With Us Or Against Us? NYPD Literal Interpretationists!

f15 saw some pretty extreme police action. so what about next time? (article 3)


taken on 3rd ave/56th street and times square.

in times square around 3:00 pm i was standing with two others, one holding a protest sign, the other holding just a piece of newspaper. the cops repeatedly harrassed us and told us we had to move on, that we were blocking the sidewalk (there were three of us), that we were trespassing (quickly ammended into "we have a legal order to clear this area"), all the while there was a typical long line of people at the TKTS booth. i was told that if i had legitimate business to conduct then it was ok for me to be there. i tried to join the TKTS line but was blocked from doing so. i would like to stress that we were just standing there, not shouting, not interferring with anyone in any way, just holding up a sign and a piece of newspaper. the cops insisted that not only we leave, but that the protest sign be concealed.

later i saw the guy who had been holding the newspaper laying in the street, not moving, surrounded by cops. he was taken away in an ambulance.

so, what happens next time? seems like the stage is set for even greater violence, possibly on both sides as some protesters seek a means to vent their anger and frustration. this will give the cops an even better excuse to crack down hard.

we've got to stand up for our rights, and to voice our opinions, but fighting with the cops really isn't the point. target the leadership, target the policy decisions, target individual officers who have crossed the line, but violence for peace doesn't make sense.

we all need to let the Mayor, the city and police commissioner Kelly know that we will be back, we will be many, and we will not tolerate further abuse.

peace activists are not terrorists.