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Santa Pictures + Marketing for your BusinessNew Jersey photojournalist assaulted on assignment
It’s been almost a week since New Jersey photojournalist Dylan Wilson was assaulted during assignment and police have yet to release the name of the suspect.
“They told me they will give me the report some time this week,” Wilson said during a phone interview with Photography is Not a Crime Sunday night.
“They told me it was simple assault.”
The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in the midst of one of the largest corruption stings in New Jersey in which 44 people were arrested, including politicians, rabbis and political consultants.
One such political consultant, Jack Shaw, ended up dying inside his condominium five days after his arrest in what some believe was a suicide. The death is still under investigation.
Wilson, who works for the Jersey Journal in Hudson County, was dispatched to the condominium building to get some photos in what was turning out to the biggest story that day.
“I was the first photographer there but there were already four journalists there,” he said.
Carrying two cameras, Wilson walked around the building before situating himself on the sidewalk in front of the building with the other reporters.
Suddenly, a very large man comes storming out the building towards him. A group of five or six people were following behind. The man was enraged.
“A man just died and you’re here to take pictures?” the man repeated as he stood in Wilson’s face.
The man was about six-feet tall and weighed about 200 pounds. Wilson is 5-feet, six-inches and weighs 135 pounds.
“He reaches out with both hands and grabs my throat and pushes me backwards,” Wilson said.
“At this point, the rest of his crew, including the doorman, had to restrain him. I think they had to wrestle him to the ground.”
And they managed to drag him back inside the building.
Wilson then called the cops and identified the man who assaulted him. Police took a report but did not release the man’s name.
They told Wilson it is a simple assault and he would need to pursue it in Jersey City Municipal Court.
Unfortunately, Wilson did not take photos as the man charged him.
“In retrospect, I should have done that,” he said.
Wilson said that even though the man was much larger than him, he stood his ground.
“He was nose to nose with me. I kept telling him to calm down,” he said.
“I don’t have a problem with people getting in my face, but I draw the line when they put their hands on me or when they touch my personal property.”
I totally agree with him. I’ve had numerous people get in my face and yell at me and threaten me and even flip me off. My response is to simply take their photo.
However, if somebody physically assaults me, I will strike back as I did when I was assaulted by a Cuban security guard during a protest on Calle Ocho last year.
Here is the video of that assault. It occurs towards the end. Below are photos taken by El Nuevo Herald photojournalist Roberto Koltun of me defending myself.
Comments
This is why I carry a small can of Mace along with my camera whenever I’m out taking pictures. I haven’t had to use it yet, but its a nice thing to have when there is a risk of being assulted.
Mr. Wilson,
I suggest purchasing a pocket camera with video capability, and wear it around your neck or affix it to your belt when on the job.
Makes it much easier to walk away with clear evidence the next time you’re hassled by security or police.
Carlos, you should carry a TASER. Civilian models start at $300.
Making some rent-a-cop ride the lightning will make him think twice about his career choice and infringing upon your rights.
As far as I’m aware, no permitting process is required to own one in Florida.
@pod – Hey, there’s an idea! Maybe if we all start carrying TASERs and giving the cops and rent-a-cops a taste of it in “real world” settings, maybe (just maybe) they’ll start to understand that they’re NOT “no big deal”.
On the other hand, when a cop dies from a TASER, instead of them saying it was an “unfortunate accident” during “justified and proper use” of the TASER (as they do when a “civilian” dies from being TASERed by a cop), they’ll call it murder, and the user of said TASER will be labeled “cop-killer”.
I said rent-a-cop for a reason. Security personnel have no special rights above and beyond the normal citizen. You are free to beat the ever-loving snot out of a security guard if he gets physical with you. And Florida being what it is, tasing his a– is perfectly reasonable. Carlos should have stomped this guy into oblivion. Just because we carry cameras doesn’t mean we shouldn’t defend ourselves.
I would never, ever suggest tasing a law enforcement officer. Just pulling a TASER on him or her is grounds for him to shoot you with his firearm. Think about it. You tase a cop, he’s incapacitated, you’re free to grab his firearm and shoot him. When it comes to cops, I usually take the tack of “do what you will, we’ll let the lawyers sort it out later…”
It’s why I said “rent-a-cop” and not “cop”. Cops being pushy is one thing. While it can be wrong, they’re the ones with the guns, and unless you’ve got a death wish, the best you can do is deal with it and fight later in court. Rent-a-cops are just Police Academy dropouts with an ego problem. They’re just like you or me except they have a tin badge. When they get pushy, it’s like the playground bully. Stand up for yourself.
Again, I never said tase a cop. I’m not that stupid. As a matter of fact, a person was shot in Houston by a cop this weekend since he grabbed the officer’s TASER unit.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/breaking/6557924.html
Sorry, pod, I thought that the humor and sarcasm in my comment would be obvious. I guess I was wrong.
Personally, I wouldn’t advise using a TASER on rent-a-cops either. Because, while it is true that they are *technically* and legally just like you or me with the exception of a tin badge, it is also true that many of them carry guns as well, so you’d be risking getting shot in that case too. It doesn’t help, either, to assume it’s safe if you don’t see a gun, because they might have a partner just around the corner who does have one.
Though I do admit it was a very tempting and entertaining thought.
How about training German Shepards as guard dogs for photographers?
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