A local nursery school teacher spent an evening behind bars allegedly for making a video recording of police officers on Sunday.

The woman, who has requested not to be named for fear of intimidation, had swapped vehicles with her husband on the day.

She was driving on Nellmapius Drive in Irene, Centurion, when she was pulled over, according to Andre Snyman of Eblockwatch.

Snyman, who spoke to Rekord on behalf of the woman, said the incident happened at around 16:00.

“She was stopped by three officers who asked for her licence which she had forgotten in the other vehicle,” he said.

“She was very obliging but decided to take a video with her phone for fear of intimidation from the officers.

READ MORE: Huge amounts of goods stolen from Lyttelton

“When the officers saw she was taking a video they told her she was not allowed to make recordings of them.”

In the video Snyman shared on Facebook, a female officer can be seen taking the phone from the woman.

“She told them she was frightened and wanted to take the recording for her own protection.

“After taking her phone the officers then proceeded to arrest her for making the recording. They also accused her of calling them baboons and the k-word.”

The woman was taken first to Lyttelton police station and then to Garsfontein where she spent the evening.

“Near midnight her husband was able to get her released.”

Snyman said the arrest made no sense.

“As far as I know it is not illegal to take a recording of police or metro officers. Why then was the woman arrested?”

Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters had yet to respond to requests for comment on the legality of recording police.

READ MORE: Police hunt motorists who clocked over 300km/h on N1

Lyttelton police have confirmed that according to their records the arresting officer was from the Tshwane metro police.

“A case of crimen injuria has been opened,” said police spokesperson Captain Dave Miller.

However, metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba refuted this claim.

He said he could not provide comment until it was established if the officer in the video was indeed a metro police officer.

Meanwhile, the Right2Know organisation said it was not illegal to take photographs or recordings of police officers in public.

“There is no law that prohibits you from doing this,” said Right2Know countering repression organiser Thami Nkosi.

“In fact, the police’s own protocol does not prohibit you from recording or photographing them.

“Section 16 of the constitution protects the right to media freedom and this can apply to anyone, not only journalists.”

Nkosi said at crime scenes people were even permitted to photograph or record police performing their duties but not key aspects of the crime scene itself.

I have the whole recording and the police trumpeted up fake charges. We have every right to film a police officer. In fact, if we don’t, we could end up like this lady in jail with fake charges. This is what happened to a preschoolteacher. How scary can a preschool teacher be?Mess with eblockwatch ladies and you mess with a 150000 of us. I got pulled over on Nellmapius drive in Irene approximately 4pm. I was the only occupant. There were 3 police officers. One asked for my licence and I checked and realized I did not have my licence. I was recording on my cellphone as I was scared for my safety. Officer realized and interrogated me why I was recording. I informed her it was for my own protection. She said I'm not allowed to record her. She snatched my phone away. The male officer said 'you calling us baboons?' I said no. I asked to get out of my vehicle and officer said she is arresting me for recording them and I must get into the police van. They had my phone and would not let me phone my husband. Very rough ride to police station. Got to Lyttelton police station around 4:30pm they sent me to a side room and I waited until approximately 9pm. Then transported to Garstfontein police station to be locked in a cell. Locked in a cell for approx 2 hrs then lawyer bailed me out and husband took me home approx 11:30pmhttp://ow.ly/ps0g50y1Wh6 Posted by Andre Snyman eblockwatch on Sunday, 19 January 2020

Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:

Rekord East

Rekord North

Rekord Centurion

Rekord Moot

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram