NYPD's Chess Bust

DNAinfo broke a story yesterday ("Chess Players Ticketed by NYPD"), since picked up by The New York Times ("Police! Step Away from the Chess Table"), that late last month New York City police ticketed seven chess players at the Inwood Hill Park for ignoring signs near the chess tables that the area (adjacent to a playground) was "off limits to adults unaccompanied by a minor."  Both articles have drawn numerous comments, my favorite being: "Chess only leads to more violent board games, like Go and Risk."  Obviously, if they want to keep chess players away from children, they should just move the tables a pawn's throw away.  But it does make you wonder why we have gotten so crazed about "protecting the children" that we can't imagine adults going to a playground just to play.  Update: the New York Post made the story front page news under the headline "CHECK MATE" today.