Members should not record First Amendment assemblies for the purpose of:

The focus on not recording individual participants during First Amendment assemblies stems from the importance of safeguarding individuals' rights to free speech and assembly without the fear of being monitored or identified. Recording participants could lead to a chilling effect, where people might feel apprehensive about expressing their views or participating in protests if they believe they could be surveilled or targeted later based on their attendance or speech.

In contrast, documenting peaceful protests and identifying unlawful conduct serve vital operational purposes for law enforcement agencies, ensuring that the actions of the assembly are lawful and that any criminal activity can be appropriately addressed. Recording speeches can also be an important part of capturing the discourse occurring at these events without infringing on the individual rights of participants, as long as it is done in a manner that respects their anonymity and privacy. Therefore, the emphasis is on ensuring that individuals can express themselves freely, which is foundational to the principles of democracy and civil liberties.