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Autor: Fecha: 02 de octubre del 2013
Anyone with a camera and a taste for industrial architecture or transportation has likely been bothered at some point. While taking photos in public places is legal, it turns out that the Justice Department is collecting reports on a number of photographers.
The reports the ACLU released Thursday from Southern and central California included details like these:
Many of the reports relate otherwise innocuous, even constitutionally protected, activity that seemed to have aroused suspicious by local law enforcement officers because the subjects appeared to be of Middle Eastern origin, the ACLU said.
The ACLU got its hands on a document containing roughly 1,800 of these reports, gathered in central California. Among the records are a “Female Subject taking photos of Folsom Post Office” and “a male nonchalantly taking numerous pictures inside a purple line train” in Los Angeles.
If you start thinking about what that means on a country-wide scale, it explains why if someone doesn’t like you taking photos, you just might get a visit from the FBI.
Hal Bergman, a 29 year old freelance photographer from Los Angeles, said that he was taking stock photos from a public street of an oil refinery at the port of Los Angeles two years ago when a security guard approached him. After a brief conversation, Bergman continued his work and 2 weeks later, there was a pounding on his door. Two FBI agents, he said, were carrying a stack of documents, a photocopy of his driver’s license and were demanding to know what he was doing at the port, who he worked for and why anyone would want a photo of a refinery. The security guard had filed a suspicious activity report.
The reports the ACLU released Thursday from Southern and central California included details like these:
"Suspicious ME (Middle Eastern) males buying several large pallets of water."
"Female subject taking photos of the Folsom Post Office."
A police officer in the city of Elk Grove "reported on a suspicious individual in his neighborhood" who was a doctor of Middle Eastern ancestry. The officer thought the doctor might be a terrorist because he was "very unfriendly."
"Suspicious photocopy of Folsom Dam by Chinese Nationals."
A man "nonchalantly taking photos" inside a Los Angeles subway car.
A university art professor from San Diego taking photos in an industrial area.
Someone writing anti-government slogans on the wall of a room at UC Davis.
A "noticeable increase" of female Muslims wearing veils and burqas at a shopping mall.
Someone taking photos of the Al Zampa Bridge over the Carquinez Strait between Contra Costa and Solano counties.
A trucker flying the American flag upside down on a big rig.
Four "clean-cut Middle Eastern males speaking excitedly in a foreign language."
"Female subject taking photos of the Folsom Post Office."
A police officer in the city of Elk Grove "reported on a suspicious individual in his neighborhood" who was a doctor of Middle Eastern ancestry. The officer thought the doctor might be a terrorist because he was "very unfriendly."
"Suspicious photocopy of Folsom Dam by Chinese Nationals."
A man "nonchalantly taking photos" inside a Los Angeles subway car.
A university art professor from San Diego taking photos in an industrial area.
Someone writing anti-government slogans on the wall of a room at UC Davis.
A "noticeable increase" of female Muslims wearing veils and burqas at a shopping mall.
Someone taking photos of the Al Zampa Bridge over the Carquinez Strait between Contra Costa and Solano counties.
A trucker flying the American flag upside down on a big rig.
Four "clean-cut Middle Eastern males speaking excitedly in a foreign language."
Many of the reports relate otherwise innocuous, even constitutionally protected, activity that seemed to have aroused suspicious by local law enforcement officers because the subjects appeared to be of Middle Eastern origin, the ACLU said.
The ACLU got its hands on a document containing roughly 1,800 of these reports, gathered in central California. Among the records are a “Female Subject taking photos of Folsom Post Office” and “a male nonchalantly taking numerous pictures inside a purple line train” in Los Angeles.
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If you start thinking about what that means on a country-wide scale, it explains why if someone doesn’t like you taking photos, you just might get a visit from the FBI.
Hal Bergman, a 29 year old freelance photographer from Los Angeles, said that he was taking stock photos from a public street of an oil refinery at the port of Los Angeles two years ago when a security guard approached him. After a brief conversation, Bergman continued his work and 2 weeks later, there was a pounding on his door. Two FBI agents, he said, were carrying a stack of documents, a photocopy of his driver’s license and were demanding to know what he was doing at the port, who he worked for and why anyone would want a photo of a refinery. The security guard had filed a suspicious activity report.
