Government has plastered the area around RNC with surveillance cams.

[BurtWorm]

Received via e-mail.



Subject: Government cameras at RNC protest area
Reply-To: NYCBORDC Mobilization Committee Mailing List <[e-mail]>

Hey, all,


We recently remapped for surveillance cameras the area designated for protest activities during the RNC, and the findings are startling. I thought that you all would be interested in them.

In April 2003, volunteers mapped out 8thAvenuebetween 33rd and 30thstreets for surveillance cameras. We found 1 private camera.

OnAugust 8, 2004 (19 days ago), with the help of NYCBORDC volunteers, we mapped the area again, and there were 8 cameras, three of them government cameras.

Yesterday,August 27, 2004,Yanilda Gonzalezand I remapped that area, and found 26 cameras, 11 of which are government cameras. At least 7 of the 11 cameras are NYPDcameras. We know this because they were on clearly marked NYPDvans. One of the vans sat on the northwest corner of 31st and 8th, and had 6 cameras pointing at the protest zone. Another new government camera was on a light post on the corner of 31st and 8th. There were also new cameras on MSG, which we did not count as government cameras, since they're on private property.

Our position is that the government should not be in the business ofsurveillingpolitical activities with no suspicion of criminal activity. Unfortunately, the NYPDtakes a very different position on this. And, there?s practically no regulation of this sort of activity by private and government actors.

We held a news conference on this issue this morning. Also, the Surveillance Camera Project, which many of the NYCBORDC volunteers have alreadybegunworking on, will tackle this issue head on.

I hope to see you all at the protecting protest storefront in the days to come!

Best,



Udi

Udi Ofer

ProjectDirector, Bill of RightsDefense Campaign

New YorkCivil LibertiesUnion