NYC Council holds hearing on regulating costumed characters

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

NYC Council holds hearing on regulating costumed characters

Deepti Hajela, Associated Press
Updated 1:01 am, Wednesday, March 30, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) — The costumed characters, naked painted ladies and bus tour ticket sellers who have made all of Times Square their stomping grounds could be restricted to specific zones under legislation being considered by the City Council.

The council's committee on transportation is holding a hearing Wednesday morning on legislation that would allow the city's Department of Transportation to create rules and regulations for pedestrian plazas like the ones in Times Square. The bill comes after scores of complaints in recent years over aggressive panhandling behavior, primarily from the costumed characters pushing onlookers for tips.

In the most recent incident, a man in a Spider-Man costume was accused of fighting with a tourist over a tip this past weekend, and was arrested on an assault charge. Other incidents in the past couple of years include another Spider-Man figure in the same area punching a police officer trying to prevent aggressive solicitation, and a man dressed as Cookie Monster attacking a 2-year-old child whose parents didn't offer up a tip.

. . .

Those supporting the bill, like Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance business group, say the legislation will allow for all the kinds of activities that take place in Times Square now, but in specific zones. So those who want to take a photo with a costumed character or buy a ticket for a sightseeing tour could still do that while those who don't would be able to get through the area without the threat of being harassed.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/NYC-Council-holds-hearing-on-regulating-costumed-7216712.php

[TrogL]

1. Batman's gonna be pissed

[MisterP]

3. NO CAPES

[MowCowWhoHow III]

4. Reject the Keene Act

[Ford_Prefect]

5. Didn't someone once say there is a time and a place for all things?

A time for street theater?

A place for tour bus tickets?

That observation may have merit but I think I liked Times Square more when it had a bit less going on in it. It's not mine to regulate and I don't mean to critique art or commerce out of hand. Still it is a space for all of the public to traverse and commune therein, and I can see that one does want just a hint of "color" in the heart of the city.

[Orrex]

6. Spider-Man: Threat or Menace?

[LiberalElite]

7. I live in NYC and

We went from being accosted by hookers and johns and drug addicts to Batman, Superman, Elmo, Cookie Monster and Hello Kitty. I was leafletting for Bernie in the summer and it was just weird to be there. I hate Times Square.

[msanthrope]

9. In the immortal words of Jimmy Breslin, "Gimme the hookers," in response to the Disneyfication of

Times Square.

[LiberalElite]

11. Breslin was absolutely

right. The PTB sanitized, corporatized and homogenized TSq to the point there's hardly anything uniquely NewYork about it anymore. And the lights are too damn bright.

[snooper2]

12. ROFL, yeah the PTB did it- Who knew they had such a huge thing for Spongebob

[msanthrope]

13. Bright Lights, Big City....I liked Jimmy's version better. nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

8. You think Times Square is bad, try walking thru any major European city these days

The sidewalks are so filled with characters trying to pry out your wallet, that you HAVE to walk in the streets. And that's where the taxis fly by to get ya...

[Hoppy]

10. Nakkid ladies? I'd pay to see 'em.

Does it cost more than at the go-go bar in Secaucus?
















Yes, Martha, it's sarcasm. Have a cup of tea and settle down.