ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police

ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police
by ProPublica,
July 7, 2010 - 1:23pm

Freelance photographer Lance Rosenfield was working on assignment for ProPublica in Texas City, Texas, last week, when a BP security guard began following him. Rosenfield was later detained by police after taking photos for two ProPublica stories. One revealed that BP’s Texas City refinery had illegally emitted 538,000 pounds of toxic chemicals into the air in April and May. The other reported that the Texas City refinery continues to have serious safety violations five years after an explosion at the plant killed 15 workers.

What follows is Rosenfield’s account of what happened on Friday night after the police, accompanied by the BP security guard, stopped him at a local gas station.

I parked my car on the shoulder of Hwy. 197 near the Texas City sign that is in the pictures, on the south side of town and the refinery. I walked onto the median where the sign is and took the pictures. I walked back to my car and drove a couple of miles to a gas station that is on the way to my hotel. I noticed that what looked like a security truck, which had a light on the top, was following me, although he continued on when I pulled into the Valero gas station. I got out of my car to fill the tank and moments later two Texas City police cars pulled in next to my car, essentially blocking me in, although I wasn't trying to go anywhere, I was trying to get gas.

The first police officer asked me what I was doing and said he had gotten a report that I was taking pictures near the refinery. I told him I am a photojournalist and had only taken some pictures of a Texas City sign. He asked to see the pictures and I told him I didn't think I had to show them, legally. Another police officer walked up and again asked to see the pictures. I told him the same thing, but assured him that they were just pictures of the city sign, taken while I was in the public right of way.

.....................

He said I could show him the pictures or he could handle this another way, including calling Homeland Security and taking me in. I agreed to show him the pictures on the back of my camera, while he took my driver's license. Meanwhile, the truck that had been following me showed up, driven by a security guard with a BP patch on his uniform. The first police officer seemed to fade back during all this, but remained present in the background. I asked the second police officer-- Officer T. Krietemeyer--for his card, which he gave me.


more:
http://www.antemedius.com/content/propublica-photographer-i-was-followed-bp-security-and-then-detained-police

Do NOT talk to the police. They are the enemy. Argue your case in court, in front of a judge.

Texas City, for that matter? Not to mention the public highway and the median? And most Texas politicians?

The population breaths air laden in benzine, sulfur dioxide and all manner of pollutions with little complaint. Done out of fear of offending the oil giants who rule there. The payoffs and corruption are as common place as acid rain in that region.

require very tight security. i know peole who uinfort. for them live in that area, and i'm happy to know that law enforcement is paying attention. That area of Houston is a terrorists frikkin dream.

Yes it is.

If he'd been a whitesupremacist with a trunk full of dynamite, DU'd feel differently about his detention.

Absolutely.

What's your point?

Doesn't it even matter to you which side he's on?

and I expect good ones to be occasionally stopped and questioned. Not tortured by Stasi, but questioned.

as opposed to its enslavement or destruction.

In that sense, I sure want a "reporter" to be on a "side".

Did they have any legal justification whatsoever to stop him? I'll go ahead and answer that, no. They did not. If that isn't harassment I don't know what is.

of the World.

You have no rights except those we say you have -- and we will take them back at any moment with no recouse if we feel the rights we grant you are interfering with our right to rape your, uh, our land (now). Resistance is futile. (We were taught by the Borg.)

from the link:

"Officer Krietemeyer took my name, driver's license, the car license number, my D.O.B., Social Security Number and phone number."