Before bringing in the New Year, the NYPD showed just how little things have changed in the last 30 years. On December 27, two subway dancers ages 18 and 20 were arrested by a plainclothes officer for "reckless endangerment" because of their acrobatics on an A train. Apparently the dancers "caused a hazard to themselves and others around them, and made excessive noise by blaring music from a stereo."
If you've been in a New York City subway car for more than 20 minutes, there are four things you've probably experienced: someone with a well-rehearsed story about being homeless and/or diabetic, someone playing a weird instrument that was clearly not designed for small spaces (think accordion or full-sized guitar), guys selling candy to "stay out of trouble," and dancers that use their hats and every square inch of the train to flip and show off their strength, rhythm, and footwork. The dancers can be highly spirited, and their music is often loud, but rarely do we feel threatened or in danger by a few flips and handstands. We understand that the officer had to take some sort of action, but it's not necessarily how we would have handled the situation.
Here is a random example for those of you unfamiliar with the "dangers" of the subway.
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[via Gothamist]
