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Ever since 9/11, taking a photo of certain downtown buildings was verboten. Well, that's according to said building's security guards. So last Sunday, a group of photographers went out to take photos of downtown buildings from public sidewalks to protest their rights. Six security guards quickly responded. Drama ensues. Oooohhhh. Aaaahhhh.
The real kicker is when one of the photographers call the LAPD and they refuse to come respond because the photographers are in the legal right (better heard on this recording). Still, security continues to argue with with one of them calling, supposedly the supervisor, calling them idiots multiple times.
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Yeah... the manager of Jerry's Deli in Studio City told me I couldn't take photos on their sidewalk either. I laughed and laughed, and explained to him that he couldn't tell me what to do while I was on public property. All for this photo? Really?
Oops, my link didn't work: http://flickr.com/photos/ropo/3216036898/
That's mean. The security guard is getting paid a pretty low hourly wage, and is trying to do what he's been told. They should have told him to get his boss or something. Sadly, he doesn't know any better. I feel kinda sorry for him.
I believe he was the boss, or at least the supervisor for that shift. In any case, I think they all knew they were bullshitting everyone. If not, they would have called the police.
A few months back, a guy from the ACLU's L.A. office contacted me about an incident I had while photographing at the NoHo Metro station. He said they were looking into this issue. Maybe it's worth contacting the office and seeing if they're interested in this latest incident.
Arguing with rent a cops who don't believe you when you tell them "what the law is" - I mean, I wouldn't believe you either, unless I could verify it - doesn't get you anywhere. Just keep snapping away and save the male posturing for another day.
I tried that two years ago. Same thing happened. Wrote about it here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/malingering/356000195/
Oh, I guess I wrote about it here too.
http://www.therealmalingering.com/2007/01/23/freedom-isnt-free
I really hate this crap. I've had plenty of downtown security guards chase me down to SCOLD me for taking pictures. "you know, 911 and stuff, man.."
I'm sorry, no, I don't know.
Different story, same shit: I was in Ktown Ralphs getting some stuff when the security guard stopped me, telling me I had to take off my backpack. "you know, Osama bin Laden is still out there, man.."
Excuse me? Is Al Queda going to blow up the Ralphs in Koreatown? That'll show the infidels!
These guys know what they are doing. Rather than just saying they're trying to limit shoplifting, they are using a national tragedy as an excuse.
The No Photos thing is no different. They just don't like people coming up to buildings without doing any real business there and use 911 as an excuse for moving them along.
fuk dat
They started doing this back in '02.
Similar situation occurred when I came along on a field trip with my SMC photography class (there were around 12-15 of us). We roamed around DTLA with no problems whatsoever until we reached the Disney Concert Hall. Apparently the rent-a-cops don't take to kindly on tripods around the premises.
I might add that we were still on the sidewalk getting our equipment together when this ensued.
Stupid cunts.
Kudos to the photographers for standing up for everyone's right to photograph whatever the hell they please from PUBLIC spaces. :D
More of these things need to be done...mass photographing! Can you imagine 50-100 people all with cameras, flashing pics of the US Bank Tower from the sidewalk?
The economy must really be in the shitter for these people to have nothing better to do than to rile up some underpaid security guards. Jesus.
Yeah, because clearly it's the photographers being dicks and not the security guards. Idiot.
GREAT WORK!
These security guards are out of control and need to be taught the correct version of the laws that they are trying to enforce.
These security guards are breaking the law and something needs to be done to stop them from intimidating people on the streets of America!
If we allow these fake cops to create laws then our country is really going to get out of control!