A passenger arrested at San Diego Harbor airport for allegedly refusing to comply with the patdown procedure was also charged with illegally recording. Apparently, Sam Wolanyk “refused” by stripping down to his underwear when they wanted him to keep his clothes on. Police then paraded him through the airport in his underwear. Way to go, TSA –that’ll show the public how you’re there to protect our security and how you are sensitive to privacy concerns (NOT!)
But he wasn’t the only one charged with a misdemeanor for recording what goes on:
The incident was confirmed by Harbor Police Sergeant Rakos who said Wolanyk was arrested on two misdemeanors, “failing to complete the security process; violation code 7.01 and illegally recording the San Diego Airport Authority (they confiscated his iPhone); violation number 714 (2).”
Another confirmation came from Ronald Powell, director of communications, who said Wolanyk wasn’t charged with any federal crimes, just the two misdemeanors. “The bottom line is that all our police officers did was enforce the law.”
Powell also stated that there was another arrest of a woman who was allegedly illegally filming the x-ray, and TSA screening process with a video camera. The young woman’s camera was confiscated and she was given a citation and released from Harbor Police custody.
Read more in the Examiner.
Recording public employees in public spaces performing their public duties should is not a crime and any law that suggests that it is needs to be challenged and overturned. Paging the ACLU to Aisle 4….