Think twice before snapping a photo on a Las Vegas strip pedestrian bridge, or risk jail time

LAS VEGAS– It is now illegal to stand or stop on pedestrian bridges on the Las Vegas Strip, where visitors often pause to take photos amid the glittering casino lights or watch street performers.

Violators of the ordinance, which came into effect on Tuesday, could face up to six months in prison or a fine of $1,000.

Clark County commissioners voted unanimously this month to approve the measure banning people from “stopping, standing or engaging in an activity that causes another person to stop” on pedestrian bridges on the Strip. This also includes a maximum of 6 meters around connected stairs, elevators and escalators.

The ban does not include standing or stopping while someone is waiting to use an elevator, stairs or escalator.

Clark County said in a statement that the “pedestrian flow zone ordinance” is not intended to target street performers or people who stop to take photos, but rather to increase public safety by ensuring a continuous flow of pedestrian traffic over the bridges.

The measure “will help ensure that our world-class tourism destination remains a safe place for people to visit and cross,” the statement said.

But opponents say the ban violates rights protected by the First Amendment.

“That could mean the right to protest. That could mean someone who shares expressions of their faith. That could mean a street performer,” said Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada. Those rights, he said, are “protected at the highest level” in public spaces, including pedestrian bridges.

The county said it planned to post signs on the Strip indicating locations where stopping or standing is prohibited.