Apple is one of the most loved companies on the planet, but the authorities in New York fear that the refusal of those in Cupertino to help the FBI unlock an iPhone used by a terrorist, could motivate ordinary citizens to behave in the same way.
The authorities refer to the cooperation that American citizens have offered to the authorities investigating various cases and not to the court mandates that compel people to help the authorities, fearing that their work could become much more difficult.
Looking at things from the perspective of the police, it is true that there is a good chance that many people will stop offering their help just because the FBI tried to force Apple to unlock an iPhone, and this has probably already happened.
On the other hand, criminals are not even obliged to cooperate with the police, although this can reduce the punishment they can be sentenced to, but in the case of ordinary citizens, the police must ask for court orders to force cooperation.
If Apple were to prevail in this court, the public at large may think twice about cooperating with law enforcement when called upon to do so, invalidating centuries of well-settled law and common practice. Second, Apple's refusal to provide assistance, if validated by this court, will have far-reaching public safety ramifications by giving criminals a safe haven to conduct their unlawful activities.
What do you think, are there chances that ordinary people will refuse to cooperate with the US authorities because of the fact that they harassed Apple?
