A man peacefully recording in a bank parking lot ended up in handcuffs — and with an injured wrist — after the business owner called the police on him. But here’s the kicker: he wasn’t doing anything illegal.
A man peacefully recording in a bank parking lot ended up in handcuffs — and with an injured wrist — after the business owner called the police on him. But here’s the kicker: he wasn’t doing anything illegal.
The now-viral video shows the man calmly filming near a local bank, reportedly for a vlog or a First Amendment audit. He’s standing in a public space — not inside the bank, not blocking cars, not threatening anyone. Just holding a camera.
But apparently, that was enough to freak out the bank owner, who calls the police and accuses him of “suspicious activity.”
What happens next is infuriating.
Police arrive and immediately confront the man. Despite his calm demeanor and repeated statements that he’s within his rights, they demand ID and start pushing him for answers. He responds, “Am I being detained?” Classic First Amendment Audit 101.
Instead of answering, the cops slap on the cuffs — hard. In the video, he winces and tells them they’re hurting his wrist. But they ignore him.
It’s only after several minutes of detainment and a bit of shouting that they realize:
He’s actually 100% within his rights.
One officer walks away, visibly annoyed. Another un-cuffs him — without even so much as a “sorry.” The man, clearly frustrated and holding his red, swollen wrist, asks straight-up:
“So I get hurt and detained for doing nothing, and I don’t even get an apology?”
The internet exploded.
TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram lit up with outrage over the incident. “This is why we record everything,” one user commented. “Imagine if he didn’t have a camera — it would’ve been his word against theirs.”
Legal experts weighed in too, confirming that filming in public — even near a private business — is completely legal in most states, as long as you’re not trespassing or harassing anyone.
Calls for the department to issue a formal apology are growing, and people are demanding accountability — not just for the physical injury, but for the violation of rights.
As one top comment put it:
“They hate being filmed because it exposes how they treat people when they think no one’s watching.”