If you film something fucked up with the police don’t just put it online.

In this day and age where everyone has a cellphone it is almost instinctual to press upload immediately after filming police violence. Wait! Stop for a moment and think about the well being of the victim. 

There has never been an advancement in community control of the police because someone decided to release unedited video evidence immediately following an incident of police violence.

We suggest that you let the officers get their story together publicly. Your video will contradict their testimony, and it is here that you have the power to helpful. 

Video evidence can get people’s charges dropped. And It can keep people from going to jail. 

So before you go live, or upload something to the public, check yourself. Why do you want to release this video now without considering the victim?  Could this video be used to help the victim? Could releasing this video now give police an upper hand? Could releasing this video now give police an upper hand?

If your heart is in the right place, you should try to get the video to the victim or their family, and if you have evidence you may want to speak to a lawyer as well. 

Video can be used as evidence.  But a lot of that lies in you being strategic.

Read more about how to use video as evidence in this handbook we made for Standing Rock.