Mubarak-Like Tactics? Transit Officials Jam Cellphone Signals to Block Protests in San Francisco
- Posted on August 13, 2011 at 7:49am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Cellphone signals were jammed on San Francisco's transit system Thursday in an effort to disrupt planned demonstrations over a police shooting, prompting comparisons to former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. (AP File Photo)
SAN FRANCISCO (The Blaze/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.
Using the comparison, protestors took to Twitter to express their outrage with the hashtag #muBARTak.
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.
Lt. Andy Alkire told CBS San Francisco that although the shutting off cell phone service was an unusual tactic, it was “a great tool to use for this specific purpose.”
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.
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Comments (176)
Cynic-clinic
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:02amI saved my CB radio for just this reason. Hello, hello anybody out there?? Breaker breaker—
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:12amlove it!
Report Post »Tony
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:33amRubber duckie here, come on back.
Report Post »MontanaRob
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:01am“10-4 good buddy, just had 40 winks and beans, we’re westbound and down!”
Report Post »TAXLORDCOMETH
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:21amRemember that final scene from Terminator 3?
Report Post »lonewolf57
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:21amAh, yeah 10-4 good buddy, fer sure, fer sure. By golly it’s clean clear to Flag-Town,time to put the hammer down. C’mon.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:33am@WalkWITHME1966….I went to the website you gave. That is the most blasphemous writing that I have hever seen against God..But then I did not read “A Conversation With God.” I won’t tell you who that author was listening to. But I can tell you it was not the Almighty God. This is blatant contradiction to God’s Word…The Bible. It is the lie of Satan.
Report Post »Inlandmar2
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:35am10-4 good buddy!
Report Post »Ready2Rumble
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:36amI have been looking for a PRC-25 or PRC-77 (with antennae, handsets, etc) radio in good working condition from a reputable source. Anyone know where I can find one?
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:04amI’m looking into Ham radio.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:08am@Walkwithme1966 & Ashestoashes
Very disgusting web site. I fail to understand how somebody who is apparently very intellegent and articulent can be so decieved. But then again…look at our President.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:12amBreak,break,radio check.anybody out there.Besides our President who is Waaaaaay out there!
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 12:05pmYou all might just want to consider a frequency scanner. Listening will be far more important than being able to talk when things break down. Plus they cannot triangulate your location if you are not transmitting.
Report Post »Chief Moolah Eggplant
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 12:10pmMercy sakes alive, we got us a convoy!
Report Post »M 4 Colt
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 12:24pmreadytorumbo, to find the prc radio’s try any army navy stores you might have in town next on ebay i see a few gays run ads for prc radios with really good feed back so you can try them next and last do a search on line i have found a few dealers who sell on line.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 12:50pmThere are places in the USA where there is NO SERVICE for cell phones…what difference dose it make if it might be on a train. The service you get is not a privliage or a right…It is a service you pay for and you may not be able to get it ever where.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 1:10pmSpare me. There is nothing wrong with having a ‘free zone’ where we respect and expect some privacy. Of course, then there is the ‘emergency’ perspective. What happens “if” and there is ‘no cell phone’ coverage? and something could have been done?
Report Post »RAS
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 2:20pmI live in the Washington, DC, sububs and on 9/11, cell phone circuts were jammed and were useless, which could happen anywhere, so maybe everybody should consider having one of the little FRS (“Family Radio Service”) and/or GMRS handy-talkies for every family member with an emergency plan to stay connected. These are useful when the family is on an outing like Tea Parties, State Fairs, and on cruise ships.
If you have one, you may have noticed that they are well populated like the CB bands and you may be able to reach out to someone in an emergency, so keep one in your car too.
Also, if you live in an area where there are frequent power and communications outages, like hurricane prone areas, it might be a good idea to have a satellite phone. The phones and basic plans are relatively inexpensive, especially if you are left stranded somewhere and you need help.
Also, if you have a newer CC Radio Plus, they have replaced the old TV band with the 2 meter ham band. If you live in a thunderstorm and tornado prone area, Google “Skywarn frequencies” to fine the national Skywarn storm watchers network in your area. When my mother lived in West Texas, she found it and the NOAA Weather Radio used together very useful in determining when storms were near.
This was off the topic, which is about government interference with ersonal communications, perhaps illegally, but I thought maybe this might be useful information for you.
Report Post »chazman
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 3:07pm… you got the Zig Zag man here! I’m over at Belly Acres, the best Choke and Puke in Mississippi. I‘ll be stuffin’ some groceries down my neck then be back on asphalt in 15! I’ll give ya the hairy eyeball later, good buddy!
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 4:00pm@Captain Crunch…..he is not deceived…he is a deceiver.
Report Post »SkySoldier
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 4:15pmActually there is technology that can jam ALL wireless signals. Military and Law Enforcement have used it on many occasions. That said I am with you. Having an analog backup to modern high-tech communications is just down right common sense. Heck if there was a way to have a telegraph hookup I would have that too.
Report Post »freethinking
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 5:47pmlol me too
Report Post »georgiavietvet
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:19pmi did the same thing. a base and 2 mobiles. the base and 1 mobile with a bunch of extra channels…………………….
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:21pmNow they realize how much they depend on cell phones!!!
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:25pmCan’t agree with this. I would have let them go forward with their protest….then bust them when they become thugs. If we agree with this now—we better agree with it when the government decides WE can’t speak out either.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:58amObama & Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD are two peas in a pod,the latter knows how to crush a riot and the former can’t wait for his chance.
Report Post »Ex_Masshole
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:25amYup, they definitely did the right thing.
It is, though, a good example of what happens when you rely on government to provide your services. A private corporation could be subject to consumer boycott for an action that its consumers disagree with, which could put them out of business. The Government can just shrug it’s collective shoulders and say, “it was in the public interest.”
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:55amCell phone service was not “jammed”, it was turned off. These stations are underground, and cell phone service is allowed (with specially installed equipment) by BART and provided through a cooperative agreement with service providers. The equipment can be turned off at any time, at BART’s discretion. This was a smart move.
Report Post »wtc101
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:19amDitto.
We are treading in new waters and one thing is for sure, we will be tested for good and bad. Ultimately, we will have to live with our techno advancements.
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:39amYes, a bunch of animals rioting in a confined underground space is not good.
Report Post »CatholiConservative
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:41amAgreed, this wasnt a whole city being blocked, jus the signal amplifiers they provide as a service being powered down. There is a big difference between their actions & those of Mubarak – but tread carefully- this tactic shouldn’t be used on a larger scale like the previous article suggested.
Report Post »& I fear it will
B_rad
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:23amAgreed, Catholic. Signal amplifiers provided by BART are at their discretion, but if they ever pulled this with general towers, they’d better face severe punishment. If it is illegal to protest on the platforms, they should arrest anyone who is told to leave and doesn’t. Stopping them from organizing didn’t really stop the law-breaking activity, it just de-railed it (no pun intended). If these same morons try to do it again, but organize without their phones, the authorities in for the trouble they averted this time.
Report Post »corbecket
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:51am@b_rad
There is no law that says a provider can’t turn off their towers, and this is certainly not the same thing as “jamming” a signal (which is clearly against FCC regulations). In short, one is allowed, and the latter is against the law. In the end, it really makes no difference from a functional standpoint. The service is just not available.
Frankly, I think it’s a fine idea. The lack of cellphone/data capability is not something that slowed Jefferson and his buddies, and it certainly little effect on me during the first 35 years of my life. Now, as to diminishing the capabilities of the Marxist/anarchist alliance in their effort to disrupt society ie. Britain, I see no reason to make their sociopathic efforts easier by providing them the luxury of a modern telecommunication system.
Let ‘em freeze in the dark!
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 5:50pmBasic tactics for dealing with mobs and riots, cut their communications. Prevents organizations and coordination of groups. Granted you usually try to only use this as a last, Last, LAST resort, because you risk doing more ham than good. In this case it worked because it was just in a local area. Clever, ruthless, efficient, perhaps I should give San Fran a bit more credit than I thought.
Report Post »USNSPARKS
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 2:14amWow, imagine the peace and quiet for three whole hours! Not having to listen to hoards of self centered narcissistic ill mannered creeps flapping their lips about nothing but pure drivel. I can only imagine what a great time it must have been. Plus the added benefit of watching these idiots going nuts because they cannot use their cell phone. Waa waa waa. Poor babies! Of course the extremist leftists at the ACLU have their BVDs in a wad. Way to go San Francisco! Can‘t believe the but case Nancy Peloser isn’t raising Hell about this.
Report Post »USNSPARKS
Posted on August 14, 2011 at 2:17amNut case vice but case, which makes no sense. Neither does Nanzi!
Report Post »teebubba
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:55amMubarek huh….Does this mean the sword and club wielding thugs on camel will be chasing us down soon…
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:52amThey knew beforehand so why not have a large police presence? Locked and loaded of course.
Report Post »Biff Marupis
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:54amBecause that’s what these protesters WANT. A confrontation… As much as I hate anything from San Fran Looney Land…that was an artful move.
Report Post »endgamer
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:43amThis only makes the problem bigger and the protest will be more violent when its re planned.
Report Post »Perspective
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:43amJust another test in controlling the people. By shutting off the cell towers they kept the demonstration from happening. Wait until they come for your guns or you yourself. You won’t be able to be warned or warn anyone else because they will shut off communications. Just another little trick up Obama’s sleeve.
Report Post »Brad
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:35amRioters are NOT “We the people”. These are criminals and thugs bent on disrupting law and order. We must be intolerant to anybody who wants to revert to violence. Mob rule should not be supported in any way, shape or form.
There may come a time when WE must stand up and take to the streets, but we are not there yet. When they come for your gun… We’ll be at that point. Just as Mob rule should not be tolerated, neither should a tyrannical government. With the Obama administration, that boat has already left port. Woe to the government if they ever cross that line!
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:53amLets look at it this way you are ridding a train with your wife and children (it’s about the children). The doors open and your and your children are facing a mop that is (I am ass um ing racially charged. You have no where to go the doors will not reclose your children are exposed to violence, animal hatred the likes you have never seen and you are not carring a weapon. One child is severly beaten the other sustains a wound to the neck and dies in your arms! Then whose fault is it, after all they could have turned off the towers and avoided all this. I have no expectation of being abile to use my cell phone under ground and would end up running out of ammo, I am not a miner and do not feel comfortable under ground to begin with, so I probably would panic.
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:15amOne more thought! How stupid is it not to jam cell phones in the prisons!
Report Post »Taking away their right to have a ilegal cell phone to conduct business.
What is that?Or did I missed that they already do that
claymoremacm
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:41amNot the military THIGHMASTER but the TSA…..so much for a modern day Paul Revere spreading the word
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:33amwhat??? in liberal San Fransicko
Report Post »Konacow
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:30amLet’s see, I need 911, my friend is having a heart attack and dies because they shut off cell towers, I see a massive lawsuit, so big I could bankrupt the city, think about that? Or I am being robbed and can’t call the cops, now you know why I carry a BIG GUN, because when you need help they turn off the cell towers !!!!
Report Post »Texas Hills Patriot
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:15amI was thinking the same thing. Many people depend solely on their cell phones, especially in cases of emergency, when they may not have access to a land line.
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:56amYou took the words right out of my mouth. However it was an unusual tactic, it could have potential for more devious purposes.
Never let a good crisis go to waste…HMMM, who said that again???
Report Post »Biff Marupis
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:56amI’m not sure that would hold up any more than if that same person were out in the sticks where their carrier did not offer coverage.
Report Post »mrsclark
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:28amA shooting in Cali and Riots? Nah! Never happen!
Report Post »normbal
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:23amDo a search for the phrase “call to action September 2011”
Something big is being planned for America.
Report Post »uhadenoughyet.com
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:41amSomething BIG is already going on in America, and I assure all of you it will not play out the way the enemies of freedom want it to. Ideologues blinded by want vs need and catastrophic failures of the courage that leftest weasels think they have will produce a scenario that the left has never considered. Don’t wait to arm yourselves folks, arm yourselves and wait!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »travlman77
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:50amWhat big like this?
http://www.headlice.org/news/2011/comb-first-call-to-action-2011.html
Report Post »Reverend_Child
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 12:15pmAnd in the “funny as hell” category, we have Travelman literally making me laugh out loud! Vanna, tell him what he’s won!!!
Report Post »PFN
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:22amNothing that the libers government of San Francisco could suprise me. This is just a taste as to what is coming to America if we do not get these whacos out of office!
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:21amOff the subject, but has anyone noticed that Fox has a lot more liberals on their shows then ever before? Did they get to Murdoch over the British paper? Holder was going to investigate him, did they threaten him with or else? Just curious if anyone else thinks something has happened to Fox.. Haven’t heard anything about what has happened to Murdoch. It was on the news for days, then nothing.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:44amI have been noticing subtle changes for a while too. IMO they ignored his ineligiblility on the last round of investigation. Some of the hosts I just can’t listen to anymore. They still are the only source of news for me that is not tainted with progressive agenda.
Report Post »travlman77
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:46amSorry, I haven’t noticed any change in the people on Fox, and maybe it quickly went away because it was baseless propaganda.
Report Post »uhadenoughyet.com
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:47amFox has flipped and they are simply playing the role
Report Post ».
enochhale
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 10:52amYes I have noticed NHWINTER! From Beck to Beckell.
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 11:22amThe changes are there for sure. It seems there is a lot of balancing going on!
Report Post »olddog
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:19amWhy do you think Obama want control on the internet….
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:10amHe won’t let a crisis go to waste. What better way to cut the free flowing of information between citizens. Iran and China do it all the time to their citizens. Keeping us fron any part of the truth is part of it. Friends of his like Mark LLoyd wants to restrict free speech. What is your take?
Report Post »PFN
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:19amThis is what happens when you let Liberal Nazis run things!
Report Post »Thighmaster
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:17amOn an unrelated note, the FBI terrorist unit is investigating sabatoge to Verizon because it is considered dangerous to those who depend on cell service for security….. Nah, not the same
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:35amI have Verizon Fios, which includes internet, and my internet was extremely slow for 2 days…..nah, no connection. This government is trampling on too many liberties. I almost feel like a libertarian.
Report Post »USAqh
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:15amThe BART guys are amateurs ! Our government already randomly shuts dow electronic communications all over the country. I live near the base where they do all the testing and war games … You all have no idea what you are up against !!!
Report Post »Tim Law
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 1:55pmI live in the far north of CA, we‘ve been having lot of interruption’s of internet and cell phone service’s here the last couple of weeks. Have to wonder if this might be some kind of testing area.
Report Post »GP100
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:15amPapers please.
Report Post »milo
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:11amUh..
You can‘t ’cut’ the power to a cell site, they have a minimum 8 hour battery backup. Built right into the racks.
They had to enter and physically turn it off, which rises to breaking and entering, destruction of private property, burglary and a little known law – sabotage. (National communications infrastructure.)
40 yrs with the telcos…
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:37amThey probably used extortion, too. You know they didn’t just “let” them in the door. Nothing this administration does surprises me.
Report Post »nysparkie
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:09amWell I guess they’ll have to go back to Bull Horns and Signs. Ahh, the good ol days.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:08am“BART officials were confident the cellphone disruptions were legal.” and if someone had an emergency and died as a result of this guy? Oops forgot, Obama can sell guns to drug dealers and its cool.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:04amIs this the start of the obummbler kill switch?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 7:58am(Not sure if I hit post on previous message, so am repeating) More details please about this shooting. Sounds similar to the incident which triggered the London riots.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 7:55amWould like more details about the shooting. Interesting that this sounds like what caused the riots in London.
Report Post »Thighmaster
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 8:21amYeah but in London they were considering calling in the military and that could never happen here…..wait a minute, you may be on to something..
Report Post »thecrow
Posted on August 13, 2011 at 9:01amhttp://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/memory-holes-in-the-floor/
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