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It describes him as an agitator, but if you watch his videos, you'll see that he is not obnoxious or confrontational in his approach. He attempts to film in th
by jawns 3y ago
It describes him as an agitator, but if you watch his videos, you'll see that he is not obnoxious or confrontational in his approach. He attempts to film in the least disruptive, respectful way possible. Yes, when police officers attempt to illegally restrict his right to record, he sometimes becomes indignant and calls them tyrants, but apart from that, he does not conduct himself in a way that would be characterized as provocative or goading.
- JohnFen 3y agoI think "agitator" is a reasonably accurate and polite way of describing him. > he does not conduct himself in a way that would be characterized as provocative or goading. Recording in a police lobby where there are citizens that are already in a vulnerable position and don't want their private business recorded and probably put up on YouTube or something is, in itself, provocative and goading. It doesn't matter how polite the person doing the recording is. That person is invading others in a way that is extremely objectionable. This isn't about the cops. It's about the other regular people who are there.
- jawns 3y agoI have sympathy for vulnerable people who might find themselves in a police precinct to either report a crime or seek other assistance. But preventing a person like Reyes from recording does nothing to resolve the privacy issue. Anyone who is willing to go through the trouble can request security camera footage. I think we also need to recognize that in a public place like a police precinct lobby, there are going to be some people who desire not to be recorded as a way of protecting their privacy, but other people who desire to record as a way of protecting themselves from police misconduct. Both have legitimate but competing interests. But the law explicitly protects the latter.
- JohnFen 3y ago> But preventing a person like Reyes from recording does nothing to resolve the privacy issue. I'm not arguing that he should be prevented from recording, really. The problem here is that there are opposing needs and rights, and some sort of balance needs to be had (and it would be better if that balance leaned more toward vulnerable people than those who are making some sort of political point.) I'm arguing that Reyes, and other "auditors", are unmitigated assholes for engaging this sort of activity. That said, preventing the recording may not resolve the privacy issue, but it would at least avoid making it worse.