Almost Arrested for Taking Photos at Union Station

As some of you may know, I've been testing out a Gigapan panorama photo system over the last week, after I received a loaner of their robotic camera mount from Carnegie Mellon's robotics lab. I brought it in to NPR to demonstrate it to colleagues and go on a photo safari to photograph the architecture at Union Station. Apparently, as far as Union Station's security operations are concerned, that's a criminal offense, since we nearly got arrested.

Here's a low-res version of the photo. Click the image to see the extreme high-res, half-a-gigapixel Gigapan version. (Don't worry, it loads dynamically, so don't worry about the size of the pic.)

Earlier in the day, I did a brief demo of the Gigapan on the NPR roof. My NPR colleague Wright Bryan expressed interest in watching it in action elsewhere, so I offered to join him for a trip to Union Station, since it has some of the most beautiful architecture in the city. (Our photo editor was going to join us as well, but changed her mind at the last minute.)

We arrived at Union Station just before 4:30pm, where we set up the tripod and the camera at the western end of the main hall. I set the Gigapan to take a 180-degree sweep facing east, which took about 15 minutes to complete. We stood around chatting with passers-by, and were eventually joined by a journalist colleague of Wright's, who was visiting DC for a few days.

About halfway into the panorama, a security guard approached us and asked if we were taking pictures. We said yes, we were, to which she responded "okay" and left. She expressed no concern about our activities and didn't communicate anything with us otherwise.

After the panorama was complete, we relocated to the center of the main hall and proceeded to start the process of taking a 360-degree panorama. Since this would involve around 200 separate photos, it meant we got to stand around for at least 20 minutes. Wright's friend took a few pictures of us posing with the Gigapan, as commuters went about their business, a few giving us quizzical smiles.

Then the security guard returned. She informed us that we would have to cease taking pictures immediately and leave. I asked what the problem was, and she said that this is a private space, and we didn't have permission from management to take pictures. I told her that we were testing equipment for potential use by NPR, showed them our press passes, and noted there were plenty of other people walking around with cameras. She seemed sympathetic to our position, but said she was relaying orders she'd received from someone higher up. I asked if we could speak with them, then twittered it:

Just got told by security to leave. Asked to speak with a supervisor to explain why we can't take pictures at union station.

Soon a second security guard arrived; he said he wasn't a supervisor. He reiterated that we had to stop taking pictures and leave, or we would face arrest. I said we wanted to speak with a supervisor before we would comply. Again, I twittered.

Being asked to leave union station. Still asking to see supervisor.

By now a third security guard arrived. He noticed that the camera was still taking pictures. Not only did he ask us to stop immediately, he told us to erase the pictures, particularly any photos that might include images of them. The first guard repeated his demand we erase the pictures. We refused. The twittering
continued.

Union Station security official saying we'll be arrested if we don't comply. Also told to erase pics of security guards.

Throughout the conversation, which I should point out was conducted in a cordial, but firm tone, we received mixed messages from the security guards. One told us the problem was that we were using a tripod, while another insisted it was because we had "that thing" on top of our tripod. They then changed the story again, and said that journalists couldn't take pictures without permission from management, and that Union Station is a private space run by a private company, not a public space. They never gave us an answer as to why we were first allowed to take photos in the first location, but could not do the same here.

Contradictory messages. First they say tripod is problem, then the gigapan. Either way, cease or be arrested.

I debated them, telling them the story of the security guards who tried to prevent someone from photographing downtown Silver Spring by arguing it was a private space controlled by a private corporation, but was eventually overruled by local officials after much public lambasting. Their reaction was that they were just following orders. I said I wouldn't leave the premise until someone would go on record as to why we were being stopped, and would supply their name as well.

Meanwhile, the Gigapan continued to take photos. They'd ruined the panorama, of course; the first guard got in front of the camera at one point and obstructed the view. They reiterated that we were going to be arrested, so I finally tried to shut off the camera. But the damn thing wouldn't stop taking pictures. It never occurred to me that I'd have to learn how to abort a panorama under pain of arrest, so I fumbled for about a minute as it kept shooting pictures. (I think I heard Wright laughing at this point.)

I managed to shut the camera, and started to disassemble the Gigapan from the tripod as a fourth security person arrived. He was dressed differently than the other three people, and had a former-marine-turned-middle-management air about him. I twittered as he spoke:

Official saying Union Station is a private space, no right to photograph without approval.

I asked for his business card and he handed it to me: Robert H. Mangiante, Assistant Director, IPC International Corporation. He then summed up the situation: pack up your gear and leave now, or we'll arrest you. It's our choice. Our gear was already packed up at this point, and Wright and his friend had an event at the National Press Club anyway, so that was that. The Gigapan went into my backpack, I folded the tripod and we went our separate ways.

I'm still trying to sort out the incident. While I have no doubt that Union Station is managed by a private company, I think it's hard for them to argue it's a private space, and that journalists cannot take photographs there without permission. Granted, it's not a public street like the Silver Spring incident, but the situation is otherwise similar. I also question their right to demand that we erase photos, and am puzzled by the capriciousness of their overall position, given how they first allowed us to take photos but then changed their minds, offering mixed messages as to why.

What do you think? Were we within our rights or not? -andy

PS - Take a close look at the high-res version of the picture. You can make out the first security guard standing in front of the camera at one point, as the second one approaches from behind her, just to her right.

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