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A routine visit to document conditions at the Tulsa City County Library turned into an unlawful detention when security guards arrested independent journalist Dan for the "crime" of operating a camera in a public building. The incident, captured live on multiple streams, exposes a troubling pattern of government employees who either don't understand or deliberately ignore the public's constitutional rights.
Security supervisor Rebecca immediately confronted Dan, declaring that "filming is being disruptive" and demanding he leave the premises. When pressed to explain how recording in a public space violated any law, Rebecca could only repeat library policy as if it carried the weight of criminal statute.
The Contradiction Hidden in Plain Sight
The irony reached absurd levels when fellow journalist Ron discovered a sign posted directly on the library's security desk. The placard clearly states that the "Tulsa City County Library welcomes its customers to film and take photos." Yet security had just placed a man in handcuffs for doing exactly what their own signage explicitly permits.
This contradiction suggests either profound incompetence or deliberate selective enforcement. Security allowed dozens of patrons to use phones and cameras throughout the incident while claiming Dan's identical activity somehow crossed an invisible line.
When Security Overstepped Legal Authority
The situation escalated when library security produced handcuffs and detained Dan without lawful authority. Private security guards lack the power to arrest citizens for non-criminal activity, yet they held Dan against his will while claiming he had committed trespass for engaging in constitutionally protected behavior.
When Tulsa police arrived, they found themselves in the awkward position of cleaning up security's mess. The responding officers, notably more professional than the library staff, appeared uncomfortable with the situation they'd been called to resolve.
The Lawsuit That Started the Day
The timing couldn't have been more telling. Ron had spent the morning filing a lawsuit against the city of Sand Springs for open meeting violations before receiving the frantic call that his colleague was in custody. What began as one accountability action against government overreach immediately spawned another.
The library's phone number, broadcast live to hundreds of viewers, reportedly stopped being answered as concerned citizens called to express their displeasure with the detention of a journalist engaged in First Amendment protected activity.
A Pattern of Retaliation
This wasn't the first clash between these journalists and Tulsa area officials. Ron referenced a previous incident where a Tulsa County Sheriff's deputy made a similar mistake, arresting someone for recording in a courthouse. That deputy was reportedly fired the following day once supervisors reviewed the unlawful arrest.
The library incident suggests some government employees haven't learned from their colleagues' costly errors. Each unlawful detention opens taxpayers to significant liability while undermining public trust in institutions that should be serving the community.
Questions the Video Must Answer
The live streams captured everything, but key questions remain unresolved. Did security actually claim the Supreme Court had ruled libraries are "limited public forums" that become "private property"? How long was Dan held before police intervention? Will the library face consequences for what appears to be a clear violation of civil rights?
The full confrontation, including Dan's own account of what happened in custody, is only available in the complete video footage.
