election day, concerns about voter intimidation continue to percolate often in reference to my hometown of philadelphia, but many of the reports of past intimidation can be traced back to a viral video of an incident in the 2008 election that has been widely misrepresented. i went back to the site to file this report. this is 1221 fair mount avenue. this is a housing development known as guild house west. if it looks familiar, no doubt that s because of an incident that took place on election day john mccain against barack obama. there s a guy with a billy club right here. video recorded here bay poll watcher went viral and has since been associated with voter intimidation. but that s not the full story. and he was not a police officer. he was not proper security. he was a member of the new black panther party. that was november 4, 2008, to
that s all i m doing. i m with the university of pennsylvan pennsylvania. who are you with, sorry? security. okay. i mean, i have a certificate, i have to go inside. why you coming up taking pictures. what? how do you read that video. a guy with a billy club outside a polling place, to a lot of observers it looks like obvious voter intimidation by the guys standing guard this or whatever
that s all i m doing. i m with the university of pennsylvan pennsylvania. who are you with, sorry? security. okay. i mean, i have a certificate, i have to go inside. why you coming up taking pictures. what? how do you read that video. a guy with a billy club outside a polling place, to a lot of observers it looks like obvious voter intimidation by the guys standing guard this or whatever
i m here, i m this media guy, that s all i m doing. i m with the university of pennsylvan pennsylvania. who are you with, sorry? security. okay. i mean, i have a certificate, i have to go inside. why you coming up taking pictures. what? how do you read that video. a guy with a billy club outside a polling place, to a lot of observers it looks like obvious voter intimidation by the guys
panthers party are in military style uniforms outsite a philadelphia polling place, one of them with a night stick. hi, i m here at 1221 fairmont in philadelphia and there s a guy with a billy club right here. so, dpouf any problems here? what s going on? everything okay? everything s fine. what s the problem? i m making sure. why are you at 1220 fairmont? i m a media guy. who are you with? university of pennsylvania. do you have identification? no. who are you with? security. okay. i have a poll watcher certificate so i can go inside. wondering why you came up taking pictures? what? i wondered why everybody s taking picks. that s all. i think you might be a little intimidating that you have a stick in your hand. that s why. who are you to decide? that s a weapon.