Two days ago Glenn Beck held his "Restoring Honor" Rally in Washington D.C. on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech. Turns out he's not the only one trying to equate right wing ideology with the civil rights leader. The "Manhattan Declaration", which was released on November 20th 2009, is boasting nearly 500,000 signatures supporting it (Manhattan because it was presented in the borough to Christian leaders last September), and now one of its drafters just released a video haranguing people into supporting the morally questionable declaration. more ›

Last week we spotted the "seatless subway"—furnished with seats that easily flip-up during busy rush hour commutes to create room for more straphangers. You know, so we can work our way towards being more like Japan. At the time, Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Deirdre Parker, told us that they were brought in for a test, but the "seats are locked in the down position and will remain that way. There is no plan at this point to run those cars in the up position." So there we have it, human cattle cars are not in our future. more ›

NY1 reports that 56 people were arrested during an immigration rally outside of Federal Plaza yesterday, noting their "anger with the Obama Administration for sending 1,200 National Guardsmen to the U.S. border with Mexico" and desire for "the administration to play a bigger role in the fight against Arizona's controversial law." Well, President Obama will be meeting with Arizona Governor Brewer tomorrow; he said last week he thinks the Arizona law is "the wrong approach" but added, "I understand the frustrations of the people of Arizona and a lot of folks along the border that that border has not been entirely secured in a way that is both true to our traditions as a nation of law and as a nation of immigrants." more ›

City Council member Ydanis Rodriguez's promise that acts of civil disobedience would continue every Monday until Arizona's immigration law was overturned was kept, as two more politicians were arrested with 35 protesters yesterday for disorderly conduct. City Council member Melissa Mark-Viverito and State Assembly member Adriano Espaillat, along with union, clergy and community leaders locked arms at Federal Plaza to block traffic, and promised more protests until immigration reform is implemented. Henry Singleton of Local 1199 told NY1, "I think Federal Plaza better get ready for every Monday that there will be thousands of people coming down here to be arrested here and on Broadway." more ›

A judge found the Reverend Al Sharpton and seven other protesters guilty of disorderly conduct. Sharpton had organized a number of civil disobedience events around the city to protest the acquittals of three police officers whose gun fire killed unarmed Sean Bell in November 2006. Sharpton had promised to shut down the city with the protests, which was situated at bridge and tunnel crossings and over 200 people were arrested, though most of the cases were ultimately dismissed. WNBC reports that Sharpton and the other defendants were sentenced to time already served (Sharpton had served 5 1/2 hours in jail). more ›

Today, the Reverend Al Sharpton and others who demonstrated in a number of civil disobedience events around the city back in May went to court for the start of a non-jury trial. They were protesting the acquittals of three police detectives who fired 50 shots at unarmed Sean Bell and killed him in 2006, and Sharpton, who had promised to shut the city down by organizing the protests at bridges and tunnels, was arrested on May 7. Sharpton, who rejected an offer to plead guilty for time served (he was held for 5 1/2 hours), said, "We wanted to stop violence, not cause violence." more ›

Two hundred sixteen people were arrested during pray-ins protesting the acquittals of three police detectives in the shooting of Sean Bell. The NY Times called the demonstrations "carefully orchestrated," as hundreds of (perhaps a thousand) people gathered at six different locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, blocking traffic and attracting arrest. more ›

Hundreds of people gathered at six different locations in the city to protest the acquittal of three police detectives in the Sean Bell shooting. They blocked traffic at the Queensboro Bridge, Triborough Bridge, Manhttan Bridge, Holland Tunnel, Queens Midtown Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge, and arrests were made at the Queens Midtown Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge. more ›

Al Sharpton released the locations and schedule of his civil disobedience capaign, which is supposed to take place next week. The purpose is to maximize public inconvenience, and Al Sharpton decided that it would be more effective to have as many people show up as possible, as well as to let the NYPD where they were going to be in advance. NY1 reports "The goal of the protests is to tie up traffic and force police to make arrests. more ›