Fake cops stop videographer in London, videographer wins
- June 28th, 2008
- 7 Comments
“Give me a good reason why you’re filming around.”
BakelBlog discusses some of the filming restrictions proposed in the UK and the resulting reactions of “community support officers” when folks try to film in public streets.
The same issues are cropping up here in the U.S. and just to recap regarding U.S. law: you can film in a public place but not in a private place. You have no expectation of privacy in most public places, although you can have an expectation that you won’t suffer privacy invasion (i.e. someone won’t take upskirts of you on the bus). There aren’t many exceptions to this law but private locations, including building frontages, are sometimes considered private property.
Update: Looks like the guy was fishing for trouble.
Turin (Who am I?)
2 months ago
Their not so much fake, as well, police errand runners. They police what the real authorities don’t have time for. Like badly parked cars, graffiti etc. It explains the chip on their shoulders. Anyways, the law regarding what they can and can’t do:
http://tinyurl.com/5tlebc
zeasar (Who am I?)
2 months ago
Totally owned, on a side note, now he has the evident to take this issue further. The officer clearly pushed his camera when there’s no need of it, I’ll say complain to his supervisor and get him to learn the law better.
Brad (Who am I?)
2 months ago
This is glorious. Thanks!
Yoon Ho Um (Who am I?)
2 months ago
If you’re going to track someone’s face while filming that’s not cool.
Think about this: if someone were to stare at you and keep on staring at you while you were walking by would you like it?
Last year some local news guy who does these human interest stories was asked not to film elementary school kids @ the beach. You can hear him saying “Why not? It’s a public place”… but then he just filmed their feet and the kids answered his questions…
Kudos to the teachers. And partial kudos to that guy. Because he made it sound like he was being all understanding and all(which he may have been but if you ever watched his segments you’d see how he tends to patronize people)
If people have the right to video anything in public shouldn’t one have the right to block people filming them? Or taking pics of them?
“Excuse me can you please not take any pictures of me?”
“You can’t tell me what to do, I have the right to film and take pics of anyone I want to.”
It’s really funny how if anyone dares to so much as touch a camera out comes the “you’re assaulting me!” line.
I’m wondering if the guy baited the CSO to force a confrontation. Did he ever answer the question of why he was filming? Did he ever show his ID? I’m guessing NOT.
OH WELL.
adamshegrud (Who am I?)
2 months ago
You’ve got to be shitting me.
Its not about if he had a good reason to film, its not about if he had a bad reason to film, or any reason at all.
You may not like it but if you are in a public place you can be filmed, you can certainly ask me to stop, but its just that, a request. And yes grabbing someones camera is not cool, those cameras and lenses are not cheep and what do you think that pseudo cop would have done if he accidentally knocked it out of the guys hands, he would have told him to shut up and said thats what you get. And this poor sap is out hundreds if not thousands of dollars, for what… breaking no law.
barfyjibsuperstar (Who am I?)
1 month ago
The video’s been debunked. Check out the stuff at the original site, it has good info. http://www.bakelblog.com/nobodys_business/2008/06/cops-bully-vide.html#comment-120614270
Devin Coldewey (Who am I?)
1 month ago
Thanks - good info there.