Cops Detain Activists Giving Out Fake Post Outside News Corp.

Triborough's Flickr

Oh no, man! According to witnesses, this morning the NYPD detained several volunteers working with the Yes Men to distribute the hoax edition of the New York Post. Photographer Jason Nicholas was at the scene outside News Corp., the Post headquarters, when he observed cops detaining three volunteers who had been handing out copies.

He tells Daily Finance, "They seized the papers that those guys were distributing and took them inside the building. It seemed they were acting in concert with building security because I noticed them talking before and after." Neither the Post nor the NYPD have commented yet on what grounds the papers were seized, but we look forward to some fact-laden, objective reporting about it in tomorrow's Post.

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By John Del Signore in News on September 21, 2009 1:37 PM

Comments [rss]

yytttt

... they were sentenced to... I think you know where I'm going with this...

yytttt

The activists were charged with two counts of "failure to have night-stick in asshole."

Ed

I was handed one of these today and thought it was the Post. They hand the Post out free oftentimes near the 42nd St library. I don't regularly read the news but I figured I would take one for the subway ride. It wasn't until I sat on the train that I realized it was a fake about climate change. I read it and found some interesting info but many leftist screeds. Still, not horrible.

However, this cause leaves me dry and I will tell you why. The guy who handed me the fake Post was smiling an oily, smug smile and kept eye contact with me for a little too long and it was a bit odd but I got the paper. Once on the subway I could tell what his whole look was about. He thought he duped me with his superior ways while I was a guy reaching out for free corporate slop. His smile had a smug, self-righteous look about it.

Okay, so I did feel stupid for a second since I consider myself an in-the-know NYer. But this feeling that was created in me, this is the feeling that makes me stay away from these save-the-earth types, the self-righteous bikers, the greenies, etc., you know who I mean (this also includes health food store workers and bookstore clerks, two of the meanest demographics that I have ever encountered). Ugh. I would take the NY Post and all of its politics any day over this silly group.

I am very aware of not abusing the earth and I do my thing but I don't need to tell everyone how great I am for doing so. Shut up and do it and just set a good example.

felixthecat2

Get a grip! You got all this from a glance. Perhaps it is you that has the issues.

Wza

Fox News is reporting the Yes Men were trained by Osama Bin Laden's men at an Al Qaeda camp in Pakistan.

americaonline

I watched that happen for a second while I was walking past. Heard the term 'copywrite infringement' being used.

Qraymond

I believe this would be protected as satire/parody.

But hey, who needs a First Amendment anyway?

Past Taliban

If distributing false news is a crime, why haven't they arrested the editors of the NY Times, The Washington Post and Fox News yet?

JacqueMehoff

what does the mayor say about this? doesn't he run a news organization? oh no? you mean he has absolutely no say in that? yeah, right.

Mr Mel

It doesn't take much to upset Rupert.

NannyState

Somebody has to make his money for him, the man can barely chew.

thefacts

Incredibly stupid of these cops and the Post.

But what do you expect of crypto fascists?

S.D.

"crypto fascists"?

Wow, there's an obscure term...

Do you mean the NYPD, The Post (I can see it), or both?

tingo

Corporate-promoted police intimidation to curb free speech? Sounds like a civil liberties lawyer's dream.

longacre

Could be. Or maybe they wandered off the public sidewalk onto News Corp. property, in which case they would be trespassing. Whatever the case, getting arrested is probably exactly what they wanted.