[Update, more videos below] A van burst into flames in front of Foley Square earlier this afternoon, directly in front of the courthouse at 1 Federal Plaza. According to the FDNY the van caught fire at 1:52 p.m. and was put out quickly with no injuries reported. more ›

Approximately 60 Occupy Wall Street protesters massed at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan just before midnight last night, where Law & Order: SVU had built a TV set that mimicked the encampment in Zuccotti Park before its eviction last month. Tarps, tents, handpainted signs bearing slogans of "We Are The 99%" and "Goldman $ucks," as well as a mock kitchen and People's Library made the fake camp very convincing. Protesters dashed through the park, defacing signs, complimenting the choice of tents and helping themselves to the food in the "kitchen." In short: it was a bizarre scene, and within the hour at least 50 NYPD officers showed up to rescind the show's permit, force the protesters from the park and order the production crew to dismantle the set. Here's video: more ›

Folk legend Joan Baez will reportedly be performing tomorrow in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. According to Daily Intel, organizers Aaron Black and Lower East Side activist John Penley say that Baez will "headline a concert in support" of OWS, at Foley Square, which is north of Zuccotti Park. Yet... earlier this week the musician, who is currently on tour, told the CT Post, "I don't want to go in toting my guitar. This has a very different tone [as compared to some of the movements she has been involved with and performed in support of]. I am going to want to talk to the people." Word is she will perform, however, but no time has been released as of yet. Either way, your move, Dylan. more ›

Members of the End Rape NYPD and NOW-NYC held a protest in Foley Square last night to coincide with the sentencing of Kenneth Moreno, who was given 1 year in prison for misdemeanor official misconduct, despite being acquitted of rape in May. Both groups are asking for Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to implement a comprehensive training program on rape, sexual assault, a proper police conduct. "The justice system did all it can do," protest organizer Amy Klein told us, "Now it's up to Ray Kelly to enact these logical steps to ensure that this never happens again, and that women who report sexual assault are taken seriously." more ›

In the wake of the one-year prison sentence for official misconduct given to former NYPD officer Kenneth Moreno, who was acquitted in May of raping a woman in her East Village apartment, a protest has been scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan. Organizers of the protest, End Rape NYPD and NOW-NYC, tell us in a statement, "Today, we're standing with sexual assault victims and promising the NYPD that we're not going away until they demonstrate that they're taking steps to prevent rape, not perpetrate it. Please join us if you can." They're also asking participants to wear red, to show that we're living in a "danger zone." more ›

President Obama's advisers are reportedly close to recommending that Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other accused 9/11 plotters be tried in a military tribunal, not a lower Manhattan federal courthouse. According to unnamed sources cited in the Washington Post, the White House might cave to bipartisan opposition to holding the trial at Foley Square, as well as pressure mainly from Republicans who think the suspected terrorists should face justice in a military court. more ›

A day after Vice President Biden called out Mayor Bloomberg for inflating the cost of trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters in a Lower Manhattan courtroom, Bloomberg said the Veep doesn't know what he's talking about. The Mayor—who wants a guarantee that the federal government will pick up the tab for the terror trial—insisted that his estimate of $200 million per year is "reasonable." more ›

Even as his plans to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters in a Lower Manhattan courthouse seem to be unraveling, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder insists that "[h]istory will show that the decisions we've made are the right ones." In a New Yorker profile, Holder claims that some of the politicians who have blasted the Obama administration for its policies on terror have "a desire to ignore the facts to try to score political points." more ›

It's that special time of year again when Charlie Todd and a troupe of others that like to de-pants every January go underground for a nice, brisk ride on the subway. As usual, you're all invited (warning: you may be arrested), but if you show up you must not have pants on! They warn, in all caps, that "THIS IS A PARTICIPATORY EVENT. DO NOT SHOW UP UNLESS YOU PLAN TO TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF. THIS INCLUDES NEWS MEDIA." Hear that "new media"? You are not exempt (though there's a possible loophole here in which one could wear skirts, shorts or a dress). more ›

Two years ago, we wondered if there was a big list of all the fountains in New York City. We haven't made that much progress with the list, but at least now we have a list of the "display fountains" the Parks Department maintains. And it's interesting - Brooklyn only has three while Staten Island has eight. Of course, there are many fountains outside of the Parks Department's jurisdiction (for instance, the fountain outside the Brooklyn Museum), so if you can help remind us of others in the comments, that would be great. more ›

• On the Gothamist Newsmap: A suspicious package shut down Penn Station this morning (it was ID'd and taken care of), a two-alarm fire in Park Slope, and a missing child at the Guggenheim Museum
• That psychedelic piece of the Brooklyn skyline, the Broken Angel, will have to come down because it's "dangerous", but it may be re-built
• Interesting NY Sun article about what might happen to State Senator Malcolm Smith (D, Queens), currently the minority leader, if power shifts to the Democrats
• A 12-year-old girl walking to school was hit by a driver in Queens; her leg may need to be amputated
• Fake cop alert: A 19-year-old was arrested after he used his car's lights and sirens, plus a fake badge, to pull over a retired detective who cut him off on the Upper East Side; bonus: the kid is the son of a NY Times reporter, according to the Post
• Racked braves the crowds for Kate Moss' Topshop clothing collection at Barneys Co-op
• The city installs a sign for "Foley Square" that says "Folley Square"
• The Brooklyn Navy Yard is buzzing with tenants more ›

MUSIC: We've been enjoying us some Ford & Fitzroy, and are eager to hear what they've got in store sonically (as there is only one track available online right now). But the ex-Asobi Seksu bassist and his talented bandmates have got us hooked off just that one tune. Give a listen at their MySpace. And check them out tonight with V2's Roman Candle. more ›

- And Many Highways has some video and photographs of weekend Spider-Man 3 filming at Foley Square; we have no idea what the plot is supposed to be, but if you really want to know, here's the Google search for "Spider-Man 3 spoilers"
more ›

Tens of thousands marched, protested, or formed a human chain during yesterday's "A Day Without An Immigrant" rallies. However, the NY marches paled in comparison to the ones in Los Angeles (an estimated 800,000) and Chicago (400,000). One immigrant who took yesterday off lost her job at a midtown deli and was profiled mentioned in both the NY Times and NY Post: Sylvia Garcia's boss (and a Korean immigrant) Patrick Lee said ten employees asked for Monday off, "It was irresponsible. You don't come to me at 5 on Friday and say you're not showing up on Monday. If they had given notice, it would have been different." (The Post says he fired six workers, as four others came back to work.) more ›

Today is "Day Without An Immigrant" day, as immigrants across the county will choose various ways to protest the country's possible immigration policy shift. While some are not going to work at all, in New York, workers are going to link their arms at 12:16PM for about 20 minutes. From the New York Immigration Coalition:

At exactly 12:16pm on May 1st, immigrant workers, business owners, and community members at several locations can take a few minutes out from their workday to join together in solidarity with immigrants across the nation, by lining up along major immigrant commercial thoroughfares and holding signs that read, “We Are America!” and “I Love Immigrant New York!” Immigrant workers and business owners will be available for interviews. more ›

Charlie Todd and his merry band of ImprovEverywhere pranksters are famous around these parts-- we've been fans for a couple of years (check out the interview we did with him back in August.) If you've never participated in one of the ImprovEverywhere events, tomorrow is your big chance-- for the fifth year in a row, dozens of improv fans will be hitting the 6 train-- WITHOUT PANTS: more ›

Sometimes you just want to say what's on your mind. But how about in public, to complete strangers? Now you can. more ›

P.Diddy and Russell Simmons are trying to stage a protest in Foley Square downtown. No, it's not to protest the smoking ban or not allowing people to carry concealed weapons in clubs, it's to protest the unfairness of Rockefeller drug laws. The Post says "organizers have already passed out 300,000 fliers and run radio ads publicizing Wednesday's extravaganza, which will feature numerous hip-hop bigwigs including Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs, Jay-Z, the Beastie Boys and Eve." One of the issues is that Foley Square only holds 1500, while organizers think 200,000 will come. more ›