The city of New York is considering draconian measures to prevent “unauthorized” photo-taking or filming by anyone:

Some tourists, amateur photographers, even would-be filmmakers hoping to make it big on YouTube could soon be forced to obtain a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance before taking pictures or filming on city property, including sidewalks.

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance.

The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment.

Is there any doubt that the State believes it owns the land and everything on it? How else could they claim the right to beat you up or arrest you if you persist in taking pictures in one location without their bureaucratic stamps and plutocratic passes?

I cannot make any sense of this proposal, unless the city of New York presumes that it owns everything within the borders of New York! Add this to their Orwellian scheme to indoctrinate poor people, and one wonders whether the city of New York is becoming its own little pocket dictatorship.