Activists Detained For Taking Ash Spill Photographs
Two environmental activists were detained by the Tennessee Valley Authority police for photographing the site of last weeks ash spill. While it does not appear that they will be charged with crimes, they were unable to document the ash spill’s effects on the area and its water supply.
The men, who are from the Knoxville based United Mountain Defense, say that TVA has yet to release the water toxicity results. They say they have the right to take their own measurements and photographs unless TVA shows their results. “This is an issue of national importance,” said David Cooper. “People need to know if the water is safe or not.”
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The environmental disaster, which covered 400 acres in ash, has demonstrated the fragility of supposed ecological safeguards. It begs the question of whether or not we can trust the same people who created the problem to give us accurate information about the disaster’s clean up and aftermath. The activists said that they will take their water samples and run the required tests.
While the men were let go and forced to leave the premises after an hour of detainment, in some ways our collective rights were infringed upon. If we cannot simply gather data without being harassed by police, then what actions can we freely and safely take?
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jerry Greer
Funny how the article dances around the issue of the individuals in question being on private property. It does say that they were “removed from the premises.” No matter what your personal beliefs, private property is that - private. If a crime has been committed, report it and follow it through. If not, stay the hell off other people’s property. Your holier-than-thou opinions do not give you the right to trespass. Ever.
Let the flames begin……
What kind of country do we live in today when police “detain” people for wanting to know the quality of water? This damned nation is on the verge of a major revolution.
Wonderful. The State of the Nation is utter control - you are now able to be arrested for owning and using a camera! Why do authorities even TRY to do things like this? Do they honestly think they’ll ‘get away’ with it? Those officers involved need to go back to their first day of basic training, and take the pay cut that goes with it, because they are clearly incapable of performing their occupational duties.
What a bunch of fargin ash holes!
Michael you seem like such a good person with an amazing knowledge of the law ummm NO. What do you have to hide behind all your privacy huh? There is no such thing as trespass unless its for savety reasons, we cant stop the media when they are after their entertaining stories of disaster so why stop when they are trying to save lives. Get a grip and check your opinions with reality before saying them. if you live around me I would spy on you just for kicks to make sure you are not up to something stupid. People that have nothing to hide never get overlooked by authorities. This is an environmental disaster not you trying to preserve your little castle from the envious masses. The word dumb… comes to mind but hey you are still alive so we still got to respect you just dont talk most of the time please I don’t think you know how serious events like this are. People like you should be tasted before buying a computer. Yes I am a flammer and one of the best, its a gift that comes from my amazing anger and intense intellect.
We hear more and more about people getting arrested for photographing public sites. There is no reasonable security reason for this ridiculous policy - it’s just another form of social control and intimidation. Here’s one peaceful public action to counter-act this trend:
Mass public photographing of sites that people have been busted for snapping photos of. Get a hundred or a thousand people down at the bridges, on an Amtrak platform, or at the ash-sludge disaster and photo it en masse. This will show the absurdity of the policies, confound the police, and represent a critique of the whole mind-set behind these so-called “policies”, which are really just homeland-security-enflamed police tactics run amok.
Private property my ass! If this were about alleged drug dealers or possible illegal aliens, or some other right wing hang-up, and people believed there were criminal activities going on, you know damned well you wouldn’t have any problem with some private citizen violating the alleged’s private property for the sake of gathering evidence.
In America liberties are abused constantly, nobody can seriously be suprised when things like this happen
its your hard earned tax dollars that pay police’s judgement after all
I’ve got to agree with Michael. If they were in fact on private property, this article is silly as they were trespassing.
That said, the whole “cover up” of the effects of this ash spill is ridiculous, and hopefully there will be some more national attention brought upon it.
TVA is a Public Utility –therefore that was NOT private property.