Leetsdale Police Charge CopBlock Activist With Trespass

An Ambridge man known for confronting and videorecording area law enforcement is facing charges of defiant trespass after a harassment incident at ’s office in .

According to a criminal complaint filed by  Chief James Santucci, Anthony Bruno, 27, of Park Road went to the court office about 3:35 p.m. Aug. 4 to ask about a payment plan involving a traffic citation.

When Bruno learned that he would have to make a $25 monthly payment, he became “verbally combative” and told office personnel he would pay only $10 a month, the chief said in the complaint.

Bruno then began videotaping the court staff, saying he wanted it on tape that he must pay $25 per month.

Bruno belongs to the small activist organization pittsburghcopblock.org, an offshoot of the national CopBlock.org. The local group, which Bruno, Craig Glasser and several others operate, has created a YouTube channel dedicated to trailing the police as they respond to incidents. 

Santucci said court staff asked Bruno numerous times to stop taping and offered a payment-determination hearing with the judge. Bruno continued to tape and harass the staff and was asked multiple times to leave, according to the report.

Santucci said Bruno was also warned that police were called. He left when police officers from the  and  departments responded. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October inMagisterial District Judge Mary Murray's office in Coraopolis.

The Leetsdale District Court office video was uploaded Aug. 24 and has garnered about 1,835 views since then. The group also has filmed , Leet, Ambridge and Moon Township police; an off-duty Coraopolis officer on a shopping trip; and Beaver County detectives at the county courthouse.

Bruno faces more charges in Beaver County, including defiant trespass and harassment for recording at a business.

Documenting police

According to the organization's blog, the group hopes to prevent and document what it describes as instances of Pittsburgh-area police officers abusing their authority. Hundreds of videos have been posted.

The district court incident wasn’t the first run-in Leetsdale Police have had with CopBlock. The group recorded officers last month at a license and sobriety checkpoint on Route 65.

Leetsdale police Officer Mike Slawianowski said Bruno stood filming from a nearby parking lot and asked the officers questions, “trying to provoke” them. Then he told the officers he planned to drive through the checkpoint, but Slawianowski said he refused to show his driver’s license, incorrectly citing a section of the state vehicle code that did not pertain to the circumstances. He was pulled off to the side, eventually showed his license and left, police said.

Santucci said the men have a right under the First Amendment to record police.

“If you’re in a public place, you have no expectation of privacy while in uniform,” Santucci said. “Under the law, they can video, but they’re not allowed to stop police doing rightful duties.” 

Mixed feelings

Local police have mixed feelings about the activists confronting and videotaping them.

“They’re within their rights to videotape things,” said Sewickley Police Chief James Ersher. “I would hope it wouldn’t interfere with police operations or put anybody’s safety in jeopardy.”

“I understand their plight, but they’re going about it the wrong way,” Santucci said, adding, “You get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.”

Some police officers believe the group has an underlying motive that has nothing to do with protecting rights or reporting police abuse.

 Officer Bill Hanlon said he believes the group just wants to legalize drugs and promote anarchy.

 “They’re two misguided kids with too much time on their hands,” he said.  

Slawianowski said the two are a joke and their videos only show that police are doing their jobs.

 “Both of them just have a personal ax to grind with law enforcement,” he said. “They’ve shown no corruption – just them trying to antagonize us.”

As an example, Slawianowski said, the first portion of video recorded at the judge's office has been edited out before posting, leaving just the part when police arrive to check out the situation. 

“They’re portraying it as something it isn’t,” Slawianowski said. “They’re not filming us doing our duties, just on a coffee break, which we’re allowed. It’s nonsense.”

Moon Patch Editor Jenna Staul contributed to this article.