[Leica] re: war on photography

[imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George)]

I hope none of you ever experience one of these assaults on one's  
rights and integrity.

I had a nearly identical experience a few years ago. Same reason. I  
was photographing children playing in a fountain on a hot summer day.  
And a paranoid parent reported my activity to a rent-a-cop in charge  
of security at the park. The park was considered private property.  
One had to pay admission to be on the "Summerfest" grounds. I was  
quickly surrounded by 3 rent-a-cops and one female (actual) police  
officer. I was detained for nearly an hour and eventually forced to  
leave the park; because I refused to "check" my equipment in their  
not well protected "illegal stuff" area; even though I'd paid to be  
there. "Professional" photographers were required to acquire press  
credentials before photographing on the grounds. Obviously a  
"professional" who's "shooting for fun" has no rights in these  
situations.

Many other parents were photographing their children with P&S's. My  
gear was part of attracting attention. That plus the fact that I was  
alone; Ann had gone off to see other attractions. I was shooting film  
and offered the parent the opportunity to view the developed roll and  
explained that the frame numbers would be sequential; assuring her  
that it would prove the aesthetic intent of my efforts. With that the  
official officer stated that it was a reasonable offer and she had no  
other legal recourse in the matter.

It was a very humiliating experience. Unless you've been through it -  
I'd suggest that you have no idea how you will react; partly because  
you don't know what sort of individuals you'll be dealing with; or  
what options they'll attempt to use to "get control" of the  
situation. In my case the rent-a-cops were muscle men acting like  
muscle men. I have to thank the female officer for truly bringing  
order and good sense to the situation without taking sides. I spent  
two week corresponding with the local ACLU after the fact. Nothing  
ever came of that because they're inundated with such reports and  
only have resources for the most flagrant abuses of law and power.

Fond regards,
George
george@imagist.com
www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
Picture A Week - www.imagist.com/paw_07



On Jun 16, 2008, at 9:56 PM, Howard Ritter wrote:

>
> On Jun 16, 2008, at 3:17 PM, Adam Bridge wrote:
>
>> So why did he comply with an illegal order anyway? He had no business
>> handing over film to anyone.
>>
>> Adam
>
>
> The photographer's first mistake may have been to comply with this  
> paranoid harridan's demand that he follow her to a police officer,  
> thereby lending some credence to her complaint. He should have  
> ignored her and reacted in an offended and incredulous manner if  
> she returned with an officer in tow.
>
> For sure, his biggest mistake was to hand over his film at all.  
> That he was willing to do so to a private individual seems  
> incredible to me. I'd like to think that I would have simply  
> refused to allow this illegal and warrantless act of search and  
> seizure and, if the cops gave me an ultimatum, either gone along  
> quietly, making mental notes all the way (and written notes of the  
> officers' badge numbers) or, if unwilling to be arrested, offered  
> to turn over the film to the officers in exchange for a receipt.  
> But under no circumstances would I have turned the film over to the  
> complaining party.
>
> Of course, at age 63 I have a well-developed sense of self-right  
> and enough experience of the world to have a sense of adventure and  
> a feel for the worst that can happen. (I once simply took back a  
> roll of Kodachrome from the table where it was sitting in front of  
> the Syrian Army camp commander before whom I had been escorted at  
> gunpoint after having taken photos of a billboard on a public road  
> in front of his camp--but not photos of the camp--having made what  
> I thought was a satisfactory case for my innocence and for being  
> allowed to depart with the film. Apparently the case was indeed  
> satisfactory, as Major Mohammed let me and my film go in peace.)  
> The young photog in this case may not have had the confidence born  
> of seasoning to stand his ground. Pity.
>
> --howard
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information