Sir, you can't film in here. You cannot film in here. >> What Why is that? >> You cannot film in here. >> Can I Can I ask you why? >> Because it's a government building and you cannot Turn the camera off. >> This is Can we just get your name for the record saying that you were here filming and that's all? >> The officers never expected that the man they were pressuring was a citizen who clearly understood the law and that their own abusive actions could end up exposing them to serious legal consequences. >> Yeah, but they don't >> So, leave me a lot of leeway >> I I under- I I I understand, but they they they're being rude about it and we they don't honestly, sir. >> So, we we talked a little bit just about like the thing that they posted in there about the being, you know, causing a disturbance or whatever. >> What seemed like a simple incident outside a federal post office quickly turned into a tense confrontation where every mistake in the way the law was enforced was exposed in front of the public. Just seconds after the camera appeared, the atmosphere instantly became unbearably tense. And then, sparked by the female employees' aggressive reaction, an unexpected confrontation began. What was it that made them react so intensely? >> Department of Motor Vehicles. I got about three video cameras in use right now. So, they're not a lie. So, this is the DMV for Clayton County here. Let's take a look around. >> Sir, you can't be filming in here. >> I'm sorry. >> You're not supposed to be filming in here. >> Who Who are you? >> I work here. You're not supposed [music] to >> You work here? >> Yeah. >> What Why can't I film in here? >> Cuz you're not allowed to. >> But who Why would that be? This is public area. >> You're not allowed to You're not allowed to be not in here. >> This is a public area. >> I just asked him to stop filming. Sir, you can't film in here. You're not filming in here. >> What Why is that? >> You're not filming in here. >> Um Can I ask you Can I Can I ask you why? >> Because it's a government building and you cannot Turn the camera off. >> This is not a I mean, you You started talking to me, ma'am. [music] I'm just minding my business trying to I'm a journalist. If you'd asked me what I'm [clears throat] doing here >> Then you take the camera off of me now. >> I'm a journalist, ma'am. >> I don't want you to erase that cuz you had me on camera and I don't want you >> Because you guys are coming up to the camera. I'm minding my own business. I'm not trying to cause any trouble. No, I'm not. I'm recording I'm recording these. Okay. Call the police then, ma'am. Call the Call the police. >> After calling the police, the female employee suddenly left her desk and began closely following the man as if she were watching a dangerous suspect. But just as the tension reached its peak, it was the strangely evasive behavior of the man who appeared moments later that made the situation even more unsettling. >> Stick around now? >> Yep. >> Oh. >> The police department is on the way. >> I'm not breaking any laws, ma'am. >> Yes, you are. >> What law is that, ma'am? >> The police will inform you of the laws. >> Okay. There is no law against filming in a public area, ma'am. >> filming in a government center. >> It's called It's called freedom of press, ma'am. Have you ever heard of it before? >> Have you ever heard of I don't want my face on your stupid Facebook? >> So, why would you want to put your face on the That's >> Because you're following us now. >> I'm not You're following me. You're following I wasn't even recording you or your staff. I was recording the the outer of the building. I'm a journalist. I saw your a >> Say again? >> Are you a supervisor? >> Mike Zerlo is the head of this building and he is not here. >> Supervisor what? >> A supervisor in this building. >> Of the Veterans Office? >> Oh, okay. I thought since you came out here and you're looking, I thought you might have been >> see what you mean. I mean, I will go get him. I'll go get him. >> Can Can you get me somebody who's in charge of the building? >> Absolutely. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. I can wait for him or her. >> Can you stay with him? >> Yeah. >> Cuz I called city PD. >> Okay. >> No, ma'am, I'm not going to go anywhere. I've nothing to hide. And plus, even if I did, there's nothing that they can do to stop me from leaving anyway. >> [laughter] >> All right. Well, while we wait for the police, I'm going to do uh I'm going to handle more of my business. I'll be in the County Clerk's office. >> You cannot tape in the County Clerk's office, you can't. >> I have to do a FOIL I have to do a FOIL request. That's part of my story. So. Are you familiar with the with freedom of press, the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, ma'am? Are you familiar with that? So, what law do you think you're going to you and your coworkers are going to be pressing charges about today? Recording in public? That's the law? Okay. Hopefully the police will come here and educate you guys. So, we'll wait for the police and then when once they get here and they clear this all up, we'll do our FOIL request. And uh then our job will be done here. We get to educate some people today, which is always >> After the tense confrontation inside the building, the arrival of police seemed like it would finally calm everything down, but no one expected the conversation that followed to push the atmosphere into an even more intense direction. Hi, officer. >> Yes, I spoke to the officer. >> Hi, how are you? >> How are you? >> I'm doing well. I'm just a uh independent journalist. I'm just filming in the publicly accessible areas of the building. Um I'm working on a story. [music] >> Okay. >> I'm also doing some uh a FOIL request, a Freedom of Information Law request. So. That's it. >> All right. >> How are you? >> Good, thanks. >> Can I just get your name and badge number, sir? >> What's that? >> Can I just get your name and badge number? >> Moore, 834. >> Thank you so much. How you doing, fellas? >> How are you? >> I'm doing I'm doing well. It's a constitutionally protected activity. >> I'm an EMT. I got your email. >> I'm a public servant. I can be filmed. >> What's that? >> Are you a public servant? Do you wear a state uniform? >> I'm an EMT. We cannot have people taping private information in there. >> That's not true. >> People are taking tests. >> That's not true. It's public. >> If he's interrupting >> Okay. >> procedures that are taking place, you have to leave if you interrupt them. >> I'm not interrupting anything, sir. She knows that. She Like Like her Like she just told you and like the superintendent told you, the only reason why they called you is because I'm filming in public, and which you seem to know is a constitutionally protected activity. >> This is a public building. >> Exactly. So, that's that's why they're upset. I'm I'm here to do lawful business. I'm not getting anybody's way. I'm staying in the outskirts of everything. I'm not I'm putting my camera in anybody's face. She came up to me. She came up to me saying, "What are you doing? You can't record." As I'm filming just documents here. I'm a journalist. I disseminate this information to the public. That's all I'm doing here. >> Can we just get your name for the record saying that you were here filming and that's it? >> Oh, I'm not going to unless I'm breaking the law. I don't give any type of identification, sir. I don't I'm not breaking any law. I'd rather not. Ma'am, you came up to me. So, they all came up to me and it's all proven. I'm I'm not here to start any problem. No, I would I'm in a publicly accessible area just like like if they say I can't put my camera this way, that doesn't really make any sense. >> The conversation with police seemed to be calming down until one short question suddenly made the atmosphere razor tense. And from that moment on, the line between routine police work and abuse of power became the center of intense controversy. >> I'm not being detained or anything, right? >> No. >> I'm not being detained or anything. >> Stay hang out with me for a couple minutes. >> So, I'm being detained? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> All right. Just cuz they're making some allegations against you. >> All right. That's I mean, but before before you execute a warrantless arrest, I'm willing to show you the video to show you I didn't harass anybody or do anything of that nature just so you know. >> Did anybody say anything about an arrest? I'm asking you to hang out with me. >> Well, being being detained, officer, is a de facto arrest. >> Well, >> you know that. >> In a way. >> It's a de facto arrest cuz you're taking away my liberty to move freedom of movement. >> You're not incorrect, but just asking you to bear with me here for a few minutes, all right? >> Yeah, I I understand you're detaining me. That's fine. So, let me make sure let's get the time. 7:30 >> After tense moments that seemed like they could lead to an arrest right on the spot, the situation suddenly took a turn no one expected, and that shift alone began casting serious doubt on the original accusations. >> What's the deal? Am I Am I not being detained anymore? I'm free to I'm free to go and carry about my business? Thank you, sir. Appreciate that. >> Just Just understand that if you cause an issue in there that >> Yeah, I would never would never do that. >> Don't disrupt their business or stuff like that and >> Would never do that. >> Potentially you could get banned if you do. >> Okay, I would never do that. >> All right. >> Yep, and you, too. No arrest was ever made, but what unfolded inside that building became a disturbing warning that a society grows dangerous when ignorance of the law and abuse of power are placed above freedom, respect, and human dignity. Next, with nothing more than a camera and a few minutes inside a federal post office, the atmosphere suddenly became unusually tense. No one expected that a regulation hanging right on the wall was about to ignite a highly controversial confrontation. >> All right, let's see how it goes. Shout out to Fake Mike Real News and CPR Audits. Also Ready Universal TV. Oh, yeah. >> Give me one second, officer. >> Yeah, here you go. >> The park the front way. It's been kind of a slow morning. We haven't had too much activity that really stops the opening. >> But like the trust you guys today like the machines and stuff. >> Oh, yeah, I agree. >> No matter where you put our machines >> It's like really >> Sorry. Yes. Yes, we are. I read the rules. I can show you the rules. Can you Can you get For news purposes. Here we go. >> [laughter] >> Hi, are you the supervisor? Okay, so slow down. Can you first help us by getting us the posters? Okay, so let me explain. Please. Can you get the We're trying to explain to you, but you're cutting me off. Ma'am. Ma'am. No. Ma'am, the rules say that we can record for news purposes. You're going >> Instead of ending quickly, the confrontation inside the post office suddenly became more intense than ever. As clearly posted regulations continued to be ignored, many began wondering what was really behind the employees aggressive reaction. >> Ma'am, look at the rules. Poster 7, you should know this. It's on the wall. Why are you speaking on? Why you >> speaking to us? The news is allowed to come here. It's on the wall. It's on the wall. It's poster seven. Are you kidding me? Look, it's right here on the wall. It's right here. Poster seven. Photographs for news purposes may be taken in entrances, lobbies, foyers, corridors, or auditoriums when used for public meetings, except where prohibited. It's not prohibited. >> Well, there's more coming. >> Well, we can we can nicely refuse. I'm trying to explain to her we're working on for news purposes and the rules are on the wall. She doesn't want to look. She doesn't want to listen. I can I can nicely show you, sir. The rules are on the wall. We're not we're interfering. >> Would you mind just doing this outside with me so we don't >> Yeah, we don't we we would never interfere with with the job. We're working on a video about the post office. They said that they can talk to us. We weren't trying to talk to them. We were just filming and asking people about We're asking people about their experience here at the post office. It says right here, sir. On poster seven, it says rules and regulations on how to be behave yourself in in the post office and there's a section for photographs. So, it says photographs for news purposes may be taken in entrances, lobbies, foyers, corridors, or auditoriums. That includes all of this unless it's a prohibited area. You know? >> So, we're going outside. >> So, unless it's a prohibited area, then we can. But for news purposes, we can because this is a this is the federal post office. It's not a private place, and uh we have we have all our legal right to exercise our first amendment as long as we're not interfering with the business. >> They asked you guys to leave. >> Yeah, but they don't >> leave me a lot of legal room. >> I I I I I understand >> Right after the highly controversial 911 call, the arrival of police made the atmosphere outside the post office more tense than ever. But then, the unexpected reactions from people nearby suddenly pushed the entire situation in a direction no one saw coming. >> But they they they're being rude about it, and we they don't honestly, sir, we don't want to be rude about anything here. But they uh Not only not only we want Yeah, not only we want to conduct business, but sir, they don't have that privilege of telling us to to leave because they have uh this is not a private place. This and we're not interfering, and we're at work. This is our job. They're actually interfering with our um with our uh journalistic investigation. We're working together, and we're not bothering anyone. So there's no reason that the police should be here, you know? >> Well, they're here because cuz they called. >> Because they did they >> a 911 call, that's why we're >> I know. We were telling her not to >> Regardless of what your opinion is of whether that whether we should be here or not >> I know that it's their fault because they called they I understand. They called 911. >> Usually how this works is a postal marshal shows up. >> Who are you? >> Oh, I I was >> He was here. He saw it. >> I saw the whole thing, but usually they call the postal marshal because there's a the feds. >> Say that again. >> They called us. We're supposed to call them. >> I know. The police doesn't have I mean, with all due respect, the police doesn't have unless there's like an immediate crime going on, the police doesn't doesn't have authority in this. >> take this higher on a federal level. And then and then the feds, here we are. Then the feds >> But he doesn't He knows it's their fault because they called 911. >> They don't They're They're not educated. >> Are you you're with them or are >> No. No, we don't know him. >> Well, I'm trying to like help >> But he ain't he agrees. >> I my my family actually started Arkansas. Like I related to Thomas Jefferson and he founded Arkansas way back. So, Thomas Jefferson is >> With all due respect, I don't I'm not here for his free lesson. I'm here for these >> [laughter] >> two. So, you're free to do whatever it is you want to do, but I'm here talking to these two, okay? >> It's supposed to be on a federal level. >> Okay, I appreciate >> The conversation continued. At first, it seemed like the arrival of police would quickly bring the situation to an end, but instead, everything became more confusing than ever. And as a series of awkward statements began to surface, many were left wondering whether the officers truly understood even the most basic legal regulations. >> So, we make sure never to do that. We try to keep it cool, stay uh professional. And a lot of people usually don't agree. But, that's the reason we're doing this. Cuz you guys um swore to protect the Constitution when you became police officers. >> I'm going to go talk to him and see if we can find out. >> Thanks. >> Um Check the public record. What's out there is so freaky. >> But you can request to have stuff removed. >> You can. Yeah. >> But it just pops up every time you look for something online. >> Mhm. >> Every time you go to the pizza place and give them your phone number, they sell all that info. >> It's taking up your time here. Okay. The owner name is United States Postal Service. That's what's on the the county assessor. >> Okay. >> You know, thanks for waiting. All right. We'll figure it out. >> Time. >> Okay, that was good. You're welcome. What about you guys? Anything else for you today? >> No, I'll do it. You have a nice day. >> This doesn't fit me at all. >> You guys don't leave us a lot of options, you know? Like when they ask you guys to leave, we don't know what else to expect from us, you know? >> Well, I I can tell you, sir. With all due respect, I I expect for you to tell inform them. I don't know if you already did cuz I see that you're leaving, but >> Oh, we're not leaving. I'm just I'm trying to get out of the business so that they can keep doing what they're doing. I was going to make a phone call to them. >> Okay. Well, sir, I mean I with all due respect, you're a police officer. You should be able to handle this this situation yourself. This is something that my daughter knows, you know? This is just This is the basics. >> Who said that? >> You did. You said the post office police should be here. >> Well, well, yeah, but but you're the ones that are here right now and you're the one law enforcers that are >> We're on cameras. We're used to cameras. >> All right. Have a good day, man. >> After a series of tense phone calls, the officer's attitude suddenly began to change. And then, one newly confirmed piece of information left everyone stunned. >> Hey guys. How's it going? Can I talk to this guy out here? >> Yeah, cool. >> Okay. >> So, it's it is strange. Federal thing versus the local PD thing. Careful. >> I've done this a a thousand times. >> Good? >> [laughter] >> Okay. Want to call fire for you guys. >> Well, no fire here. >> Uh it's really echoey, so let's go. >> Okay. So, that your phones can pick this up. >> All right. >> Okay. So, we we talked a little bit just about like the thing that they posted in there about the being, you know, We're not a disturbance or whatever. >> Correct, which we weren't. >> I'm not accusing you of that, so I just just just be mindful of that if you're going to go in and film. There are unspoken time, place, and manner restrictions. Like if Officer Carroll is at the register and I'm filming her while she has her credit card out, that could be a problem. >> Correct, we would never do that. >> Okay, and again, not accusing you of that, but I want you to be aware that those those things are in place. They may or may not be putting some some signage out later restricting those different locations where they want you to film or where they can't film. >> We've heard this a thousand times. I understand you're trying to >> I just I'm not I don't want to have a debate with you. I just want to tell you what I learned, okay? >> I appreciate it. >> First and foremost, I was educated on this call because I made some phone calls to people that knew a little bit more about the interaction between you know, the local PDs and the federal government and whatever, so um you guys are good to be here. Just please don't cause a disturbance >> uh >> to interrupt the flow >> At this point at this point no, I we we know that. We know that. We would never. Um at this point since you're already here and these people we have we have them on video proof that they lied to the police about disturbances, about video record you know, they were wrong the whole way. We would like to get uh their information because we also have the right to to complain on this and the person that's in charge right here is the one that that's wrong and I doubt that they that I'm going to get that. So, if I don't know if anyone can give me a business card. >> in there. What what >> I just want to I just want to get just want to get the the lady's name that called the police. >> Can she How about a business card? >> Sure. >> Is that sufficient? >> Sure. >> Okay. Do you have any other questions? >> Um no. No. Oh, yes, actually I do. What's the Third Amendment? You don't have to tell me the whole thing, just briefly. >> get your business card. Hold on. >> Do you know the Third Amendment? No? What about you? >> I >> Do you know the >> The incident came to an end with no violations ever established, but it also exposed a troubling lack of legal understanding and a highly questionable response from the very people tasked with enforcing the law. Citizens can [music] sue police under Section 1983 when their rights are violated. Officers who violate those rights may [music] face compensation payouts, disciplinary action, or even termination. A fair society doesn't just require citizens [music] to understand the law. It also demands that those who enforce it act with responsibility, knowledge, and respect for basic human freedoms. Hey everyone. What do you think about this situation? If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and support us with a donation. Thank you so much. >> [music]