Während man Großbritannien noch über eine Blockade von Kommunikationsdiensten zur Protestvorbeugung nachdenkt, wird in den USA schon gehandelt: Der Verkehrsbetrieb Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Franciso hat in der vergangenen Woche Mobilfunk-Basisstationen abgeschaltet, um mögliche Proteste zu verhindern.
Am 3. Juli hatte ein BART-Polizist einen offenbar stark angetrunkenen 45-jährigen Mann erschossen – was Mitte Juli zu Demonstrationen von aufgebrachten Bürgern führte. Am vergangenen Donnerstag sollten offenbar weitere Protestveranstaltungen stattfinden. Um die “Sicherheit von zahlenden Kunden zu gewährleisten” habe man sich für eine Abschaltung der Mobilfunkversorgung an ausgewählten Stationen entschieden, heißt es in einer offiziellen Mitteilung des Verkehrsbetriebs. Laut Christian Science Monitor wurden dafür keine Störsender verwendet, sondern einfach einige der vom Verkehrsbetrieb installierten Mobilfunkstationen abgeschaltet. Aus BART-Sicht war die Aktion erfolgreich: Zu Protesten kam es am Donnerstag nicht. … http://www.bilderberger.ch
Organizers planning to disrupt BART service on August 11, 2011 stated they would use mobile devices to coordinate their disruptive activities and communicate about the location and number of BART Police. A civil disturbance during commute times at busy downtown San Francisco stations could lead to platform overcrowding and unsafe conditions for BART customers, employees and demonstrators. BART temporarily interrupted service at select BART stations as one of many tactics to ensure the safety of everyone on the platform.
Cell phone service was not interrupted outside BART stations. In addition, numerous BART Police officers and other BART personnel with radios were present during the planned protest, and train intercoms and white courtesy telephones remained available for customers seeking assistance or reporting suspicious activity.
BART’s primary purpose is to provide, safe, secure, efficient, reliable, and clean transportation services. BART accommodates expressive activities that are constitutionally protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Liberty of Speech Clause of the California Constitution (expressive activity), and has made available certain areas of its property for expressive activity.
Paid areas of BART stations are reserved for ticketed passengers who are boarding, exiting or waiting for BART cars and trains, or for authorized BART personnel. No person shall conduct or participate in assemblies or demonstrations or engage in other expressive activities in the paid areas of BART stations, including BART cars and trains and BART station platforms.
