Protest Fallout

Protesters in the van; Photo: Bluejake

With the convention winding down, the coverage is turning to examine how the protests and police have coexisted these past few days. The NY Times goes through the NYPD's tools of the trade when dealing with protests, and Newsday looks at how protesters are able to inflitrate Madison Square Garden, in spite of the GOP's best efforts, like yesterday's AIDS' activists who disturbed Andy Card's speech. Standard Deviance does some down and dirty research into who exactly was the protester that was arrested during Cheney's speech. Protesters are also taking responsibility for the theft of the American flag on the Brooklyn Bridge. The ransom note of sorts on indymedia demands that Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and President Bush resign in exchange for the flag. The Daily News points out "If protestors accomplished the theft, they would have to have been skilled climbers or crazy, or perhaps both."

The Village Voice has an article by a protester who was locked up at Pier 57, aka Guantanamo on the Hudson. Gothamist saw a clip of Mayor Bloomberg commenting on protesters' complaints about Pier 57 being dirty and gross. His words were something to the effect of "It's not supposed to be nice...it's not supposed to be Club Med..." then realizes people who go to Club Med and Club Med itself might be a constituency, so he adds "I went to Club Med, and it was great..." Then he laughed at himself. Oh, boy. Some more "arresting tales" from the Daily News. And for our money, our favorite jailbird might be Satan's Laundromat for his 30 hour stint but we're a little disappointed he couldn't secretly harbor a camera into the holding pen.

Our roundups of photobloggers on the scene at protests and at the Convention: Days 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 2, 2004 1:20 PM

Comments [rss]

S.D.

Just saw the ABC Video. Good to know that Stupidness has no party allegience. Camera's Everywhere and that Boob Kicks a Woman... (Hey! That's No Way to treat a Lady!)

<sigh>

S.D.

"how do we trust national security to people who can't even secure a concert hall?"

LOL! That has to be the Best Question Re: National Security I've ever heard!

;)

hstencil

how do we trust national security to people who can't even secure a concert hall?

homeopt

I bet Guliani is getting a kick out of the martial law that's been imposed on NYC. He tried to impose it during his administration and damn near succeeded.

Oh well, at least he's impotent now.

barry

Here is a report of what's happening down there:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/9/2/17920/12073

Iphie

Does anyone know if the detainees that Judge Cataldo ordered released by 5:00 have been released yet? I haven't heard anything yet.

Eli

Does anyone else think that a class-action lawsuit against the nypd concerning their "holding pen situation" might be one of the possible repercussions?

barry

Tom Tomorrow has a link to the local ABC affiliate's video of a young GOPer kicking an ACT UP protester. No word on whether the NYPD are doing anything about it.

http://www.thismodernworld.com/weblog/mtarchives/week_2004_08_29.html#001728

barry

Yes, it seems they were trying to suspend habeas corpus until the convention is over:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/9/2/143110/3025

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/gopcon/wabc_090204_protestshowdown3.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/breaking_news/story/228258p-196028c.html

hstencil

even though I'm not so into the idea of either sneaking into the Convention and disrupting speakers or stealing the flag from the Brooklyn Bridge, I can't help but be somewhat awed by the fact that people were able to pull both off (and the former more than once!).

That probably makes me the equivalent of Bill Maher saying terrorists aren't cowards, but whatever.

Dazzle2112

The thing that is baffling about the flag theft is... WHY!!!!

I thought these protests were about opposition to Republicans invading this Democratic city. When push comes to shove the flag is a flag and represents Americans of ALL ilks; not just one party.

Stealing the flag does nothing but make poeple look at protestors like loons. And you know what? As silly as it might seem, but stealing the flag shows complete ignorance towards what America really is. It's not a Republican icon!!!! IDIOTS!!!!

NY'er

Badger, you have brought up some good points. In an effort to be heard, many of these protesters come across as shrill or misguided. These are intelligent people who are not taking into account whether they are helping or hurting their causes by their actions