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Video: Superman Arrested! Times Square Cops Cuff Man Of Steel With Zeal
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 13, 2009
Modified Jul 13, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 13, 2009
Modified Jul 13, 2009
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Inevitably, video has surfaced of last week's altercation between the NYPD and two men in Times Square dressed as Superman and Batman. You'll recall that police approached the men to inquire whether they had permits to perform in public, and when they failed to produce permits or ID, the Bronx man dressed as Superman, Maksim Katsnelson, ran off yelling, "I'm not getting arrested!" The police routinely order buskers to disperse from popular tourist areas, although it is technically legal to perform in most public places without amplification, as long as one isn't disrupting pedestrian flow.
It's unclear whether these two costumed men were "performing," soliciting cash in exchange for photographs, or just hanging out "having a good time," as Batman imitator Frank Frisoli told the Post. What is clear is that Superman's attempt to avoid capture backfired dramatically, leading to a sad/funny scuffle with police. (He was charged with assault and resisting arrest; Batman was later released without charges.) A witness says Superman punched the female officer in the face during the arrest, and she can be heard in the video shrieking, "Don't fucking hit me again! You're assaulting an officer!"
Below, video of Batman sitting sullenly in handcuffs after the incident—we're guessing Post columnist Andrea Peyser will actually be pleased to see those controversial lawn chairs put to good use arresting the rabble!
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batman
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Times Square
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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