National
Post office closed due to cameraman
First Amendment auditor was arrested for excersising his right to videotape public facilities.
First amendment audits are becoming more common here in the United States of America. People will go out in public places such as sidewalks and public (taxpayer-funded) buildings to see if the first amendment to the free press will be honored and respected.
One such auditor was arrested in the Hagerstown, Maryland post office, which is federal property but was charged with trespassing on private property.
The police reports say that Sean was asked to leave several times, but throughout the video, not one person asked him to leave but to turn off the camera.
Post offices in the United States are required to have a poster seven hanging in the facilities; in the rules and conduct, people may take photos and videos in public spaces as long as they do not do anything illegal.
When police arrived, officer Deavers told Sean he needed to leave, although no one in the post office asked him to leave, and Officer Crause was asked if he did not leave and if he would be arrested. Sean asked for a supervisor, and instead of a supervisor being called over, Officer Crause was immediately arrested.
Featured image credit: Atomic Taco/Flickr
