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What started as a routine visit to the Tulsa City County Library turned into a constitutional confrontation when security guards immediately demanded journalists stop recording in the public building. Acting on a viewer tip about harassment at the facility, the reporting team discovered firsthand how library staff prioritize internal policies over First Amendment rights.
The moment cameras appeared inside the taxpayer-funded building, security guards rushed to intervene, insisting visitors must submit written requests before recording anything on the premises.
Security Guards Threaten Police Action Over Constitutional Activity
"You can't film in the library, you have to request permission first," declared one security guard, despite the building's status as a public facility. When the journalists explained their constitutional right to record in public spaces, the guards remained unmoved.
The confrontation escalated when security called the Tulsa Police Department, with one guard stating he would "have to ask you to leave" for violating library policy. The journalists calmly explained that policies cannot override constitutional rights, but the guards insisted their rules took precedence over federal law.
Former Law Enforcement Officer Enforces Unconstitutional Policy
The situation took an ironic turn when one security guard claimed 18 years of law enforcement experience while simultaneously violating the Constitution he once swore to uphold. Despite his claimed expertise, the former officer insisted that library policy trumped First Amendment protections.
"I've actually worked law enforcement," the guard boasted, before demanding the journalists obtain permission to exercise their constitutional rights. When questioned about his understanding of public recording laws, he doubled down on enforcing the library's restrictive policies.
Guards Film While Prohibiting Others From Recording
In a stunning display of hypocrisy, the same security guards who prohibited public recording began filming the journalists themselves. When confronted about this contradiction, one guard claimed he had modeling rights and expected "compensation" if the footage was monetized.
The guards appeared oblivious to their double standard, continuing to record while insisting the journalists needed special permission for the same activity in the identical public space.
Attorney Arrives as Police Respond to False Emergency
As tensions mounted, one of the journalists called their attorney, who arrived at the scene just as Tulsa police officers responded to the guards' complaint. The responding officers found themselves in the awkward position of explaining basic constitutional law to the security staff.
The police encounter revealed the extent of the guards' misunderstanding about public recording rights, with officers having to clarify that policies cannot override constitutional protections in public buildings.
Library Staff's Constitutional Education Ends in Walk of Shame
The confrontation reached its climax when the attorney and police officers corrected the guards' fundamental misunderstanding of First Amendment law. Despite their earlier bravado about law enforcement experience and policy authority, the security team found themselves on the receiving end of a constitutional education.
But the footage reveals one final twist that shows just how far some public employees will go to avoid accountability for their actions.
Watch the full confrontation to see how this constitutional crisis at a public library finally resolved and what the police officers told the security guards about their illegal policy enforcement.
