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Cindy Sheehan, the mother who camped outside of George Bush's "Western White House" to demand he discuss her son's death while serving in the Iraq War, had been in town since Sunday, giving anti-war speeches to hundreds of people. But yesterday, her planned speech at Union Square was cut short by the NYPD who seized the audio equipment of event organizer Paul "Zool" Zulkowitz. The police say that Zulkowitz didn't have a permit to use a sound device and was given a summons. According to Indymedia reports, 60-70 people chased the police and chanted, "Police out of the park" and "Who's f-cking park? OUR f-cking park!" Sheehan was hustled out of the park quickly.
The NY Times talks to some people who felt this was another instance of the city shutting down their right to free speech and protest the war: Green Party co-chairman, Daniel Starling, said, "This is what's been happening for the last couple of years. Every time we try to hold a demonstration, they arrest us." It should be interesting to see what the NYCLU says about this, because Gothamist questions whether the city would willingly give a permit for audio equipment to be used in a smaller scale (Union Square Park is no Central Park) anti-war demonstration. The city will let a 35,000 popsicle melt in the Union Square, but not let a group of people meet.
Photograph from Indymedia
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I wonder how much advance Notice they gave the City?
Allowing Snapple to have their Disaster and not allowing a Permit to anti-war protestors? Nice.
I was out of town at the End of the Month: Is mayor Bloomberg still going after those Eeeeeevil Bike Riders??
Anyone notice that protesters treat these events like rock concerts? Artfully designed flyers. Kids exclaim with glee "So, are you gonna go to the protest? I'm so excited!" Sheehan is the rockstar. There's moshing with the police. It's just as smelly. And there's ALWAYS some sort of afterparty, with jungle music, vegan potlucks and clothing swaps.
As a Union Square resident, let me just say this about that:
The park and south plaza are totally packed all the time, and it can be virtually impossible to enter the subway at times due to protests, trinket salesmen, and pamphleteers. What a mess, albeit an all-American first-amendment mess. I say yes, demand permits when people want to wheel in audio equipment. Gotta draw the line somewhere.
I'd vote for Bloomberg if he'd show any inclination to rein in the cops. He's just turned the whole thing over to Kelly, there's absolutely no civilian oversight.
my thoughts exactly, timbnyc. he's pretty unconcerned with civil liberties. although i don't know about this particular event.
good for the cops for enforcing the noise pollution regs. This is the third recent arrest of Zulkowitz for using his Mr. Microphone. While it's traditional to have the occassional pro-terrorist crackpot soapboxing in union square, they shouldn't be irritating people with amplifiers.
seems pretty simple to me. they did not have a sound permit, in fact the NYPD denied them a permit, and yet they still went ahead and used sound amplication equipment.
The protesters wanted a confrontation and got one. Unfortunately this (1) takes away from their message and (2) takes away the ability for others to peacefully enjoy the park.
Yes, enough already! I live right near the park and can hear the bullhorn-toting protestors all the time. I support their right to speak about whatever they want, but not with a friggin' bullhorn. I can hear it in my apartment. It is very irritating.