Filming Cops Is a First Amendment Right. The Feds Keep Harassing People for It Anyway.
The article discusses the First Amendment right to film police activities and the ongoing harassment faced by individuals exercising this right. Despite federal appeals courts recognizing this right, law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, have been accused of intimidating and deterring citizens from recording their actions. Recent incidents involving the shootings of protesters highlight the importance of bystander video in clarifying police conduct and the challenges faced by those who document it.
- ▪Most federal appeals courts recognize the right to record police activities as protected under the First Amendment.
- ▪Law enforcement agencies have been reported to harass and intimidate individuals who film their actions.
- ▪Recent incidents involving the deaths of protesters underscore the critical role of video evidence in assessing police use of force.
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First Amendment Filming Cops Is a First Amendment Right. The Feds Keep Harassing People for It Anyway. Most federal appeals courts have recognized the right to record police. DHS employees nevertheless seem to view it as a crime. Jacob Sullum | 5.19.2026 12:00 PM Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/05/ICE-protest-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" title="A protester records immigration agents" alt="A protester records immigration agents | Derek French/SOPA Images/Sipa USA/Newscom" /> (Derek French/SOPA Images/Sipa USA/Newscom) Renée Good had just died.
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