The ACLU and news organizations are now suing Arizona for law against recording police within 8 feet
The ACLU and multiple news organizations filed a lawsuit over an Arizona law that made it a crime to video record within eight feet of law enforcement activity after a warning is given from an officer.
The law, which was signed by Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey in July, includes some exceptions that allow for passengers to video record during traffic stops, and for the subject of police contact to record, as long as it doesn't interfere with police actions.
From the start, the law sparked concerns over transparency and accountability. In recent years, cell phone footage of interactions with law enforcement has been viewed as a tool to document instances of police brutality and hold officers accountable. Bystander footage played a notable role in the case of George Floyd, whose death ignited nationwide protests after he was filmed pleading that he couldn't breathe while being held down by a Minneapolis police officer.
