NYPD Responds to Viral Video of Police Filming Fans Leaving Drake Apollo Concert

Some audience members leaving a concert by Drake at the Apollo Theater in Harlem came outside to see a New York Police Department officer filming those filing out, raising concerns from privacy advocates over what would be done with the footage.

The NYPD said Monday (Jan. 23) the video would only be used for a social media post, but there were still calls for the material to be deleted.

Music writer Jon Caramanica of The New York Times tweeted on Saturday night that the NYPD was filming those leaving the show at the Apollo Theater, putting up a video showing an officer seemingly recording those coming out.

In a statement, the department said the officer was part of the social media team for the local precinct and was getting video for a social media post about local events.

“The video will not be utilized for any other reason,” the department said.

But the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a New York City-based group that focuses on privacy and civil rights, called the videotaping “highly concerning” and that attendees were being surveilled without their consent. It demanded the video be destroyed.

See Caramanica’s video below:

here’s the video pic.twitter.com/xeCB96veU0

— Jon Caramanica (@joncaramanica) January 22, 2023