What's your name? >> My name is right here. Right here. >> Your name is not right here. Your mother didn't name you right here. You're not married into the right here family. What's your name? I got 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 people with guns surrounding me for taking pictures in public. I didn't ask for help. >> I didn't ask none of y I didn't approach none of y'all and ask for help. >> I want somebody to teach with prior restraint. When engaging with law enforcement in public spaces, citizens have the constitutional right to record police activities as demonstrated by the activists encounter at the 26th precinct in Harlem under the first amendment as established in Glick Verskunf 2011. The right to record police officers performing their duties in a public space is protected. The activist's recording of police vehicles was met with initial hostility with officers questioning his actions and flashing a light at his camera, which he correctly identified as an attempt at prior restraint. By calmly asserting his rights and citing legal principles, he educated the officers on the spot, highlighting that recording is a protected activity absent any criminal intent. >> Are you good? >> Why you flashing your flashlight at me? >> Why you good? >> I want to know what's up. You checking the van over there now. You coming over here? You trying to car? What happened? >> What's your name? >> How are you? >> Officer Carol. >> How are you? >> I'm good. How are you? >> What are you doing? >> What's your name? Who are you? >> Who am I? What are you doing? Why are you looking inside the the vine? >> You know what prior restraint is? >> Why are you looking in there? Why are you looking inside the van? >> Do you know what prior restraint is? >> It doesn't matter. >> I'm asking you. Are you >> Why are you looking inside the van? >> Help. >> That's what I'm asking you. cuz you was over there looking at the van looking at this car. So, I'm asking you, what's the problem? Do you need help? >> Yeah. Yeah. Can you answer my question for me? >> Do you know what? >> I need to answer your questions. I'm asking you, do you need help? Are you good? >> Yes or no? >> Sir, you need help? Yes or no? Are you going to move on? What are we doing? >> Sergeant. Is there a sergeant here? >> Do you need help? Yes or no? >> Is there a sergeant here? >> Why? Why do you need a sergeant for? >> Okay, because I want to see who's in charge. >> It doesn't matter who's in charge. >> I want somebody to teach you what prior restraint is. You don't what business you have with that advant I find you looking inside it. What are you looking for? >> Okay. >> Are you trying to help? >> How can I help you? What's up? How can I help you? >> I didn't ask you for help. I didn't make contact with you. You make contact with me. >> Work on police vehicles. Inspecting them. What is your property? >> Okay. It's public property. It's public property. You want to have attitude? I can have attitude, too. I didn't want to talk to you. >> What's wrong? What do you mean? What's your >> You don't even know what private restraint is. >> I'm in. Sir, excuse me. What's the problem? I got 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 nine people with guns surrounding me for taking pictures in public. I didn't ask you for help. >> I didn't ask none of y I didn't approach none of y'all and ask for help. >> Do you need help? >> No, I don't. I need you to protect my rights in public. I need you to only owe to the Constitution. I don't want to have to beg you to do your job the proper way. >> But I'm asking you help. You said >> Yeah. Can you teach her what private restraint is? >> I'm asking you. >> Yeah, I do. Can you teach her what prior restraint is? >> I don't know what that means. That means when you flash your flashlight in my camera for a prolonged period of time, you're violating my rights because you're prohibiting me from recording. That's private restraint. >> That's called private restraint. >> Okay. So, are we done? >> Once you see I'm not a threat to you, you don't flash your flashlight in my camera. >> A lot of people get close to the door. >> Stop it. Cut it out. What's next? EDP. You want to try to EDP me next? >> I don't know. Maybe. I don't know. >> You wasn't even out here. So, how you seen anything? And everything's on camera. >> And everything's on camera. >> I was in the vehicle. >> What's your name and badge number? Let me get your card. >> Your name is right here. That's what you tell the judge. Let me go to court >> for the record. What's your name? >> My name is right here. Right here. >> Your name is not right here. Your mother didn't name you right here. You're not married into the right here family. What's your name? >> You're bugging out. >> I'm bugging out. But you made contact with me. You didn't want to identify yourself properly. You're not proud of your name. >> You're not proud of your name, sir. >> That's okay. You can record whatever. >> You know what the right to know act is? I need his card, >> sir. >> That's a law. >> We're going to move on from this. >> I didn't approach y'all. Y'all approaching me. >> We ask you simple questions. You want to keep recording, right? >> I do. I want to keep recording. >> Oh, no. What are we doing right now? >> I don't know what y'all doing. I know what I'm doing. >> I know what you're doing. >> I'm exercising my voice right freely in public. Yeah. >> If you if you could record the car and I could. >> We're just concerned that someone was going to try to break. >> That's fine. But you approached me with respect. You approached me disrespectful. Surround me. I I did. >> I have the right to ask for all y business cards cuz your body cams are on. >> I did I did I not approach you respectfully? >> You did. She came in high attitude. He's standing close to me. >> Recall or you are just watch and record. Okay. All right. >> There you go. There you go, Sergeant. I appreciate you. Can you teach me what private restraint is, Sergeant? >> I do have to move the car though, sir. >> That's fine. I will not include you. >> Okay, sir. >> Communication is key. I will not impede nobody's business. >> I'm not following you. I'll go to the driver door. >> Following me isn't a crime. Can I your car, please? It's a law. It's the right to know. >> Sure. >> You don't have just, you know, tell piece of paper. >> You know how much money we spend a year so that all of y'all can have cards? We spend a lot of money so that you guys can have this card. >> You know, with our salary, too. You know, we pay for we pay. >> Where do you get Where do you get the money for your salary from? >> I pay tax. But where do you get your money to pay taxes from? >> That's not that you were a part of your father. >> Where do you get your who pays your salary? Where do you get the money from? >> But the money has to come from somewhere. It comes from us first. >> I know my wife, my father, my mom. >> They give you They give you their money so you can >> of course I pay into a salary and I pay the welfare system, too. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Of course. >> You ever been on welfare? >> No. I pay to support his welfare, right? >> Have you ever been on welfare? >> I don't plan on to. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I just wonder why you bring up welfare. Anyway, just try to have a better night. Okay. >> Oh, I was having a great night. I was trying to avoid this whole thing. That's why I was walking away from you. >> Okay. >> The activist's confrontation with officer Caros revealed a misunderstanding of prior restraint, a critical legal concept protecting free expression under the precedent set in Near Veto, Minnesota 1931. Prior restraint occurs when the government attempts to prevent speech or expression before it occurs. When officer Carol directed a flashlight at the activist's camera to obstruct recording, she inadvertently violated this principle, which the activist swiftly pointed out. By challenging her actions and requesting a sergeant to clarify the law, he demonstrated how citizens can hold officers accountable in real time. His insistence on obtaining business cards under the Right to Know Act, further emphasized the need for transparency, compelling officers to identify themselves, and reinforcing that public servants must operate within legal boundaries. >> I need your card, sir. >> I got you. I got you. >> I need your card. >> Look, can you remind me what the right to know act is? That's a law. Means I have the right to know who you guys are. >> Ke look much prettier when you smile. Thank you. >> How long you been on the force? >> Doesn't matter. >> I'll find it. It's public knowledge. 50-8. When your name real fast, I will. >> I'm just Thank you. I second. >> Look at the back. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't have my second amendment, unfortunately. I wish I did. You can't even get So, you know how hard it is to get your Second Amendment in five burrows >> outside of New York upstate. You can open carry. No problem. >> You can open carry a rifle upstate. >> No problem. The city is very hard. >> You can't even come from Texas with your weapon into the city. >> No. >> Sad sad world we live in. Texas is full second amendment. >> Oh yeah. 100%. Have a good night. >> Thank you. You too. God bless you. >> Again, you're allowed to report the police cars. We were just concerned of someone breaking into >> That's fine. It's happened plenty of times. >> Suspicion is fine. You can come ask me questions. That's fine. But you you do it with with with courtesy, professionalism, and respect, not hostility surround me. Like, >> so I don't know where that comes from. >> That that happened. >> It's all right. >> I asked you nicely and you were running away from me. >> Yeah. Because I didn't want to talk to you. >> I don't have to speak, but she was doing something. I left you alone this whole time you were working around this van. >> That was great. Yeah. >> And then I saw you come over here. So now I'm worried. I'm concerned. I'm asking you, are you okay? Is there a problem? >> And then you you run from me. Okay. >> Okay. So, the she >> was concerned for you. My partner came. >> Can I ask you a question? At what point do Americans have to speak to the police? >> You don't have to anymore. >> Never. I never had to speak to you ever. >> You don't. >> So, that was my choice. I didn't want to I didn't want to speak to you guys. I just want to record peacefully in public. >> Make sure you're okay, too. >> You know what? Cuz a lot of a lot of police say, "Oh, he's just an antagonizer. He's looking for He's looking for a rise." So, that's why I don't talk to y'all. I just walk away. I walk around recording peacefully and I try to avoid the contact because I don't want to fall into that stigma that he's one of those people. You know what I mean? >> I just record peacefully. >> I don't think you're one of those people. >> No, no, no. I'm peaceful. That's why when I see up here, I just don't talk until you remember your deescalation training. Then then we can have a conversation. You know what I mean? >> Sometimes it's confusing when I see all these people that swore to protect my rights surround me for constitutionally protected activity. I understand it's night time. But if you don't see me like jiggling to the car or like trying to break the car, you just see me walking around the cars, filming them, that's not a crime. >> No, >> you can still you can still come up and ask questions, that's fine. But I don't have to talk to you, you know. >> So, I appreciate the deescalation. And I hope you guys have a safe night, too. >> I'm going to go inside and get a CCB complaint form. Take care. I'm not going to hold you. She was cute until she started being a little bit tyrannical and she calmed down a little bit. [Music] She put good activism in the 26th precent. >> Excuse me. You could record outside here. Okay. >> Why not, man? You didn't even ask me if I need help. Shouldn't that be your first line of question? Hi, do you need help? How are you? >> Are you at the front desk? >> Yes. >> Can I get a CCR complaint for your business card, please? >> Give me your business card. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Why? You don't even know who I am. >> Can I get an ID then? >> No, I'm okay. I just want to complain for him. Takes 2 seconds >> and I'll be on my way. >> Thank you, sir. >> Yeah. He wants to go see the game. >> I want I just want the paper. >> I just want the paper so I can be on my way. >> Sir, can you stop recording? You're not allowed to record. >> We You don't even know where I am. >> You're not. >> There's one person in America that can record. >> You have any documents showing that you're allowed to record? >> I wish that we could just have a cordial conversation without the the ego coming up and trying. >> So why so why not speak to me like a human? I immediately try to exert authority over >> you're recording. >> Okay, that's fine. You're recording right now in the precinct. >> I record the precinct. >> You know that we took that to court, right? >> And you took that take that camera, please. >> I just want my CCRV so I can be on my way. I don't plan on being here forever. >> Can you give him all the information CCR? >> You don't have the form so I can fill it out. Send it in the in the mail. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And can I get your card, please? >> What's that? Your card. >> Thank you. You don't know that we took those signs. That policy, it's not even a law. It's a policy. >> I understand. >> Right. >> We took that to court. >> That's what I'm saying. We could You could record all you want. >> We took it to court. >> Yes. >> And he ruled in our favor. You guys are You guys appealed it. And right now, there's only one person that can record in precinct. >> Is that you? >> Could be. >> Interesting. >> Right. But if I'm here to conduct business, why not? >> If I'm here to conduct business, why not help me with my business so I could leave? Why? Why try to exert authority? Did I give it to you? What victims are you trying to protect? There's no victims here. There's nobody here. Just deal with me so I can leave. >> Have a good night, Serge. >> No problem. You too. >> Oh, is that it? >> Yeah. >> Oh, thank you. I appreciate it. God bless you. Where's this going to be at? >> What's that? >> Central Park. Where's that at? >> Central Park. >> Belle. I never been there. Bathroom 7. >> All right. Okay. When do you guys do you know when's your when's your meetings? >> These guys mail he >> No, I was giving you the phone number. >> When is your public meetings? >> You're going to have to call. I don't know. >> Is it like the third Thursday? Second. >> Every Wednesday. Every third or second Wednesday of the month. >> It's here. >> But it's on the website. >> Is it here? >> No. In this precinct, they do it somewhere else. And on the website, it tells you the date, where it's going to be located, >> and we can record those meetings, right? >> All right. God bless you. Take care. >> In the precinct, the activist's request for a CCB complaint, foreman, and officer business cards highlighted the importance of the Right to Know Act in fostering police accountability. Under New York City's local law 1119 of 2017, officers are required to provide their name, rank, and command on a business card during certain interactions. Despite initial resistance and an erroneous claim that recording inside the precinct was prohibited, the activist's knowledge of court rulings affirming this right forced officers to comply. By deescalating the situation and educating officers about their obligations, he showcased how informed citizens can navigate confrontations to uphold transparency and ensure law enforcement adheres to legal standards. Like and subscribe for more police cam stories. Watch the next recommended video. Click to watch now.