bomb hoax at Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto

[darknights]

Well a few nights ago a suspicious package was found in the lobby of ROM, inside the bag was note with a "device", that said this is not a bomb. Long story short about two blocks of Bloor Street was closed off by Toronto Police Bomb squad to dispose the package only to discover it was a fake. News later reports that it was fake and was planted by an 3rd OCAD, Ontario College of Arts and Design, student for a film project that he was doing. According to him, in an interview with CityTV, he said he did this (if I remember correctly) to take something out of context or some mumble jumbo along those lines all in the name of art. As a result of this hoax a major AIDS charity event at the ROM had to be cancelled.

Now that background info is done.. I honestly believe that this is unacceptable for anyone to do, even in the name of "art", in the world the we now live of post 9/11. Now what piss me off the most that this art student in the same interview express no remorse in what he did in shuting down the a major part Toronto, wasting my tax(and the millions who live T.O.) dollars for his project, and cancelling an event for AIDS research. They've charged him with Common Nuisance, and Mischief Interfere With Property; in which my opinion is not sufficient enough(yeah I maybe overreacting, but heck I think I've earned the right). The bastard should be charged bomb related threat or somethin....

What do you guys think?? What do you think was acceptable in the name of art?

and whats, well for me anyways, scary as shit is that I was working at my co-op barely half a block a way from the ROM.

here's some coverage on it, so you can have a better understanding

Art student charged in ROM bomb hoax
Last Updated: Friday, November 30, 2007 | 6:56 PM ET
CBC News
A 24-year-old male student at the Ontario College of Art and Design has been arrested and charged in connection with a bomb hoax Wednesday night at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Thorarinn Ingi Jonsson, who is from Iceland and in Canada on a student visa, was charged with mischief and nuisance. He has been released on $33,000 bail.

A suspicious package was left outside the ROM on Wednesday. Toronto police were called and a fundraising event for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research was cancelled.

Police said the package was made to look like three pipe bombs wrapped together.

A video posted online simulated an explosion at the museum.

College president Sara Diamond said the video was linked to a video production course at the school.

"The video was turned in as part of a school project," said Diamond. "One of our assistant deans who was extremely responsible let me know about the video and expressed concern that there was a link. And I looked at the video and talked with the assistant dean and felt that there was enough of a basis to go forward in contacting the police."

Continue Article

Diamond said two faculty members have been suspended with pay while the school investigates.

Jonsson said the entire episode was a conceptual art piece, including a plastic, wood and glass sculpture and a video.

Elissa Beckett, executive director of the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, said the cancellation of the gala cost the organization about $100,000.

Meet The Man Who Claims To Be Behind The ROM Bomb Hoax
Thursday November 29, 2007
CityNews.ca Staff
His name is Thorarinn Jonsson, and he's a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) on McCaul St. He also says he's something else - the man behind a bomb hoax that shut down an AIDS fundraiser at the Royal Ontario Museum and a busy section of Bloor St. West on Wednesday night. The prank cost CANFAR, the Canadian Foundation for Aids Research, at least $100,000.

Jonsson admits he didn't expect the reaction his school project engendered and he didn't know anything about the charity event going on near the laneway where his "art" was hidden. It consisted of a device that resembled a real bomb, with wires and a circuit board, stuffed into an LCBO bag. It was accompanied by a note that read "this is not a bomb." But authorities couldn't take any chances.

The 25-year-old remains relatively unrepentant about an escapade that also cost police hours of their valuable time and an equal amount in rustling up the necessary experts and equipment to defuse the phony explosive.

"I expected the police to immediately realize what they were dealing with," he claims. Two videos surrounding the hoax were posted on YouTube, one here, the other here. One shows a girl going through the ROM when an apparent explosion takes place. Jonsonn calls it part of his final assignment for the school.

"I'm taking something that's clearly a sculpture. It's clearly not a bomb. But by taking it out of context and putting it into another context, by leaving it lying around ... it suddenly takes on a different meaning."

Does he feel bad about the effect it had? "I think the piece is pretty important ... Police waste their time all the time doing all kinds of things."

OCAD's president is embarrassed by the scare and has issued an immediate apology. "OCAD is very regretful about this incident," confirms Sara Diamond. "We think it is very grave. We're very shocked at the impact it's had on the Royal Ontario Museum."

Jonsson maintains he didn't know about the fundraiser and feels bad that it was disrupted. "I feel awful. I planted it hours before. The most I expected was maybe the museum would be closed a little bit early or something like that, but I had no idea the fundraiser was going on that night." He claims he would have chosen a different day had he known - but he still would have proceeded with the project.

That does little to placate CANFAR reps, who planned the gala soiree for months. "To say an apology is insufficient in my opinion," replies Elyssa Beckett. "It's quite upsetting. It is a huge number of people, hundreds and hundreds of volunteers and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of donations that go into making this."

Jonsson's response? "Needless to say I think it was a crazed overreaction and I think it's a shame that all these resources went into it." Does he blame himself? "No," he answers without much hesitation. "I put it on the situation."

Jonsson and two OCAD teachers have now been suspended as a result of the hoax, even though it appears the instructors didn't authorize the project. As for the student who started it all, he turned himself over to police at 52 Division on Thursday night at around 8pm. He's been charged with Common Nuisance, and Mischief Interfere With Property, and will make a court appearance on Friday.
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[rookiebombtech]

he should be charged for faking a bomb or something not to big on laws myself or at least deported as he is a foreign national

[Admiral Donutz]

Well to be hones ti say he had a bad timing but and the execution should have been better coordinated. I think it's perfectly fine to mae a fake bomb (or some other thing such as a "item or clothing and putting it in a certain enviroment to make it a "suspicious item" or "suspicious clothing" ). But if I were him I would have:

A) Made sure I were around the scene so incase somebody would take the project seriously you could step in and explain it's a fake (open bag, show clearly fake contents0
B) Make sure it wasn't at an inconvinient time such as during a special opening, meeting or whatever.

This reminds me of the police here getting all worked up of a bomb rucksack hanging to he sikde of a museum (of arts) with wires and all so it looked like a B movie prop (something so obviously trying to appear to be a bomb it has to be fake). The whole area was cleared and all and there was a lot of people getting worked up about it, then it turned out the museum had put the thing there with the theme of how such a simply (clearly fake) thing might cause panic. The police wasn't amused.

It's good to be alert, it's not good to get all worked up over every suspicious nd unattend item or object you see. Don't live in fear, use your brains, if something really seems to be fishy there are almost certainly more things to tell something isn't right. Or on the other hand, you might not have a single clue untill it hits you... somebody smart would keep a bomb hidden from view and all so not to attract any attention what so ever.

That doesn't mean everybody can just go out their and try to provoke others for the hell of it either though.

[Ipse]

Those punishments (if they are called punishments) are too lesser.

The Museum is one of my favitote places is Toronto