Law and Lunch
Cambridge Tactical Police Force saw my camera and invited me into the
Green Zone. I took pictures of the dignitaries, including the host Cambridge Mayor Michael Sullivan at 12:33 P.M.
“michael”
I did not see any
demonstators, at first. In fact, I didn’t see a whole lot of pro-war
civilians at 12:35 P.M. I did not see a mass agress of people in the
intervening two minutes.
“>
But then, from off in the distance, I heard a
chorus of voices. I went over to see.
Sure enough, many of the usual
suspects and some new suspects were being contained in a Free Speach
Zone by a phalanx of TPF. I started taking pictures.
“>
I was now told
that I was not allowed in the Green Zone. But there was another
photographer inside the zone. Officer Unwilling to Disclose His Badge
Number refused to explain and threatened me with arrest. “I’ll put you
in the wagon. You won’t get any pictures.” I went to the other side.
TPF wouldn’t let me stand next to the photographer with the expensive
camera, but they were reasonably mellow about it. I went back around to
the other side and Officer UDHBN saw me from a distance, pointed and
shouted:
“You! You’re out!”
“Why?”
“Because!”
Officer More Temperate [also not wearing his badge] said, “Because you’ve been asked.”
Apparently, because I had taken pictures of the protesters, I no longer
had the right to take pictures of any other portion of the event. Was
Command concerned about pictures of the turnout?
Officer UDHBN then pushed me 30 or 40 ft to the gate. I noticed
an Officer wearing his ID. He identified himself to me as Sargent
Ahern. Later he posed for me. I met the ACLU lady. If any onlookers
have pictures of me being ejected from the Free Speach
Zone, I would appreciate your sending them to me. We really do need to
identify Officer UDHBN. I do have pictures for you, but I have to write
up a more detailed
statement for the ACLU.
Ferhan Patel
February 22, 2015 @ 1:14 pm
Ferhan Patel
the guy by the door » Blog Archive » Law and Lunch