Mauricio Vaca never intended to become a martyr for free and open parks. He just wanted to enjoy the Pitchfork Music Festival with his girlfriend and maybe snap some pictures of the acts.
He asked the guard if he could check the camera bag. “I’d be willing to pay to check it,” he says. “But she said no.”
The guard ushered Kagan out of the concert. Vaca was waiting for her on Ashland.
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Which is this: Does Pitchfork, Lollapalooza (which has pretty much the same no detachable lens policy), or anyone else who rents out a public park for a private event have the right to limit the type of cameras people can bring in?
Under the list of prohibited items—along with tents, flags, knives and other weapons, lounge chairs, pets, food, beverages (other than “sealed bottled water”), drugs, and drug paraphernalia, are video cameras, audio recording devices, and “professional cameras (NO cameras with detachable lenses).”
Irony of ironies, there’s a sign at the entrance gate warning concertgoers: “By entering here, you consent to the use of your image in filmed reproductions of this event.” In other words: we can make money off pictures of you, but you can’t take pictures of us with a decent camera.
