Civil rights investigator and PINAC correspondent Jeff Gray caved under pressure and did something yesterday he normally would not do.
He gave his I.D. to a police officer called on him by a security guard as he conducted an investigation into how well officers who approached him would respect his First Amendment right to record in public.
After all, if you’ve followed us at PINAC or Jeff Gray’s YouTube channel for any amount of time, you would know that Honor Your Oath normally doesn’t give his I.D.
But it wasn’t his real I.D.
In fact, while conducting an investigation at the Jacksonville Port Authority Administration Building in Jacksonville as to how well officers would respect his right to record in public, in this instance, Jacksonville police officer Flores, who PINAC would like to commend, passed Gray’s investigation with flying colors.
Gray never really gives him his state issued I.D.
Instead, he hands him two rubber letters, an “I” and a “D.”
The apparent good cop has a laugh then leaves Gray alone since he wasn’t breaking any laws, which doesn’t always happen if you’ve followed PINAC or Gray for any amount of time.
The video begins in typical fashion with Gray describing the time, place and reason he’s there.
That’s when officer Flores approaches.
“Security just called me.”
“I’m just taking some pictures. I’m not going to go on to their property or anything like that.”
“No, OK, it’s not illegal. You’re just out here taking pictures.”
“Do you have any I.D. on you?”
“I do,” Gray replies, pulling out two rubber letters from his pocket.
“It’s not necessary,” officer Flores replies.
“I just gotta ask.”
“Here’s my ‘I,'” he says.
“And here’s my ‘D.'”
Officer Flores has a laugh, then kindly and respectfully leaves Gray alone to continue taking pictures.
The way officer Flores operated while following the Constitution is quite the contrast to what happened to Gray just weeks ago.
Earlier this month, Gray was conducting a similar investigation in Moultrie, Georgia — a city where Gray has no particular gripe or association — holding a sign outside of city hall that said “Fuck City Hall.”
Gray wanted to investigate to test if his right to freedom of speech was respected on Independence Day in small town Georgia.
In that instance, which can be seen below, it wasn’t.
And, with the Moultrie City Manager looking on, Gray was arrested after brass ordered Gray to be arrested for a sign the city manager claims is obscene.
You can read the full story and watch the full video involving that arrest below.
The story was also covered by news station WPTV, who requested permission to use the video to educate its viewers.
