ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police

johnmflores · 07-07-2010, 09:06 AM

Photographers in the US, it behooves us to be aware of situations where our rights to photograph public places are being threatened.

ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police - ProPublica

legacyb4 · 07-07-2010, 09:52 AM

Seriously, seriously messed up situation...

CWyatt · 07-07-2010, 12:29 PM

Thanks for the link. Be interested to see if this is picked up by other news outlets.

getmoresoon · 07-07-2010, 12:52 PM

We have a refinery here in town (Saint John, Canada)... with a nice grassy area overlooking. I've taken nice long exposure shots there a few years ago. (the refinery used to actually have a parking lot and lookout point there! They went to total greenspace last year.)

I wonder if I'd have a visit from anyone if I stopped for a half hour there today?

Scary stuff, this slippery slope our personal rights and freedoms is on.

subeeds · 07-07-2010, 06:59 PM

That is just inexcusable for BP to do something like that. Small town law enforcement does know who call the shots, though.

Wheatfield · 07-08-2010, 07:24 AM

Originally posted by subeeds

That is just inexcusable for BP to do something like that. Small town law enforcement does know who call the shots, though.

Yup, whoever owns the biggest businesses in town.
I'm very tempted to go out and shoot some pictures at my local refinery to see if I get bothered.
Last year I set up my 600mm lens below the glide path at the local airport and shot planes landing and taking off for an hour with no hassles.
I am actually really starting to pity photographers in the USA. Within a very few years, it will be defacto illegal to use an SLR in public down there at the rate things are going.

Unless as a group you all grow some stones and take these buggers on, anyway.

FullertonImages · 07-08-2010, 10:07 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Yup, whoever owns the biggest businesses in town.
I'm very tempted to go out and shoot some pictures at my local refinery to see if I get bothered.
Last year I set up my 600mm lens below the glide path at the local airport and shot planes landing and taking off for an hour with no hassles.
I am actually really starting to pity photographers in the USA. Within a very few years, it will be defacto illegal to use an SLR in public down there at the rate things are going.

Unless as a group you all grow some stones and take these buggers on, anyway.

It is indeed pretty scary. Civil liberties are disappearing quickly, all in the name of public safety. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." And will get neither...

Blue · 07-08-2010, 04:20 PM

Part of the problem is that BP apparently owns the Texas City, PD. The second problem is that the own a joke of a New Department (DHS) that wasn't needed in the first place. We already had the DOD and DOJ. NOTHING, and no one should trump the Constitution. I don't expect the drive by media to pick this up. Anderson Pooper may look at it since he had a run in with Coast Guard about the 65 ft. and $40,000 fine rule. Even if the photographer had taken a picture of the refinery, it wouldn't have been illegal. Especially, since the damn thing went super nova 5 years ago.

Edit: I'm ready for British Petroleum to get dismantled and given to American companies. They got too much market power when the assimilated Gulf and Amoco. In the early part of the 20th Century these monopolies were broken up in part due to Teddy Roosevelt. In the last quarter, they merged back. The problem arises when corporations get too big.

Arpe · 07-08-2010, 05:38 PM

I rarely got o places and take photos where this kind of thing could happen. But if I do in future I think I'd take my video cam with me and push the record button whenever I see someone approaching me, or maybe buy one of the cheap small recorders that are less obvious. Seems it may prove useful if things end up in court!

Wheatfield · 07-08-2010, 05:50 PM

A buddy of mine got hassled twice last year.
The funny part is he's a little 65 year old guy in a wheelchair, so he isn't really a danger to anyone.
He now has a small video camera that he carries around his neck on a lanyard, and that is precisely what he intends to do if he gets approached again.

Votesh · 07-08-2010, 09:04 PM

That is ridiculous. I love knowing that our tax dollars go toward paying the likes of that FBI agent to hassle law abiding citizens.

I've been approached by a cop while I was taking pictures of a small university power plant at night, but he seemed to mainly be concerned by the fact that I was parked in an empty parking lot at 1am, and once I told him I was just taking pictures he left.

I'm taking a road trip in a little more than a month and I plan on heading down to the Gulf and trying to get some pictures of oil spoiled coasts. I just hope I don't have to deal with any BS like this.

MRRiley · 07-09-2010, 09:24 AM

Hopefully the photographer will file formal complaints with the Texas City Police as well as the local Homeland Security office. These public servant's behavior is inexcusable and quite like a violation of his civil rights, particularly the part where the officer provided private and confidential personal data (the photographer's DOB & SSN primarily) which is possibly a federal criminal missuse of the SSN.

Have to say, they'd have had to cuff me and take me in because no way are they seeing the photos or touching my gear without arresting me, which makes the gear subject to "chain of evidence" which protects it to some extent and helps insure it's not tampered with. Then I'd be on a lawyer so fast...

Mike

johnmflores · 07-09-2010, 09:35 AM

It's such a sad state that we are in - we've given our country over to corporations. Last fall I was photographing Chris Daggett, New Jersey's independent candidate for governor. He went to the Meadowlands sports complex to speak to people tailgating before a Jets football game. We weren't the 20 minutes before being accosted by security - that he wasn't allowed to be there campaigning and that they weren't allowed to wear campaign t-shirts or photograph. This, on a sports facility that was funded by public money. They eventually backed off when they found out that news cameras were in the area. The threat of this becoming a news story made them back off.

The lesson - they'll bully you as much as they can.

If you haven't seen it, got to Photography is Not a Crime - Photography is Not a Crime — It’s a First Amendment Right

Blue · 07-09-2010, 09:38 AM

Originally posted by MRRiley

Hopefully the photographer will file formal complaints with the Texas City Police as well as the local Homeland Security office. These public servant's behavior is inexcusable and quite like a violation of his civil rights, particularly the part where the officer provided private and confidential personal data (the photographer's DOB & SSN primarily) which is possibly a federal criminal missuse of the SSN.

Have to say, they'd have had to cuff me and take me in because no way are they seeing the photos or touching my gear without arresting me, which makes the gear subject to "chain of evidence" which protects it to some extent and helps insure it's not tampered with. Then I'd be on a lawyer so fast...

Mike

Its B.S. they way patrol cops etc. can get away with playing the DHS card.

George Lama · 07-09-2010, 06:28 PM

This is really a disturbing situation on many levels. The photojournalist was harassed for photographing a street sign in a public thoroughfare. Even so, when the law enforcement officer determined the pictures were of no consequence, it should have ended there as well. Why did this go on even after the officer determined there was no cause to detain or question further?! It certainly seems like a company's security personnel just trumped law enforcement's decision-making process and the FBI/HS guy came in to get his punches in.

And since when is it OK for a law enforcement officer to share personal identifiable information with a 3rd (private) party? This is pure insanity for a "Free" country such as ours.

07-07-2010, 09:06 AM	#1
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police Photographers in the US, it behooves us to be aware of situations where our rights to photograph public places are being threatened. ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police - ProPublica

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07-07-2010, 09:52 AM	#2
legacyb4 Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Tri-Cities, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,784	Seriously, seriously messed up situation...

07-07-2010, 12:29 PM	#3
CWyatt Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,291	Thanks for the link. Be interested to see if this is picked up by other news outlets.

07-07-2010, 12:52 PM	#4
getmoresoon Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hampton, NB Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 51	We have a refinery here in town (Saint John, Canada)... with a nice grassy area overlooking. I've taken nice long exposure shots there a few years ago. (the refinery used to actually have a parking lot and lookout point there! They went to total greenspace last year.) I wonder if I'd have a visit from anyone if I stopped for a half hour there today? Scary stuff, this slippery slope our personal rights and freedoms is on.

07-07-2010, 06:59 PM	#5
subeeds Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camden County, Ga. Photos: Gallery Posts: 333	That is just inexcusable for BP to do something like that. Small town law enforcement does know who call the shots, though.

07-08-2010, 07:24 AM	#6
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by subeeds That is just inexcusable for BP to do something like that. Small town law enforcement does know who call the shots, though. Yup, whoever owns the biggest businesses in town. I'm very tempted to go out and shoot some pictures at my local refinery to see if I get bothered. Last year I set up my 600mm lens below the glide path at the local airport and shot planes landing and taking off for an hour with no hassles. I am actually really starting to pity photographers in the USA. Within a very few years, it will be defacto illegal to use an SLR in public down there at the rate things are going. Unless as a group you all grow some stones and take these buggers on, anyway.

07-08-2010, 10:07 AM - 1 Like	#7
FullertonImages Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 883	Originally posted by Wheatfield Yup, whoever owns the biggest businesses in town. I'm very tempted to go out and shoot some pictures at my local refinery to see if I get bothered. Last year I set up my 600mm lens below the glide path at the local airport and shot planes landing and taking off for an hour with no hassles. I am actually really starting to pity photographers in the USA. Within a very few years, it will be defacto illegal to use an SLR in public down there at the rate things are going. Unless as a group you all grow some stones and take these buggers on, anyway. It is indeed pretty scary. Civil liberties are disappearing quickly, all in the name of public safety. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." And will get neither...

07-08-2010, 04:20 PM	#8
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Part of the problem is that BP apparently owns the Texas City, PD. The second problem is that the own a joke of a New Department (DHS) that wasn't needed in the first place. We already had the DOD and DOJ. NOTHING, and no one should trump the Constitution. I don't expect the drive by media to pick this up. Anderson Pooper may look at it since he had a run in with Coast Guard about the 65 ft. and $40,000 fine rule. Even if the photographer had taken a picture of the refinery, it wouldn't have been illegal. Especially, since the damn thing went super nova 5 years ago. Edit: I'm ready for British Petroleum to get dismantled and given to American companies. They got too much market power when the assimilated Gulf and Amoco. In the early part of the 20th Century these monopolies were broken up in part due to Teddy Roosevelt. In the last quarter, they merged back. The problem arises when corporations get too big.

07-08-2010, 05:38 PM	#9
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	I rarely got o places and take photos where this kind of thing could happen. But if I do in future I think I'd take my video cam with me and push the record button whenever I see someone approaching me, or maybe buy one of the cheap small recorders that are less obvious. Seems it may prove useful if things end up in court!

07-08-2010, 05:50 PM	#10
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	A buddy of mine got hassled twice last year. The funny part is he's a little 65 year old guy in a wheelchair, so he isn't really a danger to anyone. He now has a small video camera that he carries around his neck on a lanyard, and that is precisely what he intends to do if he gets approached again.

07-08-2010, 09:04 PM	#11
Votesh Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 817	That is ridiculous. I love knowing that our tax dollars go toward paying the likes of that FBI agent to hassle law abiding citizens. I've been approached by a cop while I was taking pictures of a small university power plant at night, but he seemed to mainly be concerned by the fact that I was parked in an empty parking lot at 1am, and once I told him I was just taking pictures he left. I'm taking a road trip in a little more than a month and I plan on heading down to the Gulf and trying to get some pictures of oil spoiled coasts. I just hope I don't have to deal with any BS like this.

07-09-2010, 09:24 AM	#12
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Hopefully the photographer will file formal complaints with the Texas City Police as well as the local Homeland Security office. These public servant's behavior is inexcusable and quite like a violation of his civil rights, particularly the part where the officer provided private and confidential personal data (the photographer's DOB & SSN primarily) which is possibly a federal criminal missuse of the SSN. Have to say, they'd have had to cuff me and take me in because no way are they seeing the photos or touching my gear without arresting me, which makes the gear subject to "chain of evidence" which protects it to some extent and helps insure it's not tampered with. Then I'd be on a lawyer so fast... Mike

07-09-2010, 09:35 AM	#13
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361 Original Poster	It's such a sad state that we are in - we've given our country over to corporations. Last fall I was photographing Chris Daggett, New Jersey's independent candidate for governor. He went to the Meadowlands sports complex to speak to people tailgating before a Jets football game. We weren't the 20 minutes before being accosted by security - that he wasn't allowed to be there campaigning and that they weren't allowed to wear campaign t-shirts or photograph. This, on a sports facility that was funded by public money. They eventually backed off when they found out that news cameras were in the area. The threat of this becoming a news story made them back off. The lesson - they'll bully you as much as they can. If you haven't seen it, got to Photography is Not a Crime - Photography is Not a Crime — It’s a First Amendment Right

07-09-2010, 09:38 AM	#14
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by MRRiley Hopefully the photographer will file formal complaints with the Texas City Police as well as the local Homeland Security office. These public servant's behavior is inexcusable and quite like a violation of his civil rights, particularly the part where the officer provided private and confidential personal data (the photographer's DOB & SSN primarily) which is possibly a federal criminal missuse of the SSN. Have to say, they'd have had to cuff me and take me in because no way are they seeing the photos or touching my gear without arresting me, which makes the gear subject to "chain of evidence" which protects it to some extent and helps insure it's not tampered with. Then I'd be on a lawyer so fast... Mike Its B.S. they way patrol cops etc. can get away with playing the DHS card.

07-09-2010, 06:28 PM	#15
George Lama Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Buffalo/Rochester, NY Photos: Albums Posts: 1,133	This is really a disturbing situation on many levels. The photojournalist was harassed for photographing a street sign in a public thoroughfare. Even so, when the law enforcement officer determined the pictures were of no consequence, it should have ended there as well. Why did this go on even after the officer determined there was no cause to detain or question further?! It certainly seems like a company's security personnel just trumped law enforcement's decision-making process and the FBI/HS guy came in to get his punches in. And since when is it OK for a law enforcement officer to share personal identifiable information with a 3rd (private) party? This is pure insanity for a "Free" country such as ours.