NYC Abandons Plan to Ban Subway Photography

[ajweiss]

NEW YORK - May 22, 2005 - According to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/22/

AR2005052200220.html" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>, New York City Transit has abandoned a proposal to ban cameras from the subway system. The decision follows a year of controversy over transit officials' plans to forbid photography, videos and filming in subway stations, as a measure against terrorism. The plan was widely criticized by civil libertarians, photographers, and some official officials, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

 

<p>Follow any further developments with <a href="http://news.google.com/news?

hl=en&ned=us&ie=UTF-8&q=subway+photo&btnG=Search+News" target="_blank">Google

News</a>.

[james_ogara1]

Gosh I guess 1984 isn't getting closer after all.

 

Stand by for a torrent of postings by people acknowledging that they overreacted to the notice of proposed rulemaking.

 

Or maybe not.

[ted_marcus1]

I wonder if we'll ever find out what really made those officials give up their ban. After all, a politican or bureaucrat looking to burnish his "Tough On Terror" credentials in the current "War" climate could do no better than to issue a statement blithely dismissing even large numbers of people expressing "civil liberties" concerns as ignorant and/or unpatriotic. There must have been some important political figure who decided that a photography ban would do more harm than good to his career.

[bobatkins]

The NYC mayor call it a dumb idea (or words to that effect). We can also perhaps hope that the letters of protest that were sent perhaps did some good.<p>

<em>

<p>

"If somebody's there with a high-powered camera at the front of the train trying to photograph switches and signal boxes, maybe there is something going on," Bloomberg said Friday on his weekly radio show.

<p>

"But if there are some tourists and they want to take pictures of each other on the subway train ? come on, get real" </em>

[james_ogara1]

Still waiting for the following people to acknowledge their hysterical reaction to a notice of PROPOSED rulemaking.

 

 

Jean-Baptiste Queru, may 21, 2004; 10:44 a.m.

Terrorists are winning.

 

 

Eddie Chan, may 21, 2004; 03:33 p.m.

If this type of thing continues, no picture taking will be allowed in airports, stadiums, Disney, etc..., and any one with a camera at public places will have his/her name in the database of the terrist suspects.

 

 

Jay B. Stevens, may 22, 2004; 01:31 p.m.

Fascism. Is this too strong a word? And when should we stop it? ....;)...J

 

 

Patrick (Washington, DC), may 21, 2004; 10:19 a.m.

[...] soon they will take away trash-cans and USPS/Fed-Ex/UPS mail-boxes.

 

...and many many others....