It’s a dangerous time in America for independent journalists. Looking down the barrel of fascism’s gun through the lens of a camera.
Not just metaphorically.
In these times it’s not unusual for the press to be face to face with a live weapon wielded by a trigger-happy state-sanctioned goon.
That’s exactly where photojournalist Steven Berumen, aka ‘Snail,’ found himself one night while covering the protests outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles - a facility being used as a concentration camp for those kidnapped by ICE.
“We’re used to seeing the feds out there with guns,” Steven told me. “DHS will come out to protests with assault rifles. Snipers will be on the roof of MDC aiming their weapons at protesters.”
It comes with the territory.
But this night was different.
The gun wasn’t on a roof or behind the lines of feds staging to kettle protesters. It was in the hands of a lone corrections officer, desperate and dangerous.
Snail heard the commotion from across the street, seeing an altercation happening and believing it was an outside agitator being dealt with by the protesters.
When he ran over to investigate though, he saw it was one of the corrections officers from MDC. His face was beat up and he was flailing his pistol around wildly.
“I didn’t even think,” Snail said. “I didn’t even care about the gun. I ran up with my camera and started snapping photos.”
Because that’s the job.
In the field, during high risk situations, there’s hardly any time to think. Everything escalates at a rapid pace and there’s only time to capture. Danger is an afterthought.
Snail was shocked when the gun was pointed at him but said he remained “mission focused,” and that it looked like the officer “didn’t have it in him to pull the trigger.”
“From what I heard the corrections officer told a lady to ‘back up or I’ll knock you the fuck out,’ and that’s when the fight started,” Snail told me. “The corrections officer was hitting a protester over the head with his pistol.”
Protesters filmed as the CO threatened them with his gun. Eventually another officer came to his aid, also brandishing a weapon.
They got into an elevator, still pointing their guns as the doors closed, and then they were gone.
It was a moment that could have ended much differently, but sometimes a camera can do enough to discourage the violent wrath of insecure men intent to abuse what little authority they believe they have.
That’s why it’s so important that we document everything they do.
These federal agents and “law enforcement officers” continue to commit acts of violence against the public while not being held accountable.
But they will be held accountable.
That’s the necessity of independent journalism.
We are keeping a record of these injustices for history to see. Regardless of the danger. In spite of any repercussions.
If you’d like to follow Snails work as he continues to document what’s happening on the ground outside LA’s ICE concentration camp, you can follow him on Instagram here.
Article written by Chance Meeting.
