One of the biggest free speech issues, right now, is the fact that the police think they have the right, if they get filmed doing something, to take away a citizen’s private device and delete any photos and videos of themselves. Which they don’t, since they’re, you know, public citizens, and there’s this whole pesky Constitution that makes that hugely illegal and a violation of three separate parts of the Bill of Rights.
The city of Baltimore disagreed, as it’s been just cold smashing people’s cell phones for daring, DARING, to record the fine upstanding officers of the Baltimore PD as they do their jobs. Then they got sued, so they sent out an email and said, “OK, we taught them it’s not cool, your lawsuit is invalid.” (No, seriously. They actually argued that in court.)
To which Obama, or rather his Department of Justice, said “Mmmmm, yeah, we’re going to have to go ahead and say no.”
Right on the heels of a ruling against the Boston Police Department, this pretty much means you can film the police doing their jobs. Or screwing up their jobs. Or being corrupt. Whatever.
(Image via Shutterstock)