A Bystander Injured and Hospitalized After YouTube Group Films Residents
The Brentwood Post Office was the site of what looked like a publicity stunt and ended in violence. When the post office at 200 S. Barrington Avenue opened at 8:30 a.m., a man named Josh Paris met six men who claimed to be “First Amendment Auditors” who were there as part of a group that they called “iiMPCT MEDIA,” as reported by Fox 11 News. The incident seemed strange and we have reached out to the LAPD for confirmation in addition to the video footage published by Fox 11 News.
“First Amendment Auditors” are defined by the website Freedom Forum.org which states, “A First Amendment audit occurs when people film public officials or employees to hold them accountable or “test” their right to film in public spaces like town halls, libraries, police stations, parking lots, or state and local agencies. The public space “passes” the test if the audit is uneventful. It fails the test if a public employee confronts the person filming — or “auditor” — attempts to stop them from filming, threatens them with arrest, or removes them from the public space.”
“First Amendment audit videos are often posted to YouTube.”
The men were dressed in costume, with one man wearing a full white futuristic suit reminiscent of Star Wars characters, with a reflective visor over his face. After some difficulty remembering the name of his costume, he called himself, “Shockwave.” The other men were dressed in non-descript clothing and were wearing fake beards and bandannas over their faces.
Paris interviewed “Shockwave” on camera and the “audit” seemed to not cause too much trouble, except when members of the public objected to being filmed. The witness footage shows the men standing in front of the entrance of the post office where a woman who was trying to enter the building.
After the woman’s attempts to access the building seemed frustrated, the woman allegedly waved her cane at the men and walked away. A man named Robert came to the woman’s defense and reportedly was put in a chokehold on the ground by more than one of the “iiMPCT MEDIA” members who also allegedly stomped on the man’s head.
Robert, according to the report from Fox 11, was having trouble breathing after being released and bystanders called 911. The news report states that one of the men ran away but returned with a camera to film what was happening and he and two other members of the group were placed under arrest.
We have requested more information from the LAPD and will update this story as the story develops. iiMPCT MEDIA has posted a video of their audit on their YouTube channel but it does not include the footage of the fight.
The video’s description refers to people who object to being filmed or who call the police “Karens.” The linked Instagram account is private and the TikTok account no longer exists.
