Permission No Longer Needed for Photography
From the Washington Post:
“The developer of downtown Silver Spring has backed off its policy of forbidding photography in the area without its explicit permission, but local photo enthusiasts are not satisfied.
A debate over the protection of civil liberties in public-private partnerships ignited when a security guard stopped amateur photographer Chip Py two weeks ago as he took pictures on Ellsworth Drive, a part of downtown developed by PFA Silver Spring LLC.
The developer of downtown had recently blocked Chip Py from taking pictures of the area, which was renovated with public money. Py and other photography enthusiasts reacted in outrage that a developer could control who took pictures in an place renovated with millions of county dollars.
“The issue that’s been burning up the minds and hearts of people has been: This is public money, and now it’s being run like a company,” Py said.”