An Arizona law limiting how close people can get to police while recording them was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge in a Friday ruling.
The law would have made it illegal to film police officers within 8 feet of law enforcement activity if the officer had requested that the citizen or journalist stop filming. In addition, officers could have ordered anyone filming on public property to stop if they determined the area was unsafe or if the person filming was interfering.
U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi cited infringement against a clear right for citizens to film police while doing their jobs in his ruling, the Hill reports.
“The law prohibits or chills a substantial amount of First Amendment protected activity and is unnecessary to prevent interference with police officers given other Arizona laws in effect,” Tuchi wrote.
