In other news, France conquers violence (no, really...)

[goawayfarm]

France bans citizen journalists from reporting violence
http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/03...eban/index.php

The French Constitutional Council has approved a law that criminalizes the filming or broadcasting of acts of violence by people other than professional journalists. The law could lead to the imprisonment of eyewitnesses who film acts of police violence, or operators of Web sites publishing the images

I guess this comes from the axiom "If you can't see it, it must not be real."

Well, to celebrate here is a toast to the French with their collective heads in the sand.....ting(sound of beer bottles touching)

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[briansmech]

umm..... communism?

[Daddy Warcrimes]

I think their reasoning is due to the trend of punks taking cameras to record their random assaults. Think back to the drive by paintball guys. They are trying to reduce the glorification of violence.

[goawayfarm]

I think their reasoning is due to the trend of punks taking cameras to record their random assaults. Think back to the drive by paintball guys. They are trying to reduce the glorification of violence.

That may be their first intent, but have you ever heard of 'unintended consequences'? When do-gooder politicians pass laws without thinking of their ramifications, no good comes of it.

[briansmech]

i recall those videos being used to persecute the idjots... how much glory is there in that?

tons of individuals set up camera's to catch repeat criminals. this would make them criminals for trying to protect themselves and their property.

[Bob The Great]

The French Constitutional Council has approved a law that criminalizes the filming or broadcasting of acts of violence by people other than professional journalists.

So, people can only film professional journalists commiting acts of violence. Got it. Just have to wait for the next big anchor-room shootout.

But kidding aside, this is one of the stupidest laws I've heard of in a long time. It basically means there will be no such thing as eye-witness footage to use in court.

What about security cameras? Does this make those illegal now, or are they only illegal if they happen to catch someone breaking the law?

[ccw9mm]

It basically means there will be no such thing as eye-witness footage to use in court.

Oh, sure there will be footage. But the folks taking and distributing the film or images will be imprisoned, leaving the evidence to be quashed by the State and the people rotting in prison.

[OPFOR]

To quote Kang (or was it Kodos?): Holy flurking snit! There has to be more to this then that blurb explains... I can (almost) understand criminalizing the broadcasting of violence (especially for profit, a la "Bum Fights"), but the filming of it? It's already illegal for punks to commit acts of violence, so why wouldn't we encourage them to film it so we can use it to identify and prosecute them? The points already brought up about security cameras, surveillance systems, et cetera already make this law - as we understand it from the limited info we have here - completely unworkable.

[obxned]

Must not have a 1st Amendment there.

[500Mag]

Must not have a 1st Amendment there.

If they do, its being butchered like our 2nd.

[srfl]

When I saw the title of this thread "In other news, France conquers violence (no, really...)," my first is impression was...."hmmm, you mean France finally conquered something?"

[briansmech]

When I saw the title of this thread "In other news, France conquers violence (no, really...)," my first is impression was...."hmmm, you mean France finally conquered something?"

haha!!

[Baby Hulk]

"hmmm, you mean France finally conquered something?"

Along this line of thought, does that mean that the French translation for 'conquered' is "surrender"???

[CopperKnight]

Sounds like communism is getting a good, strong foothold.

[Tom G]

Don't the idiots realize that these recordings are evidence of the crime. What a bunch boobs.