Security Vehicle Incident at Providence Place

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A close call today at the Providence Place Mall, when a security vehicle crashed through one of those green-color barriers. The SUV was left dangling, but fortunately it did not fall down 4 stories, and the rescuers were able to get the driver out safely and move the vehicle out of harm's way. On NBC 10 they mentioned a mechanical problem may have been to blame, but the incident is under investigation.

On ABC 6, really glad I tuned in for this, they showed an incident between Jim Hummel of ABC 6 and the security personell at the mall. They wanted to use a public way near the mall to get a closer shot of the dangling vehicle when all the trouble started. Security claimed that it was private property that belonged to the mall. When a supervior, I guess, came out and was towing the co. line insisting that it was private property. Despite the obvious fact, that the security folks were letting other members of the public walk by and take pictures with their camera phones. The supervisor told the camera man to shut the camera off or he would rip it in half. The camera man said no he wasn't shutting it off and that if the other man broke it somebody was going to be paying for it. Hummell brought up the fact of other people not being prevented from going in this "restricted area" w/ a safety issue, that the news crew was a part of the general public, no better no worse.

Let me say the following: Thank you ABC 6 for not backing down . The first security official they talked to said that outside of the current environment and if he was in a different uniform he threatened to kill them. This is a disgrace - not the accident as far as I can tell, too early to place blame there - but the handling by these "trained professionals" with this situation and their inapproapriate and uncalled for treatment of legitimate and professional members of the media. Thankfully the cameras remained rolling and their actions are caught on tape.

As a regular patron of Providence Place, I hope there is a way we can fire the three or so security officials involved in that. You people are dispicable. By the way, I know the mall is privately owned, but some $100 million or so in tax breaks - ie: public $ - was handed out when the mall was built. I think we should be able to have that terrible trio canned because of that.

[Cotuit]

The ProJo news blog has a photo.

[basachs]

Got your wish, the guard was fired.

http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/newsbl...guard_fire.html