“Shattering the myth of racial equality”
Orta is among several citizen journalists who say they have been hounded by police, including those who filmed the recent deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and Freddie Gray, which sparked a wave of protests across the US
In August, filmmaker David Sutcliffe wrote an open letter in favour of the “right to record”, which was signed by more than 100 documentarians, including Asif Kapadia, Laura Poitras and Nick Broomfield.
“Armed only with camera phones, citizen journalists have shattered America’s myth of racial equality,” the letter said. “Instead of garnering Pulitzers and Peabodys, they have been targeted, harassed and arrested by members of the very institution whose abuses they seek to expose.”
Shaun King, a New York-based journalist focusing on justice, told Al Jazeera that harassment was not uncommon.
“I have seen many cases where people who film police are unlawfully targeted and harassed by them in response – sometimes for months or even years as a result,” he said.
“My question is always this: what are you afraid of? Why does being filmed bother you so much? It’s our right to film the police. In fact, if you ever see police in action and you have the time to film them, do so.”
A petition by The American Civil Liberties Union calling on US Attorney General Loretta Lynch to investigate harassment cases has gathered almost 21,000 signatures.
“Vicious intimidation”
Stanley Cohen, a New-York based lawyer and former social worker who in the 1980s held community cohesion sessions with the city’s police departments, said that Orta’s case was an example of “vicious, retaliatory and vindictive” intimidation.
“They want to create an environment where people are terrified to speak up and out and be good citizens,” he told Al Jazeera.
“It’s [harassment] not to undo the events of the murder of Garner as is it to deter the next [filming of a police killing].”
He added that after Garner’s death, he felt a glimmer of hope.
“I had hoped, naively, that the Garner situation would change the relationship between police and community. It did for a short run, but more out of police concern of an explosion. Recently, it seems to be business as usual. There are more stories of the arrogant, abusive attitudes of cops in communities they control … When you combine the militarization of police with citizen journalists, you get a toxic confrontation.”
According to Mapping Violence, police have killed at least 217 black people so far this year. Last year, they killed at least 346 black people.
As he prepared for jail, Orta said he has little hope for the near future.
“I expected this [police killings] to end up where it is now, it’s only gotten worse since it started. I knew from our past history that that video wasn’t going to change anything,” he said.
“I don’t want my situation to be a deterrent to people who continue to film, though. I encourage others to take a stand.”
Article Appeared @http://www.blackagendareport.com/ramsey_orta_goes_to_prison