NYC: Bloomberg bans anti-Bush rally.

[MadProphetMargin]

New York bans rally against Bush

By Jeremy Cooke
BBC correspondent in New York

Political activists opposed to US President George W Bush have been told they will not be allowed to stage a huge rally in New York this weekend.
The planned anti-war protest in Central Park was to coincide with the eve of the Republican Convention and would have begun a week of protest rallies.

It is meant to make life uncomfortable for the president and his supporters.

Organisers say the ban is a violation of their constitutional rights of assembly and free speech.

A judge at New York's state Supreme Court has ruled that the rally, which was expected to attract a quarter of a million demonstrators, cannot be held in Central Park because of the damage which may be caused to the grass.

The city has given permission for a march to pass the convention centre in midtown Manhattan on Sunday.

However, organisers have warned that in the absence of a place to gather legally, demonstrators may move on Central Park afterwards and that could bring the possibility of provoking clashes with the police.

Leslie Cagan, co-ordinator for the United for Peace and Justice group, said the ban on the demonstration was politically motivated by the Republican Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg.

"A Republican mayor hosting a Republican convention has done everything designed to undermine the demonstration against policies of a Republican administration," she said.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3600200.stm

Another 1968 in the making, I wonder?

[Lucky Luciano]

1. ANother '68 style convention may be just what the doctor ordered.

I will not be there since I am going to be at Burning Man in the Nevada desert, but a protest of this magnitude could at least project an image to the rest of the world that not all Americans are right wing nutjobs demanding the rest of the world be subservient to them. It could be good from a PR perspective to let the world know that many Americans - a majority even - do not approve of the b*sh family evil empire (BFEE).

[MadProphetMargin]

2. The funniest part is, the police are on strike, unless I am mistaken.

What if you threw a party, and nobody came? :lol:

[bowens43]

3. For what it's worth

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

[Brian_Expat]

4. Grass has more rights than people?!?

Honestly, what's more important -- the right of the American people to have their voices heard, or a few acres of easily-renewed grass?

Jesus, what is happening to America?!?

[MadProphetMargin]

5. What is happening to America, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

It's dying of neglect.

Republics only last as long as the population cares about them.

[truthspeaker]

6. a lawn that was specifically designed to handle crowds

[kcwayne]

7. CNN was talking about anarchists causing problems

They were talking with someone connected with the NY police (I think) and he was suggesting that there might be 200 ANARCHISTS out there wanting to commit acts of violence. I think he misread his script from the RNC, I think he was supposed to say ANTI-CHRISTS.

How low will they stoop to shovel manure to low-brows?

[lpbk2713]

8. I have a bad feeling here.

With all these restrictions imposed on any form of ant-Bush activities, there's going to be one hell of a backlash. Bad thing is it will give the Dems a black eye in the process. I wonder if this is the RNC's plan after all?

[PATRICK]

9. Feeble, 11th hour scam

as expected of cowards. The same last minute transparent pretext failed to stop Michael Moore, but this involves masses of people.

American tanks won't stop the Shia from taking back what is theirs peacefully. I wish we had the studied unity of purpose and resolution to overcome this petty maneuver and somehow also beat the lying spin artists with their cameras and dogs.

They will use this same last minute trick every time they want to stop a show of truth or democracy. It must never be allowed to work in any way.

Are the planners prepared for this?