The right to free speech cost one Philadelphia man his freedom after a YouTube video threatening police officers caught the attention of local police.
Andre Moore, posted a clip titled “Dissin Philly Cops,” in which he displayed a silver firearm and proclaimed his joy when an officer is shot in the line of duty.
The 44-year-old called the officers in West Philadelphia’s 18th police district “a bunch of liars” and exclaimed his joy “whenever they shoot a cop in Philadelphia.”
Later in the video—which has been removed from the site—Moore aims the gun at the screen and directly advocates for the murder of officers.
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“Boom! … When you shoot the cop, you shoot them dead, OK? Anywhere, head or the heart. That’s why the last cops lost their lives,” he says.
Philadelphia police took the video seriously and issued a warrant for Moore’s arrest after identifying him in the video.
“We believe these were terroristic threats that are not protected by the First Amendment, particularly when he encourages people to promote violence in Philadelphia and when he shows people how to use a gun to shoot a cop,” said Kevin Harley, spokesman for the state Attorney General’s office.
Officers used a battering ram to apprehend Moore, who will face charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, corruption of morals of a minor and harassment according to Lt. John Walker. The corruption of morals charge was due to Moore’s young son holding the camera during the video’s filming.
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Three Philadelphia officers have been killed in the line of duty in the past two years.
The police department was also in the national spotlight after a local television crew taped officers beating two men at a traffic light. Several of the officers involved in that incident were disciplined.
As of press time, Moore remains in police custody.
