Officers Caught-On-Video Damaging Camera While Seeking to Intimidate Free Speech and Assault Journalist
A gang of off-duty New York police assaulted a cameraman, shouted verbal epithets and damaged a camera on a side street near Times Square just days before the sixth anniversary of 9/11.
The cameraman, Aaron Dykes, was filming a 9/11 Truth group that was passing through the street en route to Fox Studios only a few blocks away. Off duty police officers and other members of their group began shouting "a**holes" at the 9/11 truth group when one of the officers told the cameraman to "stop filming" and warned "I wouldn't walk this way," referring to the sidewalk he was blocking off.
When Dykes refused to stop filming, another officer stepped up to batter the camera while stating "How you doing tonight." (see still frames below)
This prompted yet another officer to shove on the cameraman, saying "Get your f'n camera out of here."
This was witnessed by on-duty officer Donnellan who told the temperamental cops to ignore the cameraman. However, this did not stop the rest of the crowd from unleashing on the cameraman.
This off-duty cop ordered the on-duty officer to "Get that camera out of here right now," referring to the Infowars cameraman filming in the public street.
Another officer began barking orders at Donnellan, shouting, "Officer, Get that camera out of here right now!" As the off-duty cop repeated his "orders" to the on-duty officer, others in the crowd took the cue instead to continue assaulting Dykes, who was filming from the public street.
One such off-duty officer sarcastically told Dykes, "I love you" as he began elbowing and forcibly shoving on the cameraman while blocking the camera lens with his other hand.
(Click for a larger image set)
This prompted even more people from the crowd to gang up on the cameraman, including an even more forceful mustached man who was not in uniform, along with at least five other individuals, several of whom were not in uniform.
As the video shows, the group took turns batting at the camera lens while using their elbows to push the cameraman backwards and in circles.
All this was clearly witnessed by Donnellan, the on-duty officer (badge 5931), who approached Dykes and muttered "Why you touching them?" before stating more loudly "Do us a favor." Donellan clearly indicated he intended to side with the off-duty cops, overlook their assault and even implicate Dykes for assault if he didn't move down the street where he was being forcefully directed.
Dykes left when the tape on his camera ran out, as he felt unsafe without being able to keep a record of the assault. He was chased after by an officer who had asked angrily "where are they," referring to the 9/11 group which had already left the area.
While the officer attempted to chastise the assaulted cameraman for interrupting their event, the angry cop at least had the civility to refrain from the violence the others had so readily engaged in.
The result of repeated battering to the camera caused damage-- namely, to the arm piece connecting the microphone to the camera, which was uprooted, forcing out a metal connector rod. The lens was hit repeatedly but not noticeably damaged.
The implications of the cumulative actions of the off-duty officers-- especially in light of the fact that it was tacitly condoned by the on-duty officer-- should be startling to anyone who values their basic freedoms. If police are willing to assault and intimidate journalists on-camera, there is no telling what they would do when cameras are not around.
It should be noted that while many of these cops assaulted the Infowars cameraman, the majority of officers in in New York were non-violent during the events surrounding 9/11/07 and protected the 1st Amendment right to free speech, peaceful assembly and a redress of grievances.
Many officers have bravely joined other 9/11 rescue workers to stand up for 9/11 truth and have supported those attempting to expose the lies of the official story as well as those seeking to support the 70% of ground zero rescue workers sick and dying of toxic 9/11 dust. Thus, these off-duty police officers do not represent the NYPD as a whole and their actions should be considered individually.
What do you know... more tyranny.
