Mayor Stands By His Decision to Block Protest in Central Park

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/12/nyregion/12protest.html

Mayor Stands By His Decision to Block Protest in Central Park
By WINNIE HU

ayor Michael R. Bloomberg yesterday stood by his decision to block huge protests in Central Park during the Republican National Convention, and questioned why organizers had backed out of an agreement to rally instead along the West Side Highway.

After weeks of negotiations with the city, organizers for the largest protest group, United for Peace and Justice, reversed course this week and pledged to continue pushing for a permit to stage a rally for as many as 250,000 people in Central Park. City officials have repeatedly turned down the request, saying that the park cannot handle a rally of that size.<snip>

William K. Dobbs, a spokesman for United for Peace and Justice, said that his group initially agreed to the West Side Highway site for the protest because the city gave them no other choice. Since then, he said, city and police officials have failed to resolve outstanding concerns, like whether barricades would be used and how the protesters would get drinking water.On Tuesday, the group reapplied for a permit to use the Great Lawn in Central Park, this time requesting the North and East Meadows as well, to accommodate the crowds, Mr. Dobbs said. The application was again turned down, and Mr. Dobbs said his group was considering several options, including suing the city.

Mayor Bloomberg yesterday emphasized that Central Park cannot accommodate a protest by a quarter-million people, saying the decision to reject the permit was not based on politics, or concern that the grass would get trampled. "The issue is, you just can't put that kind of crowd together where you can't make sure that ambulances can get in," he said.

[snowFLAKE]

1. Perhaps Mr. Simon could hold a Concert

And perhaps a Protest could break out:

This video was recored live in Central Park on September 19, 1981. I think it deserves more than 5 stars. I think is the greatest video that ever was. Simon and Garfunkel sing infront of 500,000 people.

Hmm . . .why isn't the grass twice as dead?

[KurtNYC]

4. Or the B52's...

Exhausted from constant touring including a 1990 Earth Day gig before nearly 750,000 people in New York City's Central Park

Three times the grass-icide! Oh the humanity!

[Shadder]

25. Or Garth Brooks

who drew close somewhere between 250,000 to 1.1 million to central park depending on who you listen to. The grass seems to have survived that just fine....

[CarolynEC]

26. I was there!

It was an AWESOME experience, everyone in the crowd was just great. (I'd heard the attendence was closer to 1 million though.) Paul even had the good manners to thank "all the dealers selling loose joints" throughout the day. :)

Now, I'll grant you, a crowd of people grooving to the sweet sounds of S & G is probably a lot less prone to unruly behavior than a crowd united in its hatred of George Bush. But public spaces belong to We the People, and that means parks, sidewalks, even the streets if the numbers demand it.

To hell with "permitted protest" -- the very concept is sickening. I'm hoping people will just fill NYC to the brim, peacefully and with enough good sense to ingore the repug provacetours who will undoubtedly be delpoyed throughout the crowd.

[jayfish]

2. Absolute BULLSHIT!!!

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0%2C1%2C1576%2C00.html

<snip>
next Nobel Prize in math ought to be given to the guy who figures out how many people showed up to see Garth Brooks at Central Park in New York last night.

Crowd estimates for the show, a free concert broadcast live on HBO, are a tad--how should we say?--elastic.

In one corner, you have Brooks, Mr. Country Superstar himself, announcing from the stage that 900,000 people were in the (open-air) house. Maybe the lights got in his eyes, or that 10-gallon hat of his obstructed the view, because in another corner, you have New York police setting the crowd size at 250,000. (Paul Simon holds the Central Park record, with 600,000 at his 1991 summer outing.)
</snip>


How stupid do they think we are?

Jay

[freetobegay]

3. Well if they all just show up

Whats the Mayor going to do?

[Atman]

6. I think critical mass has been reached

I don't see how they can stop people from showing up now! Just like everything else the republicans try to stop, it just grows even bigger, ie, F911, lawlessness in Iraq. So what if there is not an "organized" protest. Now, people all over the world know that if they happen to drop by Central Park to play some Frisbee (I sell Kerry 04 discs on my site, btw...link in sig line) with some of their buddies, well wouldn't that be a nice day in the park, eh?

By refusing to even consider making the legal, Bloomberg assures the very chaos he fears. People will come anyway, but now there will not be the water or toilets I assume would otherwise be required under a permitted event. Plus, he'll simply have to send in riot police to keep order, and batons will start swinging, and the GOP will get just what it wants.

"The whole world is watching."

[AspenRose]

23. The best way to ensure people show up....

is to order them around by saying they can't.

What country are we living in, anyway?

[LosinIt]

24. "People will come, oh yes, people will most definitely come"

I think this is pretty close to the line by James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams.

[CaptainClark23]

5. Whose Park is it?

'nuff said about dat.

See you in the streets AND in the parks.

[KurtNYC]

7. This is a very irresponsible move on Buzzberg's part

Will only lead to further problems. Central Park is miles away from MSG and has been used for hundreds of large events. There is no reason to suspend Constitutionally guaranteed rights.

[fudge stripe cookays]

8. According to

Law and Order in an episode last night....

there are approximately 33,000 cops in NYC. If we have WAY more than 33,000 protesters there, what are they going to do? There won't be a one on one ratio to arrest everyone.

They can't have every cop in NYC there. They can have quite a few, but what about car wrecks? What about directing traffic around Penn Station? What about gang violence? What about murders elsewhere?

Show up, people. A statement needs to be made. That park is for the people and so is the rest of the city. We need to prove it!

[freetobegay]

10. Well they could call in the national Guard!

Oh wait a minute they are in Iraq!

[fudge stripe cookays]

18. I heard this about the hurricanes on the news this morning...

The Floridians won't have half as much help making it through during and afterwards (with looting, I guess).

Most of the National Guard that would normally protect things are in Iraq.

Thanks Dubya!
FSC

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. Good point! Ironic how an act of God

just might swing voters overwhelmingly in support of Kerry. LOL

(disclaimer/clarification: NOT laughing at the fact that Floridians will be seriously hurt or tragically die from the storm.)

[Nevernose]

14. Where do 250,000 practice civil disobedience?

Anywhere they want to.

The first day, people will go to the park anyway. Word will get passed around, and half a million people will be there by the last day of the convention.

[DinahMoeHum]

15. and the cops and firefighters may join the demonstrators!

not to infiltrate, not to spy, but to go on strike. They are VERY unhappy with Bloomberg.

I say go to Central Park. We don't need no stinkin' permits to exercise our Constitutional rights - especially not since that f**kin' goniff Bloomberg negotiated in bad faith with United For Peace And Justice.


:grr:

[Massacure]

16. Tear gas gets rid of crowds really fast.

[fudge stripe cookays]

20. Still, it must be done.

The other posters are all correct.

This is a necessity. We must protest at all costs. Tear gas or no. There will probably violence involved, if the Repugs have anything to say about it. Nevertheless, we must have our voice.

Argh! I wish I could be there!

I'm out of money and work leave because I've been traveling too much this spring/summer (DC march, Texas national convention, vacation).

[0rganism]

31. Tear gas turns a peaceful demonstration into an unruly riot

Watch the indy footage of the Seattle WTO protests sometime, and check out what happened when the cops pulled out the gas.

[prolesunited]

9. Does the article include the info

on crowd numbers from the concerts? If not, perhaps it's time to compile them and e-mail them around with relevant links. Heaven forbid the media should do its job.

[sui generis]

11. Mayor Bloomberg you are a dumbfuck

And you are being the Republican Party's personal bug eating butt-monkey.

I say we all show up anyway. How are they going to stop us? Anyone can use the park, just don't call it a protest. It will DEFINITELY make the news if NYPD starts playing Kent State, although in truth there I think in this case the police would back down. A quarter of a million people can be a bit overwhelming.

[TrustingDog]

28. would be so cool to have Buffalo Springfields 'For What it's Worth'

blasting in central park.

Hell, all over the city.

btw. briefly/partially caught something on AAR about NY and protests...

something about a NYC 'Shout-Out' - a timed protest where no matter where you are you stop what you're doing and shout out this something or other.
sorry, that's all I recall. anyone else know more?

great Idea.

[Catfight]

12. Time for a RECALL!

[tom_paine]

13. A Tranparent and Orwellian Lie

[Cha]

17. All of the posters here have great points...

Please e-mail UFPJ with your comments, too.

This is from their e-mail to me..


ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
============================================
Dear UFPJ supporter:

WE ARE MARCHING! On August 29, United for Peace and Justice will hold a massive, impassioned, peaceful, and legal march past Madison Square Garden, the site of the Republican Convention, to protest the Bush Administration's deceit and destruction.

But we will NOT be rallying afterwards on the West Side Highway. As we announced in a press conference today, exiling us to a remote stretch of sun-baked highway makes a mockery of our right to assembly: The deal is off.

Our medics have told us that the West Side Highway isn't a safe place for seniors, children, and people with disabilities to rally. Our sound engineers have told us that it's not possible to set up a quality sound system there. Many of our members have told us that they simply will not go to such an awful and marginal location. And our common sense has told us that this deal was a set-up by a Republican mayor openly hostile to free speech.

Central Park is the only sensible place for us to rally. We filed a new permit application today with the NYC Parks Department to rally in Central Park on August 29, using the Great Lawn, North Meadow, and East Meadow. We will keep you informed of the City's response.

Our march plans remain unchanged: We will assemble beginning at 10:00AM at Seventh Avenue and 14th Street, and step off at noon for our legal and peaceful march past Madison Square Garden.

You've supported us politically through this difficult struggle against the effort to repress our protest, and now we need your financial support, too. This long fight for our right to assemble has been very costly, and we need to raise more than $75,000 by the end of this week to move forward with our organizing efforts.

Every dollar you donate today is a statement of support for our right to hold this crucial protest against the Bush Agenda. Please dig deep into your pockets and make the most generous donation you can - we can't allow Bush, Bloomberg, and the Republicans to stifle our cry for peace and justice!

You can donate in several ways:
* Using a credit card online at http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate
* By calling in a credit card donation to 212-868-5545
* By mailing a check or money order to UFPJ, P.O. Box 607, Times Square Station, NY NY 10108

The war in Iraq worsens every day, the U.S. economy is battered, and our civil liberties are under assault, while the Bush Administration shamelessly tries to frighten the population into silence. We say NO to the war, NO to the lies, NO to the greed and the hate, and NO to the attack on our basic rights.

With less than three weeks remaining before August 29, we all need to kick into the highest possible gear to make this protest a success. Now's the time to finalize your plans to come to New York City for this crucial and historic day. Urge your friends, your family, your co-workers, and everyone you know to stand up against the Bush Agenda by marching with us on August 29.

Keep checking our website for new resources and information, and we'll see you in the streets!

In solidarity,
United for Peace and Justice

============================================
AUGUST 29, THE WORLD SAYS NO TO THE BUSH AGENDA!
Massive Protest at the Republican National Convention, New York City
* Assemble at 10:00AM, Seventh Avenue @ 14th Street
* March steps off at noon
============================================
Visit the RNC mobilizing section of our website for resources and to endorse the August 29 demonstration:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/rnc
============================================
We need your financial support to make the August 29 protest a success:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate
============================================
To receive email updates on the August 29 RNC protest, visit:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
============================================
ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
============================================

[realFedUp]

19. Protest all over the city

Put signs in windows, wear tee-shirts with
anti-bush slogans, don't spend any money except
to very small vendors who need to survive, travel
in groups with cameras and cell-phones, be
visible.

This country is a protest zone. Don't let
terrorists win.

[fudge stripe cookays]

21. RealFed's right.

Read as much as you can about the tactics they practiced in Miami and use them to prepare and protect yourselves!

Cell phones, hidden cameras to document brutality, plenty of change for phone calls, bail money for friends...I've never participated in anything this large or potentially violent. I want you all to be safe. We need you!

FSC

[CarolynEC]

27. "The country is a protest zone..."

Excellent point! There is NO SUCH THING as illegal protest, only specific behaviors at or during a protest can be termed illegal. If a site has been declared off-limits and cordoned off... well, protest somewhere else, even if that means filling the sidewalks all the way down 6th Ave.

The number one challenge is going to be for people to keep their heads, stay peaceful and proud, and not let the repug plants in the crowd incite them to violence.

Let the cops be the cops, folks. If they're making an arrest, rushing them or grabbing them isn't going to help.

If it's your buddy being arrested, find a way to head downtown to help get him sprung, rather than getting busted yourself for assaulting a cop.

And take heart in the knowledge that no police department in the world can arrest 250,000+ people all at once!

America is A Free Speech Zone!

[tedzbear]

29. Damn! I wish I was a New Yorker right now...

...because I would be visiting Central Park on that day (following the march of course).

Bloomberg is so unfair. There have been plenty of concerts at Central Park that have had 250,000+. This is such an obvious political decision in favor of Bush.

I hope the New Yorkers who are Democrats will not stay home. I hope they all hit Central Park that afternoon and evening.

Crossing my fingers.

[niceperson]

30. I don't understand

Why the West Side highway is considered a better place for a protest

[TankLV]

34. Go play in the street & stop bothering me!

Because the street is sooooooo much safer!

HA!

[indepat]

32. Nothing a Repuke does is ever based on politics: they are motivated

solely to act in the common good.

[enigmatic]

33. Bloomberg is a massive tool n/m

[BushLicks]

35. Not enough to do?

Shouldn't Bloomberg be scheduling a meeting witht he mayor of Las Vegas?

[malachibk]

36. I, and EVERYONE I know

will go to Central Park on 8/29. I dare them to stop us. Fucking idiots.

I just hope it doesn't get nasty.

[Nimrod]

37. Watched the infamous Seattle WTO "riots"

Saw them first hand, and believe me when I say it was a big hoohah over practically nothing. It could help prepare for the march though.

The vandalism in the Seattle mess was 90% perped by people not involved in the actual demonstration. Be prepared for that when you head to MSG - no matter how legally and peacefully you protest, some 12-year old jackoff is going say "Wow, there's a lot of noisy people out here, I'm going to break a window!" and you'll get blamed for it.

The tear gas: I saw it launched, and I can tell you why. It wasn't just to disperse the crowd, it was because emotions were getting up and people were acting completely stupid spilling out onto major streets and intersections where they were liable to get themselves injured or killed. Warnings weren't issued to disperse, they were issued to get out from in front of the extremely large metal objects traveling at 30 miles an hour.

Once the gas came out, THEN the whole thing degenerated into a total clusterf^ck, but it came out as a last resort to keep the protestors from getting seriously injured. My girlfriend's father at the time was a cop, and he got drug into all of it. He was extremely upset over it as a matter of fact, and he sure as hell didn't want to throw any tear gas.

Just keep yourselves safe, folks. :)