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'Portal' linking NYC and Dublin draws bad behavior
The 'Portal' art installation connecting New York City and Dublin via live-stream 24/7 has already drawn some less-than-savory behavior from visitors. FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini has the story.
NEW YORK - NYC's "Portal" – a sculpture that projects a livestream from another "Portal" in Dublin 24 hours a day – will temporarily shut down Tuesday due to some bad behavior by users.
The portal, located at the corner of 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District, has seen people connect with others in another country in real-time across thousands of miles in the form of greetings, messages shared, a proposal, and even an exhibition of Irish dancing,
But, somewhat unsurprisingly, there's also been some bad behavior.
According to the BBC, the Dublin City Council has announced that changes are being made to the way the installation will operate due to individuals engaging in "inappropriate behavior."
Videos circulating online included clips of a man mooning the portal, others pretending to take drugs, and images of the September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers.
The New York Post reported that the portal was briefly closed on Sunday after an Instagram model flashed her breasts to the portal.
Despite the issues, organizers insist that the troublemakers represent a small fraction of the people engaging with the portal.
"There's been a .1% interaction that includes some hateful messages, some nudity, and that ruins it for everyone," said James Mettham, President of the Flatiron Nomad Partnership. "So we're working closely with the portal team and the City Council in Ireland to figure out ways to make sure we can continue to show this. The vast majority are really enjoying the fact that they can peer into the city like this."
The plans are for the installation to be in place for the next six months.