MESA, ARIZONA- July 17th, 21021- Mesa Police put up what appears to be 100’s of feet of “crime scene” tape in order to push back first amendment auditors. As a result, one auditor was arrested.
Reportedly Mesa police have been instructed to agitate and record first amendment auditors. In an effort to pass a bill that will require 1a auditors to obey all police instructions. One of the police watchers known as “Direct D” called out one of the officers saying:
“What are you guys, trying to get them laws passed?” In reference to the information allegedly provided by an informant inside the Mesa PD.
Related Reading: What is a “stop and identify” law?
Eventually, the officer arrests Direct D for “standing on private property”. The same property the Mesa PD strung the tape across the entrance of.
The local paper East Valley Tribune called the auditor’s “agitators” and “phoneslingers” when reporting on the incident.
The reason for so many auditors being present, is a string of complaints on police officers from the Mesa department. Which go back several years. This combined with recent calls for defunding the police, has created a response from the community in Mesa, Arizona.
Related News: Three 1st Amendment Auditors Arrested While Recording Police at Gas Station Owned by Judge
