Couple handcuffed, jailed for dancing on subway platform

Caroline Stern, 55, and her boyfriend George Hess, 54, claim they were handcuffed for having happy feet on the platform of the Columbus Circle subway station — and spent 23 hours in custody as a result. P

Yes, this IS the NY Post. So i take it with some salt. But still...

Dancing on a basically empty platform, and they are told to stop? Even if everything else is BS, and they DID resist arrest, how was this worth their time in the first place?

“We were doing the Charleston,” Stern said. That’s when two police officers approached and pulled a “Footloose.” “They said, ‘What are you doing?’ and we said, ‘We’re dancing,’ ” she recalled. “And they said, ‘You can’t do that on the platform.’ ”

The cops asked for ID, but when Stern could only produce a credit card, the officers ordered the couple to go with them — even though the credit card had the dentist’s picture and signature. When Hess began trying to film the encounter, things got ugly, Stern said.

“We brought out the camera, and that’s when they called backup,” she said. “That’s when eight ninja cops came from out of nowhere.”

Hess was allegedly tackled to the platform floor, and cuffs were slapped on both of them. The initial charge, according to Stern, was disorderly conduct for “impeding the flow of traffic.” “There was nobody on the platform. There were, like, three people,” she said.

The charges, including resisting arrest, were later dropped. The couple has filed a Manhattan federal court suit against the city for unspecified damages. Read more: www.nypost.com...

www.nypost.com...

ARE YOU CRAZY!!! This is America no one is allowed to have fun!! They deserve worse! PUBLIC DANCING!!! DAMN HIPPIES!

I worked in NYC for 5 years

never saw cops act like this

maybe the dancers were drunk, and too close to the rails ?

as much as everyone wants to get hysterical about the nazi police state, lets wait to get the facts

I dance on the platform all the time.

These people must have been doing something other than, or in addition to dancing.
NY may be a lot of things, but it's not a place where you get arrested solely for dancing.

Originally posted by spinalremain
I dance on the platform all the time.

These people must have been doing something other than, or in addition to dancing.
NY may be a lot of things, but it's not a place where you get arrested solely for dancing.

The article says
“We brought out the camera, and that’s when they called backup,” she said. “That’s when eight ninja cops came from out of nowhere.”

I would be willing to bet that they did not like that very much.

Originally posted by spinalremain


These people must have been doing something other than, or in addition to dancing.
NY may be a lot of things, but it's not a place where you get arrested solely for dancing.

Considering the source of the article, that is my first assumption as well... but at the same time, it is not hard for me to believe the story as it is told. Cops dont like cameras being pulled out, and if one cop in the group has a thorn in his ass, the rest will just follow along and allow the situation to escalate...

But it is definitely he said she said.

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
I worked in NYC for 5 years

never saw cops act like this

maybe the dancers were drunk, and too close to the rails ?

as much as everyone wants to get hysterical about the nazi police state, lets wait to get the facts

I dont see anyone saying anything about a Nazi police state.

While I agree that there is no reason to take their story as fact, I'm a bit skeptical that you say youve never seen police act unreasonably? In NYC?

I call BS.

reply to post by syrinx high priest


if they were drunk they would have been charged with public intoxication
also there are no laws concerning dancing "too close to the rails"

the fact that the charges were dropped should be red flag that there was no legitimate reason to arrest them (hint: there are most likely security cameras in the subway)

reply to post by syrinx high priest


Or it was just a pair of cops with a problem. I got pulled over not too long ago at night for "impeding the flow of traffic" (sound familiar?). Guy was on my bumper flashing high beams at me for like 5 minutes while i was going 75 in a 60 zone. I finally slowed down to 65 .. then 60 .. then 55 ... then blue lights flash. Cop claimed I was driving 45 the whole time. He knew nothing would stick on me so he let me go, he just wanted me to know who had the power.

As a disclaimer, not all cops are like this. The problem is the ones who aren't rarely stand up to those who are.

NYC is a place where police see weird stuff every day. In times square, there is a 400 lb guy in a diaper with a bull horn telling you to repent or die. That's not made up. I've seen that with my own eyes. in broad daylight on a weekday

these folks were not arrested for dancing

Originally posted by syrinx high priest

these folks were not arrested for dancing

Well, then, please, by all means, tells us what they were arrested for.

Since you seem so privy to exclusive info.

Besides the generic 'resisting arrest' charge, of course.

reply to post by stanguilles7


Update: it is not illegal to dance on a subway platform. They are now (rightfully) suing the NYPD.

The couple is suing for unspecified damages, claiming they spent a miserable night behind bars handcuffed and were later told it’s not illegal to dance on the platform after all.

The charges of resisting arrest and blocking the flow of traffic were eventually dropped.

Dancing not illegal

CJ

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
I worked in NYC for 5 years

never saw cops act like this

maybe the dancers were drunk, and too close to the rails ?

as much as everyone wants to get hysterical about the nazi police state, lets wait to get the facts

Cops in NYC act like this all the time.

All charges were dropped.

Looks like you were wrong as hell.