NYC protesters defy mayor's call for moratorium

[riversedge]

Source: USA Today



NYC protesters defy mayor's call for moratorium




Michael Winter, USA TODAY 9:27 p.m. EST December 23, 2014
protests

(Photo: Michael Graae, Getty Images)
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Defying Mayor Bill de Blasio's plea for a moratorium on protests over police conduct, hundreds of demonstrators in New York City briefly blocked busy Fifth Avenue on Tuesday night amid last-minute Christmas shopping and tributes to two slain officers.

Marchers were peaceful and generally kept to the sidewalks as they worked their way through the packed Midtown shopping district, media reported.

De Blasio had called for a halt to protests until after the funeral of two NYPD officers who were gunned down Saturday by a man angry over the police killings of Eric Garner, Michael Brown and other unarmed black men.

Police Commissioner William Bratton, who was in Rhode Island, called Tuesday's protest "unfortunate" in light of de Blasio's request.................

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/23/new-york-police-protests-continue/20833329/

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Peaceful protests

[riversedge]

1. #nycprotest comes to end at 125 and Adam Clayton Powell in Harlem. Police want them off the street.

Miguel Marquez ?@miguelmarquez 53m53 minutes ago

#nycprotest comes to end at 125 and Adam Clayton Powell in Harlem. Police want them off the street.
Embedded image permalink
Expand 0 replies 42 retweets 43 favorites

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. Glad not everybody is being cowed by the police political offensive.

[riversedge]

3. Fists in air in Harlem. #nycprotest has marched a couple more blocks, occupying 125th street. Police

Miguel Marquez ?@miguelmarquez 1h1 hour ago

Fists in air in Harlem. #nycprotest has marched a couple more blocks, occupying 125th street. Police watchful
e

8:53 PM - 23 Dec 2014 · Details

[7962]

23. "End broken windows"? Well, THAT shows a lot of intelligence.

NYC used to be a shithole. Cracking down on minor crimes was part of what made the city a great place to be again. It worked whether they like it or not. What they're advocating is "ignore minor crimes now!". Of course, as usual, "answer coalition" hijacks a movement. wont be long before they ruin the progress being made by the protests. Soon we'll see "free palestine" signs mixed in during protests against bad cops. And people will begin to ignore.

[LiberalElite]

27. It's arguable that the "broken windows"

tactic was the slippery slope to stop & frisk and an excuse for police brutality. That was a major concern here and deBlasio stopped it. I agree with his decision. However, A.N.S.W.E.R. is a bunch of "revolutionaries" that doesn't know how to get attention for themselves except by glomming onto various causes and aggressively trying to put themselves out there at every chance. It's dysfunctional to say the least and not helpful to movement organizers IMHO.

[jtuck004]

39. "Cracking down on minor crimes " < By black folk. The banksters on Wall $treet been arrested?

'Course, they weren't selling loose cigarettes and committing other crimes that rate the death penalty, eh?

Because stealing from Americans, cheating and foreclosing on over 7 million families who were thrown in the gutter, another 7 million loans underwater, and record profits while 10 million people move into poverty during the past 6 years, and recently changing laws and policies to try and do it again.

But then, they are a bunch of rich white folks, so no crime there.

It may be that if you are black it is still a shithole, like many other places, though a white person may have trouble seeing that.

[brooklynite]

40. Banking crimes aren't under the jurisdiction of the City of New York.

what other crimes should be ignored until the AG acts?

[George II]

4. If this was a demonstration against police conduct....

.........why were so many "demonstrators" carrying signs about a "livable wage"?

Scummy opportunists just looking for the limelight for their own purposes.

[daleanime]

6. ........

[lib87]

7. I Don't See Any of Those Signs

Not saying they were not there but I don't see the signs...

[George II]

9. There were many, here's one.....

http://static3.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2055236.1419382918!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/article-protest-1224.jpg

[branford]

8. You just described every protest in NYC.

I live across from the United Nations, and the disparate variety of causes and signs at ostensibly single issues protests almost every day never ceases to amuse me. I believe that there are simply some single issue protesters who hope for some coverage or people who essentially are professional protesters.

In any event, so long as they are peaceful, their protests are legal, if a little distracting.

[LiberalElite]

25. Lots of countries in the world - lots of problems - sorry

If you live across from the U.N. you have to figure people will be there hoping for attention from the diplomats for their grievance. P.S.: As a longtime protester - if you're distracted by their presence, perhaps their presence hasn't been in vain.

[branford]

32. I'm amused, as are most native and resident New Yorkers.

The protests near my apartment are usually quite peaceful, organized and the ubiquitous police presence in the neighborhood ensures that the rare rowdiness does not bother the actual residents. Turtle Bay is certainly not the Village or Union Square. Moreover, many of the daily or weekly protests have little to do with big international matters, and the protesters often just like using Dag Hammarskjold Plaza as a beginning or endpoint for smaller marches in midtown. The easy access to Grand Central Station also helps.

The number and variety of odd protesters, however, does distract from the primary protest. No matter the issue being protested, it is assured that the communists, more militant Palestinians, Code Pink and similar radical left professional protesters will be somewhere in the crown trying to shout the loudest, at least near the UN or by where I work in midtown. I've also managed to avoid the recent police protests by fortuity and the fact that I've been home sick with the flu.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

11. Here in the United States, we are permitted to carry signs.

This right is enshrined in the first amendment to our Constitution.

[George II]

14. I never disputed that, but the Mayor asked for a little respect for the families of the murdered....

...but the opportunists refused. Not only that, but they were demonstrating against "police murder" and threw in crap about a livable wage, too. What does THAT have to do with this? NOTHING.

Many of them are merely agitators looking for trouble regardless of the issue.

Again, everyone has a right to carry signs, but if you're protesting police brutality and so-called "racism" (remember, the two murdered officers were Asian and Hispanic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), why throw in the minimum wage issue? Why not add "a chicken in every pot"??????

Thoroughly disrespectful and disgusting.

[LiberalElite]

22. That group is exactly

a bunch of opportunists. That group, A.N.S.W.E.R. is about promoting themselves. I have direct experience with them as a volunteer with United for Peace and Justice. They are also prone to yelling "FREE FREE PALESTINE" every chance they get regardless of what the present protest is about. They gotta show how "revolutionary" they are. I'm left wing but I think they're nothing but trouble. Basically all their energy is used for them, not the greater objective of whatever protest they show up at.

[7962]

24. Amen! I added my .02 above. Thats the first sign of a disintegrating movement

IMO, anyway. Answer coalition is and always has been a very self serving group. Shame that so many are happy to be used by them.
I await the thrashing by those who know no better..........

[LiberalElite]

29. I would bet that

a lot of them don't know better. I didn't at first either.

[7962]

31. The term "useful idiots" comes to mind when I see it happening.

It does nothing to help the cause and usually ends up helping the average citizen make the choice to ignore them.

[bklyncowgirl]

37. Sorry to ANSWER get involved. When you dilute the message you loose mass support

I always thought the beginning of the end for occupy was when groups strayed from the "We are the 99%" message that everyone could get on board and glommed onto every vaguely left wing and socially liberal message and group around. The problem is that when you do that you are going to offend people who should be on your side.

[LiberalElite]

19. We in NYC can hold signs - but

not attached to any other materials other than cardboard tubes. NYPD assumes we're going to hit them so anything other than cardboard is banned. See: http://www.occupyyourrights.org/ Scroll way down.

[LiberalElite]

28. That's A.N.S.W.E.R's

normal behavior. Their involvement in this movement will hinder, not help.

[7962]

34. Right on cue, just saw a sign "From Ferguson to Gaza". I shit you not.

clip of protest footage in NYC and there was a couple people proudly waving those in the clip. Generously supplied by AnswerCoalition.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Good

[branford]

10. If they only "briefly" shut down 5th Avenue right before Christmas,

I assume that the police unions will only issue "brief" anti-deBlasio press releases or that some officers will only "briefly" turn their backs on the mayor. (Relax, I have no objections to peaceful protests, but they do appear to breach the reported understandings between the police unions and mayor).

More seriously, even though the protests appeared peaceful and legal, albeit some rhetoric was very inflammatory and blocking traffic technically not permissible, they do make deBlasio look weak and unable to deliver on the terms of the "ceasefire" with the unions. I'm not sure what the political implications will be, if any. It certainly will not endear the particular protest organizers to the mayor. If there are any of the fringe "death to cops" rallies before (or far worse, during) the funerals , however, things can get ugly real fast.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

12. There haven't been any "death to cops" rallies. nt

[branford]

13. There were, and the press plays the videos over and over.

Such protests were small and isolated, and represented a very small minority of protesters, but they were still organized and did happen.

They cannot be wished away because they are inconvenient or unsavory, and I'm certainly not accusing them of being representative of other peaceful protesters. If these militant protesters return, however, I guarantee that every major news outlet will be sure to play them on a loop.

[George II]

15. Yes there were!!! See:

Also....

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/23/who-started-new-york-s-dead-cops-chant.html

[LiberalElite]

20. This was the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition

a marxist-leninist group. I'm not impressed by them. IMHO they care more about A.N.S.W.E.R. and their agenda than any cause. They go their own way every time. I've attended antiwar and antiBush demos and they just don't cooperate with other groups. They also chant "FREE FREE PALESTINE" no matter what the demo is about. IMHO they're not an asset, they're a liability if organizers are trying to present a united front. They're a bunch of loose cannons.

[branford]

33. I agree.

The problem is that the viewers watching on television, particularly those outside the NYC metropolitan area or unfamiliar with the nature of local protests and the "usual suspects" who are disruptive, tend to see all protesters as a one group. Perception often creates its own reality, and shouting "death to cops" or anything similar it often what people remember. It's not fair to the bulk of peaceful and honest protesters, but there's little that can be done absent strict self-policing by the majority of protesters, which is extremely difficult and distasteful to many.

The police also know what the press will show and focus on, and although they might find the vitriol of the radicals disgusting, giving them their space is the far better political and pr strategy. The NYPD is smart, experienced and play the long game. It's one of the reasons that they are so popular, despite the opinions of many on DU.

[7962]

35. Spot on. nt

[riversedge]

16. NOW: Malcolm X Blvd shut down! We need stuck together cuz every 28 hrs our people are killed #ShutDo

I just found out there is a hashtag for #ShutDown5thAve


ANSWER Coalition ?@answercoalition 8h8 hours ago

NOW: Malcolm X Blvd shut down! We need stuck together cuz every 28 hrs our people are killed #ShutDown5thAve
Expand 0 replies 202 retweets 140 favorites








...................

Chicago Rising ?@ChicagoRising 10h10 hours ago

#ShutDown5thAve (live at http://ustre.am/FIGI ) #ICantBreathe #BlackLivesMatter
Expand 0 replies 18 retweets 7 favorites

hun's#WarOnChristmas ?@JenD1974 10h10 hours ago

#ShutDown5thAve march now heading north on 5th, at 56th st "
View photo 0 replies 13 retweets 6 favorites

Jenna Pope ?@JennaBPope 10h10 hours ago Manhattan, NY

Right now: marching in NYC. #ShutDown5thAve #BlackLivesMater
https://twitter.com/JennaBPope/status/547534373214769153/photo/1

[riversedge]

17. About 500 now at 59th and 5th for #ShutDown5thAve

im Eastman ?@TimBEastman 11h11 hours ago

About 500 now at 59th and 5th for #ShutDown5thAve #EricGarner

[7962]

26. "our people"? Imagine if someone said "You people"......

the outrage would be immediate. Sorry but you cant have it both ways.
This movement needs new leadership FAST before the average citizen puts them in the rear view mirror.

[THECHOSEN1]

18. No issues with peaceful protests

However the city is shaken right now and the message of the protesters will be viewed differently by the average person. To walk down fifth avenue in and out of cars, blocking traffic and touching the cars as they walk by will eventually inflame the situation. Just watch the response.

[LiberalElite]

21. Please see my post above -

A.N.S.W.E.R. is trouble IMHO. They're marxist-leninists who glom onto any cause. It's ironic they yell about the capitalistic parasites. They have their own agenda, united front be damned. The right wing rants about far leftists now they've got their "proof."

[THECHOSEN1]

38. I realized that

When I saw the Gazza sign. Not a lot to do with the cause.

[quadrature]

30. I call for Blasio to STFU...nt

[CullenBohannon]

36. Peaceful protesting is one thing

but attacking cops, getting up in their face and blocking traffic is going too far.

[Posteritatis]

41. Interesting that you equate blocking traffic and assaulting police officers. (nt)