I was taking pictures in the old Royal Oak cemetery last evening when I saw a sheet of smoke further down the way. A fire broke out in an office building across the street. Police and fire units were already on the scene and evaluating the situation. There was a lot of smoke but no flames. I stuck around, still in the cemetery, behind the fence, across the street, and was taking pictures. A police officier walked over to me and told me I had to leave. I asked why and he said because there was an 'active fire.' Okay. Since when are we no longer allowed to view and witness such public events? I thought it was interesting that the officer did not tell the people standing off to the side on the street, just watching [[no camera) that they had to leave, but he made a bee-line right to me because I had cameras slung around my neck. Yes, there was a fire. I was across the street, in the cemetery even and clearly in no danger. And I was targeted, as others without cameras were not ordered to leave the scene. Was my safety in danger, or was it the cameras I was using?


Even though, in light of Rodney King, the BART platform killing, and other instances where police have been captured on tape and in photos breaking the law, photography is not against the law.


We better wake up to what's going on behind the scenes.


http://photographyisnotacrime.com/