Popularity of state fair protest post doesn’t surprise videographer

PALMER — A 10-minute video posted online by a former Palmer resident last week is getting the sort of viral attention the 26-year-old anticipated.

“I was fairly certain right before the feces hit the rotary accessory this would create a bit of an uproar,” said Brian Stanfill.

Stanfill, a college graduate visiting family here, was about to leave the fairgrounds last Thursday evening with his parents when he noticed Sidney Hill and his 8-foot banner calling for the impeachment of President Obama.

Stanfill said he had no idea who Hill was when he pulled out his camera first to take a couple of still shots, then to turn the Canon point-and-shoot to video mode to record three segments of video that became the 10-minute post that was at 115,308 YouTube hits as of 7:40 Monday night.

At first, Hill was calm, Stanfill said. Then the situation started to escalate. That’s when Stanfill flipped on his camera.

While Stanfill has been accused of editing the footage, he said the breaks aren’t editing, but a two-minute interruption where the situation seemed to have diffused, and a less-than-one-minute break where he moved to get a better angle.

“My main focus was getting a clear shot — a steady capture,” he said. Another time, he will just let the camera run.

Security guards did tell him to turn off the camera during the altercation.

“I did not,” Stanfill said.

Stanfill said he shook Hill’s hand and told him he might not agree with his message but supported his right to deliver it.

“I’ve been accused of being his photographer,” Stanfill said.

It wasn’t until later that Stanfill and his parents found out Hill is considered something of a nuisance in Palmer for his persistent protest at the corner by the Chevron station. He also didn’t know until later that the Alaska State Fairgrounds is private property.

“I still would have captured it as best as possible,” he said.

Stanfill’s video is linked at frontiersman.com.

—Vicki Naegele