A security guard for an Ohio shopping mall made a complete fool of herself as she tried to prevent people from taking photos of a truck that ended up in a ravine on mall property.
Officer Adams, as she describes herself in the above video, first threatened to confiscate cameras, then ordered people to delete their photos and finally ended up pushing a woman who immediately fought back.
The two women ended up punching and kicking each other on the street as onlookers calmly observed, including one who video recorded the debacle.
As outrageous as the video is, it is even more outrageous that the spokesman for the [__Ohio Valley Mall__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/www.ohiovalleymall.net) in St. Clairsville defended the security guard’s actions, telling [__WTRF__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/mall-security-guard-accident-onlooker-scuffle) that she was merely doing her job, which is to prevent people from taking photos on mall property.
> Mall Director of Corporate Communications, Joe Bell, told WTRF on Monday that the fight occurred on mall property and the security guard was doing her job and was explaining to the woman that no pictures were allowed on mall property when the fight broke out.
> Bell added no one was charged in the incident.
While it’s true that private companies can set their own policies regarding photography, they should notify customers about this policy as they enter the mall as they usually do about prohibitions against smoking or soliciting.
If they are so serious about their policy that they would allow security guards to attack shoppers, then they should post their policy on their website as the [__Crabtree Valley Mall__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/policies) in North Carolina did.
> PHOTOGRAPHY: Photography, videotaping, or similar recordations are strictly prohibited without explicit permission from the mall management.
> Failure to obey these rules or to comply with lawful and reasonable requests by the Crabtree Valley Mall Management, Special Police or Security will result in your being asked to leave the mall. If you refuse to leave, you will be arrested and prosecuted for criminal trespass.
But as strict as the Crabtree Valley Mall is about photography, even they know they can only order people off the property or have them arrested for trespassing.
They can’t order you to delete your photos nor can they order you to hand over your camera. And they certainly can’t get physical with you if you refuse to stop taking photos or even if you refuse to leave. They can only call the cops on you.
Fortunately for Adams, she wasn’t fired, but if she was, she is certainly qualified to work at [__50 State Security__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2013/03/11/miami-dade-county-needs-to-reconsider-contract-with-50-state-security/) in Miami.
