So I know that I write a lot about being harassed for my photography on the streets of San Francisco and for some this story may be getting old. I shoot every day though and at least once or twice a month have a run in with a security guard or authority figure of some sort somewhere. Typically I can resolve these episodes on my own amicably with the individual involved, but sometimes things go over the line. In the past year I've blogged about three of these incidents that crossed the line. One was when a security guard at One Bush was following me around the sidewalk trying to put his hand in front of my camera and not allowing me to shoot the building. Another was when the Sheriff's Department detained me and ran what I consider an illegal background check on me merely for shooting near the train tracks in Oakland. Another was when a particular nasty altercation took place between me and a security guard who came out of 45 Fremont middle finger a'blazin' to insist that I not shoot that building.
But today's episode was the worst I've encountered so far. Ironically enough, it occurred once again outside of 45 Fremont Street. This was even after I spoke with a PR person from the Shorenstein owned property who apologized to me for my treatment and assured me that I would find a more tolerant atmosphere at that property in the future.
Today, aqui-ali (another local Flickr photographer), helveticaneue (in from out of town) and I went out to do a bit of shooting. Since Aqui had a meeting down on 2nd Street later this afternoon we decided to head that way and shoot the Transbay Terminal. 45 Fremont was in our path and we were shooting some photos of it as we were walking by. It was then that the security guard there told us that we could not shoot the building. When I explained that we were in a public area and had a right to shoot the building he insisted and called another security guard over on his radio who also tried to get us to stop taking pictures of the building. I still refused as it is my right to shoot buildings in San Francisco from a public area.
It was at this point that things went from bad to worse. At this point an individual came over who identified himself as a police officer and told us to get out of the plaza, off the sidewalk and to physically stand on the asphalt in the street where the cars were driving by. When I tried to object this individual (who was significantly larger than me) assaulted me and forcibly grabbed my arm quite hard and pulled me towards the street. When I freed myself from his grip I told him that I was going to take his photograph. He told me that I could not take his photograph and that if I did that I could "watch what would happen to my camera."
I took his photograph anyways and that is him up there at the top of the story. Once he had us physically on the asphalt in the traffic off the sidewalk I once again asked him for his identification and asked to see his badge. He refused to provide me his identification and refused to show me his badge. It is my understanding that when someone identifies themselves as a police officer that I have a right to see their identification proving this fact. This prevents anyone from falsely impersonating police officers and abusing a false authority. I asked him at least five times to see his badge and he refused. He continued to confer with the security guards at the building though.
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Thomas Hawk 47 months ago | reply
Thomas- if he would have asked you nicely not to photograph him what would you have done...honestly?
I certainly don't condone many of the responses here. But law enforcement especially should be held to the highest standard of ethical behavior when it comes to enforcing the law and not making up their own laws out of thin air.
By the way, if he has a different version of how this altercation went down I'd invite him to comment here and would even elevate his comment to the main body of this post. Always happy to hear both sides.
listorama 47 months ago | reply
What a bummer! I wonder if the ACLU would be interested in helping you pursue this.
pc69reaper [deleted] 46 months ago | reply
all cops are cowards hiding behind their badge. they let criminals go to arrest the victims of crimes. they are the criminals in many cases however their falsifyed reports show otherwise.
coolcoy79 46 months ago | reply
I hope you used a flash and it hurt is eyes!
Phillycop 46 months ago | reply
Thomas-
Thanks for the reply and again good dialogue.
pc69reaper-
Wow-
First of all this guy is NOT a cop. Second, I looked at your photostream, I hope Obama's Health Plan goes through because you need to seek help.
Naked women and violent comments calling for the death of people (cops) and you want to be taken seriously?
And you think a cop car driving past your house is "stalking" you?
Cops-"let criminals go to arrest the victims of crimes"....I thought we just "framed" the poor and minorities?
dicronium deposits 43 months ago | reply
police are corrupt. Darnell with the Grove City police, follows honest people around treating them like criminals in a effort to run them out of Grove City. worse, sergent Brown with the Franklin County Sheriffs DEPT. beats and molests transgender women. these police are protected by the courts and state/city departments.
abusing their power doing anything from cop-ing a feel to staging a supposedly justifyed kill, to holding good people prisoner in state run prisions based on lies to keep them from voting in elections.
El Roco Photography 43 months ago | reply
Next time this happens (cause it will happen again) pull out your phone and dial 911 and report an assault and battery.
When the guy pushed you into the street he committed a crime.
A similar thing happened to me and the guy showed me his badge and that was his undoing cause I complained.
That guy is a cop and he is trespassing on a railroad signal tower.
Yes, complaining was a pain in the ass and no one in Law Enforcement wanted to hear about it, but they had to take a report because I was not leaving until they did.
It is all well and good to complain in these strings about what the cops do, but unless people do something about it on an official level, they will continue to do such things.
paladinsf 43 months ago | reply
the world is changing around us and not for the better
madhan_namakkal 42 months ago | reply
A
piyu shah 40 months ago | reply
hi nice pic
sftrajan 34 months ago | reply
TheG-Forcers (Mike) 33 months ago | reply
Looks like cities in Georgia (USA) are demanding permits to shoot photos as of late:
www.flickr.com/photos/thegforcers/4973760774/
I hope none of this comes to pushing and shoving.
There is a sign (barely visible at the right of the photo above) requiring photographers to have permits at this city park. Sorry the wording is not visible.
Joe Harper 33 months ago | reply
That guy is too old to be an officer not behind a desk.
apia.lilian 30 months ago | reply
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minkstr 27 months ago | reply
Wilford Brimley is just a little upset that Quaker Oats is using Bob Harper as their pitch man. Seriously, PhillyCop surprises me. Usually, police officers do not like it when a civilian impersonates an officer. However, PhilliyCop seems to be backing this cop wannabe! I wonder if this guy knows that GoogleMaps (StreetView) has a picture of his building that nobody is supposed to take pictures of? It is all over the internet. This guy is obviously not doing his job. Go back to selling diabeetis supplies!
Phillycop 27 months ago | reply
Minkstr-
It's not that I'm backing him its just do we really have the whole story here to warrant some of the posted statements? ("bigot', "fat" "fuck that pig" "fuck you fatboy" and "I'd gladly kill him for you") Even you are taking a jovial jab at him by calling him Wilfred Brimley.
I know there are dozens of people that I have had contact with that despise me because I locked them up or wrote them a ticket or whatever and if you get their side of the story they did nothing wrong to deserve it.
Obviously I could have wronged them somehow but in most instances I would say I didn't. I mean if I take drugs and guns out of your waistband and pockets it's probably yours but they would never admit to it and hate me for arresting them. There aren't many guilty people in prisons either if you were to ask an immate.
In short I wouldn't want my photo posted somewhere to have people that know nothing about me cursing me and wanting my death on what comes down to hearsay.
Personally I do believe Tom is telling the truth but his previous negative encounters while photographing may have led him to say or do something which made the situation escalate. From my experience this happens to both parties carrying their previous experiences into a new encounter- Police and the subject in question.
Thomas Hawk 27 months ago | reply
minkstr 27 months ago | reply
Taking Photographs in public = not illegal (legal)
Impersonating an officer = illegal
Freedom of speech (especially on the internet) = legal
At least, that is the way it was taught to me. There is only one person here that is not doing something right. Can you pick him out?
Auto detailer [deleted] 7 months ago | reply
He looks like he may have eaten a police officer
freddieherby 7 months ago | reply
I appologize for anything that happend...