Canadian photojournalist assaulted and arrested for taking photos


Calgary police were unable to make an arrest in a home invasion that left an elderly couple hospitalized.

So they arrested a Calgary Sun news photographer instead.

Veteran photojournalist Jim Wells was arrested after getting into a verbal altercation with a police officer who told him he was not allowed to photograph the crime victims.

Wells was standing on a public sidewalk and continued taking photos.

Witness said the cop shoved Wells, according to the newspaper.

Sue Nand saw the altercation between Wells and a police officer, who attempted to stop the photographer from taking more pictures.

Wells was “just doing his job” and the cop was “overly aggressive,” she said.

“It’s not right, just because you’re a cop, that doesn’t mean you can do anything.

“They got really loud and really close to each other, like face to face, and all of sudden (the officer) just pushed (Wells).

“He got some bruises, he was right in the concrete.”

While the Calgary Sun states that Wells was charged with obstruction, it also states that police were unable to say what he was being charged with.

Jose Rodriguez, the Sun’s Editor-in-Chief, said the paper is eager to hear the police department’s side of the story.

“What I’ve heard from our photographer makes it sound like he was in the process of doing his job on public property without any hindrance to emergency personnel,” Rodriguez said.

Comments

Anonymous
Anonymous

I wonder if the cop has leftover agression from the G20. (Yes, I know the G20 was in toronto but some Calgary police officers were in Toronto for it)

Anonymous
Anonymous

Again: NEVER Call the Police for “Help”
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/43131.html

Yet Again: DON’T Call 911, And DON’T “Help” the Police
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/46620.html

Anonymous
Anonymous

The cop must have forgotten that people’s rights were un-suspended after the G20.
Michaelk42 recently posted..Pogan sentencing- delayed

Anonymous
Anonymous

Samo, samo. “I don’t have to worry about losing my job, I’ve got a union.”

Anonymous
Anonymous

Photographing an elderly couple against their wishes after they have been the victims of a serious crime, it doesn’t get less classier than that.

Anonymous
Anonymous

In response to “Kol. Klink’s” post above.. and after reading the two links, we all know “Johnny Law’s” (The Boys in Blue Can do NO Wrong) is hard at work in this instance.

Once again we see how much Cop’s really know.. NOT!!

Rail Car Fan

Anonymous
Anonymous

Oscar. Public place. News. Got it?

Anonymous
Anonymous

Lack of class doesn’t justify a beating, and especially not by a cop. You may not like it Oscar, but freedom means that occasionally people do things you might find distasteful. As long as they’re not putting anyone at risk, it’s better for everyone if cops hold back what seems to be a trained urge to hurt people.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Let’s say it wasn’t a cop and instead it was a neighbor who stopped this jerk from further victimizing this elderly couple, I would say more power to him.

Just like some cops give all cops a bad name, some photographers give you all a bad name and this guy is one of them.

Anonymous
Anonymous

I’m afraid there isn’t enough info on this one. I need to hear the police account, not just Carlos’ commentary.

Anonymous
Anonymous

You mean that creative writing exercise called an incident report, right Jonny?

Anonymous
Anonymous

In response to klinks first link. Those are some real taser happy cops, they got tasers in january and the first time they actually used one was in Nov, that’s ten months, I guess they couldn’t wait any longer.

Anonymous
Anonymous

“Oscar. Public place. News. Got it?”

Got it. Find names of media types. Find their homes, where their kids go to school, etc.. When in public, as the president said “…get in their face.” Follow them and take their photos, put it on your blog. Turn the tables on the insensitive ‘If it bleed, it leads” media and watch the hypocrites scream about how this behavior is now “stalking” or “harassment” because _they_ are the target. Put them on public display and watch them whine. They will claim that their daily life in public isn’t “news,” so therefore, they should get a pass. If they say my bloodied parents are “news,” then I can say them pushing their kids in swings are “news.” I can say an editor visiting his mistress is “news.”

Anonymous
Anonymous

Johnathan Doe
If I am in a public place I have no expectation of privacy. If you want to take my picture go ahead you have that right.

Anonymous
Anonymous

@oscar finch: Are you seriously that daft? Really? How did the elderly couple notify him of ‘their wishes’ as their being loaded into an ambulance? Sorry, but it was against the cops wishes, and the photog rightfully ignored the cops completely wrong contention that he can’t photograph crime victims, then gets assaulted by the officer.

Even if it was against their wishes he is still within his rights. Again…which part of ‘news’ do you not understand? You don’t really think newsgathering should be banned do you? You don’t think reporting the days events to the public should be outlawed do you?

If so, please do us a favor and move to China or North Korea or some other country whose government fits closer to your fucked up values…

Anonymous
Anonymous

Don’t you all understand? They want money, your only use is to give them money, do any thing else you are not giving money. Give them money and git out so some one else can give them money. You peasants do not know your place, give them money and git out. You think they want you smelling up the place? Your only reason for existence is to give them money. You had paid and were of no further use, they wanted you on the train and gone. Like most other companies, they are powered by greed.How dare you, you smelly peasant, do you think you are even human.

Anonymous
Anonymous

How did this happon? This post was seposed to be on the one for MDT train posting, read it for there.

Anonymous
Anonymous

I need to check my computer, it is bouncing around sites and the spell check is acting up.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Roger Roger Roger you know the cops only want money thats why they attacked the Photog duh.
oh well its all good.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Hy, whatever ever works. Found the problem, a virus was trying to get in AVG got it .

Anonymous
Anonymous

This story has it all- police brutality, corruption, photography: http://www.fairreason.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2...

Anonymous
Anonymous

Kol. Klink

G. Gordon Liddy used to say his wife owned the guns but she kept them on his side of the bed.

Anonymous
Anonymous

If I can see it, I can photograph it

I take brain photos of things every day, all the time, I call them “memories”, sometimes I like to print my memories out for other’s to see, I call those “artists renderings”

Anonymous
Anonymous

Just another instance of the growing boot in your face fascism of the coming police state

Anonymous
Anonymous

Shut up slave – kneel before me

Anonymous
Anonymous

Top two posts on this blog give some other detail on this case
http://flipjourno.wordpress.com/

Anonymous
Anonymous

@Johnny

“I need to hear the police account, not just Carlos’ commentary.”

Well you’re not going to get it, apparently they don’t wish to tell any version of the story.

Not that it would ever conflict with the eyewitness accounts gathered at the link Stewie provided or anything.
Michaelk42 recently posted..Pogan sentencing- delayed

Anonymous
Anonymous

Speaking of pictures, pictures of the oil spill you won’t see on the 6 o’clock news.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2010/07/you-are-not-authorized-to-see-the...

Anonymous
Anonymous

Johnny Law // Jul 10, 2010 at 11:41 AM

I’m afraid there isn’t enough info on this one. I need to hear the police account, not just Carlos’ commentary.

**********************************

Did any of us expect to hear any other words coming from “Johnny Law’s” mouth other than those above..!!..?

That just goes to prove what I’ve said all along about “JL”. With him it’s always “My Brothers in Blue can do NO wrong!!”

Rail Car Fan

Anonymous
Anonymous

Pinandpuller // Jul 11, 2010 at 12:50 AM

This story has it all- police brutality, corruption, photography: http://www.fairreason.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2...

***********************************

Read your link on “Mad Max”.

Quoting something that “Johnny Law” might say. ie:

“Well the scumbag got all he deserved.”

After all:

“Us Boys in Blue can do NO wrong!!”

Rail Car Fan

Anonymous
Anonymous

@Rail

I don’t think you understand the proper usage for quotation marks. You see, they are supposed to be used for actual quotes. Thank you, please drive through.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Johnny Law // Jul 12, 2010 at 9:20 PM

@Rail

I don’t think you understand the proper usage for quotation marks. You see, they are supposed to be used for actual quotes. Thank you, please drive through.

************************************

“Johnny Law”

Your above comments just prove what I’ve said all along about you.. but even this is way above your head!! (wink)

Rail Car Fan

Anonymous
Anonymous

Now, now, Do Not get on Johnny Laws case, he has a very important place, that of devils advocate. With out hem this would be a much duller place and balance would be lost. He makes you think and justify your statements.

Anonymous
Anonymous

I always thought of Johnny Law as the plucky comic relief, but devil’s advocate fits too.

Anonymous
Anonymous

I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?

Anonymous
Anonymous

I was going to comment on this but there isn’t much in the line of constructive arguements on any of these comment sections. Have fun being angry at people online that you will never meet. You are all so brave with your online persona’s….lol. This is why I cancelled facebook….all the nattering.

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