After looking at the thread about the agents provocateurs ..

[The Vinyl Ripper]

I had an idea..

Video with sound is damn good evidence, as we have just seen.

What if a lot of crowd members were to wear an unobtrusive video rig?

What could the authorities do presented with evidence like that?

[ThomCat]

1. Ignore it, or prosecute you on trumped up charges

for videotaping them without a permit or something.

It doesn't matter how much evidence you have. If the media doesn't cover it enough to generate public outrage and political pressure on them, then nothing happens. All the evidence in the world would mean nothing without public pressure.

[Poll_Blind]

2. They won't ever prosecute on something like that. If they don't know about...

...it they can't threaten you with arrest, which is what they'd likely do if they knew they had been caught. However, after the fact there is nothing they can legally do, given that you film them in a public place. That's not to say that there aren't some towns/areas where cops would illegally harass you- but thems the breaks in a country slipping toward fascism.

  I do agree with you about the media playing an important role. Whether or not local media would pick up on a story like that is iffy, but there's usually local print media which is very hungry for anything sensational and they'd likely be the ones who would show more interest.

  And the ACLU, of course. God bless 'em!

PB

[Tunkamerica]

3. except of course in NYC

and any other place that passes laws similar to the one they just passed requiring $1,000,000 of insurance even for amateur videographers.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

5. We're starting to get around the media..

Most of the kids know how to do it..

Viral guerrilla video..

[backscatter712]

4. Damn good idea.

Every single person who goes to a protest or demonstration or rally should go there with a camera. Ideally, they'd come with a camcorder, but barring that, bring a camera phone, or even a disposable camera.

Yes, I mean everyone.

The cops might bust some of the people documenting their actions, but they can't get them all. Someone will get away, with a video of their abuses, and it only takes one person to embarrass the hell out of them by broadcasting the video on Youtube.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

6. Digital cameras camphones are everywhere now..

And a lot of them will take a lot of pictures and shoot pretty decent video too..

Good enough for forensic software to enhance nicely.

Every protest or incident needs to be recorded from as many vantage points as you can get.

Think if the Kennedy Assassination took place today, there would be hundreds of cam phones pointing every which way.