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Take Two

New York officials want to crack down on street characters

By Take Two Staff
Published Jul 30, 2014
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 31: Costumed characters Darth Vader (L), Superman (2nd L), The Hulk (R) and The White Ranger (2nd R) pose with Italian tourists Giorgia Grillini, 11, and her grand mother Mara Busi, from Bologna, Italy, during a protest in front of Los Angeles City Hall on August 31, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 31: Christopher Dennis wearing a Superman super hero costume holds a sign as he protests at the Los Angeles City Hall on August 31, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The super hero impersonators were protesting the arrests made by the Los Angeles Police Department of costumed characters along Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame. According to the LAPD, officers received reports of tourists being aggressively solicited by the costumed superheroes, resulting in arrests along Hollywood Boulevard. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Costumed characters Darth Vader (L), Superman (2nd L), The Hulk (R) and The White Ranger (2nd R) pose with Italian tourists Giorgia Grillini, 11, and her grand mother Mara Busi, from Bologna, Italy, during a protest in front of Los Angeles City Hall on August 31, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.
(
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
)

Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.

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New York officials want to crack down on street characters

Over the years, Hollywood has been known not just for stars of the silver screen, but stars of Hollywood Boulevard.

That's where tourists pose with people dressed up as all sorts of characters — from Minnie Mouse to Superman to Chuckie — the maniacal doll from the 1988 film, "Child's Play." We're not the only town with these colorful characters; you'll find similar ones in Times Square in New York City. 

But lately they've been stirring up trouble and city officials are looking for ways to crack down on them. For more on what legally is possible in such a situation, we're joined by Jonathan Turley, constitutional law professor at George Washington University.