In a video posted this week, Shawn Nee, a Los Angeles street photographer and blogger, claims his right to photograph police activity: There is no expectation of privacy, especially on a public street under video surveillance. Meanwhile, a cop yells something about “two years in the desert” he spent for Shawn Nee’s “fruitcake ass” and detains him.
The particularly ridiculous part of this video is the cop’s attempt to demonstrate authority by threatening Nee with parking tickets as he tries to re-establish himself after yelling at him: “You fruitcake, God dang it, start moving!”
Photographer Thomas Hawk had this to say:
Our ability as citizens to document the police is extremely important. Historically, citizen photography has been instrumental in documenting police abuse cases from Rodney King to the recent shooting death of Oscar Grant. To wear a badge and a gun in our society is a privilege and ought to only be afforded to those willing to enforce actual laws and not intimidate citizens by making up illegal photography rules of their own.
Make your support heard here. See some of Shawn Nee‘s exceptional documentation of Los Angeles streets and characters below.
Similar in taste to the other garbage contributed from this contributor-
Without question, the participation of citizens in and all situations is vital.
Purposely being an irritant towards someone doing their job, solely because you can– does not help.
Abuse of power, where?
Punk-ass retard with too much time on his hands– bingo!
Lame shit as usual.
Go update your own blog.
Shit like this pisses me off. This cop thinks he has the right to force his own opinions on other just cause he has a badge? Uh, no one gives a shit if you were in the war…that doesn’t give you a right to jack shit. I hope the photographer sues.