The Return of The Chicagoist Reader Meet-Up
Cubs Combat Casino
Notre Dame Fan Takes It Too Far, Allegedly Punches Clausen
County Sales Tax Rollback Vetoed - Here We Go Again
PHOTOS: Peaches And Amanda Blank At Metro
Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd) has taken up the mantle of his predecessor Burt Natarus in the crackdown on street performers. For years Natarus tried to get them -- especially the "bucket boys" -- to pipe down, and introduced two ordinances towards the end of his career. The first -- which sought to ban street performers entirely -- met with charges of "urban cleansing" so the second time around, instead of bans, Natarus requested license fees, noise limits, and control of where performing was permitted. That version made it into law.
Reilly wants to take the ordinance to the next level by increasing penalties for violations. He's proposing a change to the current rule that revokes a performer's license after three citations -- Reilly wants to make it two within one year. He says it's not just about an annoying noise, but it's a public safety issue as well:
"There is a criminal element. Some crews use their performance merely as a distraction to lure unsuspecting tourists. And there are people in those crews who are tasked with reaching into people's shopping bags, purses or wallets to make off with their valuables," Reilly said, noting some drummers have "lengthy criminal records."Also, the few street performers with actual talent that draw a crowd can be forced to move at least two blocks away if police deem the crowd an obstruction. [S-T]
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I believe Ald. Reilly has a Damon Runyon view of the city.
Pickpockets in cahoots with buskers? How about 3-card monty hustlers and hookers on street-corners.
Bucket Boys are obnoxious though.
Don't we have real crime in this city to deal with?
Yes, but the "real crime" usually occurs in areas where the tourists don't go, so consequently, who give a f...?
But kids beating buckets on Mich ave while outoftowners walk by? Can't have that! Lock 'em up!
While I can't say I agree with the tendency of 42nd ward aldermen to hate street music or to automatically connect it with petty theft, I also can't agree with the sentiment of those who prefer we ignore petty theft to focus on so-called "real crime." Crime's crime, whether it's pickpocketing or murder. Why should we let the little stuff go?
Not to be argumentative, but there's a difference between maintaining a civil society and criminalizing nuisances. You really think an arrest is going to make any difference? All it does is clog up the court system, make more paperwork and waste time and resources. It rarely goes beyond that.
Because we're short handed when it comes to cops. Hence the desire to focus on stuff that really hurts the commuinity...gangs shooting at anything that moves, random street robbers that end in the victim being shot for not having enough money, that sort of thing. Not asking the police to turn a blind eye, but if there's an area for an alderman to publicly push for more police intevention, I'd say this isn't that area. But hey, I don't have to vote for him. Now if this were MY alderman...
If you hear them hitting on those buckets enough times, you'll realize that the real crime is that they only know the one song.
Those are songs?
These Aldermanic stunts are nothing more than self-serving, pain in the ass media stunts. Having said that, I'm all in favor of anything that gets those fu*king bucket boys off the street.
Also, if they could do something about the saxophone player at Madison and Wabash who only knows how to play a few bars of "Careless Whispers" and "Satin Doll," that'd be great, too.
Thanks.
Let's put some bucket boys on the back of the pedicabs and tear this city up!
I work retail in the loop. We have a rule that I'm always happy to enforce: keep the bucket boys the hell out of the store. No one has stolen from us more than they have. Aside from them being damn annoying, they are actually in fact criminals.
They're as bad as the kids with the flyers for their "basketball team."
I once saw a group of kids in White Sox hats handing out flyers for their basketball team on a subway train in New York. It made me think they'd franchised the Red Line.
I'd be interested in knowing Mike Doyle's take on this.
Why would you ever want his opinion on anything?
He's about to have his chance to tell a lot more people than normal what he thinks. He not so subtly tells folks on his blog that he's going to be a part of the Chicago Now project the Trib is putting together.
Did those cops give themselves tickets for riding their bikes on the sidewalk?
Face it, it's no different than all the cops that run red lights just because they can!
If you can get that ticket issues I will buy you a shot and a beer.
I've seen the 'evil' bucket boys run their scam, then run away with the goods. A shame really.
Stiffer penalty is fine by me. At the same time, fine the cops that brutalize innocent citizens too.