Bi-Polar much NYPD?
The Subway Diaries - Adventures of a Subway Musician | Heidi | 
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Busk, Busking Love, Heidi Kole, NYC NY, NYPD, Subways, The Subway Diaries
Ok so tonight underground I was playing La Bamba with 4 cops behind me when all of a sudden all 4 NYPD officers started dancing. All male, shaking & wiggling their hips & waving their arms in the air. If I’d only had that on tape. It looked like the NYPD version of ‘Sister Act’
Then….not 15 minutes later I’m approached by 2 more cops (not dancing) and they demand I leave. I told them I’lm legal singing on the platform unampllified & showed them the rules, (1st Amendment violation NYPD) which they were 100% uninterested in. Then 7 more cops showed up & immediately grabbed my guitar case (4th Amendment violation guys) & started to toss things around, coins, dollars, my case, all my stuff….manually packing it up to force me out of the train. They grabbed my arm & commanded me to leave the Times Square station & said I could not enter again even to take a train or I would be immediately arrested. & sent down to Central Booking….Seriously guys? I’m singing…no amp, no nothing, just singing.
I have no idea who is training these rookie officers but, they’re gettin’ some seriously ‘bad learnin’ imo
And here’s a little 4th Amendment Violation – hanky-panky going on, courtesy of the NYPD #Busk
And this woman, whoever you are, you are my hero. You actually squeezed yourself in between the crazed officers busy pouncing on me & my gear, to drop a dollar in my case before they swept it up. I hope I see you again on the platform to tell you thank you heart emoticon #buskinglove
I once thought artistic expression on the subway was a great thing until lately. I was on the red line and drummers got on the train. one of them kept on goading passengers to acknowledge him. He then went into this ludicrous discourse about how he was taught to respect and acknowledge others and how he is entitled to the same treatment. He was relentless,oppressive, rude and obnoxious and I quickly understood why many people wear earbuds. Passengers are entitled to a peaceful ride towards their destination and being harrassed and infringed upon should not be the norm.
I’m all for people making a living (especially musicians)just do it thoughtfully.