I just got an email from the theater where the symphony, plays, ballet, speakers are nearer to us. They implemented new security procedures and were reminding folks about them (guessing this is because of the large crowds for things like Nutcracker, and Hamilton which are both there this month).
They recommend getting there one hour or more before the performance starts. Bags and purses are limited to 12x12x6 except for medical equipment and diaper bags which will be screened. No backpacks at all ever. Wanding at some performances.
I guess I am glad they are playing it safe, but it makes me sad that we can’t even go to a play without going through a metal detector.
They’re not “playing it safe.” Not really. It’s all security theater. It’s an inconvenient waste of time and resources especially when you can often make a bigger impact (in terms of deaths) by attacking concentrated groups of people who are coming or going.
^^ I don’t see how that post (Romani) even makes sense. If you get in with a gun, you can target people who are, literally, sitting ducks- not to mention mowing them down as they exit. Yes, odds are against that happening, but any venue has to take precautions now. And, yes, it is sad that life has come to this. But- to say it is an inconvenient waste of time? I suspect you have NO idea how many weapons are actually recovered during these screenings. It’s more than you might think.
Theaters in my city have been doing this for a couple of years. I don’t mind. After the horrific attack in a Paris theater in 2015, I’ve been a little wary every time I go. I always check out all the exit locations when I go to my seat.
And when we happened to go to a movie at a local shopping mall last weekend, I couldn’t help checking the exits and being mildly vigilant for a wacko with a gun who might be targeting holiday shoppers.
The theatre were we have our subscription series hasn’t done this yet. Our seats are only 6 seats from an exit which does gives me comfort.
Some other places, like at US Open have gone overboard though, imo. They confiscated my wee tin of Altoids and I had to dump them in my purse. I was so aggravated that once in I found a Security police person, and explained the situation he escorted me back to the entrance, I pointed out the checker and he got my tin back.
They banned umbrellas one year but that backfired big time on them. It’s an outdoor tournament for the most part and it rains frequently.
One of the concert venues where Happykid works has had metal detectors for several years. The staff periodically receives security training from FBI contractors. A whole set of systems are in place, and yes, the cops have busted a couple baddies right there. It is a challenge for the whole industry.
Thank goodness I got into a conversation at the Austin airport with a stranger, because he warned me that purses of ANY type are not allowed at UT football games. You can take in a small, clear plastic bag, and that’s it. If that guy hadn’t told me, I guess I wouldn’t have gained entry to the game! My parents are regular attenders and knew about the rule, but forgot to tell me.
The college football stadium limits us to the 12x12x6” clear bag. It also has a rule limiting the size of a wallet or purse to 6.5”x4.5”. There is a trailer on site to check non-conforming items for $10 (the NFL stadium charges $20). My wallet was apparently 1/2” too long, and after it never being measured all season, at the last game last year it was and they said to check it. I walked back towards another gate, shoved it in my coat pocket, and got in no problem. By the way, there is no limit to the size of a food container inside the clear bag. All nonsense.
I read a tweet yesterday by half of a recording duo who stated they have snipers at all of their shows. Sometimes I think I should just stay home.
This would be a real problem for me. When I go to the theater, it’s generally an evening show and I go straight from work, with my back pack in tow. If I was coming from home, I could manage, but coming from the office, it would be a problem.
I went to an NCAA basketball game recently and wasn’t allowed to take my VERY small purse in. I think it is 10x6. I had to take it back to the car, and then put everything in my pockets. I’ve taken this purse into football games even though they have the same ‘clear bag’ policy. I could also stuff that clear bag full of all kinds of illegal stuff like little bottles of alcohol or weed or cigarettes. A binocular case is bigger than this purse. When I went back, they were making a little old man take his bag back too, and it was no bigger than a pencil pouch. Members of the band? they were coming in with instrument cases and backpacks.
Another thing that made me mad was that after I dumped everything into my pockets, I could walk through the medal detectors without taking it all out of my pockets. If I had known, I could have put the purse under my coat, zipped it up and walked thorough - the purse has very little medal on it (just a buckle).
The concessionaires are taking advantage of the stringent rules at many venues to force patrons to buy their overpriced drinks and refreshments or go without. I’ve seen folks thwart that by loading their windbreakers with bottles of water and small bottles of booze, plus snacks.
So far our venues haven’t added metal detectors, just security folks who prod and search any bag you want to bring in. You can fold a bag up and put it in a pocket plus have stuff in all your pockets and refill your bag in the venue after you finish with “security” if that is better for you. When we were attending football games, I did that.
It’s not “security theater”, it’s legal CYA. If the worst happened then the arena could show that they took reasonable precautions. It won’t stop lawsuits but it can limit the damages.
Checking bags by security at Broadway theatres has been happening for several years. It is almost always a cursory check so I’m not sure how helpful it is. The Walter Kerr theatre is the only one I’ve seen that has metal detectors that everyone must walk through. Whether Bruce requested those, or his agent, or the producers, who knows, but it isn’t likely to happen at too many others, probably due more to the logistics issues rather than any lack of desire to keep people safe.
About checking those exits – that’s exactly the convenience the Aurora shooter used:
Anyone who is bent on this kind of destruction will find a way. It’s the same delusion people who live behind gates often feel. I live in a gated community. The gates are only an inconvenience to the people who live here. They do not deter any type of crime.
I remember years ago we were going to a show at House of Blues and my husband’s keychain was a problem. It was a small Swiss Army knife with a ~2 inch blade. He had to go put it in the car.
They sell beer in bottles. I could do more damage with a beer bottle than with his keychain. But whatever.
Unless of course ‘the show doesn’t go on’ and there is an incident. Line for lawsuits forms at the door…
How about you are offered a waiver to sign…if you agree to go to a venue that has dropped the security you agree to not hold them responsible for any injury.
Honestly, it seems that with some folks a business is danged if they do and danged if they don’t.
Actually, with terrorism, it often is. Terrorism is something where offense is relatively easy and cheap, while defense and security against terrorism is difficult and costly. And “costly” not only includes the monetary aspect (hiring additional police and security guards, etc.), but also includes the loss of freedom involved. Consider acts like shooting up a house of worship during services, driving a car into a crowd, etc. where defending all possible theaters, houses of worship, and crowds is enormously more expensive than making the attack. Also, a terrorist group can make a public threat to cause a fearful population to spend money and give up freedom to defend against the threat, even if no actual attack occurs. Of course, if no defensive measures are taken, the terrorist group will find it easier to attack.
Visible minorities often have it worse both ways, since they are often the targets of terrorist attacks, but are also more likely to be treated with greater suspicion by police and security guards, or sometimes by higher level policy ostensibly for greater security.