Reply to Shocking behavior from Fairfax County Police Offices

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't care if this guy is or is not a journalist, an activist, or Ralph Northam's nephew. I don't care how annoying he is. The police simply did not have probable cause to arrest him. They need to be better, more professional than that.[/quote]

They didn't need "probable cause." He wasn't following their orders and he was disruptive. The charges fit. My guess is he is convicted by a judge.

It really pisses me off when people behave irresponsibly and start whining for first amendment press protections. He needs to choose an argument -- was he a private citizen casually videotaping the parade or was he a member of the press, meeting all of the professional standards associated with that role as prescribed by the Society of Professional Journalists? He can't say "yes" to the latter and the former is squishy given his belligerence.[/quote]

Reporter- why did you resist the arrest?  Honest question.[/quote]

I did not resist the arrest. When I attempted to put my phone away (a reflex that lasted perhaps 2 seconds), the police escalated. I think having a mere citizen swearing at them kind of put them in a mood to want to inflict a little embarrassment and pain. I will say, however, that things could have been much worse.

You know, you don't realize what it's like to be policed until you are. I mean, we hear about suspects reaching for their waistbands all the time right? [b]Well, after the fact, I realized that's what it must have looked like to the police in this case.[/b] Thankfully, the police knew what I was about because both the campaign (I believe) and I had told them I was a reporter. Thankfully, I wasn't, say, a drug suspect on a poorly lit street. And thankfully, this took place in a public place with tons of witnesses where police couldn't really make me pay for being disrespectful toward them.

In the end, they "showed me who was boss". It was, as I've said, an unlawful arrest that was violent and unnecessary, but not brutal.

Finally... According to VA statute, to be guilty of resisting arrest, one must actually make an attempt to flee the police. I never did that, so I expect to be found not guilty as a matter of law, probably before trial.[/quote]

Thanks for answering.  I will say that watching this (and I am not commenting of the fairness of the arrest), it did look like a resistance and when you tried to put your hand in your pocket that was pretty much guaranteeing a rough arrest.  No offence but you seemed to be getting little obnoxious getting in his face but I hope you were OK and not hurt.

Also, In today's world there is a blurry line between blogger/reporter so I am not sure why all the hoopla about credentials.

I don't know this reporter's backstory or have read his blog, but I would hope he is just as determined in getting answers from BOTH sides.  Democrat and Republican politicians are different sides of the same corrupt coin.  [/quote]

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