thedailywhat:

Follow Up of the Day: A judge in Rochester dismissed the case against Emily Good, the 28-year-old city resident who was arrested while filming police activity outside her 19th Ward home, after the District Attorney’s office concluded that evidence was insufficient to pursue a charge of “obstructing of governmental administration.”

Asked if she would do it again, Good, who said she acted out of concern over racial profiling, responded that she would, and “would encourage other people to do the same thing. Carry a camera. Stand your ground. Go to the [scene] of flashing lights and observe what’s going on. Keep a safe distance.”

A statement issued jointly by Mayor Tom Richards, City Council President Lovely Warren and Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard, said an internal review of the police officers’ conduct was ongoing, but stressed that “Whatever the outcome of the internal review, we want to make clear that it is not the policy or practice of the Rochester Police Department to prevent citizens from observing its activities - including photographing or videotaping - as long as it does not interfere with the safe conduct of those activities.”

[whec.]

Earlier: Rochester police officers harass, intimidate supporters of Emily Good.

“Whatever the outcome of the internal review, we want to make clear that it is not the policy or practice of the Rochester Police Department to prevent citizens from observing its activities - including photographing or videotaping - as long as it does not interfere with the safe conduct of those activities.”

So HOW does photographing or videotaping Law Enforcement going about its duties interfere with the safe conduct of those activities?  They’re not pushing cops out of the way to take pics of the arrested individual, they’re a GOOD DISTANCE AWAY.

Dear paranoid cops - YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID.

If *I* were a police officer doing my job, with the way people view cops (“Fuck the po-lice!”) I’d ENCOURAGE people to take pics/vids of me doing my job.  At most, I might speak with the bystander and a) thank them, and b) get their contact info in case we might need the footage for documentary evidence.