June 24, 2011
SFGN and Fort Lauderdale Come to Agreement in Court - For now
Kevin Mark Kline READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The South Florida Gay News and City of Fort Lauderdale agreed to a court order at an emergency hearing Monday, June 20. The order states the City and Police Department will not prohibit the taking of photographs from public areas near the film set of the Rock of Ages starring Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Alec Baldwin.
The lawsuit was filed last week after SFGN discovered signs posted near the filming of the movie stating, "Photography of this area is prohibited. Strictly enforced by FLPD. Violators subject to arrest."
Since then several photographers have come forth with complaints of harassment by city officials. In response to the harassment and signs the South Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists joined the lawsuit with SFGN and staged a protest last Friday. The National Press Photographers Association has also since joined the lawsuit.
The signs were removed before Friday's protest, but even so police officers were still enforcing the "No Trespassing" portion of the signs and a photographer was later ordered to leave a public parking garage.
"By removing the signs the police department made a bad situation worse," Kent said. "Now there's nothing out there informing the public where they are allowed to be or not be."
Instead at Friday's protest a uniformed off duty police officer hired by the movie production company was simply shouting orders at every person that came close to an invisible line she arbitrarily decided upon that appeared to keep moving.
At the emergency hearing the city argued the injunction was moot because the signs have been removed and the police department is denying harassing any photographers. However, Kent said he is moving forward with the lawsuit.
"We're seeking a declaration by the court that the city acted illegally. Taking down the signs does not eliminate that fact," Kent said. "You don't strip people of their right to peacefully assemble and then get a reward for saying you won't do it again a second time. You get penalized for taking it away the first time.The cops and city knew better but they sold their souls to Hollywood."
