Pixiq

I am a Chicago resident who is now fighting a 1st amendment case in Chicago starting the evening on 16 July 2011.
I am also an established freelance writer and photographer. I have photographed the election of President Obama in Chicago's Grant Park, the Chicago Auto Show, Accident scenes, two recent fires, aviation settings to include the Tuskeegee Airmen and the Chicago Airshow.

I was with family members at Chicago's Navy Pier on 16 July 2011 at the corner of what I think was either Illinois St. or Grand and the Chicago Water Filtration Plant waiting in a crowd of people for a signal from the uniformed "TMA" employee charged with traffic control at that corner so we could cross safely. She decided upon her signal that the crowd was walking too slow and so she yelled obnoxiously to the crowd to move faster while using obscenities. She also mentioned a bus that was rolling. So, I grabbed my Cannon Powershot S5IS which was hanging on my neck by the camera strap and commenced to take one photograph of her.

She looked right at me (you'll see in the photo) and she screamed at me "Hey, Motherfucker don't you photograph me! You can't photograph me, I'll break that fucking camera!" I kept walkng and only said to her "First amendment, you're in public" immediately pulled my cell phone while walking, called 911, and then turned to the group who had crossed behind me to see if anyone saw or heard anything. The man in this group who was part of a large family said
they had not been paying attention. While I was talking to him, she then commenced to yell more profanities to me and again threatened me.

Upon contact with 911, I didn't have an address, so all I could do was tell the dispatcher I was at Navy Pier near a bus stop.
We (me and my family) waited for police but the TMA employee waved off the squad car who came o her corner after she said
something to the officer in the squad. I was too far away to know what it was she said, but I was able to see down the street.

I waved down an officer on a four wheeler motored bike and told him what had just happened. The officer radioed i that he was with me
and was taking care of the incident. He questioned her next and then came back to me with her supervisor at the scene where she was working. He said she was willing to apologize if I would accept such a thing.

I said, yeah, ok, sure I'll accept her apology but I think she needs some administrative days off here or some reasonable discipline.
Her supervisor said he would write her up and there would be an investigation. She approached me with the police officer's permission. She apologized however, half-heartedly. She stated that people had been photographing her all day and that she was irritated. She also said she has privacy rights and doesn't want photos of her being taken.

I told her I understand that but that being in public and in a city uniform, she loses that right. I told her that I have also been in her shoes serving the public and I understand how people can be mean and unpleasant. I also told her that she cannot respond to people in the way she did.She kept arguing privacy, et al. Obviously, she does not understand the first amendment.

I told her I wold not snap anymore photos of her, and even offered like a gentleman to show her, the supervisor and the police officer the photo so they could see it is not derogatory or insulting. They all declined such offer. As usual, no names or badge numbers were given other than from the supervisor who has the name Barnes. (If my memory is right) I did not have a pen or paper with me and the supervisor said he had no business card.

In the end, I was allowed to leave, but still feel snubbed because I know city officials cannot always be trusted.

Your support in this matter is appreciated.