"Illegal actions" end Dublin-New York City connection.
Two round sculptures, dubbed "The Portals," serve as lens-like installations with a continuous video connection to allow those in Dublin and New York to communicate. Some people have engaged in lewd acts in front of the cameras, but no audio is involved. The Dublin City Council is currently investigating means to prevent such behavior.
In a statement, the City Council had initially aimed to fix the issue on Tuesday, but was unsatisfied with the proposed solution of blurring the inappropriate actions. The team behind these installations, Portals.org, is currently considering alternative measures.
The City Council initially aimed to shut down the live stream on Tuesday night but later announced on Tuesday night that it was likely to restart later this week.
"We're thrilled by the number of people who've enjoyed engaging with the Portal since its launch last week. It's become a worldwide sensation, and we'd like to note that the vast majority of interactions have been appropriate," the statement read.
The artist behind the sculptures, Benediktas Gylys from Lithuania, designed these installations.
CNN Travel reached out to Portals.org and contributors on the New York side but did not receive responses at the time of writing.
The Dublin portal faces the city's main street, O'Connell Street, while the New York one is located on the Flatiron South Public Plaza at the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street.
The project's primary objective, as stated by Daithí de Róiste, the Dublin Lord Mayor, was to connect the world.
"As Lord Mayor, one of my key goals is to make Dublin more inclusive. The Portals project embodies this ideal, blending technology, engineering, and art to bring communities worldwide closer together and to allow people to meet and forge connections outside their social circles and cultures," de Róiste said in a May 8 statement announcing the project's launch. He also highlighted Dublin's "deep historical and cultural bond" with New York.
By July, Dublin plans to connect with cities in Poland, Brazil, and Lithuania, according to de Róiste's statement.
"I invite Dubliners and visitors to the City to interact with the sculpture and extend a warm Irish welcome to all the communities across the globe," de Róiste said in a May 8 statement.
This project is part of events planned for Dublin's 2024 EU Capital of Smart Tourism Designation.
The two cities' connection through "The Portals" isn't the first instance of this kind of real-time connection.
The first Portals linked Vilnius, Lithuania, with Lublin, Poland, in 2021, as per Portals.org's website.
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Despite the issues with inappropriate behavior, the City Council is determined to keep the live stream running, expressing their delight at the project's worldwide popularity and the majority of appropriate interactions. As part of Dublin's 2024 EU Capital of Smart Tourism Designation, the city plans to connect with other cities like Poland, Brazil, and Lithuania, encouraging travel and cultural exchange.
Source: edition.cnn.com
