Wingham Cop Watch Kicked Out Of Town Hall For Recording Police Violating Rights
Source: WFP
Date: Thu Aug 4 05:03:15 MST 2016
At least one member of Wingham Cop Watch was in attendance to video document if/when the police showed up. Once the police arrived “Mr. X” started recording for everyone’s protection.
Constable Verhaeghe of the Wingham police service approached Mr. X of Wingham Cop Watch and demanded that he stop recording or leave the building. According to the Sunshine list Constable Bryan Verhaeghe makes $101,079.27/year serving the Public in this manner.
Mr. X’s was not violating any law, not even council’s procedural by-law, yet he was forced to leave.
Facts:
Mr. X was only in attendance to record the police if/when they showed up.
Mr. X was recording when the meeting was adjourned, which IS allowed. Recording is only prohibited when the meeting is in active session according to them and their by-law.
Mr. X was recording the police which everyone has the legal Right to do.
Mr. X was silent and keeping the peace.
Mr. X was in the Public Gallery of a Public meeting in a Public building.
Transcript of Wingham Cop Watch getting kicked out of Town Hall.
Cop: “Mr. X are you recording right now?”
Mr. X: “Yep.”
Cop “ok, you’ll either have to turn that off or you will have to leave.”
Mr. X: “So you are saying I have to either turn it off of leave”
Cop: ”yes”
Mr. X: “I don’t think so.”
Cop: “Which do you prefer”.
Mr. X “I don’t think the police can intervene on a political issue.”
Cop: “Well, we CAN on a trespassing issue”.
Mr. X “Then who is going to trespass? This is a Public place”.
Cop: “I will give you a second ... Mr. X.”