Tough Security at Hollywood Radiohead Show

I just read about a quite alarming story involving security at a recent Radiohead show at the Hollywood Bowl. Apparently after the show, a couple of guys were promoting their upcoming event called the F Yeah Fest by handing out flyers while a third guy was filming it for a documentary on his site, Videothing.com. The guy behind the camera noticed close by that security was using excessive force on another fan, apparently choking him while he was pleading to leave. Now...chances are this fan did something dumb but how drastic could it be? Radiohead fans aren't exactly anarchists.

Once the security guards noticed someone was filming them, it seems it all went downhill. Apparently the guards, off-duty LAPD officers, were pushing the 3 guys around. Once the 3 started leaving, a guard commented that the video would probably end up on YouTube and that they had to get their hands on it. This is when chase gave way, into traffic even, a lot of which occurred in front of Police officers, who did nothing about it. The police response was that they give event staff "leeway." The guards eventually caught up to the tape, throwing one guy into an electrical box and smashing one's head against the pavement.

Needless to say, the guards got their hands on the tape. If you go to Videothing.com, you'll notice how the video entitled "Hollywood Beatdown" merely says "Footage Stolen."

There are plenty of movies that touch upon the corruptness of the LAPD. Plenty of allegations and news stories can back it up. What's the deal? I realize I'm reading this story from one perspective but the force that they used on the one fan that these guys just happened to catch on tape is enough to make you wonder. If "off-duty" officers are causing this uproar while the "on-duty" officers turn their back, what exactly are their duties?