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Give Us Lawn Or Give Us...Nothing
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 25, 2004
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 25, 2004
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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With a hearing scheduled for today over whether or not they can protest in Central Park, United for Peace and Justice, the group behind the largest protest timed during the Republican National Convention, has said if they can't rally in Great Lawn, then screw rallying at all. Yes, they are huge, huge babies. Gothamist became unhinged after reading this quote from Jeffrey Fogel, lead lawyer for the protest group, in the Times:
"Now that the people know that the city has been using their secret policy to deprive the use of the park of its historical purposes perhaps the people will rise up against the Parks Department, against the conservancy, and say to them precisely what we say: It's our park."
Are you kidding us? We want protesters to have a place to protest as much as they conceptually do and there are a litany of problems with the city and the bureaucracy inherent to it, but the park is not just a public space - it's also a gift. The city had to raise millions of dollars to make the park a beautiful place where people want to gather. Gothamist thinks that many New Yorkers who do want to protest also understand and respect keeping one of the best things about the city beautiful - and we hope others who come to the city realize that, too.
The NYPD is turning Pier 57, at 11th Avenue and 15th Street, into a holding pen for protesters they detain, according to the Post, which says "unruly protesters at the Republican National Convention will get breathtaking views of the Hudson River." Heh. From this holding pen, detained protesters will be bussed to Central Booking on Centre Street where they will be "processed." If anyone does get processed, let us know how it goes and whether it's anything like Bovine University type processing.
Updated: Judge denies UPJ permit to rally in Central Park. Protesters will still meet at 10AM on Sunday, August 29, at Seventh Avenue and 14th Street to make their way to Madison Square Garden.
Gothamist on protesting in Central Park.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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