LAT: Santa Monica Playing It Safe (suspicious activity at LA piers,bridge)

[DeepModem Mom]

Santa Monica Playing It Safe
Police tighten security even as the FBI says suspicions aroused by recent videotaping of high-profile structures appear to be unfounded.
By Rong-Gong Lin II and Martha Groves, Times Staff Writers


Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. met with reporters this week and declared a potential homeland security threat.

Police received a call last month from a citizen who had taken photos of "Middle Eastern individuals" as they shot video of the Santa Monica Pier and surrounding area in a manner that authorities said was "inconsistent with tourist documentary."...

***

Law enforcement sources said the individuals in question were also reported to have filmed around the Vincent Thomas Bridge, linking Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the Huntington Beach Pier.

But FBI officials have moved to clarify the seriousness of the situation. On Thursday, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the agency looked into the situation after the individuals filmed the Vincent Thomas Bridge and determined at that time that they didn't pose a threat....

***

Los Angeles Port Police Chief Ronald J. Boyd, whose agency patrols the Vincent Thomas Bridge, said his department is also investigating.

The bridge is considered a possible terrorist target because it links the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which constitute the third-largest seaport in the world.


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pier13aug13,0,679441.story?coll=la-home-local

[AlCzervik]

1. oh my god!! I was in Santa Monica 3 weeks ago on the pier

and lots of people were taking pictures, it's a friggin tourist spot. When i was in LA i took a picture of the Larry Flynt building and i didn't see anyone else doing that so i guess someone would report that because it was "inconsistent with tourist documentary."?

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Ordinarily, I would completely agree, but I've come to place more trust...

in local authorities lately, than in federal.

From the article: "There were three people taking pictures on a pier that's a tourist attraction," (Councilman Herb Katz) said. "They were going under the pier and looking at pilings."

[DBoon]

3. going under the pier?

I bet they were going to smoke a joint....

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Well, I didn't think of that.

:)

[xxqqqzme]

5. best not be messin' w/

HB pier. That was re-built just 10 years ago. It is all concrete now. But then whorbacher's office does face the pier.

[shraby]

6. Some years ago (don't remember how many)

A couple of guys were filming downtown San Francisco. Someone asked them why they were doing that. They said for the "before" pictures when we get the big quake.
There could be a lot of reasons to film, but terrorism plays well in the news.