Try To Stop US!!!

Potential terror situation?

Big deal across the local Internets yesterday, all copped from the Times:

The ACLU of Southern California sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and several of its deputies Thursday alleging they harassed, detained and improperly searched photographers taking pictures legally in public places.

We're fortunate nothing happened to us on this expedition:

Is this oinker (one of several deputies who inspired the ACLU suit) simply angry because he's on Metro duty rather than busting heads on the street?

Professional photographer Shawn Nee was detained and searched Oct. 31, 2009, for shooting images at the turnstiles of the Los Angeles subway system. Nee was shooting newly installed turnstiles at the Metro Red Line's Hollywood and Western station when a deputy asked why he was taking pictures. Nee told the deputy he was not doing anything, the deputy warned him that photography was prohibited at the station because it is a terrorist target.

"Al Qaeda would love to buy your pictures, so I want to know if you are in cahoots with Al Qaeda to sell these pictures to them for terrorist purposes," Deputy Richard Gylfie then reportedly told him.

The deputy grabbed Nee, pushed him against a wall, searched him and lectured him about terrorism, the lawsuit alleges. He also threatened to forward Nee's name to counterterrorism so it could be added to an FBI "hit list"

The incident was captured on video. According to the suit, the deputy was not disciplined despite a complaint.

Earlier this year, deputies ordered Nee not to photograph on the sidewalk outside the W Hotel at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

There being a Metro sation in front of the W, we note, even if the Times doesn't.

Taking our life into our hands again:

What are you lookin' at?

We were honestly a bit worried about the unattended bag w/ handle in this one, but it didn't explode before we got off:

No sheriff's thug in the world could understand the aesthetic impulse behind this one:

Granted, we're not sure we understand it either. Disadvantage of the digital age: Imagine an ossifer making a photog show all his/her shots &, w/ his/her little piggie mind, figuring something like that could only be for sale to the highest terrorist bidder.