Some Dubliners feared for the state of Irish-American relations after “deeply anti-American rhetoric” and anti-social behaviour was broadcast across the Atlantic at the Dublin portal.
The art installation linking Dublin and New York City by way of a 24-hour live stream was unveiled on North Earl Street in early May but was put off air on several occasions earlier this summer due to anti-social behaviour on the Dublin side of the portal.
This included reported instances of drug-taking, images of the burning Twin Towers and pornography held in front of the real-time camera. The portal is now online between 1pm and 8pm Irish time and not 24 hours a day.
A sample of complaints received by Dublin City Council (DCC) released by the local authority under the Freedom of Information Act, has given a flavour of how some Dubliners felt about the Dublin Portal art installation.
In correspondence received by the council, one person urged the local authority to either move the portal “to the south side of the city” or get rid of it altogether.
“I understand there are probably 90 per cent of well-behaved people but it is the 10 per cent that are completely ruining the reputation of the city from drug-using, middle fingers, mooning and now showing New Yorkers 9/11 pictures,” noted the contributor. “It is a national embarrassment that this is happening. Whoever decided the location of this portal and whoever approved it should feel the same.”
Another person wrote to the council urging it to end the live stream between the city centre and New York, contending that “it may be inflicting damage upon the general relations and public perceptions between the people of New York, the US and the people of Dublin … The grotesque, inhumane, and deeply anti-American rhetoric that has been shared via the portal is offensive and unforgivable to millions of decent hardworking American citizens countrywide.”
The Portal: Are we overreacting to a bit of 'bad' behaviour?
Another person felt compelled to contact the council about the portal: “I am at a total loss as to why the fabulous concept of the Dublin Portal has turned out to be an absolute worldwide embarrassment in only a couple of days of its unveiling.”
The contributor criticised placement of the portal, claiming that the Talbot Street area is a hotbed for “drug-dealing, vandalism and people highly intoxicated on alcohol and drugs … I’m a proud Dub but I am so embarrassed and upset looking at the videos on social media they’re right up there with the night they attacked the city centre, I actually can’t bring myself to look at them any more.”
Problems with anti-social behaviour at the portal have since been resolved, according to Jamie Cudden, programme manager of DCC’s Smart City innovation initiative, with the installation proving to be “hugely successful”.
The council took several measures to improve the design of the installation, he said. It is now surrounded by planters stocked with flower beds and an improved feature that enables blurring of the live stream in the event of inappropriate behaviour.
Mr Cudden said the portal has become one of the top 10 free attractions in the city, with more than 200,000 visitors to the installation since its unveiling.
It has also had a positive knock-on effect on businesses in the North Earl Street area, he said.
There are plans in place to link Dublin to Lublin in Poland and Vilnius in Lithuania via the portal in the coming weeks.
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