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Some Clarification on Tonight's BP Protest (BYO "Oil"!)
By
John Del Signore
Published May 28, 2010
Modified May 28, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published May 28, 2010
Modified May 28, 2010
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Protest organizers are expecting a sizable turnout at tonight's demonstration at the BP station on Houston Street, and so a major NYPD presence is inevitable as well. (And after the protest, at 7 p.m., there's Critical Mass, woot!) This morning Code Pink sent out a handy info sheet for those planning on attending. They also clarified that they don't intend to literally "occupy" BP, just converge at the gas station covered in "oil" to send a message.
Some Code Pink protesters will be trying to stop motorists from filling up their tanks with evil BP gas, but organizers insist the protest isn't "a civil disobedience action and we will do everything possible to PREVENT arrests." Everyone is encouraged to show up at 6 p.m. sharp with a water bottle full of dirt, molasses, food coloring or water-based paint to pour on themselves. Then, at 6:15 "EXACTLY you may walk onto the station’s property and pour this 'oil' on yourself or your (willing) neighbor to demonstrate what the people and wildlife in the Gulf are suffering."
Then drinks at Tom & Jerry's or a weekend in the Tombs, depending on how confrontational things get. Whatever you do, don't light up any American Spirits while trying to wrest the gas pump away from gluttonous car owners! Below, the full info sheet that just landed in our inbox:
Thank you for joining us tomorrow! The response to this event has been overwhelming and we are doing our best to make sure that everything goes smoothly. We need your help! Please read and follow these directions precisely, and SHARE them with your fellow protesters, many of whom will not see them. Word of mouth made this event huge, and word of mouth will make it beautiful. There will also be a dozen marshals with large MARSHAL BP badges who will be directing the group on site. Thank you!!
DO converge at 6 pm sharp at the BP station on Houston between
Broadway and Lafayette.
DO NOT be early or late.
DO NOT demonstrate ANY violence, verbal or physical, to the police, to
your fellows, or to property. If you are detained DO NOT resist. If
you or another are detained or harassed CALL OR TEXT (917) 544-5604.
DO wear either a costume of your choice or white clothes (that you
don’t mind getting sludgy).
DO bring a water bottle full of dirty (with dirt, molasses, food
coloring or water-based paint) to pour on yourself. At 6:15 EXACTLY
you may walk onto the station’s property and pour this “oil” on
yourself or your (willing) neighbor to demonstrate what the people and
wildlife in the Gulf are suffering. At this point when we are asked to
leave we will be trespassing, so we advise you to leave when requested
to do so.**** Legal Information ****
Many people have asked about the possibility of arrest. We ARE NOT
running a civil disobedience action and we will do everything possible
to PREVENT arrests, and we have NYC’s finest protest attorneys on
call. It is LEGAL for us to gather on public sidewalks as long as we
do not block them and it is LEGAL for us to be in a place of business
(the gas station) until we are asked to leave, so we should be fine.HOWEVER, police do sometimes arrest people who are not doing illegal
things. If you are nervous, you can minimize risk by staying on the
sidewalk and not blocking foot traffic, even if that means stringing
out down the block or down the blocks away from the station and the
action (take that opportunity to talk to passersby about the action,
help pass out the flyers we bring etc.). We ask that you NOT stay on
BP’s property after being asked to leave, since you are then LIKELY to
get arrested.**** Rain Plan ****
There is no rain plan. Rain or shine
Tagged
BP
demonstration
east village
Gas station
gulf spill
manhattan
protest
soho
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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