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City Council committee wants ‘upskirt’ photo crackdown

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In response to what Alderman Ed Burke (14th) called “a lot of weirdoes roaming around” the City Council Finance Committee unanimously approved Friday an ordinance that bans “upskirt” photos and videos. The bill orders a maximum $500 fine for anyone caught taking an unauthorized picture “under or through the clothing worn” of the photographed individual “for the purpose of viewing the body of or the undergarments worn by that person without that person’s consent.”

Burke and Alderman Latasha Thomas (17th), the bill’s authors, said the ordinance was prompted by a Massachusetts Supreme Court decision this year that determined a man did not break any laws when he secretly took pictures up women’s skirts in a Boston subway.

The Massachusetts state government responded to the court decision with a comparably stricter upskirt law, penalizing violators with a maximum $5,000 penalty and up to two years in prison. Asked by Alderman Robert Fioretti (2nd) if the city might imprison lewd-picture takers, Chicago Police Department Sergeant John Nowakowski responded that Chicago is “looking at imprisonment” but has not proposed further penalties.

Burke, the Finance Committee’s chair, repeatedly insisted during the meeting that upskirt photos are a key issue and the ordinance is “one more additional tool to keep pace with the development of technology and the use of technology by people who have evil motives.”

Asked after the meeting what evidence there is upskirt photos are a significant problem, Burke said, “If it’s happening in Boston, you can bet your boots it's happening in Chicago.”

“Clearly there’s people roaming around wanting to take photographs under women’s dresses and skirts,” Burke added. “It’s not the type of conduct I think would be described as normal.”

Burke noted that local government in Boston responded to its upskirt photo controversy with an aggressive public information campaign on mass transit. The alderman said that it was up to the Chicago Transit Authority to see if a similar outreach blitz is needed for Chicago.

The upskirt discussion dominated a relatively modest Finance Committee agenda. Committee members also unanimously advanced, without discussion, a rehabilitation of the CTA's Wilson Red Line station.

The more than $200 million project is to be mostly funded by state government, but it includes $33 million in Tax Increment Financing. Among other changes to the station, the Wilson Red Line station will become a transfer point for Purple Line trains.

Matters approved by the Finance Committee are scheduled for final City Council consideration next week. 

Photo Caption: 

(Tom Butala)