BART Disables Cell Service To Disrupt Protests

"In a statement released Friday, the government-run transit company said it allowed expressive activities, protected by the First Amendment in its public areas. But in the areas accessible to paid ticket passengers, it interrupted the phone to ensure safety for its customers and employees. “BART temporarily interrupted service at select BART stations as one of many tactics to ensure the safety of everyone on the platform,” the statement reads.

No protest occurred on Thursday night, but cell phone service was still interrupted.

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But some are saying that BART’s actions were an infringement on the First Amendment. Jillian C. York, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, wrote on Twitter, “So, what BART actually did was ‘pull an Egypt’ — they literally asked cell carriers to shut down.” A hashtag started on Twitter mashing up the ousted Egyptian leader’s name with the transit system: #MuBARTek."