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Babylon’s Brutes: MIT Assaults 7News Camera-man
posted (April 29, 2019)
And there was also another incident with police at the National Agriculture Trade Show. And we know about this one because our 7News camera-man Angel Noble was targeted by the Police Mobile Interdiction Team, known as the MIT.

Noble was there on his personal time - but saw the MIT roughing up a detainee - and so - like many others - he pulled out his camera phone to capture it - exercising his, and their rights as citizens - to photograph police conducting their duties in public.

But, the MIT didn't like it one bit - and Angel tells us what they did about it:…

Angel Noble- Channel 7 Camera-man
"They were trying to restrain someone on a very unprofessional manner so I took out my cell phone and started to record. It looked like the MIT didn't like that I was recording. They approached me, choked me and the next MIT officer said, 'Oh, you are the cameraman' and struck me once in my stomach."

Jules Vasquez- Reporter
"They sprayed you, you said."

Angel Noble
"Yes, that was before the pepper sprayed everyone. They didn't just target me, they targeted everybody."

Jules Vasquez
"And the people they pepper sprayed, was it a drinking crowd? What type of people was it?"

Angel Noble
"People were recording on their cellphones and it looked like the MIT didn't like that and started to confiscate phones. The MIT had like 5 cellphones in his hand. No questions asked, they just took your phone. I had to approach and tell them I need my cellphone. The only way I could get my cellphone is to delete the videos."

Jules Vasquez
"Who said that?"

Angel Noble
"One of the MIT officers."

Jules Vasquez
"He forced you to..."

Angel Noble "To delete the videos from my cellphone."

Jules Vasquez
"And you deleted because you felt threatened?"

Angel Noble
"Yes, if I hadn't they definitely would have harmed me more than what they have done. I think they targeted me because I'm a media personnel and those are my property. I just believe that what they did is that they really violated my rights."

Chester Williams- Commissioner of Police
"Yes, as I said before, pepper spray was used and again, while we do allow people to video what the police is doing, I will reiterate the fact that if you do it in such a way that you come to close and obstruct the police from doing their work, then we are not going to tolerate it. You can take your video from a distance. For example, on the video that is on social media, you would hear clearly when the young man is saying, 'Don't worry, I am video taping everything.' The police did not do him anything, they left him alone and he was quite a distance away. I do not see anything in the video where the police struck anybody. So, if it is that Angel, my good friend, believes that he was struck by the police then he can go and make a report and we will look into it."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, the Commissioner said this morning that, well if you were in their space or obstructing them well then their conduct will be understandable. What was your proximity to the officers while they were in the conduct of their duty?"

Angel Noble
"I was very a distance away."

Jules Vasquez
"Specify, like in feet."

Angel Noble
"At least 30 feet away."

Noble will make a report to the Professional Standards Branch.

And while Compol Williams said quote "we do allow people to video what the police is doing" end quote - we have to make an editorial interjection and state very emphatically - that Mr. Williams and the police cannot allow the public to video anything; it is a citizen's right to capture the police in the conduct of their duties - once they maintain a safe distance. Police cannot give or take a right away - and to suggest that they can, demonstrates seriously warped thinking on the Commissioner's part.

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