New York Cops Finally Nab Artist Who Posted Embarrassing ‘NYPD Drone’ Posters
Back in mid-September, the NYPD (and the city of NY) was embarrassed by the work of an artist who managed to install 100 posters in pay phone kiosks that appeared to show the city was using armed drones to control crime.
Last week, police finally arrested Essam Attia, the man they believe was at the center of the campaign. Mr. Attia has been charged with 56 counts of possession of a forged instrument — a fairly serious crime for someone who put up some posters that he claims were meant to spark a conversation about the troubling us of drones both domestically and abroad. In fact, shortly after he posted the signs, the artist told AnimalNewYork.com that he hoped the subject would “reach a mainstream level where we are talking about this at the dinner table.”
Some are wondering about the severity of the charges. From New York’s penal law (170.30) on the charge:
Under our law, a person is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree when, with knowledge that it is forged and with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, he or she utters or possesses a forged instrument which is or purports to be or which is calculated to become or to represent if completed .
It also seemed curious that no charge of criminal vandalism or impersonation was included in the group of charges filed against the arrested artist. After all, Essam and his crew posed as employees of the Van Wagner company (the owners of the small advertising billboards in the phone kiosks) and replaced revenue generating advertisements with Essam’s posters. TheBlaze has reached out to the company in hopes of finding out how many of their kiosks were victimized by Essam’s campaign, how much revenue was lost, and would they be pressing any charges against Mr Attia?
As concerns the rather serious charges against Mr. Attia, there is speculation from some that the city was embarrassed by the actions accomplished by Attia and his crew, and the charges are meant to send a message to other would-be pranksters.

Image: Photo: @Jay Shells via AnimalNewYork.com
The embarrassment hit the cops hard on a couple of levels.
- The NYPD does not currently have a drone program and certainly does not have an armed drone program that could be used against citizens.
- A large number of the posters were installed in pay phone kiosks in the highly patrolled Times Square area of Manhattan.
- The prank took place on the 1st anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement and just days before the United Nations General Assembly met. A time when NYC is on high alert and police presence is substantial.
The professional-looking posters were designed and installed by 29-year artist, Essam Attia from Maine. Mr. Attia has also taken credit for another drone spoof from earlier in the year. Attia admits (in the video below) that he placed some official-looking signs on street lights in Brooklyn stating that local laws were being enforced using drones.

Image: Screen capture from AnimalNewYork.com
Following the mid-September installation of the “NYPD Drones: Protection When You Least Expect It” campaign, the police were reportedly engaged in an aggressive investigation to find the culprit(s).
Five days after the stunt, the artist known as Essam (he even signed the posters with that name), sat down with AnimalNewYork.com to explain his reasons for the project. Contrary to many rumors, he was not involved with or connected to the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. AnimalNewYork reports:
As far as his political views, the artist feels that Obama and Romney are “essentially the same.” If anything, he says his work “identifies strongly with libertarianism.”
That statement was made back in September, a few days after the posters were installed. At the time, the NYPD was apparently pulling out all the stops to find out who was responsible. Essam Attia claims that his art was meant to start a conversation about drones. How we use them around the world and how they might end up being used here in America. The AnimalNewYork piece continues:
He agrees that there is an inherent irony in his spoofs: the very fact that the NYPD (which claims to be strongly pursuing him with their “counter terrorism squad”) hasn’t caught him yet, is proof that we have not reached a state of Orwellian control. “But we’re going in that direction and no one’s talking about it,” he says. “And I think that’s pretty scary.”
Some are crediting this interview from AnimalNewYork with helping the NYPD finally track down the man they believe was responsible for the 100 poster “vandalism.” In the video, Mr. Attia gives some fairly specific clues to his identity — talking about his military experience (he was in the Army during a time when drones were “an eye in the sky”), and his home state of Maine.
As stated above, last week Essam Attia was arrested and charged with 56 counts of possession of a forged instrument, grand larceny possession of stolen property and weapons charge. Attia apparently had an unloaded .22-caliber revolver in his apartment. However, one report about the gun claims that it was a 120 year old heirloom.
TheBlaze has sent a personal request to interview Essam Attia about this story. If he decides to break his silence, we’ll post the interview as a separate story.
In the meantime, here is the video AnimalNewYork interview from September that is being credited with leading to police to Essam.
Closer examination of the video teaches us even more about Mr. Attia. It appears that he has been worried about the government encroaching on personal freedoms for a while. In the background of the video, assumed to be the artist’s studio, you can see some large stencils.

Image: AnimalNewYork.com screen capture
The stencils bear a striking resemblance to those seen around Brooklyn and posted on UrbanInfidel.blogspot.com nine months ago. Keen observers will note the three horizontal lines in the lower corner seem to match the lines in Essam’s signature on the NYPD Drone posters.

Image: UrbanInfidel.blogspot.com

Image: UrbanInfidel.blogspot.com
(H/T: UrbanInfidel)
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Comments (78)
Xiccarph
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:20am“Under our law, a person is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree when, with knowledge that it is forged and with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, he or she utters or possesses a forged instrument which is or purports to be or which is calculated to become or to represent if completed .”
HOLY FRAUDULISM BATMAN! This covers at least 3/4ths of all laws, Supreme Court rulings, and EOs for the last 150 years!
Just goes to show, its not WHAT you do, its WHO you upset by doing it!
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love the kids
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 9:09amThat reminds me of the TV add with someone pushing a grandmother over a cliff!
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JQuentinEvermann
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 9:27amThis guy used art to protest the government…but remember that under Obama, your artwork should be used to glorify government and the Obama administration, and all that happens with its blessing.
How dare this man insult the NYC police state? How dare he disagree with what others determined is best for him? How dare he oppose anything? His artistic ability, once he is rehabilitated, will become useful to the cause. Lay down your arms and accept your fate: the government owns you and will punish those who do not comply.
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ltb
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 10:08amDoes anyone ever wonder why there are 70,000+ pages of IRS tax code, or why Obamacare needed to be 2,500 pages long? It’s so the government can make every citizen a criminal. Step out of line and these Nazi liberals can find some regulation that you’ve violated and then they just throw you in jail. The man who put up those posters is a political prisoner.
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RobertHere
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 10:58amHOLY FRAUDULISM indeed. Well done–now off to Political Jail for imitating Mayor Bloomberg imitating Batman.
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TheMajority
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:11amIf there is a “Roofer” in the house, here is some opportunity for you. I bet you can find a lot of customers would would like to “Say Something With Shingles”.
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TheMajority
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:04amThe replacing “revenue generating ads” (note—not called “profit generation ads”) sounds just as sketchy as a citizen held for months, and then jailed for a year after a election,–for a unknown “probation violation”, after making a anti-muslim you tube vid.
Here is the funny part of this story. Look how far we have come to this point. If “magazine dumps” are the norm today to take down a street bum, in 10 years—this could come true too.
All that has to be done, like NDAA, is to change the law. Finding public union “workers” to do the job is not much of a problem.
This “Policing” is fishy to me. I wonder if the artist actually took somebody elses ad space?
I see a lot of issues from payed officials, and none from the business(s) who may have, or have not, lost some payed ad space.
We have already been told over 13,000 drones will be flying over us in a few short years.
All they need to do is change the law to arm them, and use them. You know people are working on that law—–right?
If the business(s) who possibly lost ad space wants damages, all well and good. They have the right in court to do so. But public authority employees should stay out of our free speech—or else we don’t live in a free society.
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dont-care-anymore
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:02amUnder our law, a person is guilty of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree when, with knowledge that it is forged and with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, he or she utters or possesses a forged instrument which is or purports to be or which is calculated to become or to represent if completed .
next time obammy gets to NY you can nab him for his fake B.C and fake SS#
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TheMajority
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:19amI don’t think this guys “intent” was to mislead the American people, but to inform them.
But the TV and radio media are guilty here.
I don’t see anybody accusing them in court.
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SweetDoug
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 7:50am‘
‘
‘
‘
This is about sending a message and teaching people to obey.
With the drone technology coming, this is EXACTLY what is going to be happening and this artist has called it spot on. I read about the coming tech/drone issue and how it’s going to be impacting us. The problem is, we’re not having that “conversation” about whether we want it or not. And they, the powers know this, and don’t want that conversation happening.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-12-06/guest-post-drones-america-they-are-already-here
The authorities don’t want you talking back. Sit down, shut up and behave.
They’re pissed, because this guys “a troublemaker”. I ought’a know: I’m cut from the same cloth.
This is the same kind of guy, that was rantin’ and ravin’ back in 1772, about the English, from the corner bar stool and then one evening, somebody spoke up and said,
“Where’s Charlie? I haven’t seen him in several days?”
This is how it begins.
And then they pile on every charge they possible can, to make an example of you.
Welcome to 1984, circa 1979. Just wait a few more years…
•∆•
V-V
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Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 6:57amGood thing he was not drinking a big gulp and smoking a cigarette when arrested. They would have shot him 3 or 4 times……..And gotten about 10 bystanders in the process.
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johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 7:47amNormally, I might break into enthusiastic applause for a citizen stirring-up conversation regarding the errosion of our civil liberties; but, the artricle does NOT mention that Mr. Atta’s last name is the same as the on-site commander of the the original 9/11/01 attack on ouir country.
Any relationship there or just a coincidence?
Some of us may feel just a tad quesy about our liberties when we see Homeland Security buying 1.3 billion rounds of 40 caliber ammo and 473 million MRE’s.
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izzy1127
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:23am@JOHNPAUL: Had to put my reading glasses on, but the name is not Atta, but Attia. The city and state of New York is gone, just as California. I see the man doing a great service and trying to wake up the “zombies” walking those streets every day. But he will receive no support from the socialist govt. of New York. I’m sure they will make an example out of him to let others know not to mess with the NYPD or NYC govt.
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grimmster
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 6:44amThis happened in NYC, who gives a rats ass……..
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theaton
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:37pmPeople that care about liberty!
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hoosierblue
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 6:15amGood news. New York is finally safe from dangerous crime now that they have this awful criminal. /s
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Mr.Fitnah
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 4:14amAn American Banksy!
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ozchambers
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 10:02amWhile he uses a stencil graffiti style, and I applaud his message and intent, the difference between this guy and Banksy is the true artistry and imagination exemplified in the work of Banksy is superior on every level. I suspect this gentleman considers himself more of a messenger than an artist.
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Isis79
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 4:08amWhy are they arresting this person for posting the truth?
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 4:26amThey’re not. They’re arresting somebody for pretending to be somebody else and defacing another person’s property. The message is irrelevant, it’s the manner he went about doing it that was illegal (and immoral, too).
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jens63
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 7:46amExiled, but he wasn’t charged with defacing others property, did you read?
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Fla.Patriot
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:50amYep..kinda liking this guy. And he’s right, the statement he’s trying to make and the dialog he’s trying to initiate are more libertarian than OWS
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busterpuddles
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 6:00amMy initial reaction is to agree with you and support him in his effort. I think, at this point, breaking the law may be the only way (at least the easiest) way to draw some attention to this problem of an ever progressing police state. Not sure. Haven’t given it that much thought. Ah, there, you see? He wanted it to start a conversation.
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wrathnordesire
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:21amWell, the artist made a sacrifice. On the surface, his was not a victim-less crime. He seems intelligent enough to understand that. I hope he takes his punishment honorably. That will lend itself well to his stated goal of our discussion on the subject of his posters. Personally, I didn’t need posters to wake me up, here in the choir; however it would be nice to have more people to engage with on the subject. If it occurred to me to do this, and if I had the talent and capacity… I would have not thought it worth it. I wouldn’t have made the sacrifice. And if I were alive around 235 years ago, I probably would have thought the same about some of the ways attention was being brought to the issues of that day. Now this guy is no Thomas Paine, but newspapers, flyers, and (now) internet articles, blogs, posts… don’t appear to be having the effect they had back then, What will?
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nesmond
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:29amI hope this starts a movement in this country. Time for those who believe in our constitution to practice some civil disobedience. As I recall, it worked for MLK, Ghandi and the founders. Essam Attia did what he set out to do. Time to pick up the torch and run with it. WOLVERINES!
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grayling646
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:48amThe world awaits, Nesmond. What will be your first act of civil disobedience?
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:57amBut it wasn’t civil disobedience. He was defacing other people’s property. Now, if he has sat on a sidewalk with his sign or something…
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ArgumentumAdAbsurdum
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 5:43amOkay, I can’t take it anymore. I see his name misspelled constantly here and it drives me nuts, its GANDHI. Of course the worst offender is the moron with the user name including “Ghandi”. Seriously, how come no one on this site knows how to spell his name?
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theaton
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:40pm“As I recall, it worked for MLK, Ghandi and the founders.”
Those people had balls, alas, we do not.
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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:18amBloomie’s policeville strikes again. Everybody knows the NYC Cops have enough armaments to take down a passenger jet and not be able to offer large sugary drinks to the survivors.
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Shoot2Stop
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:12amQuoting GRAYLING646, “…You don’t see anything wrong with what Attia did? Somebody else had paid for that advertisement space and Attia took those ads down and replaced them with his own. He also stepped on the owners of the ‘bill boards’ by using their ad space without permission and without paying for it. You don’t see anything wrong with that? We all should be able to do that anytime, anywhere?”
How may of us actually look at bus, subway, and phone booth adverts? Probably fewer than those of us who read the crappy ads on the side of this web site. I suspect Mr. Attia has generated a million dollars worth of promotion and awareness for the ad company, and has drawn more eyeballs to the phone booth ad spaces than could have been gained otherwise. As EXILED so properly put it, “I wish more ‘rebellious’ types were this creative in their approach.”
Clever and creative social commentary always gets a big thumbs-up from me.
.
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Talmid of Yeshua
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:40amAnd our Founding Fathers broke the laws of the King. Your point commie?
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Talmid of Yeshua
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:44amMy reply is to to grayling… just to clarify.
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grayling646
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:57amI’m assuming you don’t own much. Or if you do, you would mind if I stole it.
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grayling646
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:01amAT Timid,
Our founding fathers didn’t abuse the property of private citizens. Their beef was with the king, not their neighbors.
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:58amMuch better than pooping on a cop car or urinating on a Jesus picture.
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:58amThe king didn’t give us a way to change the laws. In America, we do still have that power (as much as people like to gripe about not having it…)
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jens63
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 7:55amExiled, we have lost the power to control our gov’t by the methods set up for us by allowing our education system and welfare system to weaken a very large part of the population, surely recent elections have told you that?
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Exiled
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 5:03amJens63: Agreed. But we do still have the choice to NOT send our children to public (government) schools. Most just choose not to exercise that choice.
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Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:50amIMO the forgery charges are overreach and will most likely be reduced. He should be made to pay for any vandalism and defacement he has caused. That is the punishment that fits the crime.
Hopefully the psyches of NYC residents were not harmed too badly by this. In a free society we should always be thinking and sanity checking what we see.
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idarusskie
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:49amwhat was his problem ? using NYPD seals and name without permission. is that the forgery? That is a stretch.
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TeslanEdison
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:07amToo many interviews, it would be like Ben Franklin coming out and saying hey I’m Silence Dogood, or I am the Author of Poor Richards almanac. He should have studied the history of his counterparts instead of trying to gain cred for the acts. Our country has a long history of this type of civil discourse, what do you think that the British did to the authors of anti king propaganda, I’m certain the punishment was aligned with New York’s current laws. In free America, how is it that an advertising agency has the right to use public edifices to promote the speech and agenda they want, but private citizens don’t, tell me it’s just money and I’ll tell you you’re lying. Perhaps I find IPod’s offensive and the Foxconn suicide rate vile and disgusting, I am still required to look at an IPod ad placed on an edifice that my tax dollars paid for?
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:35amYou have representation. Talk to your representatives about it.
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KevINtampa
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:00amThese are certainly trumped up charges.
But it was indeed illegal.
In my mind though, he peacefully didn’t comply. No one was hurt. No one was incited to riot as we’ve seen with occupy. Fact is, if he had simply done this in a legit matter, I -as well as the most of us – wouldn’t have received his message otherwise.
To me he is a step ahead of the game raising awareness BEFORE armed hell-fire drones are circling our cities and that, not an embarrassed NYPD, is the real reason for the trumped up charges. Now when cities across America have politicians lobbying for more Big Brother missions the people will have a an idea ahead of time instead of having it sprung on them. With this peaceful and tactful message this man said “Me first”.
I too would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:44amSo is this a matter of a real anarchist striking out at the police for his own agenda, or are we seeing one more of the Obama propaganda ploys to further erode our rights and cause terror among the people?
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Mike76
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:25amLet this be a lesson to those of you who have any false pretense that we live in a free country. Any attempt to speak out against the infection of Progressivism and the danger it poses our liberties will be met with Gestapo tactics and trumped-up charges, courtesy of Manhattan Liberals. Ask not what your country is doing to you…
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grayling646
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:34amMike, You don’t see anything wrong with what Attia did? Somebody else had paid for that advertisement space and Attia took those ads down and replaced them with his own. He also stepped on the owners of the ‘bill boards’ by using their ad space without permission and without paying for it. You don’t see anything wrong with that? We all should be able to do that anytime, anywhere?
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:38amSpeech is free, not destroying another person’s property.
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TRILO
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:12amThey are not using drones…yet. However, they do have the policy of stop and frisk. Drones would be the logical next step.
At least someone is speaking out against this pervasive encroachment against the freedoms and liberties we used to enjoy.
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GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:27amThey will, and sooner than you expect. It’s a very tempting “toy” for any branch of the government. Wait until private companies have their claws on them, and you will see real loss of privacy. How many are approved until now? 30.000?…and that’s just the start….they will become drone junkies….
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nzkiwi
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:58amThat’s bad enough, but really frightens me is that the UN wants them as well.
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Chet Hempstead
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:09amI’m actually less afraid of an all-powerful police state now that I know it took the cops three months to catch a guy who obligingly put his real first name on his fake posters to make it easier for them.
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GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:06amDrones over American soil will be the final nail in the coffin of your liberties.
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 1:06amWait, I thought that Google Maps was the final nail… or was it Traffic Cameras?
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Gary_K
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:01amThe cops nabbed him?
Since when is free speech illegal in NY City?
Oh, bathhouse barry flobama was reelected…silly me, I should know free speech was traded in for a flobama phone.
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Exiled
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:02amIt wasn’t a free-speech problem, it was the method he went about doing it.
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grayling646
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:24amSo Gary. That’s your best understanding of this story?
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Gary_K
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:57amMy understanding of this story is that NY City and the police were not happy with the message. ” Back in mid-September, the NYPD (and the city of NY) was embarrassed by the work of an artist who managed to install 100 posters in pay phone kiosks that appeared to show the city was using armed drones to control crime. ”
Why do the cops not go after all the gang bangers who spray paint everything?
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burnteye86
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:39amSo, if i painted “GARY K is a fool” on the side of your house would you be upset over the message? or the vandalizing of your house?
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grayling646
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 3:53amApparently Burnt he would be OK with both as long as the cops didn’t get involved.
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Zipit
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 8:29amGray, Exiled! Spot on comments by both of you! Some of these people just don’t get it. This guy will no doubt face additional charges, not for his views and freedom of speech, but for the laws he broke in expressing them! We will also find out more (hopefully), about this guys motivation in doing what he did, such as, how is he financed, who does he associate with, and even, is he a citizen of our country?
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Exiled
Posted on December 9, 2012 at 11:57pmI wish more “rebellious” types were this creative in their approach.
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Steve
Posted on December 10, 2012 at 12:31pmOnly 2 problems I see with his approach:
1) he decided to use NYPD logos…he was passing off the signs as police issue.
2) he covered up legitimate (paid for) advertising.
I like the message, just don’t like the delivery.
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Exiled
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 5:04amAgreed.
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Will-db
Posted on March 5, 2013 at 1:07pmI like the message, AND the delivery. But ultimately it was criminal damage and deception so no one should be surprised by the fact he is being prosecuted. Interested what sentence he’ll receive. Will he be whicked to Guantanemo, or kept captive without trial like Bradley Manning, like most of the commenters here seem to believe?
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