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Photo via Gerry Visco, by Elsaa Rensaa.
The film Captured documents the documentarian Clayton Patterson (watch the trailer after the jump), and will screen in New York on the 20th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park police riots, which Patterson famously filmed ("little brother is watching big brother," he's noted in the past). Recently, the artist, writer, community activist, and photographer who for the past 25 years has documented the Lower East Side...from drag queens to heroin addicts to rabbis...was arrested for taking photos. In an email, he stated:
"On Ludlow – between Stanton and Rivington – was arrested for taking photographs. The problem has more to do with police procedure on the street. On this day the street was not a frozen zone. People were allowed to walk through. Kids were hanging out. There was not a police-line. There was not even a fire, just a little smoke."Now the Villager has a few more details, notably that he was taking photos of "firefighters responding to an alarm on Ludlow Street," and got the cuffs after he "refused orders to keep his distance" after being unable to produce a press pass.
Patterson is no stranger to being arrested, and it's likely police are well aware of who he is (having exposed the NYPD for police brutality all those years ago) -- he told the paper, “For a few years after the riots, it was quite common to get arrested. That tape got a lot of cops criminally indicted and fired. Here it is 20 years later, and I’m doing the same thing I’ve been doing — and I get thrown in jail for it. You have a right to be out there photographing and taping what’s going on in your community.” There have been many incidents of photographers being taken down by the long arm of the law lately.
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Looks like normal NYPD behavior to me. Of course, when you don't pay them enough money to live within 100 miles of NYC, you're gonna get the lowest, dumbest scum working there.
How stupid can cops be... just today, first the cop vs cyclist, and now cop vrs photographer...
He was told to leave a fire scene for his own safety and refused. The consequences of that refusal were arrest.
He made his bed, he can lay in it.
I Like Clayton. Even if he is a Canadian.
Tthe trend of increasing government surveillance while simultaneously harassing citizens who attempt to document as well has to stop. Good luck, "Little Brother".
clayton's been around forever, I'm glad he's doing what he's doing.
You guys are kidding me right? He was asked to move away from the fire. He refused a police officer. Police officer cuffs him. Where is the injustice in this? If everyone crowded around firefighters while they were doing their job what would happen? The longer I live in the city the more I realize everyone here thinks they are an expert on every topic, from the law, to rights, and everything between. "Oh, I know the law and my rights I can stand right here on the sidewalk because the constitution says I can!" Wrong bucko, you gotta follow procedures and do what is necessary to facilitate quick response by emergency workers...even if you think it may infringe on your rights (to be obnoxious).
henricus, it doesn't actually say he was crowding around the firefighters, not to say he wasn't and I agree that shouldn't be done, but I don't see so much of a problem this guy probably was creating. He was on a public street which should entitle him to film what he wanted, then again maybe he just wanted the free press. not sure.
The police always SAY they arrested the victim for a good reason. Doesn't always mean it's true.
I was just reading the other day how the supreme court ruled that the second amendment means we DO all have the right to carry guns. Many readings of that awful wording say it's to keep the militia in check.
If Bloomberg doesn't stop this increasing police brutality, the alternative is: we all carry guns to protect ourselves from them. I know which option I want (less guns, not more), but which is Bloomberg going to choose?
I'm definitely not for the police in GENERAL, but in this case, it's kinda like: use some common sense. perhaps if he had heeded the police officers warning to move back, problem solved. take a photo from 5, 10, 20ft away, who cares? if you choose to live in this society, you have to obey some of the rules, especially when asked by an officer. COMMON SENSE.