Zohran Mamdani banned Raspberry Pi devices from his inauguration as New York mayor - here's why
Attendees of Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral inauguration were blocked from bringing Raspberry Pi devices.
(Image credit: Future)
- Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero join list of banned items, including weapons, explosives and drones
- They stand out for being singled out – not categorized like other listed items
- It seems there were worries over network security
On the official list of banned items for Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral inauguration this week were Flipper Zero and Raspberry Pi devices.
However, unlike most of the banned items, these two pieces of tech were singled out by their names, not just grouped under a broader category like 'computing' or 'wireless devices', suggesting something bigger could be at play.
Flipper Zero devices have already been criticized by the government and regulators over potential misuse, like car theft and network breaches.
NY mayoral inauguration banned these two pieces of tech
Raspberry Pi was likely on the list because New York City could have wanted to ban small and programmable devices that have been associated with hacking or radio work. There's also a case of guilt by association, with the Raspberry Pi often appearing in the same circles as the Flipper Zero despite them being technically unassociated.
That said, an ultra-small computer like the Raspberry Pi could be used for wireless interference or credential cloning in conjunction with work carried out by a Flipper Zero.
Still, smartphones and laptops were not included in the banned list despite being able to do everything a Raspberry Pi can do, and more.
"Once a Raspberry Pi is banned, a smartphone sails through security despite being way more powerful, more connected, and more capable of surveillance or disruption," Phillip Torrone of Adafruit wrote, criticizing the list and floating the idea that it could have been AI-generated.
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New York City has not officially given a reason for these specific banned items, however Torrone worries other devices could be wrongly singled out next.