CopBlocking Parma (OH) Cop with “F the Police Sign” (Video)
On July 10th, DEO and I were out and about in Cleveland getting a few CopBlocking tasks done. First we headed down to the Cleveland Police Headquarters and recorded a promotional video for National Chalk the Police State Day. After that we stopped at the Independence Police Department to create a satire video for our friends over at CopUnBlock.org, check it out here. On our way back we encountered “Badge 20” of the Parma (Ohio) Police department. He was hiding behind a building taking radar on a road what was recently reduced from 35 miles per hour to 25. We decided to conduct a CopBlock of this sneaky speed trap set up and went with the ambush interview tactic.
Deo went one way around the vacant building and I the other with cameras rolling. If timed correctly we’d meet officer ‘Sneaky’ with our cameras at the same time. We caught the officer by surprise even though “Badge 20” tried to act like he didn’t care we were filming him. Maybe at first he didn’t but, as you’ll see in the video below, when the conversation started getting serious – in regards to how his job could be provided to people – he simply takes off after a speeding motorist. Which I don’t think was speeding at all, nor do I think “Badge 20” was paying much attention to the roadway at the time, but that’s besides the point. As you watch the video below notice how Deo and I tried a number of tactics to deter this officer from taking people’s money. In the end, it took embarrassment to finally get him to stop (in that area anyways).
Usually when I’ve approached officers who were conducting speed traps it doesn’t take much more than pointing a camera in their direction to get them to leave – see video below. When that doesn’t work holding a sign warning drivers of the cops presence usually does. Again, in my experience, I’ve never had a cop stick around more than 5 minutes of camera pointing and sign waving. That wasn’t the case for “Badge 20” who not only didn’t leave immediately when the camera came out, he had the nerve to pull someone over right in front of us – which was a first for me. Furthermore, he went back to the spot afterwards and even leap frogged us when we were effectively warning traffic of his presence.
USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COPBLOCK A SPEED TRAP:
All of this builds up to the “fuck the police” sign. I’ve often stated that I interact with cops on the same level they interact with me. When cops are rude, I’m rude back. This officer was going out of his way to get a reaction out of me. I guess he didn’t appreciate the one he got but he got one nevertheless. I wouldn’t say that I’d hold this sign up at every traffic stop but in this exact scenario I feel it was the perfect solution to ending the annoyance (that many drivers noted while we sign waved) of sneaky speed traps on that stretch of Parma roadway.
What are your thoughts? Am I ruining the movement? Does this give ‘CopBlockers’ a bad name? OR was I just doing my job? Comment below, share with your friends and learn more about Filming the Police by clicking HERE! Or find a CopBlock Group near you here.
