A few years ago as we were driving out of Haiti, I was filming the border with a GoPro from inside the SUV. To say the least the local Haitian cops did NOT like it. I put the incident in Part 3 of my Christmas in Haiti video series.
- Thread starter alexw
- Start date
Police brutality of a tourist: Police almost killed me if I didn't have my camera
the Police anywhere aren't too fond of people filming them
They get charged, fired, jailed or all of the above
They get charged, fired, jailed or all of the above
Last edited:
Amen to that. Some of you will remember what happened to Mr AE in April because he took a couple of photos where someone thought he shouldn’t be. And he’s a Dominican.
It's not just the cops. I've seen run of the mill everyday people get a bit irked when they appear in the backdrop of a video without being asked. Most people will tolerate a picture if they are in a location of interest or involved in a presentation or public activity. I kind of get why some take pictures of people washing their clothes in a bucket or an interesting panhandler, but I can also see that doing so can be considered disrespectful.
Back in the day when pictures were put in a photo album and stayed there, really no harm no foul. Today with pictures living on forever on public internet sites I'm not too keen to appear in other peoples vacation shots without being asked if I mind being shared with 50,000 social media followers - hope I'm not picking my nose in the background. One shouldn't assume that everyone is automatically ok with you documenting the tower of cuba libre glasses in front of them just because you admire the level of dedication to the cause.
It's kind of like taking your hat off when you enter a building. These days, consideration for the sensibilities of others has taken a backseat to the selfish wants of the individual in the here and now.
Agreed, bad idea for a foreigner to film the cops, hookers, drug dealers and assorted low lifes here. Just like it is not a good idea to do it back home. Even with the specific court enforced right to do so, it doesn't always work out very well for the filmer.
Back in the day when pictures were put in a photo album and stayed there, really no harm no foul. Today with pictures living on forever on public internet sites I'm not too keen to appear in other peoples vacation shots without being asked if I mind being shared with 50,000 social media followers - hope I'm not picking my nose in the background. One shouldn't assume that everyone is automatically ok with you documenting the tower of cuba libre glasses in front of them just because you admire the level of dedication to the cause.
It's kind of like taking your hat off when you enter a building. These days, consideration for the sensibilities of others has taken a backseat to the selfish wants of the individual in the here and now.
Agreed, bad idea for a foreigner to film the cops, hookers, drug dealers and assorted low lifes here. Just like it is not a good idea to do it back home. Even with the specific court enforced right to do so, it doesn't always work out very well for the filmer.
Or worse yet.,
One could be sitting at a Bar enjoying a Drink and a cigarette with not even a questionable female but male buddy no less, when that exact moment some nut job reporter doing an over the top "Prostitution and Pedophiles" expose about Sosua ...
pans the Camera in on these 2 innocent guys , and she ways " its a Pedophiles Playland" or some such ..
Not Cool .. I agree .
Taking Video of people , for PROFIT no less , without their consent ..
That Canadian station should have the ISHT sued out of them btw ..
Are we talking about the 1970's ?
Getting your knickers in a twist cos you are getting filmed ?
Every shop, mall, restaurant, fast food, goverment building, etc..... has " security cameras", even in the dr. Hell even campo colmados have them.
Every man and his dog has a dashcam or 2 in their vehicule...... how dare they film other people w/o their consent ?
Every dominican has a cellphone and will film anything of intrest.
One may not like to be filmed, as I dont, but the fact is you have been caught on camera dozens and dozens of times every single day in " first world " countries for the past decade. And its now here in the dr as well.
The only diffrence I see between the youtuber and the rest of the population, is that he is doing out in the open ( as holding camera ).
But dont be blind to the fact that if you pick your nose in public, it will be filmed, and it will probably be put on internet. If you are lucky the video will get 46 views, if you are unlucky it will get 46 million views.
So did the YTer deserve to get slapped around ? Of course not.
Should/could he have been more discreet ? Should: no, could: yes
Getting your knickers in a twist cos you are getting filmed ?
Every shop, mall, restaurant, fast food, goverment building, etc..... has " security cameras", even in the dr. Hell even campo colmados have them.
Every man and his dog has a dashcam or 2 in their vehicule...... how dare they film other people w/o their consent ?
Every dominican has a cellphone and will film anything of intrest.
One may not like to be filmed, as I dont, but the fact is you have been caught on camera dozens and dozens of times every single day in " first world " countries for the past decade. And its now here in the dr as well.
The only diffrence I see between the youtuber and the rest of the population, is that he is doing out in the open ( as holding camera ).
But dont be blind to the fact that if you pick your nose in public, it will be filmed, and it will probably be put on internet. If you are lucky the video will get 46 views, if you are unlucky it will get 46 million views.
So did the YTer deserve to get slapped around ? Of course not.
Should/could he have been more discreet ? Should: no, could: yes
We all know that cameras are everywhere. We know businesses and the govt are filming us whenever they can. The big difference, except in exceptional circumstances, the bulk of the video/pictures do not end up on the internet or are viewed by the public.
CCTV in London is supposed to reduce crime...how's that working out these days?
In many jurisdictions, it is required to post a sign stating that video surveillance is being used in a private location. An informed person can choose to enter or not.
Citizens with phones, GoPro are just out of control but let's not hold anyone accountable for their bad behavior let's blame it on someone or everyone else. Many people just do not observe any sort of reasonable limits on their behavior in public and that's on them. Society should speak loudly against such callousness if the majority feels that way.
As an individual I recognize I can't always prevent being filmed, something I have to accept when I choose to walk out my front door. There are times however, when I have the opportunity to express my preference and usually the camera jockey finds some other image to capture for posterity.
This, "it's hopeless to change anything, so just accept it" attitude is what gets us into situations where objectionable excesses become the norm and further excesses are just piled on top of those that people have acquiesced to.
"...Grant us the courage to change the things we can..."
A lot of change is due here in the DR when it comes to respecting the wishes of others. That's not to say the DR has a monopoly on boorish behavior.
CCTV in London is supposed to reduce crime...how's that working out these days?
In many jurisdictions, it is required to post a sign stating that video surveillance is being used in a private location. An informed person can choose to enter or not.
Citizens with phones, GoPro are just out of control but let's not hold anyone accountable for their bad behavior let's blame it on someone or everyone else. Many people just do not observe any sort of reasonable limits on their behavior in public and that's on them. Society should speak loudly against such callousness if the majority feels that way.
As an individual I recognize I can't always prevent being filmed, something I have to accept when I choose to walk out my front door. There are times however, when I have the opportunity to express my preference and usually the camera jockey finds some other image to capture for posterity.
This, "it's hopeless to change anything, so just accept it" attitude is what gets us into situations where objectionable excesses become the norm and further excesses are just piled on top of those that people have acquiesced to.
"...Grant us the courage to change the things we can..."
A lot of change is due here in the DR when it comes to respecting the wishes of others. That's not to say the DR has a monopoly on boorish behavior.
And his "first world" way of thinking got his "first world" ass checked real quick didn't it?
You think these cops in Santiago give a damn about what happens in first world countries?
Besides, choosing to walk past a stationary camera attached to the outside of a building and
having one pointed directly at you by another person ain't the same thing. Far as I'm the
cop's response was appropriate. I mean after all, they're just a bunch a thugs anyway..
Last edited:
A while back I am at a cafe. Laptop out making calls for work. All good. At some point a REALLY loud “conversation”. Have been coming here twenty years and living here sixteen so i am used to loud dominicans. This was incredibly loud. I assumed it was the table in front of me. It was not. After about an hour and now a splitting headache, I realize it is some ahole atleast 35 feet away. Three guys at a table. I have no idea how the other two could handle the screamer.
I get up and walk over and shoot like 30 seconds of the guy yelling to a guy a goit away. He freaks! Asks why I am filming.
Tell him nobody believes me when I say how loud dominicans are and I wanted proof. Guy wigs out. Tells me to delete it or he would kill me. I was 100% planning on deleting after I busted their chops. Now? Nope
I go back to my table and the guy is circling me yelling. Tries to grab my cell. Unsucessful. Graba my second iphone and starts as if to throw it into the ground. Gave him a look that said “bad idea”.
He tries to leave mall with it. Waiter grabs him and returns my phone. Guy is still theeatening me. I ignore him. He says if he ever sees me in “la calle” I am dead. I say “estamos en la calle” que vas hacer? Security comes. Cops are called. We all head to office. He now screams for twenty minutes to head of security. I am calm. Tell security this is how this chopo talks lol.
I ask the cops what the deal is. By now even they are sick of him. They tell him to leave. I go back to my table.
Dude comes back and puts on another show for 10 minutes. I know it is to save his pride in front of his buddies. They are cool. Ask me to delete. Told them i would have done it long ago if not for death threat. Lol
Have not seen him since. I have been back a bunch of times. Was there today.
Its not a " first world" thing anymore, in case people have not noticed.
As if we believe the cops went after him because he was filming....smh. BS.
When a cop/AMET stops you in your car, he has a camera or 2 pointed directly at his face....... and it keeps them in check, sort of.
Anybody with a phone could potentially be filming you at any time and you wouldnt even notice.
Like it or not, saying you dont want to be filmed nowadays is like saying you dont want people recording your conversations when you phone them...
Its the norm now and we have to deal with it.
You decide to go out in public, you will be filmed, period. And yes, yes, even in the dr.
It is illegal to take photos or video of Dominican military officers. I´m not sure if the law also covers police officers.
While we are at it, its also illegal for civilians to wear camouflage clothing (military style). You can actually get arrested for wearing such a thing.
While we are at it, its also illegal for civilians to wear camouflage clothing (military style). You can actually get arrested for wearing such a thing.
Tyranny? Seriously? You're not in Kansas anymore but the DR is pretty liberal in relation to most developing countries. You should read some history or travel more, like to Saudi Arabia and date some local women there, over drinks.
Dating local women, over drinks is yet another tool from the kit, to keep you in check
I watched the video and read the comments too. I recognize the guy from videos he made for Bogota Colombia. Never did I see drama created for the sake of a video. He usually interviews consenting adults on camera about local life food dating.
Prior to his arrest I did not see anyone’s face on camera as he seemed to just be passing by with the camera rolling. Tourists do this everyday in every country. If he was photographing “anyone” I sure did not see it. Definitely a raw deal based on an incorrect Haitian assumption Imho.
Prior to his arrest I did not see anyone’s face on camera as he seemed to just be passing by with the camera rolling. Tourists do this everyday in every country. If he was photographing “anyone” I sure did not see it. Definitely a raw deal based on an incorrect Haitian assumption Imho.
Dating local women, over drinks is yet another tool from the kit, to keep you in check
And might keep you from making fatal errors....