Guy gets arrested for taken pictures

[mapes]

He was taking pictures for a Amtrak photography contest and the Amtrak police arrested him. He was standing in a public place...wtf?


This is funny

The Colbert Report follows up on Photography is Not a Crime story

[Pumpkin_Jack]

Wow how dumb, that guy should sue

[Trooper110]

Actually saw this a few months ago, he has a really good blog on it and updates and such. I have it bookmarked at home, I'll post it after work today.

[Todd98]

He was taking pictures for a Amtrak photography contest and the Amtrak police arrested him. He was standing in a public place...wtf?


This is funny

The Colbert Report follows up on Photography is Not a Crime story

I can answer this one for you mapes since I work for the railroad.

Its all about national security and the nations railroads working in sensitive areas. I work for Union Pacific Railroad and we are required too report suspicious people on or off railroad property taken pictures of railroad property or asking questions about railroad operations.

Yes I agree with the fact that are some folks out there who like trains and enjoy taking pictures of them and should have the right too take a picture of a train if they wont too even if it was for a photo contest. Since Bush Jr. passed the Homeland Security Act it now gives local police and railroad police complete authority too arrest anyone that is taking pictures of railroad property and all thats related too it.

This poor person was not the first nor will be the last too have this done too them there has been many more unfortunately.

[RyeWhiskey]

Like Todd said. It's in the interest of security. You can't just go and start taking pictures of infra-structure or high profile buildings just any old time as you please. People use those pictures to plot devious acts.

Good thing to, and I totally agree with it.

[Hammy]

The story being run is biased.

So you guys must enjoy the deraile Hydrochloric Acid carts, the magnesium being dumped into our water supply when a train mysteriously derails supsiciously next to a watershed that feeds drinking water for highly populated areas, and etc.

You must appreciate and enjoy when more than 40 people die on a commuter train that mysteriously derails despite being run in optimal working condition at reccomended speeds.

The objection here is kind of humorous to me. The news only reports the outcome when fault is found. Do you guys even realize the number of rail derailments that occur each year that have no credible evidence that the train was being operated unsafely? Probably not because the stories get buried to the internet equivalent of the middle of the newspaper - which means rarely do they complete the story online.

The point here is that I dont want people taking pictures of trains in areas that are sensitive. It's crazy that there is that much iron with that kind of payload barrelling down the way that can be derailed with the correct placement of a piece of metal.

Resisting arrest- is that all you are objecting to now? You were acquitted. Great. You threw yourself on the sword of democracy, and you pointed out the flaws in handling your arrest. Perfect. But when you dont obey the commands of a peace officer, even if it is Railroad Police (who by the way have jurisdiction beyond the bordered grounds of the terminals and railway) then its your own fault.

Every time someone get mouthy, struggles against, pushes, deflects custody and etc.- not only are you putting yourself at risk, but the officer at risk. Who says your jackass behavior isnt an opportunity for a criminal to come in and pull a weapon from the officers belt while you are being on objectionable jackhole? Who says that you wont incite a mob mentality- putting community, property and the lives of the officers and you at risk?

This idiot expects officers to follow the due process of law (miranda rights, safe transportation, enacting peace on behalf of the community) and the officers expect the same. You need to shut the truck up, get processed, and then go through the system to clear this up. It happens. Accept it- in many countries you are guilty until proven innocent, in ours, just because you were arrested does not mean you are guilty.

Last point, the more you struggle, the more suspicion your create about yourself that you are a threat. Non-threats are typically co-operative because they are sane and not looking to create issue where none exists.

I'm not going to defend this. You mouthed off, you struggled with the officers, you insulted them, and you created a scene. A simple calm conversation probably would have avoided the entire incident.

I've never had a negative run in with the law, and I dont use my influence to get out of the situations I have been in either. Calm, constructive conversations with peace officers always have positive outcomes. Let them do their job so you can be on your way faster children.

[BigTwinky]

It’s the same thing here with our subway (metro) system. You are not allowed to take pictures in the subway system, at any time.

I’m taking photography classes these days and I had an encounter doing a project on motion in the subway system. I was approached by a couple of subway security guards who asked me what I was doing.

I explained to them and showed them my project statement, and they were really nice in explaining that its illegal to take pictures in here without prior notice and approval from the transport commission. They asked me to delete my pictures or they would have to arrest me (they are not allowed to seize my camera or anything I have, they can only put my under temp arrest until the cops show). I didn’t want a fuss, and I understand the reasons why, so I deleted my pictures in front of them.

I then followed up on what they said and it turns out that if I want to shoot in the subway, I need to contact the commission, who will then charge me the hourly rate (plus additional fees) of 2 security guards who will accompany me during my entire shoot, which can only be done between 2am and 6am.

[Hammy]

It?s the same thing here with our subway (metro) system. You are not allowed to take pictures in the subway system, at any time.

I?m taking photography classes these days and I had an encounter doing a project on motion in the subway system. I was approached by a couple of subway security guards who asked me what I was doing.

I explained to them and showed them my project statement, and they were really nice in explaining that its illegal to take pictures in here without prior notice and approval from the transport commission. They asked me to delete my pictures or they would have to arrest me (they are not allowed to seize my camera or anything I have, they can only put my under temp arrest until the cops show). I didn?t want a fuss, and I understand the reasons why, so I deleted my pictures in front of them.

I then followed up on what they said and it turns out that if I want to shoot in the subway, I need to contact the commission, who will then charge me the hourly rate (plus additional fees) of 2 security guards who will accompany me during my entire shoot, which can only be done between 2am and 6am.

Fantastic example BT. Pretty much the way sane people rectify a situation.

I wonder how it would have turned out if the first thing you said was "No (expletive)ing way am I deleting my pictures. I have the right to be here and you cant do a thing about it."

I mean you totally missed out on being an attention whore using your delinquent behavior as a platform for attention. ah well- maybe next time ?

[Skud]

Lol

Maybe folks should be escorted, blind folded, spun around a few times, to their cabin.

But seriously, I do understand the concern for some of this, as Hammy mentions with train derailments and such. But should we start requiring folks to fill out background checks for buying a camera? Buildings/architecture have always generated a high level of artistic/historical interest for photographers, painters, etc. They could have confiscated the guys camera, cleared the memory, and sent him away...checked his criminal history, phone records, etc., if they feel that he is truly working with terrorists. Once you start limiting freedoms, such as photography, where does it stop? At that point, the terrorists have beaten us.

[Todd98]

Wow BigTwinky but a bummer.

There are honest people out there that mean no harm in it and its sad too see that a school or college project such in your case was stopped by security. But in either case we live in a world now where we have too be vigilant as there are evil people out there that do not care about others and will die for their cause no matter who they take with them.

[mapes]

Alls I can say is wtf? The last time I looked this was America and there is nothing illegal about taking pictures in a public place. The story is biased yes...It's biased in the way it points out the stupidity of the story. To quote Colbert

Amtrack announces photography contest

Dude takes pictures for photography contest

Amtrak arrests dude for taking pictures for Amtrak photography contest


Honestly can it get any stupider. For the love of whatever do you honestly think stopping people from taking pictures will prevent a determined attack. This is security theater...it gives you the impression of security but, does nothing at all. The only people they arrest are actual photographers. I bet you a half assed terrorist would just use his cell phone camera and not get caught. So basically you end up with wasted time and resources on a bunch of false positives.

I will say the Amtrak (or any for that matter) Police should check out anyone looking suspicious but just arresting anyone for taking pictures chills me to the bone. This is AMERICA not cold war East Germany.

[{CLR}geneSW]

And sometimes I wonder why I fight for the constitution that I believe in when it's being run over all the time. America is loosing it's core values, and I personally think it's about time that people start using some dang common sense! Honestly, a camera phone can take a good enough picture for an attack, and they wouldn't notice a bit. If I see somebody setting up a tripod and a DSLR for photography then I may ask them what they are taking pictures of, or why they are there, but other then that i'm not gonna be too worried about it. It's when we are afraid of everybody around us that terrorism works best, and guess what is happening all over this nation, day after day.....

[Trooper110]

And the freelance photographer in question apparently has the post down where he discussed what happened, but here's his web page. http://photos.duanek.name/

[BigTwinky]

It is a really stupid situation. Standing in a public place, I can legally take a picture of what I want. No one can confiscate my camera, no one can make me delete things.

But people have to use their common sense. Just because I can be on a beach taking pictures of a sunset doesn't also give me the right to photograph the topless woman walking by.

Nor does it give me the right to photograph the naked 3 year old playing in the sand. There are certain things that just should never be done without someone (or someone's parents) permission.

I totally support freedom of expression. I think that governments crack down too much on things like this. But I also encourage common sense. Just because you think you can, and probably can, does NOT mean that you should.


And here is another photo story that happened not too long ago. I was taking pictures for a project called "Rock Songs in Photography" where I was taking pictures of things that were the title of a song. Ex: portrait of a woman at night with sunglasses on. (I wear the Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart).

Anyways, I annoyed my brother in law to be part of my project. We went to see a movie, and at around 11pm, we went into a nearby mall that is typically used as an underground passage way to the subway, so its always opened.

We head into the guy's washroom and I give him a cigarette so we can do a quick shoot and see if I can get something good for "Smoking in the Boys Room (Motley Crue)". After 7-8 mins, a guard walks in, probably wondering wtf two guys are doing at 11pm at night in a washroom and started complaining about it all and called for backup.

I offered to delete my pictures and we would be on our way. So I went to my menu, went to Format Memory card and clicked. It deleted everything on the card, totally empty. He was satisfied, we moved on.

Little did he know that I often carry 4 memory cards with me and when doing things like this, routinely change them around. Kinda a thing I do since my subway episode.

So I deleted about 10 pictures while I had over 30 on another card. haha.