Cop Tells Woman There's "No Excuse" For Parking The Wrong Way, Says It's Against The Law To Film Him

Chris | InformationLiberation
Jul. 03, 2015

A Philadelphia cop was filmed telling a woman there is "no excuse" for parking the wrong way on a street with confusing signage, but then goes on to order the woman to stop filming him, claiming it's "against the law" to film him without his permission.

Of course, it's entirely within the law to film police, and you do not need their permission, but I guess for the cop such ignorance of the law is perfectly excusable.

The officer evidently called in for backup citing a "hostile vehicle" as his victim, Renee Hobbs was swarmed by 8 other officers, including homeland security agents, and a police K-9.

Parking the wrong way is serious business, not knowing the laws you're tasked with upholding is no big deal.

Hobbs writes of the incident:

What a stressful experience to be shouted at my armed police officers. Thanks to Monica Bulger and other witnesses who watched me get verbally harassed by Amtrak police Signage at 30th Street drop off was not evident - but the cop escalated it to the point of radioing in a "hostile vehicle" which brought 8 officers, including canine and Homeland Security. Ironic that we are presenting at the ISTE 2015 Conference on surveillance and civil rights.

It's not clear what happens at the end of the video, after handing the phone to her friend to keep filming the officer succeeds in intimidating her to stop filming. I would assume as there's nothing in her description the cops just shook her down for revenue without incident.