Central New York an armed fortress for Republican convention

[Nambe]

NEW YORK (AFP)

New York authorities are turning central Manhattan into an armed security fortress for the four-day Republican National Convention that opens next Monday to nominate President George W. Bush for a second four-year term. ..

Police say the area around the Garden will be sealed off to an 18-block radius, and only vehicles with special police permits will be allowed to enter.

That security perimeter will be patrolled around the clock by a 10,000- strong security force including New York City police, New York State police, FBI (news - web sites) agents, SWAT teams and attack dogs.

The city security force will be reinforced by the US Coast Guard, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, US Secret Service agents and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Security will be doubly tight along the three streets and three avenues abutting the Garden, access to which will be strictly limited to local residents and those accredited to the convention. ..

Ride Don’t Drive * * It’s Global Cool

[DenverDem]

1. It takes a lot to protect the power elite from The People

they opress.

[bluestateguy]

2. Name that country

A. Soviet Union
B. East Germany
C. Cuba
D. Saddam's Hussein's Iraq
E. America

[jdj]

13. Who's afraid of another French Revolution? n/t

[LisaL]

15. F. Bushes America

[SoDesuKa]

3. Voters Will Be Offended

I can't imagine not being offended by all the security. Bush may find he gets a negative bump from the convention, especially if innocent people are seriously hurt during disturbance that the Republicans provoked.

Remember Chicago 1968. The police riot took a toll on the Democrats. There's no call for a president to be so afraid the people that he lines the streets with troopers. Really, there isn't.

[jdj]

14. Tin soldiers and Dubya coming...

I'm afraid for people this year, especially after the Miami protests.

Neil Young may have to pull a 'candle in the wind' on this tune:

Tin soldiers and nixon coming,
We’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and nixon coming,
We’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in ohio.'

I am scared.

People please be safe.

[napi21]

4. I saw that on TV!

My son works in Sicily. He said he might have to come back to the states for a few weeks to do a specific job for his company. I told him that was great because he could stop for a visit, but I hope he wouldn't have to do the job in NY. On TV, it looks like downtown Bagdad! Men carrying automatic rifles are everywhere. The only thing missing are tanks, and I sure hope we don't see that!

[saigon68]

19. DON'T FRET ----TANKS ARE COMING SOON TO AMERIKA

ITS THE NEONAZI METHOD OF CROWD CONTROL--- remember Prague 1968----

[pfitz59]

5. Residents?...Businesses?.....Who gets in...or out?

18 block layer of security, plus another 20 or 30 blocks of protestors. What about the subways? Are they re-routing trains, buses and ferries? What the hell kind of country are we living in? Who's paying for this level of security? Bloomberg? The RNC? No....its coming out of OUR pockets! I hope the protestors pelt RNC delgates with every rotten tomato and stinky fish-head they can find! Bush* may live in a security bubble, but his scumbag supporters don't!

[Chovexani]

24. It's a total mess.

My cousin works at Macy's, which is practically across the street from the Garden. He takes the 2 train there (Penn Station stop, under the Garden).

He has no idea how he's getting to work.

[tlcandie]

6. And we all know what they do with the attack dogs!!!!

:cry: PLEASE be VERY careful everyone!!!

[TankLV]

7. Central New York? Why Syracuse?!

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[SoDesuKa]

11. He Meant Midtown

Actually I don't know what that area is called. "Midtown" is farther east. When I say "Penn Station area" people usually know what I mean.

[TankLV]

20. Duhhhh.

Some people don't recognize sarcasm, I guess.

[LosinIt]

23. I was wondering why they were arming Syracuse myself.

grin

[SoDesuKa]

26. Central New York

I've never heard the term "Central New York" used to describe any part of Manhattan.

[Chovexani]

25. You read my mind

What a bizarre headline, LOL. Obviously written by an non-New Yorker.

Do these people even look at maps? :P

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. "The Republican Guard"

It was on tonight's Daily Show. ROFL!!! Thank you, Jon Stewart!

[JDPriestly]

9. Did Bush say something about freedom? Whose freedom? Where?

[Matilda]

10. Can't be too careful ...

Those damned Democrat terraists are everywhere!

[SoDesuKa]

12. Swarming With Cops

Penn Station was full of cops tonight. I'm not sure what the reason was. I saw at least 100 cops in formation.

[leesa]

16. Cowards.

[loudsue]

17. IF ONLY !! If only the friggin' MEDIA would show it!!

If the media would SHOW what this looks like!! If the media would SHOW what the barricades around the White House looks like!! If only Americans could actually SEE what bush has done to this country!!! Maybe we could get rid of those corporate voting machines that are counting our votes, and vote these assholes out of our government FOREVER!!!

O8) Oh good Lord, let it happen SOON -- BEFORE it's too late!!!! O8)

:kick::kick::kick:

[TransitJohn]

18. They hate us for our freedoms.

You can't handle my freedom.

[Occulus]

21. We were shocked as kids

when leaders of other countries did this. At the time, it was what Commies did.

[saigon68]

22. Tanks in the streets

The new "security" for the 21st Century.