IF YOU WITNESS A POLICE ARREST or INCIDENT: (A Thread)

1) Take out your phone, & begin to record. Stay out of the police's way. Do not give them an excuse to approach you. Try to zoom into the badge, plate, and precinct numbers. Some people advise recording horizontally.

2) If a police approaches you, say "I’m not obstructing you in any way. I’m only exercising my legal right to observe the police while you are doing your job. I am over 6 feet away. I am practicing social distancing.”

3) If the police disagrees and says you don’t have the right to observe or film, KEEP REPEATING the phrases above. You DO have the right. If you feel you have to put the camera down, DO NOT turn it off, the audio is important too.

4) If the police tells you to get back. CLEAR COMMUNICATION IS KEY. Take a few steps back and SAY "I’m cooperating. I am stepping back. I will not stop you from doing your job. I am exercising my legal right to observe the police. I am over 6 feet away.”

5) If the the police continues to tell you to move, continue to move back while repeating that response.

The police will try their best to push you out or hide what they are doing. You have the right to observe from a “reasonable distance”. Exercise that right!!!

6) However, if the police does not approach you, yell out to the person being arrested while recording: "Are you OK, do you know why you are being arrested/stopped." They may or may not answer. It is important for people to know why they are being stopped. Documenting will help.

7) STAY SAFE. Not even the police know the full rights of civilians. POLICE ARE ALLOWED TO LIE TO CIVILIANS. Do not think they are obligated to tell the truth. Most importantly, and this is super important. BEHAVE. BEHAVE. BEHAVE. Speak clear and softly, do not get aggressive.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.justicecommittee.org/know-your-rights
This is where I got the above information.