Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Community Security Initiative (CSI) analysis center is providing the below information for advisory purposes only. You are receiving this information due to the incident’s awareness value.
Description: This CSI Advisory Message is to provide updated information regarding a potential increased effort by 1st Amendment Auditor Zhoie Perez (AKA: Furry Potato) to record or film Jewish institutions throughout greater Los Angeles. Last night, Perez issued a statement concerning the Los Angeles Jewish community via her YouTube channel. On her channel, Perez states, “I am going to hit them every day, without a doubt” and “I’m going to do my news stories on them every day”. Due to this statement, CSI believes Perez will intensify her focus on our community and may become more aggressive in her attempts to engage your staff, security personnel and congregants. Perez’s apparent goal is to record acts of violence against her so she can have law enforcement arrest the perpetrators and potentially hold them and/or the institution criminally liable.
Actions: If you witness someone filming or photographing your institution, especially surreptitiously, DO NOT ENGAGE them, call law enforcement immediately and then report the incident to CSI. These behaviors are suspicious and could be a pre-incident indicator of a future attack (i.e. intelligence gathering or pre-attack surveillance). Make sure you describe the individual and their behaviors to law enforcement from a safe location. At no time should you, your staff, or your congregants interact with the individual. If you have security personnel employed at your site, make sure they understand their rights and the rights of citizens to film from a public space in order to avoid an unlawful use of force. Guard orders at your site should include procedures for effectively dealing with auditors.
Note: 1st Amendment Auditors are generally not a threat to your institution since their goal is to test their constitutional rights and to provoke others to violate them. Indications that someone might be an Auditor include; if they are filming in the open, wearing obvious recording equipment, and appear to be reporting what is around them, like a journalist. CSI has identified several area Auditors based on past incidents, so the Analysis Center may be able to help you identify whether someone is an auditor or not. Auditors will eventually leave the area if left alone, as they believe the site has “passed the audit.”
Background: Over the last couple of months, CSI and our law enforcement partners received numerous reports involving Perez. Perez has been observed filming the exterior of Jewish institutions and attempting to interact with congregants and security personnel, while live streaming (or uploading later) on an online video sharing website. When confronted or asked to stop filming, Perez has used provocative and/or provoking language, which has resulted in some individuals using physical force against Perez.
First Amendment Auditing is an American social movement that usually involves photographing or filming a public space. It is often categorized by its practitioners, known as “Auditors,” as activism and citizen journalism that tests constitutional rights; in particular, the right to photograph and video record in a public space. Auditors usually film from a lawful place, such as a public sidewalk or roadway. Auditors are generally well versed in their rights and will likely respond aggressively if they believe their rights are being violated. In some instances, Auditors will attempt to provoke a negative response from a representative of the site, its security personnel, and law enforcement to later post on social media and possibly file a lawsuit.
CSI will continue coordinating with our law enforcement and government partners regarding these types of incidents. CSI is asking everyone to stay vigilant, follow your security protocols, and report any suspicious activity around your institution to law enforcement and to CSI. As always, you may contact CSI anytime at [email protected] should you have any questions.
Respectfully,