The Lower East Side's Straus Square is named for Nathan Straus, a Bavarian immigrant who founded Macy's in 1902 and was a member of the board of commissioners of the NYC Department of Public Parks in the 19th century. In 1953 the city added a monument to the tiny park, honoring brave Lower East Siders who served their country in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. And on a bright Monday morning in September 2014, four inspired hipsters turned the square into an impromptu stage for their weird alt performance piece/DMT experience:
Hanksy, a street artist who says he took this video this morning on his way to work, asks, "Where will you be when the drugs kick in?" Where else but Straus Square, rattling chains and grinding a tree just to celebrate being alive, man.
