Here's the set-up: Highly trained first responders from the Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service Paramedics all pull up on a 'man down' call at Jarvis and Greenview.
Using their finely honed skills, they search for the 'man down' in broad daylight. The search proved futile. With the completeness of failure to find the said man down' on the corner of Greenview and Jarvis, the first responders report their non-findings back to dispatch - and they drive away. (This is all public record if the public actually could get their hands on it.)
Tom Mannis makes the second 911 call to report the first responders missed the 'man down' the first time and asked if they can respond for a second time. Click the video to see what happens next.
A Perfect Cover Photo for the Chicago Journal
If you look back at the situation from this one photo, it's absolutely comical.
While EMS and the Police are worried about two photographers covering two 911 calls for a 'man down' - the 'man down' in question, gets up, walks over to the second cameraman and hams it up like some cartoon creature wanting a shot in the frame.
Clearly, in the background, you can see the EMS personal struggling to take my camera away from me as the officer turns his back on the assault on freedom of the press.
Why are there two sets of rules when it comes to recording public events in Rogers Park? There's 'Big Brother' Rules. And then there's 'Big Brother' Rules. 'Big Brother' can place cameras all over the place - recording our every move. And, from last check, we pay for them. But, they won't show us what we pay for until we do something wrong. Like the cameras that are on the CTA buses. If you get rowdy inside the bus, you're likely to get arrested, go to court - and pay a fine. If you park along a bus route and the 'Big Brother' camera catches you, they mail you a ticket for your wrong-doing. And those new cameras on the street sweepers. They're photo-enforcing this improper fraction now also. They'll simply mail you a fine with the proof. God forbid you run a red light. Flash. Snap. There you are - on tax payer funded film. Caught for all to see and view. Special Service area Street tax public view cameras are being praised by the powers-that-be. And paid for us - the tax payer. Yet, we never get to see what's being recorded with our money. And let's not forget all the blue light cameras. Everywhere you turn these day's, you're being recorded. Or so they say. But what are they recording on those cameras with our money? We never really get to see those public tapes. So, that's where citizen journalists come in. Like our various styles or not - citizen journalists are the 21st century news.
Communication between the new media and the powers-that-be in Rogers Park are not going well. Citizen journalists are under attack.
For the record, they've never been good in the first place with any media outlet.
On two different occasions yesterday I had conversations with the police that went along the lines of telling me to stop blogging. Or else.
The first warning came from Offficer Acquilly. She's the CAPS beat 2431 officer. She pulled me over yesterday (profiling) and started questioning me like a perp. The only thing she didn't do was run a contact card on me.
She claimed someone brought to her attention I took some inappropriate child photos and put them on my web site. She said this was raised at a CAPS June meeting. (although I couldn't find this on any official CAPS 2431 meeting minute notes.)
I told her if I did anything wrong she could take me in right 'then and there.' She drove off without arresting me, but gave me a warning and a nasty glare.
A warning? For what? For taking photos in public like 'big-brother' does to us.
Then, yesterday, in front of the Alderman's office, car number 2422 pulled up on the scene and berated the photographers -- telling us to go do something else. Telling us to not cover a 911 call. Then he stood back and allowed an EMS worker to physically try to remove a camera from a photographer. Me.
EMS Attempts to Physically take Away Photographers Camera
They want to monitor us with cameras, using our money. But they don't want us to monitor them with cameras on how they're spending our money? What the fuck is that all about?
Blognotes: Other than the exact time frame, (I don't wear a watch and wasn't near my trusty solar clock), these facts can be verified by the 911 call records from 6:40 PM to 7:20 PM. If anyone wants to FOIA these documents, go right ahead. They should be public record too.
