In New York City, artists who encounter police are advised to record their interactions as a form of documentation of the events. This is used as a safeguard, and since police are city employees, it seems like the most logical way to insure that rights are not abused.
For local art activist Chris Drew, following this common sense advice has landed him in court. Drew faces a eavesdropping charge that comes with a harsh penalty of up to 15 years in jail. (see Drew’s blog for the full story.)
I caught up with Chris Drew recently at the Making Media Connections Conference, and asked him about his arrest for selling small art patches without a peddler’s license, and the eavesdropping charge.
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