Photographers probed at Sears Tower

docwalker

Alright.... which 3 of you did it?? :hide

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060315terror,1,7281670.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Feds probe photographers at Sears Tower

Tribune staff reports
Published March 15, 2006, 10:38 PM CST


Police and federal investigators are looking into an incident about three weeks ago at the Sears Tower in which three men caught the attention of security guards when they got out of their car and appeared to be studying the 110-story building and taking photographs.

The men were questioned by building security guards, but were allowed to leave, authorities said. The guards recorded the car's license plate and it was traced to a rental agency, a law enforcement source said.

The car was returned to the agency about an hour after the incident at the Sears Tower, the source said, and investigators from the Joint Terrorism Task Force learned that it had been rented with a fictitious name.

Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Monique Bond confirmed that the department is working with the task force to investigate, but added that she could not discuss the specifics of the incidents.

"We are aware of the information," Bond said. "We cannot comment at this time because it's part of the ongoing investigation."

Also within the last three weeks, according to a WLS-TV report, a man was questioned about sketching the Boeing World Headquarters building.

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

http://www.topix.net/search/?q=sears+tower&x=0&y=0

wxwax

S**t, this is going to make things ever harder for us.

A news videographer was detained last week in Newark, NJ for videotaping a government-owned building from a public street. He was handed over to Homeland Security by the local police. He was eventually released, but not before his employer, a network, vouched for his bona fides.

The way this is going, cameras will soon be banned from sidewalks and public buildings.

Andy

wxwax wrote:

The way this is going, cameras will soon be banned from sidewalks and public buildings.

Sigh, one day I won't be able to do this:

Justiceiro

I'm not too worried about New York. We won the battle with the MTA (it was kind of hard for them to annunce a ban on photography the very same week that the transit museum had a "100 years of subway photography" exhibit).

The port authority backed down from its ban as well, although not until after I got hassled by a rent-a-cop while photographing the Lackawanna terminal in Hoboken.

New York is a tourist destination. People will take photographs.

Besides, its not like you can't get photos off the net of these buildings, as well as satelite maps from google.

docwalker

You won't be able to do what? Sit on a Subway grate enjoying the breeze from the passing trains while playing with your camera?

Or did you mean loosing your right to capture free roaming photons with a collection device that just happens to be pointed at a structure reflecting said protons?

I am with you on this. Someone is going to get arrested and spend a few days in jail soon.

I was sitting in the parking lot of a restaraunt last night waiting on my fiance to show up for her birthday dinner. The place happens to be right under the flight path for the runway of the local airport.

That time of day planes land about every 2 minutes. I was so tempted to play with the camera and get a few shots of the passing planes. That was until I thought about the risk and the guy sitting in his car across the parking lot talking on his cell phone and watching me at the same time.

I love trains and planes. But, given todays culture I am very careful about taking photos of either.

colourbox

A rental car full of people with cameras. The tools of an evil tourist! We need to support the Global War on Tourism and suppress any signs of tourist activity. If you're not with us, you're with the tourists!

There was also this disturbing story.

Stormdancing

Don't even take your camera to the playground.
Living just 10 miles from where the Oprah Child Molester did, even though I have my own child with me, playing in the playground while I take his picture, tongues are wagging and cell phones are buzzing.
There's a strange woman on the playground taking pictures of a young boy.
She must be a child molester!!!!!!!!!!
Police cruiser on the way.

In light of yesterday's big bust on the internet of "Child Pornography On Demand", it's only going to get worse on innocent people.

Yes they need to stop the ones doing wrong, but not every person with a camera or video camera is up to no good.

wxwax

Andy wrote:

Sigh, one day I won't be able to do this:

Not without an angle finder.

wxwax

colourbox wrote:

There was also this disturbing story.

Let's just say I don't think it's a coincidence that of the 4 people detained for videotaping/photographing the building that afternoon in Newark, one was born in India and three were born in Asia.

gus

It in my opinion sounds like an independent test on the security...maybe something you could tell the directors/insurers at the next board meeting..."yes we are secure..."

I dont think any terrorist is so stupid to do this out in the open & give warning.

Bob Bell

I don't think this is that bad of an issue. I wonder if the few cases are blown out of proportion because there isn't a scale. If a million people hang a camera around their neck today and 1 person is questioned, what is the big deal?

If police question you, show them your ID, explain your purpose, and be polite.

If your turn signal doesnt work and a cop pulls you over, do you think the government is going to prevent turning?

Andy, cool shot of the empire state building. The proportion makes it look huger (better than bigger) than it is.

docwalker

I just read something from ABC7 news that says that this was a misunderstanding. They were able to trace the rental car to a person that was not a threat.

wxwax

Bob Bell wrote:

I don't think this is that bad of an issue. I wonder if the few cases are blown out of proportion because there isn't a scale. If a million people hang a camera around their neck today and 1 person is questioned, what is the big deal?

If police question you, show them your ID, explain your purpose, and be polite.

If your turn signal doesnt work and a cop pulls you over, do you think the government is going to prevent turning?

Andy, cool shot of the empire state building. The proportion makes it look huger (better than bigger) than it is.

Personal experience says otherwise, Bob.

Bob Bell

wxwax wrote:

Personal experience says otherwise, Bob.

I'm genuinely sorry to hear that SID. If you don't mind speaking about it, I would like to hear about it and how it ended.

Angelo

Bob Bell wrote:

I don't think this is that bad of an issue. I wonder if the few cases are blown out of proportion because there isn't a scale. If a million people hang a camera around their neck today and 1 person is questioned, what is the big deal?

If police question you, show them your ID, explain your purpose, and be polite.

If your turn signal doesnt work and a cop pulls you over, do you think the government is going to prevent turning?

Andy, cool shot of the empire state building. The proportion makes it look huger (better than bigger) than it is.

Not a fair analogy Bob. If your turn signal is broken you're in violation of vehicular code and a cop has the right to stop you. He can either advise you and let you go or he can cite you with a "fix-it" ticket.

That's VERY different from being stopped and questioned in public without probable cause. Fear is neither reasonable nor probable.

Our right to privacy and liberty trumps fear and we do NOT have to show identification to anyone, again without probable cause.

Anyone willing to forfeit freedom for security lives with neither! Benjamin Franklin

Bob Bell

Angelo wrote:

Not a fair analogy Bob. If your turn signal is broken you're in violation of vehicular code and a cop has the right to stop you. He can either advise you and let you go or he can cite you with a "fix-it" ticket.

That's VERY different from being stopped and questioned in public without probable cause. Fear is neither reasonable nor probable.

Our right to privacy and liberty trumps fear and we do NOT have to show identification to anyone, again without probable cause.

Anyone willing to forfeit freedom for security lives with neither! Benjamin Franklin

Angelo, I grew up in Chicago, spent 21 years there, if a police officer asks for ID you show it to them. I would love to see current law stating you do not have to identify yourself to law enforcement.

I am not sure why you are using fear. I do not understand how privacy and liberty come into play when law enforcement is asking for ID. They are there to serve and protect the public. If they believe they can protect the public for asking for ID then so be it.

Maybe its because I have nothing to hide that I feel this way. We are not talking about search and seizures here, we are talking about photographing buildings. Using Ben Franklin quotes has no relevance here. I am not giving up anything by allowing law enforcement to know my name and what I am doing.

Jeffro

Angelo wrote:

Our right to privacy and liberty trumps fear and we do NOT have to show identification to anyone, again without probable cause.

Wrong....Probable Cause is needed to make an arrest, not talk to you on the street. Reasonable Suspicion would be enough to ask you for your ID, and in these days and times, that don't take much. A refusal to show your ID could get you arrested, for Obstructing a Police Officer. Which means you are interfering with "him" in the performance of his duties.

If you are only taking pictures show your ID.

saurora

Jeffro wrote:

Wrong....Probable Cause is needed to make an arrest, not talk to you on the street. Reasonable Suspicion would be enough to ask you for your ID, and in these days and times, that don't take much. A refusal to show your ID could get you arrested, for Obstructing a Police Officer. Which means you are interfering with "him" in the performance of his duties.

If you are only taking pictures show your ID.

It's a sad commentary on our world today, but what would we have law enforcement do? Look the other way? It's unfortunate that people have to suffer encounters with over-zealous officers. But we also have to take into account where the officer is coming from. He is probably interrupting a perfectly law-abiding citizen and he may feel he has to "justify" his actions by spouting off about 9/11, etc. No easy answers. We cherish our freedom to do what we want, but want to do it in a secure and safe environment. Homeland security is here to stay. It's something we are not used to dealing with...yet.

wxwax

Bob Bell wrote:

I don't think this is that bad of an issue. I wonder if the few cases are blown out of proportion because there isn't a scale. If a million people hang a camera around their neck today and 1 person is questioned, what is the big deal?

Here's the part to which I take exception, Bob.

I've been stopped many times, on a public street, from taking photos. Sometimes by private security (they claim building management owns the sidewalk, which may well be true) by MARTA (subway security) and by a police officer.

No request for ID, just a direct order to stop shooting. It seems to happen pretty much everytime I shoot on the street. An amateur photographer with a camera around his neck seems to be viewed with extreme suspicion, in my experience.

And I repeat the story I told earlier in this thread: four people taken into custody for doing nothing more than photographing/videotaping a public building from a public street.

Art Scott

Folks it is only going to get worse...as long as we have a govt that is removing our constitutional rights everytime they deem it necessary all in the name of "HOMELAND" security......

Homeland security has always had a very "NASTY" ring to it.

I was in a hardware store purchasing a cut piece of pvc pipe 2 pvc caps and few couplers and such..all pvc and I was rousted by an off duty cop who called for back up and had my truck gone thru.
When I asked for his badge number he got really verbally nasty...the other cop was a tad bit more compliant cause his badge was in the open on his shirt.....now if that 4' piece of 3/8 " hot water line was for a bomb...well I think I could find a better way of building it.
I did make a report to the supervisor and got a visit the next night at home....the fraternal order of cops do not like haveing you make complaints on their brothers (sisters either).....so a second report was made....

it has been a week and no cops talking ot me or sittiing around outside my house.....

and people ask why I am moving to Europe

last week at the airport I was nearly tackled by airport security when i entered the terminal with my LowePro ProTrekker backpack.....I had six officers with hands on guns and they had their straps unsnapped asking what I was doing at the airport.....okay my style of dress leaves a little to be desired.....(tennis shoes, no socks, cutoff shorts, black scentblocking t-shirt and a very brightly wildly decorated bandana for head gear)......they took my pack slammed it down on a table and then proceeded to take it apart....all my dividers came out.....they tried removing the harness but it does not come out....luckily there was no camera.....I tried to explain that I was there to make sure it fit into the little wooden box that carry ons are to fit into.....I was called a liar.....of course when they found the pack to be empty they still were saying it was probably a dry run.......the only thing they found in my bag was a little pin and patch given to me by an upper echelon Homeland Security trainer at a bomb and terrorist seminar (semtex-seminar on terrorist and explosives). [yes it is also a type of plastic explosive made in the beautful Czech Republic]

They did finally appologize and let me go.