Big Brother gets even more intrusive, and self-defense becomes even more difficult

 

A couple of years ago I wrote two articles about the danger of defending yourself in a progressive, left-wing, politically correct environment, such as is found in many "blue" cities and states.  I made the point that the authorities there are increasingly going after those defending themselves, rather than those who attack them, due to political favoritism.

Self-defense under a justice system

that's no longer on your side

No, I wasn't being alarmist -

rather, I wasn't alarmist enough

I emphasized the need for discretion, and to be aware of public safety systems that might be used against you, no matter how legitimate your actions might be according to the letter of the law.  Among other dangers are surveillance cameras.  I noted, in the first of the articles linked above:

Are there security cameras on businesses or buildings overlooking where you might have to act?  (Don't forget innocuous-looking devices such as smart doorbells in residential areas - video from them has been used to catch criminals.)  What about cameras mounted on light poles or buildings to cover the street? ... you may be recorded on video and audio by such systems, providing evidence that may be used to identify, arrest and convict you.  Therefore, if you might have to take such action, you'll need to take that into account - particularly by avoiding areas where those are major concerns, or remaining as concealed as possible, or making yourself hard to recognize, while doing what's necessary and exiting the area.

(Law enforcement is already voicing concerns that face masks, mandatory in many areas thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, will stop facial recognition systems from working correctly.  I imagine large, dark sunglasses in combination with a face mask will render one almost unrecognizable.  See?  Even pandemics have upsides!  However, facial recognition isn't the only risk.  Gait analysis can also be used to identify you in security camera footage.  There are ways to defeat such analysis, but we don't have space or time to go into them here.)

There's more at the link.

The danger from such cameras is growing greater by the day, particularly because prosecutors and law enforcement authorities are increasingly trying to get access to recordings by any surveillance camera anywhere, whether or not the owners agree.  Here are wo examples from this week's news headlines.  Click either one to be taken to the article concerned.

Amazon’s Ring has provided police with footage

11 times this year without owners’ consent

San Francisco's plan to surveil private security cameras is 'authoritarian,'

says tech oversight advocate ... would 'throw out the Fourth Amendment'

Those who still think they have even a shred of privacy outside the four walls of their own homes should please take note.  In this day and age, with surveillance and security technology all over big cities, we have no - repeat, NO - expectation of privacy at all in public.  It can't be assumed, it can't be relied upon, and expectations of privacy most certainly can't be used to quibble about surveillance footage of us when we're about our lawful occasions.  Surveillance is now ubiquitous, and no matter how distasteful we may find it, our courts have ruled that in public, it's legal.

Ergo:  don't do anything in public that, even though legal, might be construed as illegal or politically incorrect - not unless you absolutely have to do so.  If push comes to shove and you have no choice, assume you're going to be seen and recorded when you do so.

If Antifa and BLM start their shenanigans again, or mass riots or demonstrations break out in your city or town, or crime is escalating beyond the ability of the police to control it ... move.  Get away from the danger area, certainly temporarily, and if possible permanently.  You can't assume that your right to own property and be secure in it, or your right to privacy, will be any protection at all against such pressures, particularly when "woke" prosecutors may use you as a scapegoat or a public example of political incorrectness.  It doesn't matter what the law says;  it matters how those who enforce the law interpret and apply it.

That advice may sound like cowardice to some, but it's the only real protection you have.  If you defend yourself against criminal attack or unrest, you may end up being the one charged with an offence, as we saw in New York City just last week.

Conduct yourself accordingly.

Peter