Posted on 12/23/2011 10:12:27 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
Two grandparents were kicked out of the University Park Mall Tuesday after they took a picture of their visiting grandson in the Food Court.
"We were going to take our grandson, he's five and visiting from California, to see Santa and we were just sitting around the table having something to drink, talking about what we were planning and that's when my husband took the picture," said Grandmother Debbie Cassella.
Cassella said immediately a mall employee instructed them to stop taking pictures or they would be thrown out of the mall.
"I believe she said you can't take pictures at the mall. I thought she was joking and I said ‘I’m taking a picture of my grandson’, I’d understand if I was taking pictures of the architecture or the products in the stores and she became a little hostile and aggressive," said Grandfather Don Oberloh.
Oberloh and Cassella said they were unaware of the University Park's policy against picture taking and requested.
"I asked to speak with a mall manager and she flashed a badge at me, and I didn't see it, and asked ‘is this good enough?’ and I tried explaining things to her and she came back, I apologized and she was more belligerent and I asked again ‘may I speak with the mall manager’ and she said ‘that's me’ and I said ‘there's nobody higher than you?’ and she said ‘one person’, ‘may I speak with that person’ and then security came over," said Oberloh.
Oberloh left the mall after being asked by security, but Cassella stayed behind to wait on her daughter, who had gone into a store.
"I told him I can't just leave and then he said that he would remove me physically and then he called another security guard and that guy came over and then my daughter showed up and I said we were just here to take my grandson to see Santa and he said you can't see Santa," said Cassella. "It was embarrassing and I felt bad for my grandson. I'll never go back to the mall. I’ve shopped at the mall regularly and I’ll never go back to the mall. I don’t' feel comfortable there."
A spokesperson for the University Park Mall declined an on camera interview, but said mall managers are investigating the incident and reiterated the mall's policy against photography. She also said the mall does not immediate remove shoppers after a picture is taken, but will remove guests who do not comply with requests to stop taking photos or are aggressive with staff.
but we feel safer now
Another Barney Fife DHS wannabee.
Another instance of the Common-Sense destruction ability of a badge. Even a Mall-Cop Badge. So sad...
Apparently business is so good, they can afford to alienate their customers. Maybe the economy is better than I thought.
LOL.
Soviet Union did the same. People are too paranoid about having their picture taken or being in the shot. Then it comes to terrorism. If somebody wanted to blow something up they wouldn’t need pics to do it. Maybe they should post TSA agents at the entrance to malls. Being a suspected terrorist until your groped sucks.
Every one has a phone, every phone has a camera. Many have phones and pad type devices. Two cameras. To ban photography, video or audio recording in any place open to the public today is simply ridiculous.
Clearly this guy is TSA material!
I wouldn't understand that either. This woman is obviously a basically good comrade, but needs some reeducation. Hopefully, her grandson will inform on her if she does anything antisocial in the future.
Remember when stories like this came from other countries?
I wouldn't understand that either. This woman is obviously a basically good comrade, but needs some reeducation. Hopefully, her grandson will inform on her if she does anything antisocial in the future.
Remember when stories like this came from other countries?
Exactly. Heck, almost everybody has a camera at the ready these days. What a ridiculous policy.
I guess they have a secret military installation there or something like that. /s
It is private property but the ban on photos I believe is for a rather creepy reason, which is to prevent photos of some dangerous condition, misbehavior by the guards, etc.
What’s the likelihood of preventing photos with cell phones nowadays? I often take a photo of merchandise and text it to the family to see if it’s what they want. Store employess usually think that’s fine.
Sounds like the “security guards” at this mall are in training to become TSA agents.
No, another instance of a person afraid(correctly) of losing his or her job and paycheck if they didn’t enforce an asinine rule imposed by mall management.Said rule probably meant to protect some “have your picture taken with X” business.There aren’t that many who want to take pictures in malls;besides I’d guarentee lots of pictures are snapped with cellphones every day in that mall.People don’t see their cellphone as a radio or camera even when signs posted prohibit the use of either ,or even specifically cellphones.Short of strip searches we can’t keep cellphones out of anywhere.
A camera without a flash probably wouldn’t have attracted notice.
I like your idea. Call it OccupyMalls.
The rude and incompetent mall cop no doubt took the Oldsters to be terrorists planning an attack.
The idiot guard should be fired immediately; not to worry, however, since the guard has a brilliant future working for the TSA and will be hired immediately.
The TSA, after all, needs Tough Guys and Gals who know how to put Granny and Gramps in their place.
Background on this “Grandfather”:
http://whereslulu.com/2010/09/28/this-american-life-spotlights-crybaby-ada-lawsuit-filers/
“This American Life” Spotlights “Crybaby” ADA Lawsuit Filers
Turns out there’s more to this story, and it was completely (and almost certainly consciously) omitted from the report.
Google this guy.
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