Video Taping Cops Protected Free Speech

In a Union leader front page story a 1st circuit court has ruled that you cannot arrest someone for videotaping a police officer in public.  The court stated that the use of such footage is a critical part of our first amendment rights.  The Boston PD has appealed the ruling.

New Hampshire has had several videographers arrested for filming the police in the course of their duties so I am interested to see how this case proceeds.

I'm also interested in how the New Hampshire Socialist party (DBA- NHDP) feels about this?  A majority of their members and most if not all of like the threat of arrest, fine, or imprisonment for recording officers of the law performing their duties in public.  The Democrats must be siding with the intimidator.

The lefts motivations are obvious.  They can't win if any opinion other than their own gets equal treatment, but why what are the police trying to hide?

While we wait to see how the appeal of the first circuit ruling proceeds, there are a few bills floating around the current legislature to address the issue.  One suggestion would require you to notify the officer that you will be recording them.  Bad idea for reasons discussed here. I'm thinking, "hello obstruction," but the problem could be as simple as logistics.  Then there is the conflict with simple common sense.  If it is acceptable to record in public spaces, or to be recorded by the public or private entities in same, why the cone of privacy over the very people with whom we should be paying the most attention?