Occupy DC Activists Block Adam Kokesh From Recording Gathering

While I support the ongoing activism springing up around the country, I really can't stand when activists believe they have the authority to prevent others from video recording them.

This usually happens when they believe the videographer doesn't agree with their political stance.

It ends up making them look stupid, naive and hypocritical. After all, the First Amendment doesn't just apply to them.

On Saturday, Adam Kokesh, the Iraq veteran turned activist journalist, was video recording a gathering of Occupy D.C. activists when they asked him to stop.

He asserted his rights and continue recording, so a couple of them stood with their backs in front of the camera, trying to prevent him from recording.

This led to an interesting discussion between Kokesh and an activist who also described himself as an independent journalist.

The man told Kokesh that he was being disrespectful to continue recording because they had asked him to stop.

He then tried to belittle Kokesh by asking him if he believes citizens automatically give consent to being filmed as soon as they step out of their house, oblivious to the fact that is the precise moment they waive their consent.

Kokesh's friend said something about it being that way in Texas, which prompted the jackass to shrug and say the following:

"This isn't Texas, this isn't the south, this isn't where you can just do shit because you feel like it."

Like video recording in public?

He obviously is unaware that there are more surveillance cameras in Washington D.C. than probably the entire south.

He then goes on to accuse Kokesh of being a republican, which really doesn't make a difference as to whether or not he had the right to record.

I'm not sure what Kokesh's party affiliation is, but he is huge Ron Paul supporter. He also participated in the dancing at the Jefferson Memorial protest earlier this year.

Today, as I was covering the Occupy Miami general assembly, I was accused of being a right-winger after I recorded a man's shirt that stated "Don't Trust the Corporate Media."

Anybody who knows me knows that I'm anything but a right-winger, not that it would make a difference. I'll be mentioning that incident in my update of Occupy Miami for Miami Beach 411. Read my initial story on it here.

 

Comments

The guy is absolutely right! It isn't Texas, and they DON'T have the right to do whatever shit they want there! All the Occupy movement protestors should disband and go home at once, because they don't have the right to do whatever shit they want, to include exercising the SAME CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT they are denying to Mr. Kokesh!

/sarcasm

I can't stand fascists or authoritarians of any stripe. But I reserve my true loathing for hypocrites.

I say that for anyone living in the DC area more people should head on down and record them.

Because honestly, if they didn't want to be recorded then they shouldn't be protesting.

Jesus christ, people can be so dumb sometimes.

hal

that idiot/moron with the shirt, trying to stop this video from being shot! what is his fucking problem, is he KKK, a socialist, a skin head that forgot to shave for a few days? what? and the others that got up along with him, are not any better! why are they even there, what are they protesting, are they telling everyone with a camera to stop? [sure doesnt seem to be the case, and thats all that needs to be said about that point]
dont those idiots get it, if you stop one camera, your going to have the need to stop all of them! and then you want freedom for anything? then you also want civil liberties? you say no to this man, to use his video camera, what words are coming out of your mouth to justify this act? words from a man that should be in a rubber room so he doesnt hurt himself or others!

"Anybody who knows me knows that I'm anything but a right-winger."

Carlos, you defend the first and second amendment, normally with -reasoned- arguments. No wonder people mistake you for a right-winger! ;-P

These two kids are simply brainwashed; just sheep in any group that will have them.

The male is so angry (in general) that it is obvious from the second he stands up in the background. He's ready to fight, but then as he gets closer to Adam I think he realizes that Adam would possibly tie him in knot.

The female is just inept. I love when Adam kindly tells her she's not that interesting.

hal

what was he saying anyone, did any of it make any sense? not to me it didnt, not any of it, he was and will be a bully asswipe all his life, well till he grows up.

and vince, he didnt say that she wasnt that interesting, just that the protest was more interesting then she was, that aint the same...is it? hehe it was still very funny, then she gets back in front of him and starts sticking her hands up.
i would have loved to be there with my monopod, i am able to up in the air about 12-14feet straight up...lol that would have been funny. they could not have blocked me.

hal

and who the fuck is that LADY? well you know what, fuck her, fuck that guy with shit for brains! both fucking morons....:D then we wonder why this nation is in the mess it is?

Ironically, although perhaps not Deep South, Washington, D.C. is in the South by way of the Compromise of 1790. It was virtually surrounded by Confederate forces in the Civil War.

Its very interesting to see that rights are only one way (in their opinion/view). They use whatever rights tend to suit their cause at any given moment, however the instant you are perceived to encroach on their rights, then you have no rights at all.

This will be the end of the movement.

As in Animal Farm, some pigs are more equal than others - in their opinion.

I have supported and defended their rights, whether or not I agree with them or not. They are unable to state the same.
______________________________

These kids have attended school, however have learned nothing....

And unfortunately this is how a wide variety of leftist thinkers believe.. Their ignorance damages their cause and shows their thinking to be flawed and juvenile.

Exactly. They have a right to express themselves, and to their way of thinking, you have the right to agree with them because they're good guys and completely right. Not agreeing with them not only proves you're evil, but proves you don't "deserve" inalienable human rights.

That attitude is getting more and more common these days, and it's not just the Left doing it (although they seem to be the ones doing it the most).

Great video. Your subjects here are extreme leftists. Your video is a quintessential distillation of their worldview.

Extremists of any stripe tend to believe that only people who agree with them should have inalienable human rights.

Express an even slightly different opinion, and they consider you to have somehow given up your rights, and/or become undeserving of any.

It's really a shame because there are plenty of intelligent people at these protests that actually do have an important message. But when a real "right-wing commercial conservative media" outlet shows up, they are going to attract the kinds of idiots shown here. The media is going to get good footage of idiots at the protest and go-to-air with it, the idiots are going to think they accomplished something and be smug with themselves, and the people with the message will be far in the background of the footage.

I love people who use the constitution to defend their freedom of speech rights while denying that of others.

Public property, idiots. You have the right to protest, they have the right to film. Nobody's rights trump another's.

Typical liberal garbage. As Carlos pointed out, the censorship these idiots are trying is based on bias, their believing the videographer is differently politically aligned. NICE BIAS. I guess the Bill or Rights and the Constitution are for a certain segment of the public?

Then again, the protesting segment of the population wants the other segment to pay for things for them, to give them things. Education, healthcare, housing, jobs. All things that are earned and not promised anywhere to anyone. Should we be surprised they want to shut down freedom of speech on one class (who they wrongly attribute here? Most are saying democracy and capitalism don't work. I guess that's why many are ushering in Communism and Socialism, ironically to forms of govt which would largely or totally limit the protests they are now doing.

Common sense. You can't buy it, you can't learn it.

Nobliberal

Just a small quibble: Socialism and Communism aren't part of the same spectrum as Democracy. Socialism and Communism are economic systems, not governmental ones. The opposite of Communism is Capitalism, not Democracy. The opposite of Democracy is Autocracy. One could even argue that the purest form of Democracy has to be Communist (as that would make everyone equal in voice in every way that a government can regulate).

The attitude they show is a fairly common knee-jerk one, and it's not just the Left who have it. I've met self- proclaimed "Libertarians" who firmly believe in the right to do what you want with your own body...as they blow cigar smoke in the face of everyone around them. I've met people who claim to be 100% in favor of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, who insist they are not members of the inactive militia, and loudly proclaim that Bush was right about some people having too many rights. I met a guy once who was fanatically anti-gun, parroting the party line that no one outside law enforcement has a legitimate need to own a handgun...as he wore his own licensed, concealed handgun because he needed personal protection, but nobody else could be trusted with the responsibility of firearm ownership, because he didn't know if they were nutjobs or not.

Every movement and organization has hypocrites. Don't judge the entire movement by the idiocy or willful ignorance of a few...of course, if the majority of the movement is like that, then by all means, judge away!

Plain and Simple. I'm going to lay it bare for everyone. This is not an occupy event. This is a cult having a picnic. You will not be heard sitting in a little group in the park speaking a few words at a time while everyone repeats what you say back to you and don't want your message to get out or block someones right to film. They are obviously used to being controlled and anything that upsets their balance of being controlled is a threat. They think that the right to do something is up to a collective to let them do it. To them it's a private event. They don't want to be heard, they don't want to be filmed. It's nothing more than a gathering to them to talk amongst themselves. I would not call them occupy dc and I would encourage anyone else to start a real occupy dc and leave them to do their mockingbird party.

What a bunch of douchebags. Great way to insure you get no public sympathy by being a tool to the independent media.
What's with the "so you can do whatever you want in Texas and the south but not here" comment? Just what are they protesting for, LESS freedom? Because if that is what they want government will be GLAD to give it to them, in the form of restricting protest in public right along with the public photography restrictions they want. They are typical of a lot of shitheads that cherry pick the constitution. All concerned about the rights it protects that concern them, but could not give a shit or want to REMOVE the constitutional rights they don't like, such as filming in public areas or gun ownership. Guess I'm a little odd, I want ALL my rights under the constitution, not just some of them.

In Atlanta, they blocked John Lewis from speaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QZlp3eGMNI

Undoubtedly there are some there who have rational well reasoned arguments but they are the vast minority in a sea of sheeple who are not intellectualy capable of thinking for themselves or doing much beyond spouting talking points.

Its really pretty sad, and unfortunately true regardless of your political persuasion.

Hard to remember any other more ignorant, lazy and clueless people ever than these "protesters"!

Protesting with their Blackberries, iPhones, iPods, HD video cameras, laptops, Facebook, Twitter (would they now be ANti-social networks) - all paid for I bet by mommy & daddy as they still live in mommy & daddy's home. Defecating in public! NYPD - do your duty please.

They are what is wrong in this country. Along with the UK and France. Lazy ignorant coddled pig children bums

"Defecating in public! NYPD - do your duty please."

Are you suggesting the nypd clean them out of the park? While I am very critical of these idiots, I do not agree with clearing them out. They have every right to assemble and and play mocking bird. I am not in favor of them being made to leave. Their rights are just as important as mine weather I like what they say or do, or not.

Totally free to protest, I agree and never proposed otherwise. Break the law - NYPD do their job. Simple. From jaywalking on up.

Products and services are great in a society. However it is not an absolute, that products and services have to come with economic tyranny, or any other kind of tyranny attached.

Please list this tyranny?

Would you be kind enough to entertain 2 very significant examples intead of an entire list?

1) 1998 Citicorp merged with Travelers in a bold violation of Glass-Steagall. The result was the Republican congress and Democrat president repealed Glass-Steagall in 1999. Glass-Steagall should have been enforced not repealed.

2) Known toxic assets such as sub-prime home loans were put into CDO's and insured by AIG with the credit default swap and naked credit default swap. In addition to economic tyranny this is also an example of economic hostage taking because of the consequences if the government let AIG fail.

An excellent documentary that explains the mechanics of these scams as well as the super super arrogant attitudes of these Wall Street scam bag robber barons is:
"Inside Job" by Charles Ferguson 2010
Check it out

OF course anyone has a right to record people in public. These two people were twats, However, other people have a right to stand wherever they choose to as well. If I choose to stand between a reporter and his TV camera, O well the street under me, is just as mine as it is his. He has no right to the space between himself and his camera. NOR do photographers have a right to tell others they can not stand in there way.
Sorry, for the dose of reality, Right or wrong, they had every right to stand on any piece of public property they chose too. A camera does not give photographers the authority to tell others where to stand. IF they crossed the line and blocked the free movement of the other person that would be crossing the line. They did not.

I wish Jerry Garcia was still alive, this whole crowd would be at a Dead show with me . . . :)

If there is something I just can not stand is ignorance and hypocrisy! What a bunch of morons to try to stop this guy from filming!

'I know you're new at this" What an idiot. Doesn't matter if they ask, he doesn't have to stop filming, with that rationale, I guess I can ask that they not be in where in my view, i've asked, so does that mean that they have to get out of my view? No, it doesn't. "I'm independent media" ya, so you say, or perhaps you have the I'm the same but better than you syndrome. I bet if Adam said he was an olympic swimmer, this guy would say I'm an olympic swimmer too, but I get gold medals. The guy is obviously an idiot, however, even people have a right to say things that make them look stupid.

If you're not a fan of the man in the video, tell him so. His name is Matthew Crosby, and his facebook page can be found here (have fun, and be respectful): http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=688339168

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