I don't need any other help then. Why not? Okay. So, he doesn't want to press charges, but he wants to bar you from the property. So, with that said, in order for me to do that, I need to get your ID. So Police demand an ID. The cameraman says there's no legal basis, and from that moment on, a confrontation over power begins. Because I'm definitely allowed to take videos of government property. Yeah. So, that that's exactly the reason I'm out here. So, I'm asking you nicely, let's work together. All I'm going to do is fill you out a barment notice saying you're not allowed to come on the property, and I'm going to give it right back to you. When the right to record meets law enforcement authority, the line between maintaining order and abusing power becomes dangerously thin. A man quietly stands outside the gate of Lockheed Martin in Ocala, holding a camera pointed toward the tightly secured facility. Within minutes, wary eyes begin to appear, and the situation quickly turns tense. There's a copper right down here. No trespassing. This is serious business. Government contractors. You know they're working on something underhanded here. Suspicious [snorts] eyes begin to appear around the facility's gate. A few employees slow down and watch closely. The presence of the camera clearly makes them uncomfortable, and just minutes later, a police car pulls in, setting the stage for a tense confrontation. Morning. You got a 50 to spot me? Yeah. I don't need any other help then. Why not? This is? Oh, yeah, that's exactly why I'm out here because I'm definitely allowed to take videos of government property. Yeah. So, that that's exactly the reason I'm out here. Where? On this property? Well, I I'm a resident of the state of Florida, if that's what you mean, sure. Have I committed a crime? No, I I don't carry um ID on me while I'm walking. I usually leave it in my vehicle since that's the only time I need it. Am I doing anything illegal? I'm I'm on public property, right? Right away. There's no sidewalk. Well, what does that have to do with public property? Um probably 5 10 more minutes at the most. Man, it's hot out here. No, I'm just I go around the government installations, city halls, police departments, juvenile detention I was at Marion County jail this morning and the juvenile detention center this morning about an hour ago. Go around public property, take photographs. That's it. Um it's for my own personal use. So. Um I I do independent pieces, and then whoever picks them up, they're usually public interest stories. Journalists sort of like a webinar type deal, education more so, you know, First Amendment. The conversation between the two begins to reveal some interesting details. Questions are asked one after another, but what stands out most is how the cameraman explains his purpose. And just a few minutes later, the exchange suddenly takes a completely different turn. So, while I'm out in public photographing, I should never be confronted, harassed, accosted. You know what I mean? It'd be the same way if uh you know, killed concealed concealed weapons carry. It's a right, you know? We don't stop everybody on the street and make sure they have their license. You know? Cuz it's a right. So, we shouldn't be accosted while we're um you know, exercising our rights. So, if I'm on a public right away and I'm taking pictures in public, I there shouldn't be a problem. Cuz that's the law, right? Uh you do a YouTube account. Mhm. Rogue Nation. Um I've been doing First Amendment audits probably about 2 months. Yeah. Yeah. Some of them are good, some of them are bad. Uh no, I do Leesburg, Lake County, Sumter County, Orange County. I'll be in Seminole County probably tomorrow doing juvenile justice center there. So, yeah, I'm I move around. Yeah, well, I mean Well, we we you know, there's there's there's other people that go around and do it. Uh Big Nick in South Florida. So, I I just uh I'm just, you know, doing my little area and making sure that everybody is uh you know, doing what they're supposed to be. There's transparency. Any kind of government operation is funded by me, by you in your personal capacity when you're off duty as well. Uh any private citizen is a member of the body the politic, and uh and it's our right to question and uh document what our workers do. Just like any other boss, you know, just like the That's right. Cuz your your boss knows how important it is to document what his employees do, cuz if not, they will probably run amok as with any business. Yeah. Well, most likely. I've never met a business that didn't have a boss and the employees didn't run amok, you know? The conversation becomes more open, but the sense of caution is still there. After a few minutes of discussion, the officer seems to make a decision, and what happens next surprises many people. 57 uh yeah, sometimes they're ID numbers, sometimes they're badge numbers. Okay. Well, thank you, sir. Have a blessed day. The conversation ends calmly. No further action is taken, and the cameraman leaves the area after accomplishing his objective. Citizens may file a lawsuit against police under Section 1983 if their rights are violated. Officers who violate those rights could face financial liability and may also be subject to discipline or termination. Up next, what seemed like a quiet morning at a juvenile detention center in Alexandria quickly became something more noticeable when a man with a camera began observing the area around the facility. Warehouse deliveries only. No unauthorized people behind beyond that point there. So, basically, you can come in. There's parking here. Um probably got to get buzzed in one of these areas here in order to visit with your with your kids if your kid's locked up here and uh the Northern Virginia Regional Detention Center here. So. Not a lot of people working today. >> [sighs] >> Um You know, it's just a holiday or whatever, but obviously they have to keep the air on in detention facilities like this. So, uh today this is pretty much what we'll be doing. We'll be going around to some jails and some sheriff's offices um police departments, that kind of thing. Uh stuff that they can't shut down because it's a holiday. So, um we're excited to uh to to begin. And uh hopefully today will be a good day. Can't really see anything here. So, this is probably where you got to come in. After surveying the entire exterior of the facility, the cameraman moves closer to capture more detailed footage. But just minutes later, his presence begins to attract attention from inside the building. So. Looks like it's a not not that big of a facility. I'm not sure if this is like uh staff housing or maybe it's school or Can I help you with something, sir? No, I'm fine. Thank you. >> Okay, but this property is private. It's actually public. It's a juvenile detention center for Virginia. Yeah, it's >> I How can I help you, sir? I'm just doing a story. I'm a journalist. I just came out here to get some b-roll footage of the outside of the facility. Perhaps you could help me. Uh how big is the facility? About how many people does it hold? I'm not going to answer all that, but can I help you with something? I just asked you for help. You're not going to do all that. Okay. Thank you. So, [snorts] he asked me to help me, but then he didn't want to provide any help. Seems to be par for course for the uh for the uh the folks that work public public sector jobs. So. Got City of Alexandria showing up here. See what they have to say. City of Alexandria. The brief conversation ends quickly as the person from inside the facility returns to the building. But just minutes later, the sound of an approaching vehicle signals that this story isn't over yet. Good, nice parking job. What's that? Good parking job. Appreciate it. Yeah, a lot of times they just pull in with however however they like. No, there's plenty of parking. >> I know, sir. Officer Shipman, Alexandria PD. How are you? How How is that? Officer Shipman. Shipman? Shipman. Shipman. Yes, sir. Do you have a badge number, sir? 2475. 2475. Thank you. Yeah, they just called us about about filming or making a movie in the parking lot. I'm I'm actually part of the news and he came out to ask me and I told him what I was doing. I'm a journalist. This is a publicly accessible parking lot. >> Yeah. I'm totally allowed to be here and film. I asked him a question. He turned around, he went back inside. Here's my card. It's a news agency. I'm I'm actually the owner of it. We're on five, six different platforms. So, it's totally legit. I go all over the country doing it. So, um I I don't know why he called instead of just conversing with me. >> that they just do that. Yeah. Well, I better safe than sorry, right? Yeah. Yeah, pretty much. I mean as I was pulling up, you know, obviously like you know, I cannot know all the locations in the city. So, I just checked there's no no trespassing sign. >> Restricted access, yes. Makes it a public property. Absolutely. Well, plus it's owned by the >> of privacy obviously that you can you can do all you want. But you know, once again, and you know, there's going to be couple more units pulling pulling in only because it's a slow day and everybody wanted to jump on the on the call to search [laughter] the land. So, it's not like you know you're in trouble. Code five, code five. Exactly. No, it's like Yeah. You know. Well, it's the 5th of July. Everybody there's nothing It's like a ghost town. >> Exactly. Once again, that's the usual take that way. Yeah, well, I knew it was Yeah, I knew it was slow today. >> [laughter] >> Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, might as well. I mean, you got, you know And then plus you never know when you'll need back up. You never know. You know, like you say, people uh are crazy these days. They they really are. That all the drugs uh bath salts and flakka and oh man, people people can get crazy for sure. After a few minutes of discussion, the situation doesn't seem too tense. However, the arrival of another officer quickly shifts the conversation in a completely different direction. But >> your hand. Uh let me give you a elbow bump cuz >> No elbow bump. Okay, no problem. >> Cuz cuz COVID. Let me explain to you what's going on. Obviously uh so, the officer has uh I couldn't >> [snorts] >> Just pulling up. I couldn't think of your last name. Sorry, dude. So, this other officer has been talking to you trying to figure out what you're up to, which is, you know, I don't care if you record. This is America. You can walk freely pretty much wherever you want. However, I'm pretty sure you're aware that this is it's not noted no trespassing. However, it is noted as private property. Would you agree with that? Where? Right there at the beginning of this entrance to the parking lot. It says private property? Yeah. No, it doesn't. >> but I'm pretty sure it says private. >> I always check. Yeah, this is uh these things on the light pole are for parking. That's uh if you park here, you'll get towed, but there's no private property sign here. Private parking only. No parking. >> Yep, parking. I'm not parked here. >> me ask you this. With it saying private parking, >> Uh-huh. do you think that a reasonable person could surmise that this is private property? Yes or no? No. And I'll tell you the reason why because it's for authorized It says unauthorized vehicles. So, if my kid was here and I wanted to come visit, would I be allowed to park here? Okay. Let me ask you this. What was your interaction with the gentleman that came out and spoke with you? >> He came up. He said um he said, "What are you doing?" I said, "I'm a journalist. I'm gathering content on a story." Okay. >> He said, "Can I help you?" I said um I just would like to know how many uh you know, people the facility can hold. He said, "I'm not going to answer that." He turned around, he walked back inside. That was our interaction. Okay. He is stating, okay, that he asked you to leave. He said he advised you that this was private property, that he wasn't going to answer any questions, and he asked you to leave. Did that happen? Uh no, I do not believe so, but >> believe so or did or didn't? I I didn't hear >> no? Yeah, I did I didn't >> Yes or no question. >> No. The debate over whether the area is public or private begins to grow more tense. But just a few minutes later, the officer makes a new request, and that's when the situation enters its most sensitive stage. Okay. >> the Here's the situation. Um he doesn't want to press charges for trespassing, which this is what this has turned into as a trespassing investigation. Okay? So, he doesn't want to press charges, but he wants to bar you from the property. So, with that said, in order for me to do that, I need to get your ID. So, Okay. because this is a trespassing investigation, and I am lawfully allowed to see your identification. So, I'm asking you nicely, let's work together. All I'm going to do is fill you out a barment notice saying you're not allowed to come on the property. I'm going to give it right back to you. >> Okay. Well, when they showed up, I was actually off the property. >> So, trespassing works like this. He asked me to leave, I get off the property. Okay, but you're saying that you're you're Okay. Either way, point is this. He doesn't want you to be coming back on the property. Sure. >> And I get that. I want your identification information so that I can put your information down on the barment notice letting people know so that we know if you come back here that you have been barred from the property and next time you'll be arrested. Absolutely. >> let me get your ID real quick so we can get this knocked out. >> Okay, but just so I can clarify and understand if I wasn't to give my ID, I would be arrested. Is that what you're saying? >> I'm trying to avoid that because Well, me too. Me too. You've You've been polite and cooperative with me. I want to work with you, but Abs- absolutely. No, I'm the same way. And and and I don't mind like I said, if if if uh if if it's a possibility of me getting arrested, I'll give you my ID all day long. But if if not, I'm a rights activist. I'd like to just be on my way. >> I I would like to get your ID because you're going to be barred from the property. Okay. So, I need to I need your ID in order to fill that information out. So, let me go ahead and get your ID real quick. All right. So, you say you want to leave? Yeah. Okay, here's the deal. I don't know who you are, but just like you're taking pictures, I'm taking pictures. Get you a good one. All right. If I see you here again, you're going to get arrested for trespassing. Do you understand? >> Absolutely. >> Absolutely. >> good day, sir. >> You're officer Gray? Yes, sir. What's your badge number, sir? >> 2633, sir. As things begin to settle down, both sides end the conversation without any further action being taken. However, what just happened is enough to [music] spark plenty of debate. When both sides prioritize respect, ethics, and an understanding of the law, unnecessary conflicts [music] can be reduced, and society becomes more transparent, fair, and humane. Hey, everyone. What do you think about this situation? If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, [music] subscribe, and support us with a donation. Thank you so much. >> [music]