This photo should be an award winner.

[Liberal In Texas]

Getty photographer was tackled by about 50 agents while covering Whipple Federal Building.
He tosses his camera to another photographer to prevent it from being confiscated.

Later he posted this:

His name is John Abernathy
He can be found at
https://www.instagram.com/john_abernathy_?igsh=dWUydGt0ZjQ0Yjk1
Story can also be found on Bluesky.

[sop]

1. Amendments has ICE violated: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 14th Amendments.

[Kid Berwyn]

2. Not just any camera.

That’s a Leica M. The glass looks like an APO Summicron. Most importantly: that is no ordinary photographer.

“Join NICE and document the treason.”

[irisblue]

3. Would you be able totell us which bluesky acct posted about this please?

[chowder66]

5. Here it is. He's on Bluesky

Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.

— John Abernathy (@john-abernathy.bsky.social) 2026-01-17T14:57:42.767Z

[irisblue]

6. Thx, I found a different John Abernathy on bluesky

I'm glad his very expensive camera wasn't stolen by ICE

[Grokenstein]

21. THANK you. I don't know why it wasn't simply included in the first post. nt

[chowder66]

31. You're welcome.

[flashman13]

4. I hope he's getting paid combat pay for working in a war zone.

[Liberal In Texas]

7. One would think!

[llmart]

11. I hope he sues the shit out of the federal pigs.

[markodochartaigh]

12. I hope

that by the time his case gets to the supreme court, we have a supreme court which rules on the facts of a case and not on their own personal opinions.

[llmart]

15. Which is why we need a Dem President for 8 years.

I'm hoping Slappy Thomas takes a dirt nap along with his pedophile friend. He never looks very healthy to me.

[littlemissmartypants]

22. There are so many nicknames that I can't keep up. Who is slappy?

[llmart]

25. Thomas

[littlemissmartypants]

28. Thank you. ❤️

[BidenRocks]

18. Taxpayers always pay.

I wan a forensic audit to see what all this crap is costing us!

[llmart]

19. My sister and I have decided we're not going to file this year.

We both expect to owe. I'll be sending a note saying I'll pay up when the GOP is no longer in power since they don't believe in laws.

[3Hotdogs]

8. Now he gets prosecuted for destroying evidence?

[surfered]

9. Did this happen after Judge approved the TRO?

[Joinfortmill]

10. I don't know about you, but I am enraged.

We need trials for these mfuckers in the U.S. Also, I understand Venezuela has filed charges against U.S. sanctions in the ICC, Hague.

[in2herbs]

14. Yeah!!!! Wouldn't it be justice if Jack Smith was the prosecutor at the ICC? nt

[dawgdan]

13. Photographer

Leica M, he has great taste in cameras. They are not cheap, but they are great cameras. Wish I had my Mothers M3. I wish him well.

[ornotna]

17. I got lucky

I inherited my Father’s lllC.
Beautiful camera that takes wonderful photographs. I should dig it out of my closet and clean it up. It’s been sitting there for 25 years.

[Liberal In Texas]

30. Not to try and one-up, but I inherited my dad's Hasselblad 500C.

I used it for many years before the digital camera revolution. It has been sitting idle for a long time. Film purchase and processing is an issue now.
I have discovered that Hasselblad has produced a new compatible back for 500 series cameras that is digital. The digital back snaps on in place of the film back.
It's pretty cool.
Unfortunately, being a Hasselblad, I found it costs $6K new which at this time is way out of my price range.

[ornotna]

32. That's a very fine camera

I remember when you used to see magazine advertisements for Hasselblad back in the day. I could only dream about them.

[Liberal In Texas]

34. It is. You should dig the camera out and get it cleaned up if it needs it.

Run a roll of film through. It would be a fun thing to do.

[drray23]

26. He is a pro. He works for Getty.

So of course, he has high end equipment. I have a Canon EOS 5D mark IV which is up there but a Leica with high end optics is next level.

[FakeNoose]

16. He doesn't say what provoked the attack

Was this a peaceful demonstration, or was ICE provoked?

Hopefully John Abernathy has enough evidence (photos and videos) to prove it was unprovoked, and ICE goons should be charged.

[littlemissmartypants]

23. It looks staged to me.

[liberalla]

20. Those words he typed are similar (probably intended) to the lyrics of the song "Join ICE"

Song by Jesse Welles. I like his play on words -- to hunt down the authorities instead of minorities! Well done John Abernathy!

He performed it on the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert". The song is great too! Very clever in describing the losers and incels that would want or take this job!

JOIN ICE

Well, if you're lookin' for purpose in the current circus
If you're seekin' respect and attention
If you're in need of a gig that'll make you feel big
Come with me and put some folks in detention

Just last week was kind of tough, I put a kid in cuffs
I zip tied a lady to a van
We can sneak around town, hunt workin' folks down
I hear they got a great benefit plan

Join ICE, boy, ain't it nice?
Join ICE, take my advice
If you're lackin' control and authority
Come with me and hunt down minorities
Join ICE

Well, I failed the academy, the cops weren't havin' me
The Army didn't sound that fun
So I found me a paramilitary operation
That was keen to hand me a gun

I got picked on at school, I never felt that cool
There's a hole in my soul that just a-rages
All the ladies turned me down, and I felt like a clown
But will you look at me now, I'm puttin' folks in cages

At ICE, we're respectin' power
Join ICE, I hear they got great hours
There's a sign-on bonus of 50 grand
They're in need of you, needin' to feel like a man
Join ICE

(Look at him go!)

Here's the video for those who would like to hear it:

[liberalla]

24. Damn! I love that harmonica too!

[Bread and Circuses]

27. A GETTY photographer ?!?!?

A professional photographer is NOT a threat !

[Grokenstein]

29. Sure he is! A witness photographing a crime is always a threat

to the perpetrators of the crime

[Initech]

33. Fuck ICE!