Link: Pentagon contractor admits to propaganda campaign against USA Today journalists | Poynter.

Link: You have a right to remain recording : CJR

For the past five years, Carlos Miller, a former newspaper reporter, has covered incidents and issues surrounding the public’s right to record the police. Miller’s blog, which he refers to as PINAC, began as a hobby, but became a full-time job. On it, he chronicles his own court cases (he’s had three), other photographer arrests, and related legislation from around the country. He advocates knowing the law and using that knowledge to stand up to law enforcement in what he often refers to, in a sarcastic nod to government terminology, as “The War on Photography.”

Link: London cops want to suck your phone dry in an instant – Boing Boing

Link: Justice Dept. Defends Public’s Constitutional ‘Right to Record’ Cops | Threat Level | Wired.com

Last year, the Baltimore Police Department published a General Order to officers explaining that members of the public have a right to record their activity in public, but the Justice Department said in its 11-page letter this week that the order didn’t go far enough, and pointed out several areas where it should clarify and assert more strongly the rights that individuals possess.

Link: Threat Level

“The Illinois eavesdropping statute restricts far more speech than necessary to protect legitimate privacy interests,” the Chicago-based appeals court wrote

Link: NPPA Advocacy Committee

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit today granted a preliminary injunction, blocking enforcement of the Illinois Eavesdropping statute as it applies to audio recording of police performing “their duties in public places and engaging in public communications audible to persons who witness the events.”

Link: duckrabbit

it must be made unequivocally clear: journalists are f*cking enemies.”

“………………….To our enemies: if we won’t hesitate to directly confront hundreds of cops and to destroy property, what makes you think we hold the lens of your camera to be sacred? You want to preserve your four thousand dollar camera to watch us break everything else? We are not doing this for you, and this is not a game. You clearly do not understand that there is no exception. We feel nothing but contempt for you cowardly spectators.

You’d better watch your necks next time

Link: Metro

“I had a couple people make grabs for my gear,” Muncy told Buzzfeed. “They just didn’t want their pictures taken.” “One girl walks up to one of the photogs and nailed him right in the face,” Muncy said. “He popped her right back.” Muncy told Buzzfeed the photographer was Lucas Jackson of Reuters.

Link: PDN Pulse

Photographer Carlos Miller, owner of the Photography Is Not a Crime blog, has learned that the Miami-Dade Police Department is watching him like, well, police states watch dissidents, just looking for reasons to arrest him.