What’s the difference between “detained for investigation” and “handcuffed until you cooperate”?
First Amendment auditor Angel “Bartholomew” Moses (Kansas City Accountability) was filming from the public sidewalk outside a bank on Ward Parkway (near 82nd) in Kansas City, MO.
Bank employees (incl. manager Jillian Barker) called police after he recorded the branch from the sidewalk. A second nearby bank had also called ~30 min earlier over similar activity.
KCPD Officer Sarah Holland and Officer Caleb Thierry responded.
They demanded ID.
Moses refused, stating he was on public property, no crime had been committed, and he was exercising his right to record.
He asked for a supervisor.
Officers detained and handcuffed him.
A sergeant arrived, reviewed the situation, and determined there was no crime.
The bank declined trespass charges because Moses never left the public sidewalk.
He was released with no charges.
Filming from a public sidewalk is generally protected under the First Amendment. Officers typically need reasonable, articulable suspicion of a crime to detain someone or force identification.
In this case the sergeant found none.
Credit: Kansas City Accountability
❓Did Officer Holland cuff Angel Moses to gain compliance or because a crime was actually being committed?
❓Does it seem like many officers think handcuffing someone is the best and quickest way to make them start complying?