Video: Violence nearly breaks out at Detroit voting precinct over photo

I won’t be voting today.

Not after a small group of irate voters threatened me with violence and chased me down Cass Avenue in Detroit this afternoon because I had photographed illegal campaign activity in front of my precinct.

I was on my way to vote when campaign volunteers standing a few feet from the precinct entrance were forcing literature on voters. It’s illegal to campaign within 100 feet from the entrance of a precinct, for obvious reasons.

After snapping a quick photo of the campaign violations, a scofflaw and voter quickly became irate and forcibly stopped me from leaving until I deleted the picture. I refused.

“You aren’t leaving until you delete that damn picture,” a male campaign volunteer hollered as he poked his finger at my chest.

The woman shoved me, blurting out wild exaggerations until a crowd had gathered. She said I had assaulted her and was indiscriminately taking photos of voters. Someone suggested I was a Romney supporter.

A man chased me down a sidewalk and across Cass; other men began to gather.

All because of a picture of a campaign violation.

When police finally arrived, they ordered me to delete the photo and suggested I leave the area – where I was supposed to vote – to avoid more problems.

  2012, detroit, election, Fight, neavling, Obama, Problems, steve, video, Voting precinct

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.

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