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Andrews International Execs Remain Silent Over Guards’ Aggressive Behavior

Published June 24, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Security Guard Harassment , Street photography 3 Comments
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Photo by discarted
NOTE: This guard did not have anything to do with the incident.

Dear Mr. Andrews:

I wanted to write again regarding an incident with your security personnel because it seems as if you didn’t receive my last letter. At the very minimum, this is a customer service issue, and it’s shocking that you wouldn’t want to address, much less acknowledge, a situation where your security team’s actions have been questioned.

I am referring to what happened between myself and your security guards at the Hollywood and Highland Metro station where I was harassed, threatened with arrest and cursed at for taking photographs. In case you are unaware, Andrews International security are notorious for overstepping the limits of their authority and harassing people in Hollywood. There are extremely few laws that restrict photography in public places, and they’re mostly relating to military installations or people with an expectation of privacy (i.e., in their homes). National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) attorneys have issued a memorandum on the subject that says in part:

+ There is no federal law that would prohibit photography in public places or restrict photography of public places and/or structures.

+ Any restrictions that the government does impose would need to have supporting evidence that it was essential for public safety. The burden is on the government;

Presumably you are thinking that the issue will just go away, but I’d like you to know that photographers will continue to shoot in public spaces in and around Hollywood since it is our legal right to do so. What’s more, now that we have a small movement going, this issue is on the radar, and it’s more than likely that your guards will unnecessarily and inappropriately detain photographers in the future. So my suggestion to you is to train your security force on the laws so that a situation doesn’t escalate unnecessarily.

Sincerely,
Shawn Nee

To contact Andrews International executives regarding this incident click here.

Paparazzi vs. Surfers: Bedlam on the Beach

Published June 23, 2008 Assault , Photographers' Rights Leave a Comment
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A pack of surfers that attacked paparazzi (twice) on a Malibu beach, in defense of Matthew McConaughey no less, has gotten a lot of buzz over the last day or so, with reactions ranging from “What intrusive, blood-sucking scumbags” to “Beaches are public places and don’t go to Malibu for seclusion and privacy.”

In my view, the photographers should be able to shoot on public property if they’re not breaking any laws. Driving like lunatics, chasing celebs, trespassing, etc., they should be fined or arrested. But I’m on the paps’ side on this one. It’s basically a photographers’ rights issue. And not all paps suck. The surfers were acting like a bunch of thugs, and Malibu locals/surfers are known for doing this to any outsider on “their” beach. I mean, the surfers walked the entire length of the beach to start a fight with them. They were the aggressors and should be arrested.

To view it from a different angle, how would you feel if you were on Hollywood Blvd. and a bunch of guys walked the entire block and jumped you because they didn’t like you taking a photo of somebody they were hanging out with?

 

Day Two of the Paps vs. Surfers:

 

 

 

Charges Dropped for Nose Bump

Published June 19, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Police Harassment Leave a Comment
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Photo by discarted

UPDATE: Charges were dropped today against Tony Overman, the Olympian photographer who was arrested for bumping a cop with his nose during a heated back-and-forth at a crime scene.

 

It seems that cooler heads thankfully prevailed, but of course there were commenters on the Olympian site who didn’t agree. One in particular said: “This kind of lawlessness is what drives investors out of our fair city.”

 

Lawlessness is WAY overstating things. Did this person even read the original story? In no way was there anything close to lawlessness going on.

 

Talk about hyperbole! This was a case of two tempers that got out of hand and they both probably acted out of line, but to call Overman a “rioter” or say this constituted an “assault on an officer” is so off base.

 

There is actually real crime out there that needs addressing. Tying up the court system with a case like this would have been a gross waste of taxpayer dollars.

 

Article from The Olympian. 

Update: APD to Undergo Training

Published June 12, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights 1 Comment
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We posted on this story earlier, about Albuquerque police officer Daniel Guzman attacking a local NBC news videographer after exchanging some unpleasantries, and it looks like changes are afoot at the APD. It was all caught on tape, and Officer Guzman’s aggression was pretty shocking.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Police Chief Ray Schultz reviewed the tape and determined mistakes were made. Now, the entire police department will undergo training so that they know how to appropriately respond in such situations.

Lesson #1: Don’t attack journalists while a camera is rolling.

Article via KOB.com New Mexico.

UK Security Guard Assaults Photographer

Published June 4, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Security Guard Harassment 1 Comment
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This security officer in the UK gets handsy with a photographer on a public street in Middlesbrough. From the photographer’s account:

Two security guards from the nearby shopping center THE MALL came running over, we were surrounded by six hostile and aggressive security guards. They then said photographing shops was illegal and this was private land. I was angry at being grabbed by this man so i pushed him away, one of the men wearing a BARGAIN MADNESS shirt twisted my arm violently behind my back, i winced in pain and could hardly breathe in agony.

I thought the Brits were supposed to be more civilized?

Read the full account here.

via WindWalkabout

Albuquerque Cop Daniel Guzman Attacks News Photographer

Published June 4, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Police Harassment 10 Comments
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Did Albuquerque police officer Daniel Guzman cross the line? By the looks of this video, it sure seems so. After exchanging a few words about a media staging area, local NBC news videographer Rick Foley was putting his gear back into his car when Officer Guzman hauls off and attacks him. The officer seemed to have gotten so riled up because he wasn’t being sufficiently respected, and he unfortunately let his youth and inexperience get the best of him (he’s only been on the force for just over a year). Foley spent 90 minutes in handcuffs. Guzman’s defense was that he was “sticking his camera in my face.” As annoying as that may be, it’s nowhere near a crime. APD Chief Ray Schultz says the incident is now under review. 

Here’s Chief Schultz’s email if you’d like to drop him a line: rschultz@cabq.gov.

via RonPaulvsTyranny

Harassed, Threatened, and Berated by Andrews International’s Security Guards

Published June 3, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Security Guard Harassment 81 Comments
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Andrews International Security Guard Vasquez #782 Assaults Photographer Photo by discarted

NOTE: This guard did not have anything to do with the incident described below.

I was recently harassed by Andrews International security for photographing them in public at the Hollywood/Highland Metro station. Street photography is completely legal, and anybody, including minors and police, can be photographed in public at any time.

Here is the letter that I sent to Roger Andrews, executive vice president of Andrews International. I have not received any kind of response — or even an acknowledgement from them.

The email was also sent to Councilmen Tom LaBonge and Eric Garcetti (whose districts Hollywood falls in), and neither one of them did anything. Councilman LaBonge did personally call me and promised to call back the following week, which he didn’t.

Mr. Andrews,

I am writing you in regard to an incident that occurred on May 3, 2008 between myself and some of your officers. I am a documentary as well as a street photographer, and yesterday I was berated, touched(technically assault) and threatened with arrest and detainment by some your officers, particularly security guard Ferguson #4730, after legally photographing them in public. Obviously, your officers have not been educated about the law in regards to street photography and the rights of photographers; this is the second occurrence like this that has happened between your officers and myself.

After photographing your officers, they were completely belligerent, stating that they 
were private security officers and I was required to answer their questions, which is not true. Ferguson #4730 also tried to take my photograph, which I agreed to, but he couldn’t find a camera so he followed me around and eventually stopped me, forcing me to look up at one of the security cameras. This entire series of events is laughable because it appeared in his mind that laws that allow the city to photograph me at any time in public do not apply to Ferguson #4730 and the rest of your officers. On top of that, after having my photo taken, Ferguson #4730 then asked me if I was in the military and I said, “No, I don’t believe in the military.” He then exploded and said, “I fucking built this land you’re standing on! Get outta here!”

After that, I walked around for a few minutes thinking about what happened and decided to go back to get the officers’ badge numbers. Once Ferguson #4730 realized what I was doing, he immediately covered up his badge with his hand and started yelling, “Oh no, you ain’t getting that!” To which I stated, “You are legally required by law to give me your badge number.” That is when Ferguson #4730 along with the other officers threatened me with arrest and tried to detain me. However, I am quite aware of the law, because I am on the street practically everyday taking photographs and told them they couldn’t detain me. Ferguson #4730 would not relent and used his entire body to block me from leaving; that is when he touched me, which is assault. One of the other officers stepped in and told him to stop and took him aside to speak with him. I did not leave, told them to call the police, and waited for BID Patrol to arrive. I was questioned but not arrested because I did not do anything illegal.

While the BID Patrol security guards gave me a very nice lecture on humanity, they didn’t seem to care about the way Ferguson #4730 and the other officers reacted in an unlawful, belligerent, and inhumane manner towards me.

I am requesting that all video footage of the area in front of the Hollywood/Highland Metro stop in Los Angeles, CA, between 6PM and 7:30PM on May 3, 2008 be retained for viewing, as well as kept for evidence. I will be speaking to a lawyer this week as well exploring my other options via the city and Los Angeles Metro.

Ferguson’s unlawful behavior, along with the other officers, and more importantly, their lack of knowledge for the law is unacceptable.

BID Patrol also asked me if I was an attorney, to which I said, “No, but I don’t have to be an attorney to know the law. Since you’re not an attorney either that must mean you don’t know the law as well…which is the reason why this all happened in the first place.”

Voice Your Concerns and Write:

Roger Andrews: roger.andrews@andrewsinternational.com

Antonio Villaraigosa: mayor@lacity.org

Tom LaBonge: councilmember.labonge@lacity.org

Eric Garcetti: councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org

Rich Morallo, Metro Citizens Advisory Council: (213) 922-233

Captain Dan Finkelstein, MTA chief of transit police: (213) 922-2707/922-2700

Rick Jager/Marc Littman, MTA media relations: (213) 922-2707/922-2700

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