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The MBTA might want to inform its police officers that photography is not a crime
By adamg on Thu, 11/19/2009 - 4:42pm
Adam Weiss reports one of those black-suited special-forces T cops told him to stop taking pictures at the Government Center T stop this afternoon because, apparently, nobody's ever told him about the MBTA's official photography policy - which says picture taking is allowed on T property (just without a flash or tripod). Weiss says:
At least he was nice about it this time. He apologized, saying he didn't know the rules. Let me go on my way. Nothing against the cop, just the T for not informing him.
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Comments
adam
this goes on and on. something tells me they really think they have the law on their side and they train their personnel as if they do.
If the officer didn't know the rules
Then why, exactly, was he telling him to stop?
"Stop! I am an officer of the law, and what you are doing seems like something that would be not permitted, although I'm not particularly aware of its prohibition"?
[Prediction: Crgr Avpr jvyy ercyl, pynvzvat gung gurer rkvfgf ng yrnfg bar aba-vzcbffvoyr fpranevb va juvpu gur bssvpre vf npgvat nccebcevngryl, fb jr fubhyqa'g znxr nffhzcgvbaf.]
Default position
When uncertain, assume all behavior on the part of anyone not wearing a badge ist verboten!
Very disturbing, IMHO.
Drivers, too
Weiss adds:
Collective Action
Would it be possible to hold a snap-in, getting people to take bunches of photos all at once on T property, within the bounds of the policy?
And record each instance of harassment and distribute copies of the policy?
It might be interesting to collect the data and see where the stupid is burning brightest.
Isn't the T under court order for this, or am I remembering it correctly?
No law, no prohibition
This continues to baffle me.
I thought citizens and residents of the United States were only prohibited from doing things by laws voted on by a legislature. We're free to do anything else without police interference and without having to provide identification. When did the Chief of the Transit Police obtain the legislative power of a dictator?
The MBTA is public space and public property, so it is not a matter of private regulation of private property.
Smoking on the T is prohibited by law (General Laws chapter 272, section 43A).
So is spitting (chapter 270, sections 14 and 15).
You can be prosecuted for photographing military installations
(Title 18 United States Code Section 795).
There's no law prohibiting photography on the MBTA or requiring photographers to produce identification, though.
So where does the MBTA get off bothering photographers? This is more a form of state terrorism than a prevention of terrorism. In my travels, I've only been hassled for taking pictures in the most authoritarian and corrupt countries.
I'm sure Martha Coakley would come up with some bullshit defense of the MBTA, though.
Im not 100% sure but...
Those guys in all black uniforms you see at train stations are not police officers and do not have police powers.
Right and you or your
Right and you or your property can't be searched without a warrant... lulz
Seriously, this probably all comes under the umbrella of Homeland Security after 9/11.
this is brilliant
Let's do it. Let's agree on a day and time - maybe a Sunday, when it's less busy and we couldn't really be accused even of disrupting the commute. Snappers can weigh in on what station they plan to go to so we don't overwhelm les gendarmes. Then descend on the T from stem to stern with cameras and copies of the policy, and post the results - where, here?
How about January 3?
Wait....
Will everyone be going pantsless, too? Or dress like a zombie? i get all these protests confused.
I carry a copy of the MBTA
I carry a copy of the MBTA photo policy (printed from the website) with me at all times.