A group of youngsters filming a rap video caused panic in the centre of San Francisco after being mistaken for gun-toting bank robbers.
Police moved in to arrest the filmmakers yesterday afternoon after worried bystanders thought they were witnessing an armed raid, close to the junction of Fifth and Mission streets.
But the incident soon turned out to be a false alarm after officers discovered the group were using replica guns to make a film depicting a bank robbery.
Arrest: Seven young filmmakers were arrested in the centre of San Francisco yesterday after they were seen waving replica guns while shooting a rap video
Fifteen police officers had rushed to the scene following the reports, and arrested seven people.
One of the filmmakers, Manuel Elias Morgan, said he understood why some misconstrued what was happening.
'We were just filming a music video, and it looked like it was a bank robbery or something like that, so they came in full force, looking to protect the people,' he told ABC news. He said he had learned 'you definitely need to get a permit' before you shoot a video' in the city.
One of the officers who arrested the youngsters said they had learned a 'life lesson' from what had happened.
Fears: The group were filming near the junction of Fifth and Mission streets, close to the San Francisco Chronicle building
