City Denies Anti-War Rally Permit in New York City

[Iceburg]

Thank freerepublic.com for this one ...

http://wcbs880.com/campaign/politicsny_story_119202157.html
snip

City Denies Anti-War Rally Permit

Organizers Expected 250,000 Demonstators

Apr 28, 2004 8:32 pm US/Eastern
NEW YORK (AP) An anti-war group planning a massive demonstration at the start of the Republican National Convention in Manhattan has been denied a permit to rally in Central Park because the crowd would be too large.

The parks department denied the request by United for Peace and Justice organizers, who applied last June for a permit to rally in the park's Great Lawn after marching from 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue. The march permit request, submitted separately to the police department, is pending.

The anti-war group was preparing an appeal, which is part of the parks permit process, group leader Leslie Cagan said Wednesday.
"Now we just have to do another piece of organizing, to put pressure on the city to change their mind," Cagan said. "We take on issues like war and nuclear disarmament, so we have to keep a parks permit in perspective."

The permit denial letter said the Aug. 29 event, expected to draw hundreds of thousands of protesters, would exceed the 55-acre Great Lawn's capacity of 80,000 people. United for Peace and Justice indicated on its permit that it expected 250,000 demonstrators.

more ...

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. Well, they have Bloomberg (R-Lying Shill) in charge.

Gee, maybe that has something to do with it???

:mad:

[keithyboy]

37. American democracy live, and up close.

While we are about liberating Iraqis, maybe we can liberate ourselves.

[Bandit]

49. Bloomburg has actually been pretty good

If they pick another spot that can accommodate that many people I'm sure the permit would be approved. It is a public safety concern I'm sure.

[stevedeshazer]

2. Yeah, like that will stop it

The First Amendment, baby. Let's see them arrest a million people.

edited for typo

[belladonna]

5. Damn right, I'm more than willing to sit in a holding cell for a few hours

If that's what it takes to get our message across, so be it. I WILL be in NYC for the Repig Convention and I WILL march, by myself if I have to. :headbang:

[stevedeshazer]

7. I'm pretty sure

You won't be alone! :)

[nodehopper]

19. it might be more than a few hours

They are trying to impose unprecedented harsh sentences on non-violent civil disobedience acts.

[belladonna]

24. Then so be it

The boy king has had his way with us for far too long. Time to stand up and show them that we're not afraid to stand up to their petty BS and half assed attempts to run this country like the dictatorship that we all know Smirk wanted from the very beginning.

[nodehopper]

35. I agree with you...I just shudder at the thought of Miami redux

[Earth_First]

40. I cringe at the thought...

[Lizz612]

3. Please fix the font size

I know you are angry, but please bring it down to a normal size, we can all read it.

[Iceburg]

4. Sorry ...

[slinkerwink]

6. that sucks! you know what? we'll be there anyway!

Let's see them try to arrest over two million protestors!

[Renew Deal]

8. There are 2 ways to do this. The nice way and...

other ways.

[ikojo]

10. Earth First! always said

Direct Action gets the goods!

Permission was asked and it was denied.

Go ahead and do it.

[Earth_First]

15. Touche!

n/t

[kainah]

9. too large for CENTRAL PARK?

Well, I guess that tells us what a HUGE crowd they expect to turn out!

[teach1st]

11. 500,000 watched Simon & Garfunkle live in Central Park

1981

[Earth_First]

12. 500,000 watched the Dave Matthews Band...

...LAST SEPTEMBER at the Great Lawn in Central Park!

[PeteC]

13. Howard Stern

Try to get Howard involved. He has huge support in NYC and obviously doesn't like Bush.

[FlemingsGhost]

14. Question: How do you stop over a million people?

Answer: You don't. You can't. You won't.

[Earth_First]

17. Unfortunately, they will try...

How...your guess is as good as mine, but rest assured it will most likely not be 'pretty'

[maddezmom]

30. it'll be ugly for sure

:(

[Christ was Socialist]

16. Geez You people need to learn

You are up against a right wing fascist regime,and you are complaining about a permit. Fuck it just protest, i want to see them arrest a million people. It will be civil disobidence

[nodehopper]

53. Miami 2003 ring a bell?

And since you have such a haughty attitude, will you be leading the storm of the barricades? The permit was denied for one specific location, that has happenned in Manhattan before, that's not the optimal location for a rally anyway.

[RandomPi]

18. Who needs a permit?

This is America. Just do it!

[mmonk]

21. My thoughts exactly

who gave them the idea they could steal our constitution? Show up. Watch them try to cart that many people off. This is America whether they like it or not. Apparently they don't realize it is because THEY are the unAmerican ones.

[skooooo]

20. NY better get its shit together..

...and figure out how to handle all these people, because they WILL be there --- permit or no.

[Nancy Waterman]

23. Getting Howard Stern onto this is a great idea.

If they can have 500,000 for concerts they can handle that many to dis Bush!!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

22. CP can hold many, many more people than that... fuck them

we go with or without permits. I want to see what the fuckers do then.

[Kitsune]

25. Demonstrate anyway.

What are they gonna do, lock up 250k people?

[samadhi]

26. good

This will motivate more people to come.

[Just Me]

27. Actually, I never intended to go in the first place.

Why would I put myself in the "harms way" that the GOP would produce for me?

I "get off" being/participating in every small rally at every "doorstep" they visit within my range.

Besides,...they are SOOOO freakin' paranoid due to their own "evils". I don't have to do a thing. They create all horrors, without my participation.

We can carry our "rally" to many doorsteps: the white (dark) house, halliburton, Lincoln's Memorial, the Vietman Wall!!!

[ConcernedCanuk]

28. aaaahh - the New Republik of Merrikka - PNAC well on track

.
.
.


RIGHT.
.
.
.

[DoYouEverWonder]

29. Bloomberg is a fool if he doesn't let the protesters

use Central Park. This is probably the only place on Manhattan Island that can handle crowds this huge. We all know, that 100,000's of people are planning on protesting in NYC during the GOP Convention, no matter what. It would be in everybody's best interest to accept this fact and try to make sure that these people can gather safely and peacefully. Otherwise, Bloomberg is going to have a lot bigger problem on his hands, than messing up his precious lawn.

[lovedems]

32. And ruin the chance to arrest a bunch of democrats?

They are probably getting hard ons just thinking about the objectors they can put in jail.

[are_we_united_yet]

31. Why not

just apply for a 50 000 person permit?

[mike1963]

33. Huh? 55 acres is about 2.4 million square feet.....

for 80,000 people that's about 30 sq ft. per person, or a piece of real estate of a bit more than 5 by 5 feet. :wtf: :eyes: :grr:

[maddezmom]

34. denied because of damage to the lawn???

it's a protest over loss of human life....WTF?

[countmyvote4real]

36. Priorities are askew, aren't they?

What if we all take our shoes off before stepping on the grass?

Plus, it's not like the march to Central Park is across the street from MSG or any where near ground zero. CP seems like a natural holding pen for the protesters because it's really out of the way. Repigs would never even have to face it in person or on the media. (Our sell-out media whores will just not show it.)

So, let's all meet at 23rd and whatever and walk on up to the great lawn for a day in the park.

[thebaghwan]

38. Everybody should show up and shut the park down. Matter of fact we

ought to shut down the country until Bush leaves.

[NMDemDist2]

39. are we gonna see a repeat of 1968 Chicago?

that's what started the anti war movement all across the country, seeing the police club protestors on live TV

[rabblerouser_99]

41. RNC Anti-War Protest

Anyone old enough to remember the riot In Chicago in 68, has
to know that the violence, regardless of its source, helped to
elect Nixon. Violent riots this summer at any venue, will only
help to re-elect Bush.
Don't think that the right has forgotten how effective a few
well placed agitators can be in promoting violence.
STAY AWAY FROM THE CONVENTIONS!! Don't end up giving aid to
the enemy. The stakes are too high for self-indulgent
grandstanding, no matter how well intentioned.

[FlemingsGhost]

42. This is not 1968. Bush is not Nixon.

Agitators are expected, and planned for...

[Spirochete]

47. Here at DU

we never use the terms "re-elect" and "Bush" in the same sentence.
But welcome to DU, though.

[MrSlayer]

43. Have to do it anyway.

Would be hard to stop a quarter of a million people.

[NMDemDist2]

44. slayer I am begining to think you sig line pics are a real handsome couple

eom

[dusty64]

45. What are they afraid of, Democracy?

I think I'm going anyways.

[dbt]

46. There's a bullshit flag down on the field.

Since when has any crowd ever been too large for New York City? One hopes the Bloomburghermeister's staff is ready to deal with some phone calls.

:evilgrin:
dbt

[Thoth]

48. Permit, we don't need no stinkin' permit! - credit to Blazing Saddles, n/t

[ejcastellanos]

50. Protesters need to be ready - with cameras

If a large number of protesters arrive without a permit they had better be equipped with equipment to record the actions of law enforcement. I imagine any police force will be very edgy with a quarter of a million people who are gathered for any one reason.

The worst thing that can happen is that the protests turn violent. The logic and determination of the protesters should be readily apparent. Whenever a person in law enforcement approaches the crowd should deluge them in a sea of flash bulbs and lenses. Let them know that they too are being watched.

[John_H]

51. Aren't they afraid of another Chicago 1968?

when people were denied a permit to protest then protested anyway, sparking a huge violent showdown between cops and protesters. Lot
s of folks say that's what cost Humphrey the election in '68.

I can't believe they'd risk the same thing happening to chimp.

[gasperc]

52. because the crowd would be too large, takes the cake

the overwhelming opposition to the war in Iraq compels us to deny this permit for your protest, sorry.

You'll have to resort to other means that we can use as a reason to take away more of rights, throw in jail and oppress this unpatriotic opposition to the war in Iraq. Have a nice day.

:mad: