Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Classifieds
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's New?
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More Options
Advertise with us
Contact Us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
The Water Cooler
General Discussion
News Story: Officials Block Cellphones to Hinder Protest
Search titles only
By:
Reply to Thread
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="HFS" data-source="post: 1595445" data-attributes="member: 8862"><p>Note: I am not a lawyer, and don't play one on TV.</p><p>I seem to recall reading that state/local gov'ts and businesses can't jam cell phone signals under federal law. (State prisons wanted to do so to try and thwart the inmates who allegedly continue their criminal enterprises from inside the joint with smuggled cell phones.)</p><p>Looks like the folks in California took a different angle on shutting down cell phones to squelch a protest. Might be something to think about if relying solely on cell phone service.</p><p></p><p>SF Transit Blocks Cellphones to Hinder Protest</p><p>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Transit officials blocked cellphone reception in San Francisco train stations for three hours to disrupt planned demonstrations over a police shooting.</p><p></p><p>Officials with the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, better known as BART, said Friday that they turned off electricity to cellular towers in four stations from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The move was made after BART learned that protesters planned to use mobile devices to coordinate a demonstration on train platforms.</p><p></p><p>The tactic drew comparisons to those used by the former president of Egypt to squelch protests demanding an end to his authoritarian rule. Authorities there cut Internet and cellphone services in the country for days earlier this year.</p><p></p><p>"BART officials are showing themselves to be of a mind with the former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak," the Electronic Frontier Foundation said on its website.</p><p></p><p>The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the tactic, saying on its blog that it was the "wrong response to political protests."</p><p></p><p>BART officials were confident the cellphone disruptions were legal. They said in a statement that it's illegal to demonstrate on the platform or aboard the trains, and that it has set aside special areas for demonstrations.</p><p></p><p>The demonstration planned Thursday failed to develop. "We had a commute that was safe and without disruption," said BART spokesman Jim Allison.</p><p></p><p>The demonstrators were protesting the July 3 shooting of Charles Blair Hill by BART police, who claimed Hill came at them with a knife. Several people were arrested when a July 11 demonstration disrupted service during the rush-hour commute and prompted the closing of BART's Civic Center station.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/sf-transit-blocks-cellphones-hinder-protest-073230984.html" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/sf-transit-blocks-cellphones-hinder-protest-073230984.html</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="HFS, post: 1595445, member: 8862"] Note: I am not a lawyer, and don't play one on TV. I seem to recall reading that state/local gov'ts and businesses can't jam cell phone signals under federal law. (State prisons wanted to do so to try and thwart the inmates who allegedly continue their criminal enterprises from inside the joint with smuggled cell phones.) Looks like the folks in California took a different angle on shutting down cell phones to squelch a protest. Might be something to think about if relying solely on cell phone service. SF Transit Blocks Cellphones to Hinder Protest SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Transit officials blocked cellphone reception in San Francisco train stations for three hours to disrupt planned demonstrations over a police shooting. Officials with the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, better known as BART, said Friday that they turned off electricity to cellular towers in four stations from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The move was made after BART learned that protesters planned to use mobile devices to coordinate a demonstration on train platforms. The tactic drew comparisons to those used by the former president of Egypt to squelch protests demanding an end to his authoritarian rule. Authorities there cut Internet and cellphone services in the country for days earlier this year. "BART officials are showing themselves to be of a mind with the former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak," the Electronic Frontier Foundation said on its website. The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the tactic, saying on its blog that it was the "wrong response to political protests." BART officials were confident the cellphone disruptions were legal. They said in a statement that it's illegal to demonstrate on the platform or aboard the trains, and that it has set aside special areas for demonstrations. The demonstration planned Thursday failed to develop. "We had a commute that was safe and without disruption," said BART spokesman Jim Allison. The demonstrators were protesting the July 3 shooting of Charles Blair Hill by BART police, who claimed Hill came at them with a knife. Several people were arrested when a July 11 demonstration disrupted service during the rush-hour commute and prompted the closing of BART's Civic Center station. [url]http://news.yahoo.com/sf-transit-blocks-cellphones-hinder-protest-073230984.html[/url] [/QUOTE]
Insert Quotes…
Verification
Post Reply
Forums
The Water Cooler
General Discussion
News Story: Officials Block Cellphones to Hinder Protest
Search titles only
By:
Top
Bottom