More on police bullying and incompetence in handling RNC demonstrators in this Newsday article. Apparently orange netting is the new tear gas:Meanwhile, at Ground Zero -- a touchstone symbol in this year's presidential race -- a peaceful march turned sour as police strung orange nets at Vesey and Church streets, corralling 200 people including journalists and onlookers. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly blamed the Ground Zero arrests on march organizers "reneging on an agreement not to block traffic" and "failing to walk on sidewalk instead of street."
But many detainees told reporters they were not aware of the rules. "They said as long as you observe the red lights, it shouldn't be a problem," said Bob Curley, who was arrested with his son. "Then we walked off the sidewalk and across the street and that was the end."
As Tom Hayden puts it, "The protesters got in Karl Rove's sound bite...there have never been so many people protesting a political convention of the 80 in our history, and there have never been so many people arrested." Damn right about the sound bite. It was a good feeling after marching Sunday to see the protester crowd photo on the New York Post's front page. Especially since the picture of Dick Cheney's Ellis Island convention kickoff speech ran inside. Surely that would have been given bigger play if everyone hadn't turned out in such record numbers?
And scooters are the new horses, being driven into crowds. I love this quote from the NY Times, not normally a pro-demo paper:
"People coming off the subways were thrown to the ground and the steps of the library were left littered with chairs and debris."
I'm bumming that I can't be there. But I do have my banner. Friday or Tuesday morning it's going up.
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More on police bullying and incompetence in handling RNC demonstrators in this Newsday article. Apparently orange netting is the new tear gas: As Tom Hayden puts it, "The protesters got in Karl Rove's sound bite...there have never been so many people protesting a political convention of the 80 in our history, and there have never been so many people arrested." Damn right about the sound bite. It was a good feeling after marching Sunday to see the protester crowd photo on the New York Post's front page. Especially since the picture of Dick Cheney's Ellis Island convention kickoff speech ran inside. Surely that would have been given bigger play if everyone hadn't turned out in such record numbers?
- tom moody 9-01-2004 7:59 pm
And scooters are the new horses, being driven into crowds. I love this quote from the NY Times, not normally a pro-demo paper:
"People coming off the subways were thrown to the ground and the steps of the library were left littered with chairs and debris."
- barry (bloggy.com) 9-01-2004 9:49 pm
I'm bumming that I can't be there. But I do have my banner. Friday or Tuesday morning it's going up.
- mark 9-02-2004 10:21 am