Why are you telling people to not talk to me? That's that's uh >> I'm just telling people to keep a keep moving, sir. >> Why? They have She has a right to be on the sidewalk. >> Sir, this is a city ordinance, sir. >> What's the city ordinance? >> City ordinance, sir, is public against excludes all public public gatherings of more than four people. >> What? What's your name? I'm not going to give you my name because I'm minding my own business. You You need a warrant to get my name. You can't just barge into people's house and search and intimidate them and interrogate them. And the same thing with the sidewalk, too. You know, I'm just minding my own business talking to people. >> In this encounter, this cop demanded this man's name while he was just standing on a public sidewalk, but the man refused to play along and immediately challenged the legal basis for the demand. The officer then shifted to complaints about him harassing people before trying to control who could stand around and interact with him. But the encounter gets even more ridiculous when another officer claims a city ordinance prevents more than four people from being stationary on the sidewalk. Watch how this man keeps challenging every attempt to push him off the sidewalk while putting the officer's own claims under the microscope. >> You're asking me my name? >> I have, yeah. >> Okay, can I ask you why you want to know my name? >> You going to give me your name or not? >> Um Well >> Officer James Perrizo with the Quincy Police Department. What is your name, sir? >> That's That's good to know, sir. >> Yeah, what is your name? >> Um well, I don't think that by law I have to identify myself on the sidewalk minding my own business and there's no laws being broken. >> You're absolutely correct. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Now, I'm going to tell you this. We have complaints about you harassing people. >> It's a false charge, sir. >> I'm just telling you why I'm talking to you. >> Okay. >> Hey, we have complaints about you. Don't blow in my face like that. >> No, I was blowing in the camera. >> Okay, well, it went right in my face. Don't do that. I'm not disrespecting you, don't disrespect me. >> It would be much appreciated by all if you left and took your message somewhere else. >> Okay. >> Have a good day. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I'll be leaving in a matter of a couple minutes. >> Okay. >> Okay. And who's Who's this guy over here? >> He never identified himself. >> Wilson. >> Anything that lies rises to the level of disturbing the peace? >> No, I just got off the phone. All I heard was what the caller what the students said. Just here to protect the students. >> Well, hang out till he takes off. >> Okay. >> Yeah, and if there's going to be a charge against me, I need to have the uh names of the students. >> Okay. >> Cuz it's going to be a legal matter and I have a right to defend myself from false charges. You can't just file um charges against me and not have any uh plaintiffs or witnesses or anything like that. You know, that's just uh that's illegal. And I don't think you should be violating my First Amendment right to uh be on the uh sidewalk and talk to people. Cuz right now you're kind of in my way while I'm trying to talk to people expressing my First Amendment right, you know. So, that's why I have this camera here because it might become a legal matter. Okay? So, I don't I don't want to see you violate the law either because the uh the city can be sued for a lot of money. You talk to my lawyer. Have a nice day. >> You too. Take off, guys. >> No, guys, don't take off. Stay here. Don't listen to him. You have a right to be on the sidewalk. >> Yeah, it's called loitering, people. >> The const- No, no, no. The Constitution says that you have a First Amendment right to be on the public sidewalk. The Constitution is meant to protect you from the police from doing just that. That's what the Constitution is for. The Constitution is your right. You have a right to be on the sidewalk. Don't be lied to by the police. They They lie to me all the time and try to intimidate me. Just ignore them. They can't arrest you. If they arrest you, it's a false arrest. You can sue them for a lot of money. Your Constitution The Constitution is meant to protect you from the government. >> What are you doing, buddy? >> I'm educating people about the Constitution and about civil rights. >> What's your name? >> I'm not going to give you my name because I'm minding my own business. You You need a warrant to get my name. You can't just barge into people's houses and search and intimidate them and interrogate them. It's the same thing with the sidewalk, too. You know, I'm just minding my own business talking to people. And I don't think I don't see why the government should come by and like try to stop me from my First Amendment rights. Right now, you're obstructing my First Amendment rights, you know. >> Why am I doing that, sir? You tell. >> Because I'm trying to talk to people and you're telling me to get lost and get off the sidewalk. >> I didn't say get lost. >> You said Don't tell me what I said. I think you did. I can rewind the footage over here. >> I would love for you to do that because I never said that. >> Okay. >> Okay? >> You want to see what he said? >> I don't care what he said. It's a public sidewalk here. >> Okay. Anyway, I don't want to make a lawsuit out of it because uh >> Well, that's great. Thanks for being a team player. >> Yeah. >> Appreciate it. >> Hi kids. How you doing today? Do you know what this is? Do you know what this is? I don't think uh you should be trying to stand in the way and blocking my sign. >> It's a public sidewalk, sir. It's a public sidewalk. We have just as much a right to be here as you do. >> So, what are you saying is on the government's dime, you're blocking me from my First Amendment, and you're harassing me. Is that Is that what you're doing? >> I'm not I'm not doing that. I'm standing right here, sir. Enjoy the day. >> The First Amendment is to protect people, citizens, from the government. That's what it's for. Hey guys, you know what this is? >> Uh yeah. >> This is how they do the procedure. Doctor rips the arms and legs off the The clinics they don't tell you this this information. If they did if they told you this they're breaking the law. They have to tell you by law cuz it's major medical surgery and they don't tell you. Hi sir, how you doing today? Do you know what this is? Hi mister, how you doing today? You know what this is? Hey guys, how you doing today? >> All right, you guys go home. Go home. >> Okay. >> You think I'll stand behind my partner all day, all right? >> No, sir. Hey guys. What you need to know What you need to know is always have a camera with you and if the cops try to take you off the sidewalk you can sue them for a lot of money, okay? So don't be don't be intimidated by the police, okay? You have a legal right to be on the sidewalk and talk to people. Hi man, how you doing today? Do you know what this is? >> Um >> You just keep going there. We're just keep going. >> This is how they do the procedure. So you shouldn't you shouldn't be telling them I'm trying to talk to people. I don't know why you're obstructing my first amendment right to talk to people. >> I'm not stopping your right, sir. You can speak all you want. >> Why why are you telling people to not talk to me? That's that's uh >> you. I'm just telling people to keep a keep moving, sir. >> Why? They She has a right to be on the sidewalk. >> Well, this is a city ordinance, sir. >> What's the city ordinance? >> The city ordinance, sir, is public against excludes all public public gatherings of more than four people. >> What? >> Uh welcome to the city of Quincy, sir. The city ordinance. will Welcome to the city of Quincy, sir. >> So, four people or more can't can't be together? >> Orlando. Correct, Orlando. >> What if they keep moving? What if there are four people walking down the street together? >> That's definitely You can't be stationary, so you can't be stationary position more than four people, sir. >> Has that ever been challenged in court? That sounds extremely unconstitutional. >> Well, you're going to take that to the SJC, sir. >> Yeah. >> You know, I'm just telling you what the city ordinance says. >> That's uh the most absurd thing I ever heard in my life. >> is Quincy, so it wouldn't shock me. >> Okay. >> The biggest problem here is that the officers never established a clear legal basis for forcing this man to identify himself simply because he was standing on a public sidewalk and speaking to people. The initial officer asked for his name. The man refused, and the officer ultimately acknowledged that the man was correct about being on the sidewalk. The encounter then shifted toward complaints that he was harassing people, and eventually toward a claimed city ordinance restricting more than four people from remaining stationary in a public area. That distinction matters because being on a public sidewalk, speaking to people, displaying a message, and engaging in protected expression are all conduct that can implicate the First Amendment. Police cannot simply convert complaints about someone's message or interactions into a blanket authority to remove him from a traditional public forum. The man also did the one thing that made the officers claims much harder to hide. He kept his camera running and repeatedly demanded the legal basis for what they were telling him to do. Instead of voluntarily giving up his identity or simply leaving the sidewalk, he challenged the officer's authority and forced them to explain what law they believed gave them that power.