Well art is free to express and if someone wants to buy something someone else made, so be it, it's art to them, deal with it, it's they're choice, not yours, and what, are you against freedom? Against your own constitution, this countries rug is being pulled out from right under it's feet so these measly lil norma-a-als could huddle in groups n beat the big bad wolf by building a prison around themselves to be lead by some eye from the top of the nostril down looking never-were's that think they can lead em cause they wiped behind their lil hoof prints from the world's greatest lil crime spree so we cld stay as evolutionarily stagnant as a fancy schmance can of worms... oh oops, did I spoil the fun ending? I think that all ends in just a buncha sludge after a while just suffocating itself anyway.

Aaahhh...... I just used free speech in a creative way, and DAMN it feels good. Oh, that's what ur all afraid of? Happy F'n independence day when that $#!^ comes around again. Bye.

NYC Streets and parks artists offer one of the best selections of art that is not censored/selected by curator or gallery owner. I love seeing what local artist create and many of them are quite good. Don't let the "touristy" photos and posters distract you from seeing the real art. There are some great gems exhibiting on our streets and parks.

Here's a similar video from many of the artists themselves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK4OCns3-9k

Williamsburg too was turned around by artists. Whatever you think of it now at least it is safe to walk around in.

I have been living in New York for over 20 years. It was the artists who helped turn this city around in the 90's. Remember Soho when you couldn't even get a cab to go there? Everything goes in cycles. When crime returns and all the rich yuppies start leaving in their droves who will be there to help pick us up. Not the artists. They will have all left and moved to a city that allows them to make a living.

The artists are great; ok some just sell those 'fighting terrorism' tee shirts or pictures of Audrey Hepburn but there is great, original art in Union Square.

And yet the good majority of respondents here think their numbers should be reduced. 94 percent my ass.

94%? Doubt that. What'd they do? Go and poll 94 artists, and 6 other people?

"horseplay" interesting analysis except that the illegal vendors only sell to tourists. Do you think real New Yorkers are buying that crap?

BTW, it's disgusting when illegal art vendors try to hid behind the legal war veterans.

I would assume that MR BLOOMTURD is pushing to reduce the # of street venders, which is unfare because alot of them are war verterans. But i guess maybe they are taking up precious tourists space. After all, according to BLOOMTURD, this city belongs to tourists. NOT NY'ers

Do they have to pay rent to sell in the park? Why not band together and start a gallery in one of the MANY empty retail spaces in the city. Oh right, it's because most of the "artists" in Union Square are complete hacks.

Thanks for the balanced reporting Jen. You really need to stop drinking Lederman's Kool-Aid.

A number of my friends are street artists. These proposed regulations would mean most of them would officially be out of a job, and essentially would make it impossible for them to live here. A few of them are already eying up Boston and Berlin as possible new locations. Help us keep New York a haven for artists and free thinkers! Sign the petition, write a letter, show up to the protest, do something!