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Saturday, August 06, 2016

Performer takes issue with ‘martial law’ on Boardwalk

With litigation still pending on Ocean City’s busker registration process, one Boardwalk performer took to City Hall to air his grievances during Monday night’s session.

Violinist Ion Lucian Ionscu told the Mayor and City Council he had felt that life as an entertainer on the boards had been getting worse in the last few years since officials passed ordinances regulating acts.

“Honestly I feel like I am living under martial law,” he said to the council. “If you look at what the Boardwalk was three years ago, it was wonderful. There was nothing but friends.”

After struggling with the proliferation of Boardwalk performers with acts ranging from spray paint art to pole dancing, the City Council implemented a registration process for buskers for limited spaces on the boards up to Ninth Street in 2015.

Several performers protested the “first come, first serve system” and lodged a federal lawsuit against it. The complaint also lists unnamed Boardwalk businesses owners for “harassing … and acting in a manner to eliminate the performers.”

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ocean city would cram the boards if they could tax the earnings of the performers . It's all about money!

Anonymous said...

“...I just want you to know this may be my last season here,” he said. “I refuse to perform under this martial law....”
To the beggar - sorry - to the "violinist", how about this:
Go somewhere that you are wanted and appreciated. Join a band, an orchestra, etc.
What type of self-esteem do you have to sit there and beg - sorry (again) "play" - with a tip cup hanging in front of you? Have you no pride?
Replace your bow with a squeegee and hang out at a busy intersection and clean windshields. There's no difference.
And while you're at it, take that obnoxious, no-talent, spray paint idiot with you. He not only trashes the beautiful boardwalk, he makes it stink like hell. But he probably doesn't realize that, 'cause he wears a gas mask while begging. (Sorry: "performing")
The days of being PC are over. Let's tell it like it is, dammit. These people are just beggars, skirting and using loopholes in our laws.