Not the picture in question, but a screengrab of the June 28, 2020 incident.
The Missouri couple made infamous after pointing firearms at protesters in their neighborhood has sued a photographer and his news agency over a memorable picture of the incident. Plaintiffs Mark McCloskey and Patricia McCloskey assert in St. Louis Circuit Court that Bill Greenblatt, a photographer for United Press International (UPI), was trespassing when he took the image. They are also going after Redbubble, an online marketplace, for merchandise featuring their “likenesses.”
So after trespassing into my neighborhood, stealing our photos, publishing it all over the world, subjecting us to endless memes, now the UPI thinks we should be the only people in the world that can’t use the photo!!! https://t.co/95ekJFEMem
— Mark T. McCloskey (@Mark__McCloskey) October 27, 2020
Our little problem is insignificant in light of the attempted election theft, but we have brought suit against the UPI photog who stole our pictures, and Redbubble which is raking in the bucks selling our pictures on T shirts, etc., without permission!
— Mark T. McCloskey (@Mark__McCloskey) November 8, 2020
UPI did not immediately respond to a Law&Crime request for comment. A spokesperson for Redbubble responded, but said it was company policy not to comment on ongoing lawsuits.
The McCloskeys face an ongoing criminal case in Missouri for pointing their weapons at protesters, who were demonstrating against St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson (D) for doxxing Black Lives Matter protesters. The couple maintains they were acting in self-defense, and that protesters were trespassing in their private community.
Ironically, this follows the suggestion that the McCloskeys have been violating copyright law in connection to the picture, when they left an autographed copy and a tip for an employee at a pancake restaurant. UPI ended up considering a cease-and-desist letter because the couple were using the picture in greeting cards.
The attorney for the McCloskey’s claims the couple receives a lot of autograph requests. So…they have their own postcards. @kmov https://t.co/hE9nv6vEL3
— Chris Nagus (@ChrisNagusKMOV) October 13, 2020
Update: A Redbubble spokesperson responded to a Law&Crime request for comment.
[Screengrab via Daniel Shular, @xshularx on Twitter]
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