Federal Judge Blocks Arizona Law Limiting Filming of Police
fliptop writes:
The disputed law makes it illegal to knowingly film police officers 8 feet or closer if the officer tells the person to stop:
A federal judge on Friday blocked enforcement of a new Arizona law restricting how the public and journalists can film police, agreeing with the American Civil Liberties Union and multiple media organizations who argued it violated the First Amendment.
U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi issued a preliminary injunction that stops the law from being enforced when it is set to take effect on Sept. 24. The quick decision came after Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and the prosecutor and sheriff's office in Maricopa County told the judge they did not plan to defend the law. They were named as defendants in the lawsuit filed last month.
[...] KM Bell, an ACLU attorney who lobbied against the bill at the Legislature and was in court Friday, said they were pleased the judge acted quickly.
"We are extremely gratified that Arizonans will not have their constitutional rights infringed and their ability to record the police criminalized by this law," Bell said.
Previously: Arizona Makes It Illegal for Bystanders to Record Cops at Close Range
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