[IP] Re: videotaping of violence NOT outlawed in France

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: DV Henkel-Wallace <dvhw@talima.com>
Date: March 8, 2007 12:20:50 PM EST
To: "David P. Reed" <dpreed@reed.com>
Cc: David Farber <dave@farber.net>
Subject: Re: [IP] Re: videotaping of violence NOT outlawed in France

The two countries aren't that different, really.  But certainly in  
France, the folks likely to whack someone are the CRS (sort of like a  
SWAT team, but with far more autonomy), and you _don't_ film them;  
you give them a _wide_ berth and try not to catch their attention.   
You have rights, but with only two exceptions I can think of, these  
guys have generally been able to act above the law.

In the USA I teach my kid that the cops are your friends...but will  
he still believe it when he's older?  I hope so.  Over the past  
couple of decades the rules here (US) have become far more punitive.   
Oddly it hasn't seemed to have made for a more civil society.

-d


> Date: March 7, 2007 5:56:10 PM EST
> From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed@reed.com>
>
> Does videotaping an incident where the police are beating up a  
> demonstrator or a criminal (unnecessarily) amount to "in order to  
> get a proof in justice"?   This might be a matter of some concern  
> depending on how one must demonstrate intent at the time of taking  
> the videotape.   If it were America, I'd suggest taping a label on  
> your camera - "all footage being taken by me are intended for use  
> in court as proof, should I need the video for that purpose".    
> Such a declaration might not work in France as a statement of  
> (potential) intent - especially if I were taking the photos or  
> video as a means of spying on the government.  I understand that in  
> France everything that is not permitted is forbidden.





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