Man in New York arrested for taking photographs

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A man from New York, who was arrested for photographing trains, has filed a lawsuit against the City of New York.

 

Robert Taylor, who works for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is asking for $1 million in compensatory damages and the state complaint filed says he's also asking for a further $1 million in punitive damages.

 

On the 12^th February, Robert, who's a train and photography fan, was taking photographs of an approaching train at the Freeman St. Station when he was approached by the police. Even though Robert informed the police that he was a MTA worker and knew of the specific statute that permits photography in the train stations the police told him to delete the photographs, arrested him and held him for several hours only to find that the charges would later be dismissed.

 

Gerald Cohen, Robert's attorney told the New York Daily News: דHe is asking for $1 million in the lawsuit, but would be pleased with a settlement similar to the $31,000 settlement the city gave to another subway photographer last year

  Thought this might be of intrest to those who do photography on the street.

                      Colin   

We have similar laws in place already.  I loath how we've given up our freedom so easily to assist the hunt for terrorists.  Those new laws now in turn are being used to stifle the very freedoms we as people have been blessed with, and our grandfathers fought to retain.

Only a radical muslim wins when the freedom of those who live in a democratic government is lost in the fight against those who's beliefs do not allow for such freedom and democracy in the first place...

http://www.prisonplanet.com/uk-terror-law-to-make-photographing-police-illegal.html

That's me on a watch list now then..!

Hi Colinmac - interesting story. Although it seems okay to take pictures on streets around here, so far at least, there are plenty of stories about how it is becoming increasingly more difficult in many other places such as New York and London.

I guess a degree of common sense is needed. Clearly too many photographers insisting on exercising their rights and taking photos of shoppers etc could soon start to become a nusance. However, shouldn't be a problem providing that photographers act in a reasonably responsible way.

Cliff

and terrorists must have a fun reading about this