Federal judge blocks Arizona law restricting filming of police

A federal judge blocked an Arizona law on Friday that was set to ban the recording of police within 8 feet of a “law enforcement activity.”

U.S. District Judge John Tuchi granted a preliminary injunction requested by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona and multiple media outlets, which argued that the law violates the First Amendment rights of journalists and the public.

The law, which Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed into law in July and was set to go into effect later this month, prohibits people from recording law enforcement activity in the 8-foot radius if they know or reasonably should know the activity is occurring. They are also not allowed to record if an officer warns them that an activity is happening.

The law defines a law enforcement activity as the questioning of a “suspicious” person, arresting someone, issuing a summons, enforcing the law or handling an “emotionally disturbed or disorderly person” showing “abnormal” behavior.