Do you have an idea on your slicing document while I'm talking? >> Um I I I can give you my first name is James. I don't really want to provide ID. Mine is a crime, so. >> Okay. >> Yeah, this is the Georgia capital building where they house the senator, the governor, the house representative, and it's ran by the troopers. So, if I demand you drop like that they said that OCGA code, you produce it. You don't question it. >> What about What about >> Now I'm about 5 seconds away from banning you from this building and you would never come back here. >> A baseless ID demand, a highly controversial show of force, and the legal consequences law enforcement could now be facing after this incident. >> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 officers, man. That's Man, Aurora Aurora must be a great city, like no crime or anything, huh? >> A controversial ID demand and an aggressively controlling attitude, this officer never expected that the actions many viewed as abuse of power would spark such intense public outrage. At the Kane County Health Department, all it took was a single camera to throw the entire building into chaos. And the panicked reactions behind those closed doors seem to suggest that something was being hidden. >> Health Department out of Aurora, Illinois. Just getting ready to see and respect our rights to record in public and to make sure that our rights are not infringed on by anyone at any time. Let's go see. >> Um not at the moment. What's your name? Amy. Okay, yeah, not at the moment. >> Okay. >> You're like the third person that asked me. It was locked. I locked the building. Really? Why is the public health department a locked building? >> For security reasons. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Well, yeah, like I just told her I was coming in to um document you guys' public health facility and then before I head out I'll grab a couple of FOIA request forms and files and FOIAs. What's your name? >> Teresa. [music] >> Teresa, are you like the supervisor or manager? Okay. Uh and your name again, ma'am? >> My name is Katie. >> Katie. >> I'm also the supervisor. >> Okay. >> The moment those doors slammed shut, multiple officers suddenly arrived on scene, escalating the situation into something no one expected. And then, the next demand from police made the entire encounter seem more suspicious than ever. >> Uh what's your name badge number, ma'am? >> I'm Officer the badge number is 184. >> 184. Uh what I'm trying to convey to these folks here in the building that um I'm an investigative journalist. I'm coming here to um gather content for a story. Working on a story on this public health department. >> Okay. >> Um what I have to convey to him, her, and several other people downstairs that I'm going to document the building. >> [music] >> And then I'm going to grab a couple of FOIA request forms and book on out. >> Okay. >> So, I'm I'm assuming they called you here for me, right? >> Yes. >> And exactly so, which is a waste of resources. Sorry about that. >> That's okay. I mean, the issue is that it's like a secure building, so I think you'd probably have to make an appointment like that if you wanted to come in and do something like that. >> Now, I don't think about that. Now, um [music] like I told him on his on their website on their website it does say appointment, but only for a COVID vaccinations. >> Okay. >> So, they say you have to book an appointment for that. Um but to just come here to go like grab a FOIA request, >> Yeah. >> public How are you doing, officer? >> Good, how are you? >> I'm pretty good. Your name and badge number, sir? >> Huh? >> Name and badge number. >> My name is Officer Shelton, my badge number is 117. >> Thanks. Are you Are you recording? >> Of course I am. >> Oh, well, great. That's great. Well, that's That's beautiful. Um like I was just um conveying to your partner here. >> your shoes [music] that is that So maybe there's a miscommunication based on what their website says. >> Okay. >> The staff numbers here are saying that that's their protocol. >> Okay. >> So we have to just stick with that. So if you wanted to do something further like this, you'd have to maybe talk to someone who's in charge of the building and make arrangements to do that. >> Uh >> Because it's a little unnerving if they don't know who you are and you come in and start You can understand, right? >> I can understand slightly, but the thing is once you engage me and I tell you precisely what I'm doing, then what's the problems after that? What would be the problem? Like I'm telling you precisely what I'm doing. You see what I'm doing. I'm not doing anything nefarious. I don't have any ill intent. I'm not making any efforts to go past any restricted doors. And I conveyed to you precisely what I was doing. Everything should be good to go. This is public property. >> Do you have an idea on you so I can document who you are? >> I I I I can give you my first name is James. I don't really want to provide ID minus a crime, so. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Well, at this point if they're asking you to leave, >> They can ask. Yeah, they can ask. >> They're asking you to leave. Have you got everything you need and you're willing to go? >> Um like I just told this young man and this young lady here, I'm going to document the rest of this hallway [music] and then I'm going to grab my FOIA request and then book on out. >> So let's go. >> Hey, 1 2 3 4 5 7 officers 8 officers. Look, nine officers. >> No one expected a routine filming session to suddenly turn into a massive show of force involving 11 police officers. And then, in the middle of the overwhelming police presence, one unexpected demand completely changed the atmosphere. >> Your badge number, sir? >> What's your name? >> James. >> James Handy. >> Handy. Nice to meet you, Handy. >> Nice to meet you, too. >> Uh you officer, what's your name and badge number? >> Kerr, 131. >> Appreciate that. Thanks a lot. You, sir? >> Officer Ellis. >> Officer Ellis, name and what's your number? 104. You, sir? Appreciate that. Thanks a lot. >> All right, James. Let's walk out. >> Huh? >> We'll walk out this way. We'll go down the stairs and then we'll do your FOIA. How's that sound? >> Yeah, I am definitely going to do that, but I don't want to I don't want you guys to force me to do it now. You get what I'm saying? >> Yeah, but the the staff on site [music] is asking for that right now. >> So does the well well the staff have have hasn't told me anything in terms of right now. >> I just you don't have an appointment. >> you showed up is that they wanted to accompany me throughout the building. So what they were saying was they would allow me to do it if they can walk with me. >> Okay. >> Did they tell it to you? >> No, she said she couldn't. >> Okay. >> She couldn't. I You don't have an appointment. >> That's correct. >> coordinator. >> That's correct. >> And with an appointment, I would be happy to walk you with, but without an appointment and you just you know, I would just showed up and >> Yeah, is that let me So >> for our employees. >> So you So right now you're talking about a policy that you guys have, right? Obviously, right? Okay. So there's three things with a policy. Policy is not law. Policy doesn't have the force of law. And if I ignore the policy, that's not breaking the law. Now what you guys could do if you want to ask the officers to waive war on my rights today in terms of trying to trespass me, then that's going to come down on this department and your and you guys' department as well. I just told you exactly what I was doing. This is public property. I'm here to follow FOIA. So I have official business here. And in trespassing, 720 IFCS 521-3, can't trespass from public property during normal business hours. So if I can just finish what I'm trying to do, unmolested, we'd be good to go. Is there a sergeant here? Somebody with higher authority? Okay. >> You want to talk to the general public? >> Well, yeah, I mean I'm I mean just I'm just trying to make sure you guys know, you know, what I'm doing. I've conveyed the term. Um yeah, I think it is. Yeah. It is. >> Yeah, there is. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm admitting it it. Yeah, there is one. How did I get in? >> Yeah. okay. Well, UPS lady, I guess she was delivering mail or something, she came out. So, she had to open the door from the inside and I came in when when she opened the door. >> So, you didn't make yourself announced when you came in. >> Absolutely, I did. I talked to the receptionist at the gate. >> You didn't make yourself announced when you came in. >> Yes, I did. >> When officers failed to get the man's ID, the atmosphere instantly became more tense than ever. And with a massive police presence surrounding a single camera, the repeated demands for him to leave the building began sounding more like threats than instructions. >> And then again, like you say, sir, you guys is them public vehicles are out there. Like all right, so I'm going to go out there and record them as well. >> Absolutely, those are in a public area. >> I'll be good to go, right? Kind of like this, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. And this is the sign-in sheet, right? >> Sign-in sheet you have in the public, right? >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that Yeah, anything That doesn't matter. >> No, it does. That's why it's called personal information. >> It does It doesn't [snorts] matter. >> Anything that you can see in public >> It does not matter. How can it be public if it's personal why isn't it public right now? >> I don't know. >> And why is that camera right there? >> I don't know. Let's just go outside and we can you and >> No, I'm not going outside. I'm going to find my foyer right here. You got You got to go sit down somewhere, Officer Biddle. You acting I'm just saying. You You acting tired and don't want to work with me. I'm not afraid at all. All these officers, man, this is ridiculous. That's law. >> That's state law. >> So. >> Got a paper? >> Yeah, I I definitely do. >> Got the sheet? >> Huh? >> You want to go right here right now? >> Oh, yeah, if she don't have a form that >> and paper? >> that she wants to provide >> fill this out. Okay. >> Yeah, so you know, Officer Biddle here is acting like straight up tyrant. Uh we got we got the sergeant here that didn't want to have a dialogue, you know. But, you know. >> I'm going to have a dialogue with you. >> Well, I mean, I'm saying you trying to walk up on me, man, all intimidating intimidating me, man. >> What's TTO? >> Oh, it's just a family a family organization. >> Of what? >> Just a just a business. >> Please educate me. Have this dialogue that you would like to have. >> No, not with you, man. You trying to be intimidated and walk up on me, man, with your chest all out, man. You should [music] man, stop it, man. >> Everything seemed like it was finally over until the man pointed out one detail that instantly changed the entire atmosphere. >> It was received by Nora. >> Yeah, I mean >> N O R A, that's her copy. She has her copy. >> She has a So, this is So, this is a Xerox copy? >> No. Whichever copy. They have a copy, you have a copy. >> Okay. >> And the lady in Nora, you want to write that down in there? N O R A. >> Nora, yeah, yeah, I might as well. >> Okay. They will hopefully take care of that for you. >> Yeah, they definitely got to. I mean, they have I think state law says 5 days, so. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Oh, like I was just telling you your partners here I'll be booking out of here once you guys leave. When you guys leave, then I'll leave. >> I think we're all pretty much done. We're leaving at the same time, I guess. >> Well, you probably you guys got I think you guys got a little bit more important work than me to do, man, so. Yeah, definitely. >> Did you sign in? >> Uh, no. We're signing in is not a requirement. >> Yes, it is. It says here right here. >> Wait, we're talking about a legal requirement, sir. >> It says here right here. >> A legal requirement, sir. >> It says right here. All visitors must sign in. >> So, so you're going to ignore the fact of the legal work. See, that's ty- that's tyrannical, sir. You see You're a police officer. >> It says all visitors must sign in. >> Okay, you're a police officer. >> letting you know that all visitors >> Well, that's insignificant. >> But you were a visitor, right? >> That's unimportant. >> You were a visitor, right? >> That's unimportant. There's no statute or codes to it, so I don't have to honor it. You know what I'm trying to say. You're a tyrant, man. You're a straight-up tyrant, man. >> [laughter] >> I'm going I'm I'm leaving when you guys leave, though. Oh, I'll see as pull off, I'll be out of here. >> A camera should never become an excuse for displays of power or the waste of public resources because when unreasonable demands become normalized, the freedom of all of us is put at risk. Next, it started with a simple question about civil rights. But the atmosphere inside the Georgia State Capitol instantly exploded into tension. What caused one police officer to become so aggressive, shouting, threatening, and confronting two men right in the middle of a public government building? >> Why? Yes. >> Do Do you know what facility that you stepped into? >> Absolutely. >> this is the Georgia Capitol building that houses the senator, the governor, the house representative, and it's ran by the troopers. So, the front of the building you drop like that stated by the OCGA code, you produce it. You don't question. >> What about What am I >> Now I'm about five seconds about banning you from the building and you would never come back here. >> For asking a question? >> go drop a license or your ID so I can scan it before you come across here. >> Well, the thing is I don't have it with me, sir. That's why I'm asking you what >> Stand over here. >> Is it Hold on. >> now. Sir, I'm telling you right now I'm giving you an order >> Have I Have I broken the law? >> Yes, you are. You're breaking it right now. You are in a state building. You open this line right now cuz you crossed it without ID. >> I'm not crossing. I'm right here. >> Right here. >> Okay, but you Sir, you have to be nice. You don't have to talk to me like I'm a criminal. I'm not I'm not a criminal. Why you treating treating me like that? >> Because you're not listening. When I tell you to do something, you don't question it. Move before >> Sir, what about What about our rights? >> You You have You have First of all, you don't have the right to walk in any building. >> Yeah, we do. >> But listen, without following the rules. >> Well, the thing is I already checked the rules, sir. >> No, you didn't cuz I said let me see your driver's license. >> I go to I go Sir, without That's Hold on. I don't mean to be rude to you in any way, officer, but I've been to at least 30 state capital buildings in the past, and this is the first one that I get What about the Fourth Amendment? Do you take it seriously? Okay, so I haven't committed a crime, so you don't need my ID. This is the people's building. Can I speak to your supervisor, please? Okay, so do you have a supervisor that I can speak with? Sir, I'm part of >> The tension never let up as both sides continued pushing the situation further. The officer's attitude left the man visibly furious, raising the question, is this really how law enforcement should treat the public? >> building >> You come over here. Okay, I gave you instructions. Don't question the instructions. You do what you're told. >> We have the Sir, we have the right to question. You're not You're Sir, you're not With all due respect, you're not our father, sir. You're You're a public servant, sir. We're not I have not been rude to you in any point. Sir. But the thing is the thing is the rule says that you have to be courteous and professional to the public, and you treated me like [ __ ] without me being rude to you in any way, sir. Why would you have that that demeanor towards me? If all I all I did was walk in here and ask a question. Okay, sir. With all due respect, sir, we we You're You're talking about the rules that you have here. Well, the rules say that you have to treat people with respect and dignity. You don't say move over here, don't question me like I'm an inmate, sir. I'm not in jail, I haven't broken the law, I've been more than nice and courteous. Why would you talk to me like like I'm so sort of some sort of criminal, sir. Sure, we won't. And if you're here I'm sorry. We don't want to block your we don't want to block the traffic, sir. Sorry. Okay, it's just the way if there's rules, there's rules. But but you see, sir, look. Okay, we'll let you take care of these ladies. >> The confrontation quickly escalated to another level when the two men were ordered to leave the building as if they were causing a disturbance. But what truly made the argument explode was what the officer said after being challenged about citizens' rights. >> And by the way, we have 100 million views on the internet, punk. >> Wow, so This actually they didn't even ask for ID last time we were here. So, we're going to go ask the Capitol. The only reason I'm >> That guy is dangerous. >> The only reason I'm not getting arrested right now is because I still have >> There's nothing we can do. He's standing right there, kicking us out. But we're going to wait right here. >> Well, we're going to see if they we're going to film right here. Okay, we come right here, right here, right here. Hi gentlemen. How are you? Good. So, we were trying to to get in uh to the State House and uh my friend doesn't have an ID. Gentlemen started barking orders at us. So, we just politely asked for a supervisor because I was here a few months ago when they weren't asking for my ID. I didn't know if it was some type of discrimination and >> We're just working on a project and the guy's treating us like [ __ ] >> Exactly. And I appreciate you being cordial with us. Doesn't the >> Don't talk >> our fourth amendment rights trump any policy? Don't Doesn't your oath to the Constitution to uphold our >> So, you don't think that you can be searched in or a a government building? >> Well, sir, it's a people's building. It says just just like any any other building. I mean, if I go to your If I go to your pr- That's different. >> Why? >> Although Although they say uh you have we have all these rights upon entering, all of them are waived. >> What's waived? >> The first amendment. >> The second amendment? >> The second amendment. >> you want to in there. >> He said, "You're filming me." He was mad. He was mad about being filmed. >> You can film all you want to in there. >> Okay. >> the building, listen, you have to be screened. You go through a metal detector. That's That's our procedure, okay? It's just like the courthouse. You have to show an ID to enter the building. There are people Hang on. Let Let me finish. I'll let you talk. >> I had a lot of caffeine this morning. My bad. >> All right. To enter this building, you have to show an identification, okay? >> Okay. >> If you do not have an identification, you cannot enter the building. If you provide them a name and date of birth, they're able to positively ID you as who you say you are, then we'll allow you to enter, okay? >> But after everything that had just happened, this no longer seemed like an ordinary argument because when authority is pushed too far, when power is placed above citizens' rights, the line between law enforcement and abuse of power begins to dangerously blur. >> You're here to protect >> enter the building. >> You're here to protect protect our rights. >> to protect Nobody's Nobody's >> What about my fourth amendment, brother? >> Nobody's bothering you. >> What about my fourth amendment, you >> You don't have a fourth amendment know. >> in the public Not in a public place? Apparently no. You You want my ID without without me committing a crime, sir. There's no There's There's no reasonable articulable suspicion that I've committed a crime. So, there's no crime. No What about my What about my my private documents? This is not This is not fair, sergeant. You're a sergeant? This is This is not fair. You're a sergeant, too, sir. This is This is not fair. You guys are supposed to lead by example. So, if we don't have ID, we can't go go in? >> That's what That's what I just explained to you for 10 minutes now. So, if you don't have an ID, you you can't go in. Or, I said you can identify yourself by your name and date of birth, and we can allow you in if we can positively >> And then you're going to And then you're going to run my whole life just because I want to go into the Well, you are. You You want to You want to wave your right so we can at least go inside and see how they violate people's rights here? Well, let's let's do it. Let's do it. Let's do it. I'll wave Look, I came here from really far to come to this freaking goddamn building to take pictures here. I'm not just going to leave. That's messed up. Especially the way that that guy talks to people. Guys, I want everybody to know. You guys already know. I go with I go in peace everywhere we go. And cops don't know the Constitution. They will never They They only enforce policies. We have the feelings police everywhere we go. Unreal. What about the First Amendment? Can I Can I tell that guy to go [ __ ] himself nicely, sir? Would that Would that also be a violation of the policy? >> But the argument was no longer about an ID anymore. It had grown into a much bigger question about police authority itself. What unfolded inside this government building left many people asking, was power truly being enforced or abused? >> Oh, no, sir. >> I'm not playing those games, man. >> I'm asking you a legitimate question. >> And let's go. >> This is This is about >> What's disorderly to you, sir? >> This is about being arrested. What's Where's When specifically does the First Amendment stop and disorderly begin so me and my friends don't make no mistakes? >> Like what? Like like go [ __ ] like go [ __ ] your mother? >> Hey, sir, I need you to get back over here. >> I need you to get >> You're on a power trip. >> My name is Anselmo Morales. You know, even your Sir, sir, even your mother's going to receive a phone call. Does that look like me, loser? Does that look like me? Idiot. Did I give you that? Did I give you that? This You're You're a [ __ ] idiot. The thing is good thing we have over 100 million views on the internet. You know what happens when enough people call and make phone calls and complain? Fraser Fraser is going to is going to get another bump coming out of the other side of the head of so much headache that you're going to get, sir. Fraser Fraser, you're One at a time. This guy just left What's What's your name? Well, my name is Anselmo Morales. I'll be visiting your your mother for a date later on. I think she text me. >> All right. What's your first name? >> Anselmo. >> Sir, can you spell it for me? >> A N S E L M O >> Okay. Last name? Last name? >> Morales Fraser. That's going to be your mom's new last name. And then you're going to be my son. That's going to be your mom's new last name. >> Yes, Daddy. All right. >> [laughter] >> I love that. I love that. This kid just said yes. Okay. All right. Can I Can I go through? Can I Can I come in? >> Yes, you can. >> Okay. All right. >> When calm questions are met with intimidation and disrespect, what's lost is not only trust in law enforcement, but also the fairness that society is supposed to protect. Citizens can sue police [music] under Section 1983 when their rights are violated. Officers who violate [music] those rights may face compensation payouts, disciplinary action, or even termination. The law is only truly respected [music] when authority is exercised with fairness and respect for citizens' rights. Hey, everyone. What do you think [music] about this situation? If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and support us with a donation. Thank you so much. >> [music]