The NYCLU is suing the city on behalf of Indian filmmaker Rakesh Sharma, who was detained for filming around the MetLife building last year. Sharma was working on his documentary about the "lives of ordinary people, including taxi drivers," after September 11 when police detained him and interrogated him for hours. Hmm, maybe the documentary can be about how the city doesn't like foreigners filming the city. According to the lawsuit, the NYPD told him Sharma needed a permit from the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, but when he applied for one, he was denied (possibly because he didn't have the $1 million in required insurance?). There must be a thousand run-and-gun film productions on the streets now that aren't using permits - and will tourists be persecuted next?
Here's a PDF of the NYCLU's lawsuit and here is Sharma's website. And remember the threat of photography bans on and in the mass transit system?
