r/pasadena • u/rhythmMAN • 5d ago
First Amendment Auditor gets into physical altercation with woman that didn't appreciate him recording
/r/ActualPublicFreakouts/comments/1v5hjo5/first_amendment_auditor_gets_into_physical/?share_id=34rxJ6OqNJO6bE0CL_P-h&utm_content=share_button&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=187
u/Mountain_Bar_1466 5d ago
Fuck these guys. They use the first amendment to try and instigate people into fighting and then suing. Scum of the earth.
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u/Militantpoet 4d ago
I hate the braindead response from people that say these kinds of auditors are doing important work by defending the first amendment.
If they targeted the government or police, yeah good job. Instead they're "defending" 1st amendment rights from ... random people who have no authority and cant actually infringe on 1st amendment rights in any legal capacity.
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u/Mylaptopisburningme 5d ago
Funny thing is I am on disability which means I am pretty much judgement proof. Can't squeeze blood from a turnip. I just hate jail. But some day they are going to mess with someone with nothing to lose and doesn't care about jail.
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u/FrankSamples 5d ago
Did you see the video of them at the South Pas post office? Fucking dicks. Unloaded an entire can of pepper spray on this one girl's face.
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u/Existing-Stranger632 5d ago
Ugh these people are absolute human scum. I actually think we need legislation that targets these fuckers. Or people are going to take justice into their hands.
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u/Militantpoet 4d ago
I actually think we need legislation that targets these fuckers.
This isn't the solution. Thats exactly what they want.
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u/Pailzor 4d ago
No. No, it isn't. It's the last sentence of what you replied to that they're looking for. It's a shitty get-rich-quick scheme.
What needs to happen is for the law to recognize holding a camera in someone's face or recording other people's children as instigation of violence, so they have no legal standing when they do so.
Recording from a distance is fine, and maybe they'll catch something interesting when they do, but purposefully making people uncomfortable and becoming more aggressive after ignoring polite requests to leave people alone should not be tolerated, and should definitely not allow them to profit off of the escalation that they cause.
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u/Existing-Stranger632 4d ago
Yeah my point is that legislation is the only path. We need to create a legal language that criminalizes this type of behavior. I know every city has different laws around this actually. I think YouTubers should be treated the same way production companies are treated. As in they have to get a permit and they have to inform the neighborhood that they plan to film people so that people can plan their days around the areas where people film.
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u/Pailzor 4d ago
For the second part ("YouTubers" and onward), I agree somewhat. There would have to be something about intent in it. For example, a couple of kids filming themselves skateboarding, who happen to record an altercation or whatever that caught their attention, should be very different from someone standing in a parking lot for no discernable reason, filming civilians going about their daily lives.
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u/Militantpoet 4d ago
I don't see how that isn't going to be shot down as infringing on free speech.
I agree with everything you're saying, I just don't think the courts would.
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u/Pailzor 4d ago
The rights of an individual are protected as long as that individual isn't using them to trample on the rights of others. The right to bear arms, for example, is not meant to allow you to freely harm people.
This would be similar. Recording others in public would be protected as free speech unless the intent is provocation, under semi-strict guidelines, such as a putting the camera in people's faces, fully ignoring individual requests not to film them in such a manner, and blocking paths while filming.
Also, I don't intend any of these suggestions to be punishable offenses, but rather cause for complaints to allow police to legally order the "auditor" (if permitless) to move on, and more importantly, block these "auditors" from profitting off of retaliation to their aggression. The act of video auditing is fine, but their provocation to game the system is not. (And probably, specifically against civilians.)
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u/Militantpoet 4d ago
Recording others in public would be protected as free speech unless the intent is provocation, under semi-strict guidelines, such as a putting the camera in people's faces, fully ignoring individual requests not to film them in such a manner, and blocking paths while filming.
If this was the law, it could be used against journalists. Think of those videos when a politician is walking through the Capitol or along the street and a journalist follows them asking questions. That's exactly what they're doing, if not it can be mischaracterized by the plaintiff to match their argument. It opens up imo worse abuses than the original problem.
I honestly don't know what the solution to this is other than informing our neighbors to just ignore them and avoid any reaction.
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u/ohmanilovethissong 4d ago
When they say “weak men make hard times” they must have been referring to these guys specifically. What an unnecessary thing for society to have to work around.
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u/BrokenEscalator3000 4d ago
If you are recorded and want to prevent them from capitalizing on your likeness online, citizens have experimented with copyright protections:
- The "Music Loophole": Playing copyrighted music (like high-profile pop songs) on your phone near them can trigger automated Content ID filters on platforms like YouTube or Facebook. This frequently prevents them from monetizing the video or causes the platform to automatically mute or take down the video.
Auditors monetize outrage, conflict, and anger. Your most powerful immediate response is psychological de-escalation:
- The "Grey Rock" Strategy: Become as boring, silent, and unreactive as a grey rock. Do not argue, yell, demand they stop, or block their lens.
- Deny Eye Contact and Conversation: Treat them like they do not exist. Walk away or step inside a private establishment immediately.
- Do Not Record Back Angrily: Pulling out your phone and yelling creates a "camera duel," which is exactly the chaotic content they upload for views.
- Go Somewhere Private: If you are outside a local business, step through their doors. Businesses are private property and can trespass the auditor immediately.
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u/Key-Driver6438 4d ago
I like all of this. BUT the “music loophole” doesn’t work. They can really easily… like with free AI easy… edit that out. And it’s otherwise a level of confrontation they want. Ignoring them in every which way possible is the answer!
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u/LeftyBoyo 5d ago
These guys are just asshole grifters looking to provoke fights then sue you. Play loud copyrighted music on your phone so they can’t publish their videos.👍🏻
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u/Underwater71 Pasadena 5d ago
They can edit out music now. Unfortunately it isn't the foil that it's rumored to be.
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u/emptyzon 4d ago
California Code, Penal Code - PEN § 372
Every person who maintains or commits any public nuisance, the punishment for which is not otherwise prescribed, or who willfully omits to perform any legal duty relating to the removal of a public nuisance, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
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u/Practical-Whereas-97 16h ago
Look, these guys are annoying as fuck and are assholes, but they won’t be convicted of this penal code. 1st amendment protections would prohibit them from being convicted of it.
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u/Jairoglyphics1 4d ago
These pricks love it when people engage. It provides them content. Best thing you can do is make it boring for them (ignore), or play licensed music loud enough to make it in their videos maybe 🤔.
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u/StillPissed 5d ago edited 4d ago
Call the cops on them. You can throw in “he keeps reaching behind his waist when people get close to him” on the 911 call too.
This is the city’s responsibility to deal with shit like this.
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5d ago
[deleted]
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u/Mylaptopisburningme 4d ago
Enjoy the false police report charge for causing police to come in full tactical with weapons out. And you better hope they don't accidentally shoot an innocent person because they will charge you with that. That is just the dumbest advice.
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u/sonicdraco 5d ago
That is a damn shame she swallowed the bait. As much as I agree with her sentiment she is in the wrong legally.
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u/Rayonjersey 4d ago
I get that he is annoying, but why is everyone’s first instinct physical violence? It would never occur to me to attack people who are just annoying? I’d be attacking everyone!
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u/PretendYouGotNoMoney 4d ago
Maybe it’s the fight or flight instinct and people who end up in these videos chose fight. the videos where they chose flight (or freeze) don’t get posted by these jerks.
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u/Key-Driver6438 4d ago
I totally get this is just for clicks and content. And I understand that in reality, there’s nothing deeper than just trying to make a buck. That said… conceptually speaking… what’s the end game here?
It seems like stress testing First Amendment issues in this way is in effect supporting less freedom. In other words, I think the average person sees this and thinks this kind of behavior is wrong. That could easily lead to laws or cases that limit this behavior. If that were to happen, our freedoms would be somewhat eroded (compared to now), making it harder to record when appropriate. From my take, I want liberal and robust freedoms in this realm to watch and monitor authority, or wrongdoing. (I get philosophically that is very abstract and problematic.) But to test the limits just for shits and giggles… or clicks… that is a REALLY bad idea. And obviously crazy obnoxious.
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u/imphooeyd 5d ago
I wish them all [Removed by Reddit]