Officers Protect the “State” (Again)

The idea is simple. If you demand our  money, claim to work for us and declare yourself a “servant of the people/public” then why can’t we film you? Everything the “public servant” does is in the name of “the people” so, not only should their actions (at work) BE public knowledge but filming (public documentation) should be encouraged by those servants.

Two Wisconsin Troopers think it’s a crime to film politicians. They arrested the woman and three of her friends for filming their “bosses” in a public building. According to the YouTube video, posted by one of the arrestees:

Today, myself and three others were arrested for silently filming during an assembly hearing at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Wisconsin State Statute 19.90 gives us the right to do this:
“Whenever a governmental body holds a meeting in open session, the body shall make a reasonable effort to accommodate any person desiring to record, film or photograph the meeting. This section does not permit recording, filming or photographing such a meeting in a manner that interferes with the conduct of the meeting or the rights of the participants.”

The trooper that grabbed me thought he turned off my camera, but he didn’t, so I got all of it on film. If they had known it was all on film, they probably would have been a bit nicer to me.
I was carried (dragged?) down to the basement of the Capitol where they issued me a $150 ticket for civil disobedience. They then felt the need to cuff me and drive me over to county jail where I was booked and released along with the other three. I ended up being in police custody for over 3 hours, and sat in jail for about 2 1/2 hours…. just for silently filming my legislatures in action.

All these folks wanted to do was film a bunch of politicos in suits while they discussed ways to spend your money. Good thing these State Troopers were there to protect the state from transparency. Do you still think the police work for you?
Captain Charles R. Teasdale, Commander – Head of Troopers in Madison

Lieutenant Brad Altman, Executive Officer
911 W. North Street
DeForest, WI 53532-1971
Phone: (608) 846-8500