Exclusive footage from a surveillance plane during George Floyd protests in Minneapolis show protesters on ground trying to bring down the police patrol plane with lasers. Lasers are commonly used to distract or temporarily blind the pilots and surveillance instruments. The Minnesota State Patrol has opened an investigation on the use of laser and subsequent charges.
Patrol Plane with Infrared Cameras
A Minnesota State Patrol Plane was constantly hovering over the city of Minneapolis during the Black Lives Matter protests loaded with infrared cameras. Surveillance videos documented by the plane were obtained by Motherboard. The videos documented were black and white in nature and identical to the combative drone footage made in combat zones.
These videos were released because of an appeal. On June 4th during the time period of 10:30-10:50 p.m., the Minnesota State Patrol Plane had taped this footage from a height of more than 5,700 feet over the city of Minneapolis. All the videos from alternative dates had been held for ongoing operative inspection.
Cirrus Spy Plane N115SP
The Flight reports show Minnesota State Patrol inspecting the Black Lives Matter protests in the Twin Cities from a distance of a thousand feet high above the ground with the help of a Cirrus Spy Plane N115SP.
As per reports the footage had been taped by the spy plane for the first time, including adjustments being made to the inside of the aircraft. The videos and records give an internal view at the authority’s aerial supervision.
A Freedom of Information Act appeal with the Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged that during the month of March, 2017 the Minnesota State Patrol made a contract with an association namely, Integrated Surveillance and Defense Inc. The contracted document demonstrates or defines how the association “Installed… Cirrus Laptop Pedestal Mount kit.”
Protesters trying to bring down the Plane
The footage obtained by Motherboard was taken between May 30 and June 5. The footage appears to show people on the ground attempting to blind the plane’s pilots and/or its instruments. Lasers are commonly used to distract or temporarily blind pilots.
The footage displayed people shining a laser from the ground at the plane in order to blind the pilot and surveillance instruments and bring down the plane itself. The plane locates those people, and within 20 minutes the suspects on the ground were surrounded by police.
The Minnesota State Patrol said, “The question on the use of the laser and charging is an open investigation.”
Similar incident was also reported in Denver, where protesters targeted a police helicopter with lasers. After hours of Denver protests and the helicopter flying above, someone in the Capitol Hill neighborhood started shining a bright green laser light at Copter4.
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