A US street violinist was arrested on 9 May for performing in an
Atlanta subway station without permission. New York-based musician
Juan Pablo Chavez, who performs under the name Johnny Arco, claims
to have spent five days in police custody after the incident.
Speaking to local channel WXIA-TV, Chavez said a police officer had
grabbed him and ‘slammed me against the wall’ after telling him to
leave the Five Points station in downtown Atlanta. He was
subsequently charged with selling CDs without a permit and
‘misdemeanour panhandling’. The arresting officer, who was
responding to a passenger’s complaint about the music, also
reported that Chavez had refused to leave the station, instead
asking passers-by whether they had enjoyed his performance.
‘This young man, as talented as he may have been, was in violation
of state law,’ said subway spokesperson Lyle Harris. ‘We love music
and we love musicians, but the one thing we can't tolerate is
people who are going on the system and breaking the law.’ The
city’s subway network has a long-standing policy of not allowing
street musicians unless they have clearance to perform.
No comments yet