Do not take picturesof the Dorchester gas-storage tank... [View all]

James Prigoff said he was merely trying to take photos of the Dorchester gas-storage tank, and then counterterrorism officials showed up at his door.

The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging federal officials in court after an 86-year-old professional photographer landed in a terrorism investigation database for trying to snap photos of Dorchester’s historic multi-colored gas storage tank.

In a lawsuit against the government’s “Suspicious Activity Report Program,” a joint collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and state and local authorities, the ACLU claims that in 2004, James Prigoff, who was 76 at the time, was scrutinized by investigators after visiting Boston and attempting to take pictures of the “Rainbow Swash” artwork that marks the large tank that can be seen from the highways.

As Prigoff, a professional photographer, allegedly had his camera at the ready while outside of the property, he was approached by security guards and told to leave the area. Later, when he returned home to California, agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force came to his house and left a card on his door, asking the photographer to call them immediately.

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2014/07/11/aclu-james-prigoff-terrorism-task-force-lawsuit/