Taking photographs and video of things that are plainly visible in public spaces is a constitutional right — and that includes the outside of federal buildings, as well as transportation facilities, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties.

However, there is a widespread, continuing pattern of law enforcement officers ordering people to stop taking photographs or video in public places, and harassing, detaining and arresting those who fail to comply.

The ACLU, photographer’s groups, and others have been complaining about such incidents for years — and consistently winning in court. Yet, a continuing stream of incidents of illegal harassment of photographers and videographers makes it clear that the problem is not going away.

>> Know Your Rights: See more essential resources from the ACLU

from Occupy SF http://occupysf.org/2011/12/30/how-to-film-a-revolution/

On Wednesday, October 20th, in preparation for the National Days of Action Against Police Brutality (Oct 22-23), join the Black Student Union and Redwood Curtain CopWatch for the film...

"We're Still Here, We Never Left"

"Todavia Estamos Aqui, Nunca Nos Fuimos." 

*This Free Event starts at 6:00pm

*Location:  Gist Hall, Room #219  Humboldt State Campus, Arcata

*All are welcome (students and non-students alike)

This film details the police riot in MacArthur Park, Los Angeles on May 1st, 2007- which led to the founding of the Revolutionary Autonomous Communitues (RAC). 

RAC's Food Program and events bring communities together in resistance to police brutality and for liberation!

"We're Still Here, We Never Left" has footage never before seen on the mainstream media- documenting the truth about the police repression on May 1st, 2007, and showing the growing popular movement in oppressed communities.

Revolutionary Autonomous Communities (RAC) hopes with the film, to create dialogue, a space for popular education, and a MOVEMENT.  RAC Mission Statement

For more info, call (707) 633-4493

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING:
HOW TO HANDLE ENCOUNTERS WITH COPS

Saturday October 16th 1:30pm - 5:30pm

Do you know what to do if you’re stopped by the police? Do your children?
Are you tired of your rights being violated?
This workshop focuses on the law "on the street” — what your rights are and how cops try to trick you out of them. We want to share strategies to survive police encounters.

Hosted by Redwood Curtain CopWatch

The training will be in EUREKA at PARC [Peoples' Action For Rights and Community]. 

Humboldt County Sheriff Officers shot and killed Robert Garth in the morning of Saturday August 7, 2010. CopWatchers and friends of the Garth family went to Blue Lake, after learning of the shooting.  We took lots of video and photos. We want here to share what we learned, in brief.

First this: As we write this post (Saturday night, August 7, 2010), we anticipate two things. The first is that the media (i.e. Thadues Greenson of the Times-Standard who was in Blue Lake) will parrot, stating as fact, the police story.  That's what the media ALWAYS does.

For Immediate Release September 14, 2010

JACKSON, MS - The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi announced today the filing of a civil lawsuit on behalf of a Jackson man who was unconstitutionally arrested and imprisoned after exercising his first amendment right to observe a police interaction in a public parking lot and then asking for the officers' names and badge numbers.

"We do not have secret police in the United States," said Nsombi Lambright, Executive Director of the ACLU of Mississippi. "Observing police in public are fundamental rights, protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Individuals must know that they can exercise this right without fear of arrest."

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING:
HOW TO HANDLE ENCOUNTERS WITH COPS

Saturday Sept. 25th 1:30pm - 5:30pm

hosted by Redwood Curtain CopWatch

at PARC [Peoples' Action For Rights and Community]

EUREKA
Q St. Alley between 3rd and 2nd St.

ALL AGES
FREE
SNACKS

Call (707) 633-4493 for more info.

In response to a flood of Facebook and YouTube videos that depict police abuse, a new trend in law enforcement is gaining popularity. In at least three states, it is now illegal to record any on-duty police officer.

Even if the encounter involves you and may be necessary to your defense, and even if the recording is on a public street where no expectation of privacy exists.

The legal justification for arresting the "shooter" rests on existing wiretapping or eavesdropping laws, with statutes against obstructing law enforcement sometimes cited. Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland are among the 12 states in which all parties must consent for a recording to be legal unless, as with TV news crews, it is obvious to all that recording is underway. Since the police do not consent, the camera-wielder can be arrested. Most all-party-consent states also include an exception for recording in public places where "no expectation of privacy exists" (Illinois does not) but in practice this exception is not being recognized.

Maryland Citizens Face Felony Charges for Recording Cops

Infowars.com
May 23, 2010

In Maryland, it is a felony to record thuggish cops as they push around skateboarding teenagers, beat sports patrons, and pull guns on motorists for speeding.

“Several Marylanders face felony charges for recording their arrests on camera, and others have been intimidated to shut their cameras off,” reports WJZ 23 in Baltimore.

Maryland cops are using a Maryland law that states conversations in private cannot be recorded without the consent of both people involved in order to go about their business of harassing, intimidating, and assaulting citizens.

WHY WE PROTESTED AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

On Thursday, April 8, 2010, fifteen to twenty community members gathered in the reception area of the District Attorney's office, fourth floor of the courthouse, to address Paul Gallegos regarding a recent incident and the systematic injustice related to that and many other instances.  As you may remember, on March 15th of this year, two people from Redwood Curtain CopWatch were arrested because Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Marsh did not want to be videotaped while he was detaining and searching a man in Eureka.

On April 6, 2010, the two of us who were arrested learned that the DA had not (yet) charged us with any crime related to our arrests.  After we were arrested and in jail, we signed Agreements to Appear in court on April 6th.  When signing an Agreement to Appear, the document informs the signer that if s/he does not appear on that date, s/he can be arrested again.

On April 6, we were not on the court schedule, which means the DA had not yet decided what charges or if he would charge us at all.

WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY!!

NO CHARGES AGAINST COPWATCHERS AFTER BUNK ARRESTS

“In the interest of justice,” the Humboldt County District Attorney, Paul Gallegos, needs to decline from charging Kimberly Starr and Ray Thompson, of Redwood Curtain CopWatch, with any crimes stemming from their March 15, 2010 arrest. We insist that the DA's office today officially put this case to an end. The arrests of Ms. Starr and Mr. Thompson, while they were engaged in copwatch activities (observing and recording police activity), were warrantless, unjustified, and clear violations of their civil liberties. Now , almost a month later, the DA's office continues to say that the case is “pending.”

Feel free to contact us any time day or night.

*Here is our phone number: (707) 633-4493

*Our email address is: copwatchrwc@riseup.net

*You may want to send us a message via
our contact form here.

You can call the phone number anytime, and often someone will answer.  You can also leave as long a message as you want.  If you are witnessing police activity, for instance, you can report to the voice mail what is happening WHILE it is happening- for hours if necessary.  Try to notice and report to us the officers' names and other details.

from their website:  http://westdenvercopwatch.wordpress.com/

....Police are consistently traumatizing and occupying our communities. Something as simple as a video camera, a pen and a pad of paper can significantly help deter the police from violating our community members’ rights.  We collect footage that both holds the police accountable and informs the people of their abuse of power.

Crucial in combatting police abuses is understanding and knowing your rights. However, in no way can this guarantee that violations will still not occur.  We strive to educate the people on their own individual rights and apply them in dealing with close encounters of the po-lice-kind.

By documenting police and collaborating with our communities we can help to establish alternatives to the violent ways of police-folk.  We as communities are more than capable of operating without the presence of a violent occupier that is armed to the teeth and is the most violent gang cruising our streets. 

We encourage every community to establish their own Copwatch in their hood.  The streets are watching!

-West Denver Copwatch

 westdenvercopwatch@riseup.net

September 3, 2009
Craig Smith's family has lived at 1805 2nd Street in Eureka since his grandparents bought the house in 1940. Now, the City of Eureka is threatening their home. Craig Smith, his family and friends and neighbors were present, filming, and opposed to City action when officials, police, and crews with three large earth moving machines arrived on Monday, September 1st. Many neighboring people have been helping clean outside the home, which is the main excuse that the City used to get an inspection and abatement warrant on August 24th. The warrant states that the City can go as far as to demolish the primary residential structure, which was built in the 1850's. Noting the improvements to the house, inside and out, and the public support officials told Craig Smith that he had two more days to clear everything from the outside. No machines were used.

This situation does not happen in isolation. It cannot be interpreted as a code non-compliance issue. Recall the “code enforcement” actions by local government and police Near the water, just south of the Balloon Tract, the Smith property is naturally attractive to local economic interests. The Smith family only recently lost the matriarch and owner of the house, Craig's mother. The family has not even had time to grieve due to the pressure and threat from the City to her/their home.

Witness to a Shooting, Karina Vargas

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=0a328d6a244268cf99a62d5a44668da1

YO! Youth Outlook Multimedia , News feature, VIDEO, AUDIO, Words by Karina Vargas, as told to Josue Rojas, Posted: Feb 20, 2009  

Editor's Note: On New Year's Eve Karina Vargas was on her way back from San Francisco with friends. Little did Vargas know, that as her train stopped at the Fruitvale BART station, she was about to document the death of Oscar Grant. Grant's death has prompted state officials to introduce legislation that would provide oversight for the BART police. Karina Vargas, 19, lives in Hayward and is a receptionist for a mental health clinic. Josue Rojas is an editor at YO! Youth Outlook Multimedia.

CopWatch weekly gatherings will now be every Monday Night at 6:45pm in Eureka

**If you need a ride, directions, want to volunteer or want more information please call the CopWatch Line (707) 633-4493 or send word to copwatchrwc@riseup.net**
 
 
 
Please call or email if you want to get involved in ANY way in movements against the police state and towards building community. There are tons of ways to participate with CopWatch even if you can't make a meeting. We have a lot to do together, and we gotta create many strategies to do it. Get in touch!

WE DO NOT WISH TO INTERFERE,
WE SIMPLY WANT TO OBSERVE
We ALL Have a Right to Observe Police Activity
The right to watch is constitutionally protected activity based on our right to “freedom of assembly” and the people have a right to videotape—if cops are in a public place, cops don’t have a ‘reasonable expectation of privacy’.

We believe that it is crucial to be in the streets letting the police know that the PEOPLE will hold them accountable for their behavior in the community.

We believe that if everyone would STOP, WATCH, OBSERVE (with video, cameras, note taking, or even just watching overtly) police activity, it will prevent police brutality and let the police know that we will not turn a blind eye.  We can work to build a strong, compassionate community by looking out for all people when they are encountered by police.

How To Handle Encounters With 'Law Enforcement'

How To Handle Encounters With 'Law Enforcement'

Friday, March 20th, 1:00pm-5:00pm
at the PARC, Peoples' Action for Rights and Community

Old Town Eureka, 320 2nd Street, between D and E, upstairs in brown wooden complex

Workshop hosted by Redwood Curtain CopWatch
FREE All Ages Welcome Snacks, Coffee, Juice

For more info call: (707)633-4493

Do you know what to do when approached by police?  Or encountered by other government agents?  Do your children know?
Redwood Curtain CopWatch will be hosting a Know Your Rights and CopWatch workshop on January 17, 2009 from 1 to 5:30pm in Old Town Eureka.  This workshop, as with all CopWatch events, is FREE and open to ALL AGES.  We will discuss what rights each of us have and how we can assert them to protect ourselves when dealing with "law enforcement." 
Also, we will share our strategies of watching and documenting the police on the street- another way to protect each other. We hope to create a culture of copwatch, where no one is isolated when in encounters with police; where community members are present in those situations, showing the police that we will not turn away while they harass and hurt people, and that we will hold them (police) accountable.
 
At the workshop, there will be snacks, coffee, and juice.
When:  Saturday January 17, 2009, 1-5:30pm PST
Where:  PARC [Peoples' Action for Rights and Community] 2nd Street, between D and E, upstairs in the wooden complex Old Town, Eureka 
For More Info: (707) 633-4493, copwatchrwc@riseup.net

People all over the country, on October 22nd, will mobilize against police brutality, repression and the criminalization of a generation.  This is the 13th year of this Ocotber 22nd Day of Action.
Behind the Redwood Curtain, we recognize and continue actions into October 23rd. 
We remember Christopher Burgess, who was 16 years old when Eureka Police Department officer Terry Liles chased, shot and killed him on Ocotber 23, 2006.  
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING TO ORGANIZE OCTOBER 22ND AND 23RD DAYS OF ACTION (or want more info) PLEASE CONTACT REDWOOD CURTAIN COPWATCH:  copwatchrwc@riseup.net,  (707)633-4493
 
Please get involved!
 
If you live somewhere outside of the Redwood Curtain, there are probably folks in your region already planning the October 22 Day of Action, and if they aren't, you can INSTIGATE and ORGANIZE!!