Photographers Rights Wallet Card
Mar 20, 2012 08:16:55 #
william48 wrote:
That is incorrect. It is illegal, and posted as such, to photograph CERTAIN federal installations without a permit - Los Alamos, parts of Livermore Labs, parts of Oak Ridge, etc etc. Also, they're probably a little skittish at places like NORAD in Colorado. But I can walk up to any federal courthouse, or the US Congress, or a post offfice, and take as many pictures as I like. You can not make a blanket statement saying it's illegal to photograph federal buildings.It is illegal to take pictures of federal buildings and military bases.
Mar 20, 2012 08:31:33 #
JimH wrote:
quote=william48 It is illegal to take pictures of... (show quote)
ok go a head, I hope you have a good attorney. Go to Cleveland and start snapping pictures of the Federal building I garantee you will be stopped. I know you can take pictures of the White House and Congress but you had better get permission to take pictures of certain federal sights and buildings.
Mar 20, 2012 08:54:25 #
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110127/18071812866/federal-officials-finally-admit-that-photographing-federal-buildings-is-not-crime.shtml
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/Is-It-Legal-to-Photograph-Federal-Buildings.htm
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/18/you-can-photograph-that-federal-building/
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/photographing-a-federal-building-from-a-public-space-youre-not-breaking-any-laws/
http://thomashawk.com/2011/01/hey-so-it-turns-out-photographing-federal-buildings-really-isnt-a-crime.html
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/news/Homeland-Security-To-943.shtml
http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/judge-agrees-with-nyclu-says-photographing-federal-buildings-is-not-a-crime_b9424
I could go on.
Don't let the bullies intimidate you.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/Is-It-Legal-to-Photograph-Federal-Buildings.htm
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/18/you-can-photograph-that-federal-building/
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/photographing-a-federal-building-from-a-public-space-youre-not-breaking-any-laws/
http://thomashawk.com/2011/01/hey-so-it-turns-out-photographing-federal-buildings-really-isnt-a-crime.html
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/news/Homeland-Security-To-943.shtml
http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/judge-agrees-with-nyclu-says-photographing-federal-buildings-is-not-a-crime_b9424
I could go on.
Don't let the bullies intimidate you.
Mar 20, 2012 09:00:34 #
JimH wrote:
Great references - until a cop wants your camera.
Mar 20, 2012 09:14:59 #
jerryc41 wrote:
And even better afterwards when you sue them for violations of First and Fourth Amendment rights, and your lawyer submits about two dozen prior rulings by federal judges on your behalf.Great references - until a cop wants your camera.
You guys are too easily intimidated.
Mar 20, 2012 09:43:08 #
All that case means is that they can't arrest you under the statute that the officer used in that case. It does not change the fact that if a LEO tells you to move along, and you don't, or you argue with him, that he can't ruin the rest of your day, and without little recourse from you. Also keep in mind that once you are arrested, even if they drop the charges an hour later, they still have the right to place any personal belongings which you might have with you at that moment, into their "protective custody" while you are being held.
Sure, you could try to sue them for it, but you won't get far as they have a right to detain you for a "reasonable" time while they investigate ANY suspected crime.
Sure, you could try to sue them for it, but you won't get far as they have a right to detain you for a "reasonable" time while they investigate ANY suspected crime.
Mar 20, 2012 10:51:35 #
kcornman wrote:
That's just it. Photography, in the cases cited, was not a "suspected" crime. If an LEO asks what you're doing, and you say "Photographing this building", and that particular act is not in violation of any statute, then they will have to provide P/C to arrest you. I'm not saying that you can skulk around in the dark and not answer questions-I'm saying that if you are NOT in violation of an ordinance, and you are arrested/detained/waterboarded/ whatever, then you have a case against them for civil rights violations. ...have a right to detain you for a "reasonable" time while they investigate ANY suspected crime.
Prove me wrong. Show me where a citizen, NOT IN VIOLATION of any statute, was arrested, charged, and found guilty. And it don't mean resisting arrest or failure to comply - I mean where the act of PHOTOGRAPHY was found to be illegal.
Mar 20, 2012 11:00:06 #
JimH wrote:
quote=kcornman ...have a right to detain you for ... (show quote)
I think I will have to change my mind and find better intell
Thanks for putting me straight on this.
William48
Mar 20, 2012 11:28:10 #
while taking photos may not be against the law, there are others charges that can 'come up'. And they can take you downtown, book you (including mugshots and finger prints forever to be in the system) and set a bond for you to get out. then you can spend money on bail, spend money and time in court and yes it could be thrown out. but guess what you will not have effected the LEO involved and he will continue to do it regardless. Most LEO's dont know the letter of the law and are often not opposed to taking someone in if they are aggravated. Me I choose the easy out.
I sat one day in court all day I might add because I did not have my drivers license on me. It cost a days pay and all my time sitting there bored to pieces to be called last and the ticket dismissed. I can think of better ways to spend my time
I sat one day in court all day I might add because I did not have my drivers license on me. It cost a days pay and all my time sitting there bored to pieces to be called last and the ticket dismissed. I can think of better ways to spend my time
Mar 20, 2012 11:41:15 #
kcornman wrote:
Here's a rather timely example of exactly what I posted earlier in this thread:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Chicago-Police-Take-NBC-Chicago-Photojournalist-Into-Custody-Warn-1st-Amendment-Rights-Can-Be-Terminated-143105086.html
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Chicago-Police-Take-NBC-Chicago-Photojournalist-Into-Custody-Warn-1st-Amendment-Rights-Can-Be-Terminated-143105086.html
now now is that chicago story try'n say cops an security would lie shame on them
Mar 20, 2012 11:43:23 #
For The Sake Of Argument - can we all just say:
As a US Citizen we have certain guaranteed rights and these rights cover us as photographers when taking photo of anything other than federal secrets or by violating someones privacy.
With this said, if a law enforcement officer is uninformed and asks you to move on you can either try to educate them or leave to come back another day rather than be detained and wait for the law to prevail which could mean a day in court.
Rights don't make it right - Better judgment does.
As a US Citizen we have certain guaranteed rights and these rights cover us as photographers when taking photo of anything other than federal secrets or by violating someones privacy.
With this said, if a law enforcement officer is uninformed and asks you to move on you can either try to educate them or leave to come back another day rather than be detained and wait for the law to prevail which could mean a day in court.
Rights don't make it right - Better judgment does.
Mar 20, 2012 11:47:43 #
jerryc41 wrote:
quote=JimH url http://www.techdirt.com/articles/... (show quote)
not with out a search and seizures in his hand
Mar 20, 2012 12:13:48 #
william48 wrote:
It is illegal to take pictures of federal building... (show quote)
Yep! Back in the... back in the ...back in the USSR!
Mar 20, 2012 13:06:13 #
JimH wrote:
I'm saying that if you are NOT in violation of an ordinance, and you are arrested/detained/waterboarded/ whatever, then you have a case against them for civil rights violations.
Actually, no, you won't have a case for civil rights violation if the police merely detain you, and you probably won't have much in the event they arrest you and they later drop the charges. Heck, you can legally be arrested and held without even committing a crime, ie. as a material witness to a Federal crime.
Mind you, if an officer gives you an order and you argue or otherwise don't yield to his authority, you have already committed a crime. It really lies all in the statute they arrest you under. Disorderly conduct covers almost anything. Also keep in mind that if the cop is a real jerk, he can just lie and make it worse for you, ie. resisting arrest, assault on an officer, and etc.
Mar 20, 2012 13:10:23 #
Good point. I live in a town that was hit hard by an F4 tornado Feb. 29. One person took a photo of the mom of one of the 7 ppl who died because of the storm. She was standing in the rubble left of the place her daughter lived, and bawling like a baby. That picture was made public I think on facebook, maybe even in the newspaper. To me that was a severe invasion of that lady's privacy and moment of grief. Yes it spoke volumes, but no, it should never have been posted or published anywhere. This is just mho of course.
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