Posted on 06/22/2007 8:17:21 PM PDT by Kimmers
ndianapolis - A recent visitor to Indianapolis says police are crossing a fine line when it comes to tourists and suspected terrorists. The criticism comes after a camera confrontation outside a major city landmark.
Last Sunday, Walter Miller wanted lasting images to take back with him to Houston. He got them. To cap off his first F-1 race experience, he and his lens headed downtown. He had just snapped a photo of the Julian Opie Signs exhibit when signs of trouble converged.
"Two police cars came up," Miller said by phone Friday. "One on the side of me and one behind me with their lights flashing. And some officers got out and said 'what were you taking pictures of?' I said, 'Well the art exhibit.' He said, 'I need to see it, for matters of homeland security. You can't be taking pictures around here,'" Miller recalled the officer saying to him hours after the race.
Miller's says he took pictures of buildings - five aluminum configurations drawn in London and New York. It just so happens, a sliver of the Indianapolis City County Building was in the shot.
According to IMPD, pictures of certain government facilities are off limits. Never mind that Stop 10 of the Opie art exhibit sits smack in front of the City-County Building.
"I couldn't believe it when he said what he was doing - riffling through my camera in the name of homeland security," said Miller.
Miller was allowed to take his pictures and leave after questioning. Now he's questioning if his civil rights were violated.
Sgt. Matthew Mount at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says it's not about violating any rights, or ruining vacations. "Our job in this post 9/11 world is to try to ensure the safety our citizens. And if we have to be a little bit more vigilant, than we were pre-9/11 that's what we'll do," he said.
The Texan says he supports effective security. He counts on it daily working inside one of the country's most prized assets. Miller works for NASA at the Johnson Space Center outside of Houston.
"Security out here is implemented very well. We do have tourists attractions out at Johnson Space Center. People go out with cameras all the time," explained Miller.
The big difference - Miller says - tourists are set up to be tourists, not suspected terrorists.
Miller tells Eyewitness News he also took pictures of the United States Courthouse for the 7th District of Indiana - near the site of another Julian Opie exhibit - without any problem.
The Arts Council of Indianapolis is sponsoring the exhibit and issued this statement: "Because we don't know the circumstances or specifics of this incident, we cannot comment. Obviously we would hope that the art installations could be enjoyed in the public realm."
IMPD officials say law enforcement is concerned about pictures of federal office buildings, military installations, major bridges and other infrastructure that could be considered a terrorists target.
If in doubt, police say, tourists should confine their photographs to marked tourists spots.
If in doubt, police say, tourists should confine their photographs to marked tourists spots.
Don't you just love the ever growing police state the U.S. is becomming?
something must have been going on in the area that he didn’t have a need to know
A little reasonable profiling would go a long way. This guy doesn’t sound like he fits and terrorist profile I can think of.
We’ll be queuing in line to stand on the designated spot to take pictures from. Oh yeah, modern life is starting to suck big time. I was born 250 years too darn late.
I caught this on the news tonight and I think the main problem was he was taking a picture of a art piece that was in front of a government building.....I feel bad for the guy.
And by "in the area" you must mean PUBLIC PLACE.
The USA is dead. I wouldn't be saying that if this type of incident was rare; but it seems like this kind of gestapo crap is becomming more and more common.
You are not allowed to take pics of some corporations in Houston and there is a reason for that. Security. People I know have seen people of Mid East descent taking pics at waist length of hallways and doors and exits, etc. It is a scary prospect working in an office knowing that there are poeple doing this.
Hoosier daddy?
/wtf
Does sound a little like the Soviet Union’s modus operandi.
And just how useful is this police state practice. After all how many pictures of these buildings would be in the public sector; News Paper articles, Tourist books, history books.
There was a case of a hobbyist taking pictures of a train in the Chicago Area. He was stopped and threatened.
The hobbyist in question took his case to the Internet, the Chicago newspapers got a hold of it, and the results were not good for Barney Fife.
Good point . I think Google Earth has taken all the mystique out of public buildings now ...
You mean you've never heard of an islamic terrorist named Walter?!
Walt Bin Laden is a very common Saudi name.
That's the thing. It has NOTHING to do with the pictures and everything to do with power. They do it because they can. For every case like this that is publicized, how many happen that we never heard about? Hundreds? Thousands? The camera here was just an excuse for these goose steppers to bully a citizen doing nothing wrong. Unfortunately this is expected in a justice system that almost automatically assumes that the law enforcement officer is always right.
The sad thing is, you'll find plenty of supporters for it here.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Thanks Barney Fife...
Here’s a crime-fighting tip... beware of Middle Eastern men NOT taking pictures!
Here’s a crime-fighting tip... beware of Middle Eastern men NOT taking pictures!
Trying to teach barney what a middle eastern man looked like would require a picture. Barney would then try to put his one bullet in the gun, no pictures.
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