An Oxnard police officer attacked a man for attempting to video record an arrest last week, twisting the man’s arm behind his back and violently shoving him against a bench after the man had placed the phone in his pocket.
The cop threatened to arrest the man for refusing to hand over his phone as “evidence” before a commanding officer intervened, telling the cop he was out of line.
The man, who goes by Angel B on Youtube, said he was allowed to leave, but he never did get the name of the officer.
And that is important if we want to at least try to hold him accountable.
The video lasts 38 seconds and shows Angel B approaching the arrests but remaining far enough away where he was not interfering. The cop storms up to him and appears to take a swing as the camera turns off.
In an email interview with *Photography is Not a Crime*, Angel B provided the following description of what took place:
> I thought he was going to take a swing so i backed up. He grabbed my right arm and tried to take my phone by force. After i pulled away and put my phone in my back pocket. He twisted my arm behind my back and kept repeating for me to give it to him. After i kept refusing. He started to push and shove me to the bench i was standing behind in the video. He was forcefully trying to make me sit down by pushing me against the tables bench. After i didnt let him push me down, he asked a fellow officer for hand cuffs. He threatned me with arrest for recording and not giving him my phone which he said was evidence. A commanding officer approached and asked what was going on. The commanding officer told him he did not have to take my phone or put me in handcuffs. After they got my information i was free to go.
Angel B said he has had issues with the Oxnard Police Department in the past but when he has tried to go in and file a complaint, they refuse to hand him a complaint form.
The original video is below but a *PINAC* reader rotated it, allowing us to see it without craning our necks, which is the one above.
Oxnard Police Chief Jeri Williams, who proclaims to support “community based policing,” has been kind enough to provide her [__direct email address__](mailto:chief@oxnardpd.org) on the [__police department’s website.__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/chief.asp)
Maybe she can identify him for us.
Or we can just call the line to her administrative office at (805) 385-7624
**UPDATE:** The Oxnard Police Department posted the following on its [__Facebook page__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/OxnardPD?ref=br_tf) this morning.
**UPDATE II:** The cop’s name is Moses Martinez, according to an [__Oxnard activist Facebook page__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/photo.php?fbid=562705053805597&set=a.556760164400086.1073741827.556760014400101&type=1).
