Get your hands off me, man. >> Get your cameras on. Get your cameras on. I'm a I'm a free citizen. You don't have a right to do this. >> Gustapo stop us. >> Gustapo stopping you because >> Oh, we committed a crime then. I was unaware. I didn't know. >> What started as a baseless demand for ID quickly exposed a series of questionable police actions on camera and it may end up being the mistake that brings serious legal consequences to the entire department. Looks like the I'm being detained out of the locked uh I'm locked out of the county clerk's office. This is a county building. >> You go. >> Business hours are over. >> You come here. >> I need to provide ID. >> We have to provide ID without committing a crime. >> Absolutely. Cuz we were called here. >> Just standing on a sidewalk with a camera. These two men never expected that minutes later they'd be pulled into a suffocating confrontation with police over a demand so controversial it was hard to believe. Just for holding a camera in public, this man was stopped by police and questioned for ID without cause. But it was the officer's reaction that truly caused the situation to explode. >> That would be the court section. So you don't >> uh county clerk's office. >> Clerk's office. >> Yeah. >> Just sign. >> Yeah, sure. going everywhere. >> Yeah, we're checking it out. >> Okay. >> The county building. >> I'm a journalist working on a story on the building and just uh taking a couple of video of the place and going to the clerks filing some [music] poll request and I'll be on my way. I need to sign in and I'll have to take my taxes where they do DMV stuff here. Pictures >> ID. >> Uh, no thank you, sir. >> Your last name. >> Uh, that's what I signed in as. I'm uh county. >> Uh, no thank you, sir. >> Uh, yes. That's >> a violation of a fourth amendment to uh vi violate the fourth amendment. >> Uh you have to sign in. You have to use your >> I did sign in. >> Your last name is not Erie County. >> And show me your ID. >> I'm here working as Erie County. >> If your last name is Erie County, then you could stay. Come on. Let's go. >> I'm I'm not leaving. That's ridiculous. It would be a Fourth Amendment violation to ID me to come into a public building. >> We'll go see my sheriff cuz that's his rules. So, let's go. We got to go to the sheriff's office. >> Tell him come. The argument escalated minute by minute, pushing the atmosphere inside the government building to a breaking point. But it was the officer's reactions on camera that truly sent the situation spiraling out of control. >> I'm not leaving. >> You're leaving? >> Are you a sheriff? >> Yes, I am. >> Are you a security working here? >> I'm a sheriff. >> What's your bar's number? >> Come on. >> Is your camera on? >> It is not. Let's go. >> You turn you turn your camera on. >> Come on. Let's go. >> Go [clears throat] where? >> I don't know. Whatever you said. Let's go. Just cuz he said something doesn't he doesn't have a lawful order of any sort to give me a lawful command at all. >> You're not allowed in the building. >> I'm allowed in the building. >> I need him to sign his real name. >> I did sign in the building. >> Erie County. Come on. Let's >> I'm here. Is Dan Erie County >> I'm not leaving. Get a supervisor down here. >> You don't get to get somebody's ID unless they commit a crime. You can't just demand ID. >> I'm going to ask for your ID. ID. I'm [clears throat] respectfully I'm going to decline giving you ID because I have not committed a crime. I don't have to leave. This is public property. You got to leave. >> This is public property. I'm not leaving. >> You got to leave. >> The only way I'm leaving if you threaten to arrest me. All right. Under threat of arrest, I will leave. And you will violate the first amendment and the fourth amendment. >> I'm standing right where I was standing. You approached me. M. >> Let's go. >> If this is uncomfortable space for you, you can always back up. >> You can too. >> Just so you guys can see how close I am. I'm I'm literally just as close to my face as he is to this camera giving me a You don't have a lawful command. You want to get a supervisor? >> Let's get out. >> Get a supervisor. >> Go sign in. >> I did sign in. >> You did not. >> I did. >> Show me the law that says I have to sign in in a public building in public space. That is a fourth amendment violation of the Constitution. Don't you understand that? Did you not as a sheriff swear an oath to the Constitution to uphold the Constitution? You can't ID somebody talking about that's that's the kind of [ __ ] we're talking about. The guy is a sheriff. He says he's a sheriff. if he's got a badge over here, but he doesn't have no idea what the Constitution of the Fourth Amendment is. >> You don't have time to do what you >> Come on, Dad. I'm not doing anything. Do not touch me. Do not touch [music] me. >> Let's go. >> I'm not going anywhere till you get a supervisor down here. Get your hands off me, man. >> Get your cameras on. Get your cameras on. I'm a I'm a free citizen. You don't have a right to do this. >> Let's go. >> You're going to regret this. >> Good. >> Get a supervisor down here. >> Let's go. >> I'm in a public building. You have no lawful order. I have broke no law. You have no authority over a freemoving citizen whatsoever. You have no authority to put your hands on somebody. You just committed a batter. >> Good. >> Good. >> Arrest me. >> Yeah, we know there's no accountability for the Blue Line gang. >> Let's go. >> Just as the argument seemed to have no end in sight. A captain stepped into the already tense situation. But only minutes later, [music] his response left many people questioning how this department was really using its authority. Are you a supervisor? Sure. What's up? >> These guys are violating my First Amendment rights and fourth amendment rights. They're impeding my traffic. They're causing illegal detention. They're refusing to put their body cameras on why they're violating my rights. Um I'm just trying to go to the county clerk's office and >> record >> and record my interactions, which is perfectly legal. You need to explain to them the freedom of the press first amendment in public places. >> We're He's supposed to sign in. He wrote it. His name is Dan Erie County. So I stopped him. He already >> they put he put his hands tell him he put his hands on me too illegally. >> So what's your business day? You get it taken care of? >> No. This guy put his hands on me. They won't let me go to the county clerk's house. I just want to go to county clerks file some foil request. >> He thinks he can get ID out of somebody without committing a crime. You can't. That's a fourth amendment violation. He literally said to me he doesn't know what the Fourth Amendment is. He thinks it's nonsense. This is not funny. >> You have an appointment or what's >> I have no appointment. I'm coming through here documenting my experience >> and all you want >> filing some forward requests and I'm done with this illegal detention. You need to educate your uh deputies here >> so I send you the right way. Something from there >> county clerk. Yeah, I'm going take a look at the county budget. You know, just exercising my constitutional rights to be in public video record and these guys are absolutely violating my civil rights right now. >> Bad sign your right name and show us. >> Thank you. Thank you for taking care of that. I'm just going to the county clerk's office. So, but you got to sign in. That's their rule. I did sign in. >> Okay. But you didn't use your real name. >> I did. [music] >> You're I'm here under the Freedom of Press. >> You're Dan >> as Dan Dan of Y County. That's the name of the press. >> What's your last name? >> You're not getting my last. You guys don't get my last name. That's a violation of the fourth. Is that not a violation of the Fourth Amendment? Are you a captain? >> Yeah. I'm going to go see if they even know Dan from >> They don't know I'm coming. >> Clerk's office. >> I want to file this guy and this lady's uh I want to file all their records. I want to file their their uh You look right next door at the sheriff's office. >> Well, I need to see the county budget as well. And um the Am I being detained, sir? >> No, but until you sign in, you can't. >> Captain, am I being detained? Cuz these guys are detaining me right now. >> I'm going this way to the county clerk's office. This is illegal detention, Captain. >> After the heated back and forth with officers, the police chief finally arrived. But instead of calming the controversy, his awkward answers and evasive behavior on camera only left viewers questioning what was really happening behind the doors of this public institution. >> How are you, sir? >> You're the sheriff of the county. >> I am. >> This deputy and that deputy is violating my civil rights. They are also put their hands on me and assaulted me or battered me unlawfully cuz they do not have a lawful command to tell me to turn my camera off in this public space. You know that as a sheriff, I'm here to document my experience and these guys are stopping me causing illegal detention on my rights. >> Doesn't look like you're being detained to me. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi, Sheriff. >> Looks like the I'm being detained out of the locked uh I'm locked out of the county clerk's office. This is a county building. >> Yeah, you can go that way. >> Business hours are over. >> You can go that way. >> Just business hours over. >> Where do you want to go? >> I want to go to the county clerk's office. File some foil. Are Are you Are you refusing me service, Sheriff? >> Um, the door is locked. >> I had to pause it here for a second so you [music] all can take a look at this guy's dumb look on his face. The The door is locked. Of course, it's locked. Just look at this. This is the sheriff, guys. This is where they get it from. The door is locked because they just locked it because of the camera. Straight up. You are you you are violating the First Amendment rights and refusing service down here. That's all I want to know. You say yes. Why don't they get a hold of the clerk's office and see if they want to see it? >> Do the clerks have a choice who they get to see and don't get to see? >> When when did that law come into effect? >> They're down there talking to him right now. >> I I understand, but why is this door locked? Sheriff, >> it's locked. >> Why? >> So, >> sheriff, why is this door locked? >> If they're going to um >> if they're going to allow public services to public, what is going on here? You guys are violating my rights. >> There's no rights being >> There's no rights being violated. I can't go to the county clerk's office because of why I didn't because of the camera. >> Get there at some point. In the end, the cameraman was still able to move deeper inside the government building, but the more he filmed, the more suspicious the situation became, especially as the contrast grew between the cooperative attitude of civilian employees and the officers who continued closely following and monitoring him. >> Baby, that's my last name. You guys got it now. >> What's your last name? [music] >> Warmas. Baby, >> what? Dan warmest out of the way. Peg, >> we'll take care of your business. >> I'm gonna video record pigs for a while. >> There are farms out here. >> No kidding. We got a whole farm in here. How you doing? I'm just taking some photographs in here. Not I don't need anything help. I just take a photographs what's available layout. That's all. >> Okay. Can I get your name? >> My name is Gina. >> Gina, what do you do here? >> I'm just an index. >> All right, cool. Thank you very much. >> I would normally give up my last name. I would have just left and came back the next time, but they're going to find out who I am, and I want to get in these offices and get you guys some footage anyway. So, I'll let you guys take care of that uh illegal detention. and uh violation of my civil rights down here. Bunch of ignorant police officers. They don't know nothing about the law. The doors finally opened and the man walked out carrying multiple complaints and requests for body cam footage. And that may have only been the beginning of the storm now waiting for the police department. You know, we're going to get that body camera footage from that uh captain. I read the Google reviews about the county down here about them being uh well, I'll let you guys see the reviews in Google about the behavior of the people down here. Can I help you? >> Yeah. Can I get a foil request form? >> What's that? >> Foil request form pro information law. >> Can't get that at the jail. >> This is in the sheriff's office as well. >> What? >> This isn't the sheriff's office. >> This is the sheriff's office. >> Yeah. I'm trying to foil request some body camera footage from a sheriff. Would I do that here or in the county building? >> Um, >> I believe they told me I had to come here. >> Yeah, hang on. Okay, I'll find out. >> If I get a form, I just fill it out and [music] hand it into you. >> You the one coming to see me about that foil form? >> Which form? >> Foil request? >> Yeah. >> Can I get an officer complaint form as well? I need two of them. Actually, I need three of them. >> Okay, there's those. Sheriff's coming down to talk to you about your request. >> The confrontation may be over, but what it left behind is far from simple. Was this really just a routine encounter or a sign that authority is being used the wrong way. Next, just minutes after standing on a public sidewalk, everything suddenly escalated into a nerve-wracking confrontation with police. And the most shocking part, officers kept demanding their identification even though no one could explain what law they had actually broken. >> It's the police. >> Hi. >> Oh, good morning, sir. >> What's going on? >> Uh, we're just investigating. >> Investigating what? >> We're looking for Miss Ming. >> Miss who? >> Miss Ming. >> Miss Ming. >> Yeah, Ming. >> Okay. I'm not >> uh She's a Chinese. >> Okay. >> So, we're trying to find out. But we did get word she's at this bank. >> Okay. >> She's banking here. We need to verify verify the information. >> Not Milton. >> Okay. >> That's my buddy Milton. >> Well, I'm Officer Brooke with Mount City Police Department. >> Oh, good morning. >> Afternoon. >> They call me Billy. >> Okay. Billy. >> Well, it's 5:00 somewhere is what they tell me. >> Yes. It's almost 4:00 now. So, >> I was right. >> Okay. And Miss me. Do you have first name or anything? Yeah. The the first name is Ming. >> Okay. What's her last name? >> Ling. Uh with the L instead of an M. >> Are you sure it's Mound City, Missouri? >> I was told so, sir. >> Okay. Cuz there's like >> Is there another one? >> Oh, lordy. Really? >> There's like four or five mound cities. >> I don't like that though. >> Yeah, cuz there's Mount City, Kansas, South Dakota. Uh >> I want to say there's a mound city, Illinois. So, there's several mound cities and I don't recognize that name. I've been here for over 20 years and I know pretty most most people in town. >> So, you would know if there's a a missing Chinese women's probably like in this location. >> I would hope so. Somebody would report it by now, especially to the police department. >> Okay. Um, do you think you could get us access inside >> to >> so we could investigate >> to the bank? >> Yeah. >> Did you go in? Did you try to go in? >> No, we just wanted to. >> Okay. >> We were just doing a perimeter check to see if Miss Mingling is uh potentially outside. I got a call because they said there were two men walking around with cameras and binoculars and everything. >> Well, guilty is charged. That was me. I'm not I won't lie to you. That was me, >> right? You know, >> that was kind of obvious when I pulled up. >> Secure. It's a secure source. So, the vault is normally >> uh one of the most secured like zones in a bank. >> But we just need to like uh we need to verify the information. >> Okay. Cuz if it's not verified, we won't know for sure. >> Let's do this first. If I can get IDs from both of you so I can verify who you are, >> but he Frank told us not to, sir. >> Well, I have to. Um I'm sorry. That's part of our protocol. >> I don't know if I even have my ID, sir. I >> I got to go to the bathroom. I'll be back. >> The officer's relentless demands for ID quickly turned the atmosphere outside the bank tense and suffocating. And within minutes, the entire street was witnessing a heated confrontation over civil rights and police authority. >> Well, a piece of piece of garbage if you ask me. But he was the ones that sends us on missions to investigate. >> Investigate him. >> We're looking We were just looking, sir. We're just looking for Miss Ming is all. >> So, let me ask you this. Okay. If you're saying Frank is a pee, >> huh? >> Crap. And you're >> Yeah. He's a piece of garbage. >> Okay. And he's hurt you, right? >> My name >> Your name is Milton. Yeah, that's that's that's my buddy Milton. >> Okay. Well, if if he's hurt you, then do you think that he's actually going to tell you the truth then about IDs? >> Yes. >> No. >> No. >> Because >> so Frank's a liar. >> Yes. So, let me let me explain to you. And I'm sure that the officer has two. Okay. >> Okay. But in Missouri, when you're talking to an officer and if that officer requests your ID, by law, you have to give it to him. Okay. >> Frank says that's BS, sir. He says, >> he says we have fourth amendment rights here, sir. >> Right. >> And he says you can't you can't just Gustapo stop us. >> That's why we stop because >> Oh, we committed a crime then? I was unaware. I didn't know. >> We're here for we're here for an investigation. Yeah, but we're the investigators, sir. >> Okay. You're investigators for something else. Okay. >> Yes. >> We're here investigating you guys. >> So, you're investigating the investigators. Why are we doing this? >> Yeah, but I'm the lead investigator in this. >> Suspicious person looking into the bank for whatever reason. >> No, I'm not suspicious. They call me Billy. >> They call you Billy? >> I'm the investigator around here, sir. >> Okay. >> So, I just like to investigate. I like to collect differentiz pebbles. I was looking at the rock formations. I was looking at the architecture. It looks good. And I was just seeing if Miss Ming Lling could be here, sir. >> Ming Ling. >> Yes. Ming. >> They're in. >> She's a Chinese women's >> Ming Ling, >> which is >> she's Chinese. >> Been a resident of around here that I know of in the last 20 plus years. >> Okay. >> So, >> well then she don't live here. But >> well, that's why we're here to investigate. We still have to have your ID so we can identify you. It's either that or we take you to the station down the sheriff department and then we fingerprint you and then >> you can't do that. I burnt my fingerprints off with a a pan of oil. >> Oh, you did? >> Actually, I can see fingerprints from here. >> I can't see mine cuz I can't see nothing. >> You can't see nothing. >> Milton has eye problems. >> Actual glasses? >> They're they're the ones. >> As the confrontation began spiraling out of control, one officer suddenly had to pull out his phone and look up the law. right there on the scene. But what happened just seconds later is what truly left him embarrassed in front of everyone watching. >> We're still at the the junction of whether or not you're going to give us ID to be able to verify who you are. And if you are investigators, >> I am I am an investigator. >> That's what you're telling me. I don't know that for sure. >> They call me investigator journalism. >> Question, sir. >> Can I Billy? Is it >> uh They call me Billy, sir. >> Okay. Billy, can I read you something real quick? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> And this is Missouri law. Okay. In Missouri, law enforcement officers can require a driver to provide >> I can't read. >> Yeah. Mil his eyes off it. >> In Missouri, law enforcement officers can require a driver's license to provide their identification and vehicle registration during traffic stop or when they have reasonable suspicion. >> Crime criminal activity. >> Criminal activity. >> What crime will we suspect of, sir? Don't is this a traffic stop? I don't I don't have a 19. >> I didn't drive noises. Listen. And additionally, RSO section 302.181 requires driver's license to be carried and displayed upon demand. Okay, >> that's true. >> So, with that, that means that even right now, you should have a driver's license or non-driver's license. >> First two criteria didn't haven't been met yet, sir. >> Sir, that's Milton. He's smart. >> I I watched what is it? That's a documentary. >> Judge Judy. She does that all the time. >> Okay, that's different. That's not Missouri. >> We're not pulling a traffic stop, >> right? >> We're coming to identify two suspicious individuals, which gives us reasonable suspicious. >> Yes, sir. >> You guys are actually taking pictures of a bank. >> I took pictures of the bank. I'll admit it. >> Did you identify the Google? >> I'll admit it. >> I took pictures. >> I've been taking pictures outside. I'll admit it. I did it. I did it. Here's the deal. You still have to provide ID. >> Here's the deal. >> Okay. >> But sir, it's either >> you got to pull us over legally. Yeah. Or you got to suspect us of a crime. >> That's going to be the easy way. >> That's what Frank says. Say that next. Don't say that, please, sir. You'll puff them up. >> You come here. >> We need to provide ID. >> We have to provide ID without committing a crime. >> Absolutely. Cuz we were called here. >> Oh, so we don't have fourth amendment here. >> Does that mean you got to identify everybody on the sidewalk? >> So, how come our fourth amendment's getting stripped? your fourth amendment >> because we're supposed to be secured in our persons and papers which would be our ID and we haven't committed a crime or got pulled over legally and lawful >> walking on the sidewalk taking pictures a crime >> we're investigators sir just let us investigate please immunity right now >> you've already puffed Milton up and you shouldn't do that >> yeah I'm not worried about Milton >> no that's the problem >> after nearly an hour of tension the officer's attitude suddenly changed completely And just a few words later, the entire situation flipped in a way no one saw coming. >> What the five elements of the >> I mean, I'm talking about >> But what I was asking >> Yeah. Milton, you stupid idiot. >> That's pesky old stuff. >> Yeah. Plus the Constitution. I hate that. >> You said you wanted to go back to your office cuz you just got to pee. >> He does. Now you could have tinkled in his pants cuz of you. >> I just didn't want to go in it because then it's a mess. >> Well, that's embarrassing. You just made him piss himself. >> Well, I got to give little Hippa out here. And I just You just broke Hippa. Yeah, that was violation. >> Has nothing to do with your medical. Everybody out here heard I had to pee. That's hippo. >> Yeah, you just embarrassed him in front of public information. Maybe you need to start reading up on what you're trying to say. >> I think it's you that needs to read up, sir. You don't know the basics of law. >> I was asking, you know, >> yeah, my Yeah. >> Yeah. That little plastic thing is going to hurt, huh? >> You're the one with the >> 2 oz. That 2 o of plastic is going to hurt you. >> My hand on it. >> Look, that hand is in the vicinity. >> Look at that. It's on his phone that weighs 10 more down there, Slim. >> Well, how are we supposed to know? I'm not I'm not Japanese. >> But you think you're incredibly smart. >> I am. They call me I'm damn near Albert Einstein level. >> I You know, I could almost feel that. >> Well, that's cuz you're dumb and my my intelligence radiates off. >> You solved the Rubik's cube in 4 days. He took the pieces off and put it back together. >> Yeah. Can you do that? >> Surprised me. I'm telling you, that's what he did. >> Can you do the Rubik's cube? Didn't think so. >> Okay. Are you suggestion? >> Yes. >> Go back to your office. >> Yeah. >> Look at your information. Make sure you're in the right state, right town, and everything. And then again, >> if you feel this is the right town or of the right state with the right town, call my office. Ask for some assistance. >> We can find. >> So, we need to ask. So, you're going to help us with this investigation. That's what you're telling me. >> Let me find out if you're in the right town and city. Okay. >> Behind me. Makes me nervous. You're pissing him off, sir. >> Oh, you better go charge. >> Yeah, your phone's dying. >> The confrontation eventually came to an end, but the frustration still lingered. Because sometimes simply standing on a sidewalk with a camera is enough for an innocent person to be treated like a criminal. >> You can talk. [laughter] >> Well, it'd be nice, but one of you is always running. >> Well, then talk. So, as I was saying, go back to your office, get your information, make sure you're in the right city and state because there are multiple mound city, Missouri or mound cities in different states. Okay? Cuz you're right. It is not illegal to be walking up and down the sidewalk. It is not illegal to be taking pictures of the bank. >> Changed our tone there, didn't we? >> Yeah, they did. That's embarrassing. Yeah, you did. You said >> putting words in my mouth and making >> Well, you've already put a lot in your mouth, sir. That's why you're obese. So anyway, we have more pressing things to do because there's now a missing person that we have to go look for. >> Who said there's a missing person? >> Are they're missing from us? >> Okay, >> we can help look because we're looking for people right now. >> We're looking for somebody. >> If you're looking for a missing >> She's missing to us. >> He's the lead investigator. >> You need to go back to Frank and make sure Frank has proper information. Right now, I don't think he does. >> Well, let's be real here. >> Wrong city and state. You're a horrible investigator. So, let's leave the investigating to me because you suck at it. >> You go watch constitutional videos. >> Yeah, you guys are dumb. >> Don't want you to lose your pension, sir. >> The walk of nerd. >> You know, a lot of states are >> This is a lost cause. They don't want to listen. >> Oh, I thought we were going to the station >> like they think we said they were. So, >> I thought we were going downtown >> or uptown. Which is it? >> Let's go look for this person. >> No one was arrested. No one was handcuffed. But in the end, what outraged many people most was how an innocent citizen could be pushed into such a tense situation simply for exercising [music] a lawful right in public. Citizens can sue police under section 1983 when their rights are violated. Officers who violate those rights may face compensation payouts, disciplinary action, or even termination. A civilized society is not defined by how far authority can go, but by whether that authority [music] knows when to stop in the face of human rights. Hey everyone, what do you think 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]