I ended up calling some Marie Chappel to ask permission to take photos. I’m not sure who she is exactly, but she said it was ok.

Now do I think, feel, or know this to be a reasonable thing to do? No I don’t, but I do know it an absolutely absurd, unreasonable, and desecration of any ideal this nation was built on.

If it is illegal by some perversion of the law, or some power grab by Phoenix City officials, it doesn’t matter – IT NEEDS to be repealed immediately out of sanctity for those that fought and founded this nation. To be harassed for taking pictures is one of the most ridiculous notions ever.

There are a million ways to gain recon for terrorist actions, nobody has ever caught single terrorist by detaining people taking photographs. It is militant fear mongering at best, and jack boot thuggery at worst.

Either way, I’ll have another blog entry and will be contacting others in relation to this. People in America need to raise a MASSIVE STINK about this. If it is photographs now, what is the next thing to fear? Walking by certain buildings? Loitering in parks, or heaven forbid playing in parks? Standing in one’s front yard for too long?

Who knows, but I dread that it goes further than photography, and hope that those in positions of power will remove their fear they have and stop this nonsense war on photographers.

DISCLAIMER. I am not a lawyer, and I have not been arrested recently.

I like the idea. Here is the latest from Phoenix.

http://carlosmiller.com/2009/04/06/if-i-catch-you-videotaping-the-building-again-you-will-be-arrested/

I was thinking about perhaps getting the local college involved – ASU – (maybe via facebook) for the large numbers that could be drummed up, many photography students, law students etc who be very much into defending our rights to photograph in public. I would also take the time and effort to identify every photography group that exists in the Valley and contact them to gauge interest and then see about organizing a proper day out for all involved.

Thoughts?

Make a stink about it. I like the idea of going back with a large group, with the Photographers’ Rights in hand.

@Andrew DeFillipis

Seattle cops are inline with the law? Try photographing the cops during a WTO protest.

Bring your gas mask… Or not, since even those are illegal now.
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“Riot” policing is a very touchy subject. There have been issues in the past and there continue to be issues with the way that police handle riots vs. protests. Quite often, a group “seems” to get out of hand, and the police react way too aggressive. It happens, and it happens in more places than Seattle. Does that mean it is okay, no. And it shows that the city/police are wrong when our tax $$$ get paid out to individuals who are wrongfully arrested.

But besides that, I actually don’t live in Seattle and I mentioned that I WOULD expect to be questioned up there -”My experience would most likely change ~40mi north of here in Seattle.”

Best of luck!

Melvin Durable
melvindurable@gmail.com