Hi all,
This couldn't have been a better example [1] if we had dreamt it up it ourselves. I know most people's Bulgarian on this list is limited, so I'll try to provide the moments:
- An old house by fmaous Bulgarian turn-of-the-century architect Gerogi Fingov in the centre of Sofia is slowly decaying.
- The house is categorised as a landmark and protected.
- The owners are suspected want the house break down beyond repair, so it becomes dnagerous for the public and they are allowed to tear it down and build a highrise. (Common scheme in Bulgaria the past two decades, but that's a different issue.)
- The municipality is not getting active, at least not effectively, and there is a public outcry abou this. Corruption is often mentioned. (This too has happened many times in Sofia, but is also a different issue.)
- People start taking photographs of the house and posting them on social media, newspaper articles are written. There is a campaign to save this and other landmarks.
- The owners of the house send a cease-and-deist letter to one of the more famous photographers whose pictures have been most commonly used in media and online to take down all the pictures of the house.
- He complies, saying that he has no time/energy/resources for this particular struggle.
Theoretically at least news outlets could claim the "news" exception, but everyone else could now fear to get a notice if they continue with the campaign to save architectural landmarks.
I will contact the photographer.
Cheers,
Dimi