to sound smart and you just look like an idiot.

[EyeOnTheDog]

@11drogbacfc @11drogbacfc I am not basing my "generalization off one incident in a video taken from a video camera." I am basing my comment on most of the other comments. Like yours.

[11drogbacfc]

Yeah I love how in description makes it seem like, oh we were just minding our own business when we got arrested for no reason. The officer simply asks for the I.D. and they refuse for no reason

[11drogbacfc]

@EyeOnTheDog Ok and now YOU'RE sounding like a, and I'll put it the way you're immature mind says it "retartd", because you're basing your generalization off one incident in a video taken from a video camera. So you just sound stupid

[11drogbacfc]

@TheKiwiBiscuit Good point my man. It's like disrupting something that is completely unnecessary, there's no need for people to cause trouble

[YeshuaisShekinah]

What people are not understanding is that in America even if you are Amish or some other sect you are in a free nation subject to it's laws. Just as I can not tell you that because you are Amish you may not use my public hospital so you may not tell me what public property I may enjoy. It is the same typical hypocrisy of the poor being oppressed by the rich.

To seclude yourself and refuse the LORD's work in this world is an obstacle as witnessed by the violent actions of this "peace officer".