It is a popular campaign used in many public places, but some wonder if the "See Something, Say Something" phrase is being overused after the attack in Orlando, Florida.
Massachusetts authorities say police usually see an uptick in calls for suspicious activity after attacks, and more public involvement is not necessarily a bad thing.
"We'd rather be more proactive than reactive to those type of things," Cambridge Police Superintendent Joe Wilson said. "We want people not to feel afraid, but to aware of their surroundings."
Many say there is a balance between suspicious activity and stereotyping. On Thursday, the MBTA's Orange Line was delayed after an incident involving Muslim prayer.
MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola said in a radio interview that riders called police saying a Middle Eastern couple was praying and acting suspicious. The incident was resolved peacefully, but it has some questioning if public vigilance is infringing on religious freedoms.
"It should not be suspicious behavior to do an act of faith" Nichole Mossalam of the Islamic Society of Malden said. "What's happening now is dangerous. We're looking at labels instead of the human being."
It is Ramadan so there is a lot of prayer happening, but prayers aside, police say they hope this incident does not keep people from reporting things that are actually suspicious.
