NEW YORK (PIX11) – The Portal installation in New York City that provides a livestream of Dublin has been temporarily shut down after less than a week due to instances of "inappropriate behavior," organizers said.
The Portal will be turned off for a few days and return by the end of the week, according to the Flatiron NoMad Partnership.
The decision to temporarily close the attraction was made after videos went viral on social media showing people behaving badly in front of the Portal. Some of the inappropriate behavior included an OnlyFans model in New York baring her breasts and people in Dublin holding up swastikas and displaying imagery from the 9/11 terror attacks.
“The overwhelming majority of visitors to the Portal have behaved appropriately and experienced the sense of joy and connectedness that this work of public art invites people to have,” a statement from the Flatiron NoMad Partnership said. “Instances of inappropriate behavior have come from a very small minority of Portal visitors and have been amplified on social media.”
The temporary closure will allow organizers to come up with solutions to limit inappropriate behavior from appearing on the Portal livestreams.
New York City and Dublin simultaneously debuted their portal installations on May 8, offering a window between the two cities and connecting people in real time.
“The livestream provides a window between distant locations, allowing people to meet outside of their social circles and cultures, transcend geographical boundaries, and embrace the beauty of global interconnectedness,” said Portals founder and artist Benediktas Gylys said in a previous statement.
New York City’s Portal installation is located next to the Flatiron Building in the Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway, Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street. In Dublin, the Portal was installed facing bustling O’Connell Street in the central part of the city.
Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
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